This week, we take a closer look at one of the most well-known parts of the Christmas story: the angels appearing to the shepherds. Who were the shepherds, and how can we relate to them? What is God’s glory, how is it used throughout the Bible, and how can we live Into our identity as image (glory)-bearers of God?
By Tavia Grubbs
As Mary and Joseph participated in the unique miracle of Jesus' birth, they experienced deep blessing mixed with profound personal sacrifice. But, they willingly accepted the certain risk of scandal and rejection in order that God's loving purposes for the world might be perfectly fulfilled in Jesus.
Texts: Luke 1:26-45; Matthew 1:18-25
By Keith Beebe
For as long as our history is traceable, we homo sapiens have been progressing, and by all accounts we’re set to hit warp speed on all that with the dawn of AI. But the Christian joy that is celebrated at Christmas is not about progress, it’s about a different kind of rescue altogether.
The wisdom of God stands totally outside of all our ideas of progress and advancement (which we’d be fools to put too much faith in, if we look lack in earnest at our past) What Jesus came to do was to set us right on a cosmic level - forever, and completely. And what the spirit is here for, is our daily access to Him, while we wait for the life we were always made for.
By Hannah Flint
