Christmas: The Gospel of Matthew | Jesus, Wise Men Still Seek Him

Read: Matthew 2:1-12 We have made it through another Christmas. Arguably, this was a little more unusual than previous years, but we got through it all the same. That is, we are past the first day of Christmas, but there are still 12 full days of celebration. Our resilience to listen to Christmas music into […]

Celebrating Jesus: A Christmas Eve Message

Matthew 1:21, 23 Merry Christmas Eve! It is a day when children of all ages experience the overwhelming excitement of celebrating, arguably, the best holiday of the year. Yesterday was Christmas Adam. It’s the day before Christmas Eve. Being the good uncle that I am, I have made a big deal of “Christmas Adam” with […]

Advent: The Gospel of Matthew | Jesus, Emmanuel

Part 4/5 Read: Matthew 1:23, Isaiah 7:10-14 Christmas is the time that we celebrate the birth of Jesus. The baby Jesus is the kind of Jesus that everyone likes. It’s why Christmas is celebrated by so many people, even those who would never find themselves going to Church every Sunday. I’ve even heard people pray […]

Advent With Children

“Please don’t say we need to color this candle purple too.” That was the report from one of my second grade students as we worked through the Advent calendar coloring sheet for Advent Week 3, which occurred last Sunday, the third Sunday of Advent. There was a palpable sense of relief when she discovered that […]

Advent: The Gospel of Matthew | Jesus, the Savior

Part 3/5 Read: Matthew 1:21, Isaiah 35:1-10 Christmas is a season that we are reminded of the story of the incarnation of Jesus Christ. It’s a familiar story and, perhaps, familiarity has caused us to grow disenchanted by the whole affair. We are much more likely to get excited about the entailments of Christmas, like […]

Advent: The Gospel of Matthew | Jesus, Son of Joseph

Part 2/5 Read: Matthew 1:18-25, Isaiah 40:3-5 Are you ready for Christmas? I think it is safe to say that nobody is ever really ready. There is a lot to prepare. Sometimes it feels like too much to do. During this second week of Advent, we are focusing on preparation, so I encourage you that […]

Dont Skip Advent: To Everything There is a Season

We finally made it to December. It felt touch-and-go for a while. More than any other year, there might be a temptation to relax, to treat ourselves, or to let ourselves go upon reflection of the many difficulties and trials that occurred. There are times when this is an appropriate and even recommended activity. We […]

Advent: The Gospel of Matthew | Jesus, the Christ

Part 1 of 5 Read: Matthew 1:1-17, Genesis 12:1-9, II Samuel 7:1-17 I have to make a confession. Before I got married, I wasn’t one to decorate for Christmas. I never actually celebrated Christmas at my own home. I would always travel to go and see my family, but the fact remains that I was […]

A Sacrifice of Thanksgiving | by Adam Miller

Read: Psalm 50, Luke 17:11-19 This year for Thanksgiving, I am approaching the holiday with a different frame of mind. I want to count my blessings, but in a year of so many disruptions and disappointments, I’m finding it a little more challenging to be grateful. Instead of simply giving things for the few highlights […]

Humility | Micah 6:8, II Chronicles 7:14, John 13:1-17

Read: Micah 6:8, II Chronicles 7:14, John 13:1-17 This year has been…unusual. Therefore, in anticipation of celebrating Thanksgiving, I want to encourage you to consider what you are giving thanks for this year. Are we grateful despite the circumstances, or have we matured enough this year to give thanks to God for the challenges that […]