It’s easy to miss their stories. The Christmas story holds great drama. There’s an angel who appears to Mary. A virgin conception. A virgin birth. An angel appears to Joseph and tells him to take Mary as his wife. There’s an angel who appears to Zechariah, and the improbable baby boy born to Elizabeth in her old age. But there’s …
He missed Christmas. Not only did he miss it, but he also sought to destroy it. He was called Herod the Great. At the age of 25 or 28, in 47 BC, he was appointed the governor of Galilee by his father, Antipater. His position was thus, not something he earned. His career was marked by his attempts to “climb …
I suppose in a lot of circles he’d be a big man. He had a title and privilege. He got to literally go behind the curtain—a status not afforded to the common villager. He was a priest, and not just any priest. He came from the line of Aaron. He was righteous, faithful, and therefore respected. But for all these …
What’s not to like about Christmas? The season of tinsel, glitter, gifts, and family—right? Well, for many, the truth is that Christmas is a season of heartbreak, loss, and loneliness. I’ve got a friend who lost a child right before Christmas; and in my own family, my father passed away a week before Christmas. It’s hard to celebrate in the …
It’s here. That time of year. Kettle bell ringers. Festive decorations. Office parties. Presents wrapped with bows. Lots of cards. A full mailbox. Crowded malls, crowded streets. And sometimes, if we can drag ourselves away from the noise, a question: What’s it all about? I suspect everyone, if they really admit it, wants the same thing: a life of meaning, …
Here are some facts about Christmas taken from History.com—“History of Christmas.”¹ I share these facts to help take some of the commercial glitter off Christmas and to remind us that it really is about the story of how God sent his son, Jesus, as redeemer for all mankind. Each year, 30-35 million real Christmas trees are sold in the United …
I have one of those Daily Bibles. It’s edited by LaGard Smith. It’s a series of daily readings from the Bible in chronological order. I’ve been reading it for years. For those of you who’ve read through the Bible in a year, you know that it takes real work. It’s easy to quit or give up when you get to …
What’s the biggest community foundation in the country? Not New York. Not Los Angeles. Not Chicago. Not something in Florida. It’s the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. Although it got started only 10 years ago, the Silicon Valley Community Foundation has assets of $8.2 billion. In 2016, the SVF made grants of $1.3 billion. What’s accounted for their rise? The Stanford …
I had to smile at a recent CNBC news article. A family in London posted an ad for a nanny job with some pretty cool perks: A salary of $129,000 International travel Use of the family Maserati, Range Rover, and Porche Gourmet meals prepared by the family chef However, not just any slouch need apply. The job requires 15 years …
What’s a gospel patron? John Rinehart wrote a compelling book called Gospel Patrons. There he describes a gospel patron as a passionate follower of Jesus but one who also invests generously with time and treasure in the advance of the gospel. Few would recognize that, throughout history, the gospel has been advanced by such patrons. For instance, William Tyndale helped …
