Lake Murray BC Podcast

In this passage, the angels are sent to announce Jesus' arrival.  Surprisingly, they do not go to the temple, the palace, or Rome, but they appear instead to lowly shepherds in the fields outside of Bethlehem. What can the angels' announcement to the shepherds and the shepherds' response  teach us about the true message of Christmas?

When we study scripture, we see that the birth of Jesus was long expected, that Old Testament prophecy foretold of the day when a Messiah would be born.  However, when Jesus is born, it happens in the most unexpected way. Everyone experiences the unexpected and the narrative of the birth of Jesus can help us to know how we should respond in these moments of life.

Mary’s song of praise is infused with joy and thanksgiving. But it also operates as a study of the character of God and the gracious ways that he provides for his children.  What can we learn from Mary’s song today? Why do we, like Mary, also have reason to sing songs of praise? How can we apply the truth of this song to our own lives this Christmas?

In today's text, we’ll look at the next passage in Luke’s gospel where Mary goes to visit Elizabeth. What can this meeting of two pregnant mothers, one an old woman, the other a young virgin, teach us about where true joy and blessing comes from this Christmas?

Almost all of us are familiar with the Christmas Story: Mary and Joseph, the journey to Bethlehem, and the baby born in a manger. But has our familiarity caused us to lose our wonder at this impossible work of God? As we begin our Christmas series, God With Us, pray that God would recapture the awe of our hearts.

As we reach the conclusion of the Farewell Discourse, we see a recurring theme of unity.  A unified church has a common relationship, a common love, and a common mission.

At the end of the Farewell Discourse, Jesus does something important: he prays.  The prayer ofJesus is important in that it both gives us insight into how Jesus views his impending death and his hopes for his disciples after his crucifixion. As followers of Jesus today, we can learn essential truth to the Christian life through studying John 17.

The cross is necessary for our salvation and for our sanctification. When Jesus goes, he does so for his disciple’s benefit—that they might possess gifts and resources they otherwise could not possess. The same is true for those of us who are followers of Jesus today. What did the cross secure for us? And how might we take advantage of those gifts of God’s grace today?

There is a great deal of confusion in the world, and even in the church, about the Holy Spirit. He is the most misunderstood and overlooked member of the Trinity. Yet what we believe about and how we experience the Holy Spirit has vast implications for our spiritual life.  In this passage, Jesus addresses the Holy Spirit, the Helper, who will come after Jesus has gone, and make sense of all that has occurred.

In today's text, Jesus wants to warn his disciples about the reality of following him in a world that has been broken by sin.  If we are going to love Jesus and follow his commands, he says that we should expect stern opposition from the world.  How then should we respond when we face opposition for following Jesus? How might God use it to draw us closer to himself?