Christmas in our culture is definitely a time for giving gifts. Sure the Magi brought gifts but the better reason for gift-giving is because God Himself is the MASTER GIVER. An often heard quip is ever true, "You can't out give God!" The Bible tells us throughout of people who gave sacrificially, both in big ways and small. Most of us can also recount times when we either gave a gift or received a gift that had a deep and lasting impact. That said, Isaiah 9:6 foretold of the greatest, most epic, GIFT ever to be given and the prophet did so 7-plus centuries in advance: "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (NKJV) And then Paul puts forth his exclamation mark in 2 Corinthians 9:15 when he writes: "Now thanks be to God for His Gift, precious, beyond telling, His indescribable, inexpressible, free Gift!" (AMPC) And what's His name? Jesus Christ, our Savior and our Lord!

John 1:14 says: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." (ESV) The Incarnation, that God became Man, is astounding beyond words! Where it says, "He dwelt among us" comes from a Greek word that essentially says that God "pitched His tent with us!" Christ Jesus has come to camp in our campground! His transcendent glory gave way to His loving immanent presence! But why did He come? Jesus' Incarnation brought about our justification, our sanctification, and our promised glorification! Jesus' Incarnation brought about our redemption, our emancipation, our reconciliation, our salvation, our adoption, and our future resurrections! And what might we say about all this? Gloria in excelsis Deo! Glory to God in the highest!

We read in Luke 17:11-19 the amazing story of how ten lepers cry out to Jesus for mercy. Jesus merely tells them to go show themselves to the priests as required in the law. So in obedience, the ten men go and each one of them are healed! But then one of the ten, full of thanksgiving, returns to Jesus, falls at His feet, and gives praise to God. Jesus tells the man that his faith has made him, "well." The "made you well" part is stunning. The Greek word translated as well, or sometimes as whole, and other times as saved, is "Sozo." Which does it mean? Made well? Made whole? Saved? How about all three! Sozo is a beautiful and extraordinary word! And what might we ask should naturally follow being made well, whole, and saved? THANKSGIVING!

Enjoy a message from our guest speaker

Hebrews 12:14-15 says: "Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled..." (ESV) Jesus knew the potential for resentment & bitterness taking root. His disciples had long exhibited their rivalries. James & John even had their mother lobby Jesus for future kingdom positions. At the Last Supper, the eve of His sacrifice, and right after Judas Iscariot left the room to deliver on his betrayal, Jesus speaks to all this. John 13:34-35 are His words: "So I give you a new command: Love each other deeply and fully. Remember the ways that I have loved you, and demonstrate your love for others in those same ways. Everyone will know you as My followers if you demonstrate your love to others." (VOICE) If our words are sarcastic and cynical, uppity and condescending, will they know we belong to God's Family? If we think more highly of ourselves than what we ought or more lowly of others than what we ought, will the world have any inclination that we are actually followers of Jesus?

Ephesians 5:8-11 says: "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them." (NIV) While here Paul talks about "the fruit of the light," he echoes similarly in Galatians 5:22-23 where he uses the term, "fruit of the Spirit." Before coming to Christ, we were rightly called, "darkness" because of the sinful lives we lived. But Jesus, in making us His own though His death on the cross, now deems us, "children of light." So the expectation is that the transformation that's been brought forth in our hearts by the grace of God via the Holy Spirit will produce the same kind of dramatic transformation in our actions. Jesus said, "You will know them by their fruits…” So it’s fair to say that others will know us by our fruits and that, among other things, is a humbling thought...

Acts 12:1-5 tells of a perilous time in the early church: "About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword, and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church." (ESV) Peter and his fellow apostles had already been a part of an earlier prison escape; could there be another? What act by his fellow believers seems to have made the difference in terms of this event’s miraculous outcome? And what then might we glean from this 2,000 year old episode? Or in other words, does what happened way back then have any relevance for us in the here and now?

Psalm 146:1-6 says: "Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD O my soul! I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever..." (ESV) The psalmist's admonition is twofold: don't put your trust in man, even those with acclaimed status, power, and authority, but instead, put your trust in the Maker of all things seen and unseen. And when we look at the merciful and compassionate attributes of God our Father, it becomes clear that the God of Creation is likewise the God of our Salvation. And then we must ask, through Whom has He brought forth His Great Salvation?

Every coming to Christ story is different. Some come to Christ with both heels dragging. Some have quiet or gradual conversion experiences. Some start out as doubters and detractors but end up being convinced otherwise. Some come because of a great trial or tragedy or due to an immensely painful ordeal. Some come after monumental successes that over time prove to be empty and unfulfilling. Some become believers as children or youth; others as elderly adults; others upon their deathbeds. People come to Christ a thousand different ways. But they all come as dead men walking who by the Spirit of God are born anew in Jesus Christ. Deep down do you want for this too?

1 Timothy 1:15-17, Paul testifies to his protégé, Timothy: "The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost (sinner), Jesus Christ might display His perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in Him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." (ESV) Paul just as easily could've said, "If Christ can save me, He can save anybody!" We might ponder then this question: Who and What convinced Saul to give up his prestigious law-abiding stardom in the Jewish faith to become one who suffered so terribly just to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to both Jews and Gentiles? He might've gone on and made high priest but instead he was beheaded for knowing Christ and making Him known! So what might be behind all this?