Christ the Lord

Key Bible Passage:

And the angel said to them [the shepherds], “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11)

Reflect:

If I could go back in time and give myself advice about reading the Bible, I would lean into God’s character and the story beneath the story. I wouldn’t simply learn–or teach my kids–the stories of the Bible (though good, I want best). 2 Timothy 3:16 says the Bible is God-breathed (notice his character – he breathes life into his Word) and useful for “teaching, reproof, correction and training in righteousness.” I want all this to happen every time I read the Christmas story. 

Adding Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus to the seasonal mix of decking the halls, decorating cookies, and singing carols is easy. This year I want to dig the “holy” out of the holiday.

We invite you to join us here at Planting Roots–a ministry to military women–as we take a fresh look at Matthew’s and Luke’s Christmas narratives and ask, “What’s really happening here? Why? What do I learn about God? How can this truth help me draw near to God? How can it help me live and work wisely, and with hope? Do I need any course corrections?”

As we wind down 2017, which news stories are likely to make the “Top 100”? Likely mentions include natural disasters (hurricanes and wildfires), shootings (Las Vegas), political discord (D.C.), cloud outages (Microsoft), monopolies (Amazon), cyber-attacks, and more. Rarely does the news media offer good news with equal enthusiasm–but Luke does.

Look back at today’s verse. An angel brings good news of great joy, and the most unlikely audience receives a message for “all the people.” High drama! Let’s enter these scenes, eager to be touched and transformed by this dramatic true story. Hear it: We have a Savior!

Respond:

• Read Luke 2 as we start the season and play out the scene in your mind or as a family.