New Hope Blackstone Valley

11/17/2025

Thanksgving is almost upon us, and most people will never know the real joy that can be had by living a life wholly given over to the Lord. They'll think it's about the turkey with all the trimmings and the family and the friends, and there is nothing wrong with any of that. However, those people will never know that real joy because they never knew the One who made all of that possible.......

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6 for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13 and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. 14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: 15 looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; 16 lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, 19 and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: 20 (for they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: 21 and so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) 22 but ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. 25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: 26 whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29 for our God is a consuming fire.. Hebrews 12

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04/01/2024

The prophet Isaiah predicted the death of the Messiah as a sacrifice for our sins in Isaiah chapter 53, where he wrote,

All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth. By oppression and judgment He was taken away; and as for His generation, who considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due. (Isaiah 53:6-8)

In this same chapter the prophet also predicts His resurrection from the dead.

But the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; if He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand. (Isaiah 53:10)

The words of the prophet were fulfilled in the resurrection of Yeshua and there are some good historical reasons for us to believe that Jesus rose from the grave.

Let’s look at the basic facts of the matter:

Jesus of Nazareth was a real historical person who was legally executed.

We learn this fact from Syrian, Roman, and Christian sources, as well as Jewish sources such as the Talmud. The New Testament also details Jesus’ death and resurrection and is considered one of the best resources for information we have about first century Judaism.

Jesus’ tomb was found empty after His death and burial.

We learn this from multiple witnesses within the New Testament, who also record that the High Priest, who opposed Jesus, acknowledged that the tomb was empty. These claims in the New Testament are supported by a lack of counter-narrative saying the body was found, and the lack of archaeological or literary reports about a shrine commemorating Jesus’ grave.

Jesus’ disciples claimed to see Him alive after His death.

They claimed to see Him, talk with Him, touch Him, and eat with Him over a period of 40 days after His death. He appeared to over 500 people at the same time, which could only have happened in public.

Some of Jesus’ opponents claimed to see Him alive after His death.

Rabbi Saul of Tarsus was a bitter opponent of Jesus, and yet he started believing in Jesus and claimed to see Jesus alive. Yaacov (also known as James) was Jesus’ brother, yet he did not believe in Jesus before the crucifixion. However, after the resurrection of Jesus, Yaacov believed and claimed to see his brother alive after His death.

Within a generation, these disciples had spread the message of Yeshua’s resurrection throughout the world.

Unlike the spread of Islam, which came by the sword, the message of Jesus’ resurrection was spread through the disciples, who were willing, in some cases, to lose their lives for the belief that Jesus was Messiah and the belief that He rose from the grave.

How can we otherwise explain these historical events?
What do you think?

12/26/2022

"There is nothing more ugly than Christian orthodoxy without understanding or without compassion. " -Francis A. Schaeffer.

09/09/2022

https://youtu.be/TQN5y17K2ec Missionary to Argentina, Scott Brackett joins us for ou morning worship this morning.

Called to serve... God has a purpose for each one that is saved, and it is much more than just to be in church on Sunday.

Called to serve... God has a purpose for each one that is saved, and it is more than just to be in church on Sunday.

08/11/2022

Written in 58 A.D. by the apostle Paul, but just as true and applicable today:
Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles. I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
(Romans 1:13-32 NKJV)

05/08/2022

What Sets Christians Apart in a World of Division
By
James Emery White -May 6, 2022

We live in a day of deeply contentious disagreement on any number of things, but most of it is political in nature or over things that, while not overtly political, have been politicized. When we disagree with each other, we have two choices: We can maintain the ultimate mark of the Christian, or we can abandon and betray it.

In the biography of Jesus written by John, we have the poignant final words and prayers of Jesus to his disciples before his death on the cross. It is considered by many to be among the most moving sections of the New Testament.

So what occupied Jesus during the moments before his death?

Not surprisingly, he wanted the world to know that his death was a sacrificial one—that he was laying down his life for theirs, paying the price for their sins, and offering his death as a gift so that they could receive forgiveness and enter into a full, intimate relationship with God the Father.

But how would that happen?

How would people know, beyond a doubt, that what Jesus was offering was from God? How would they know that Jesus himself was God the Son in human form, come to Planet Earth to show the way? How would it be authenticated in a way that would be unmistakable and would force people to reckon with it?

Most would say, “the resurrection,” and that would not be wrong. But it’s not what Jesus suggested on the night before he died. He said that one thing, and one thing only, would confirm it all before a watching world:

Loving unity among his followers.

And to drive this home, he first commanded it (John 15:9–12), and then prayed specifically for it (John 17:20–21). To Jesus, the observable love between those who called themselves his followers was everything. It would be this unity that would arrest the world’s attention and confirm that he was from the Father.

Such unity and love, as Francis Schaeffer once wrote, is the “mark of the Christian.” Not just a feeling of love or an acknowledgment of love, but rather a demonstration of love. And it is the litmus test Jesus gave to the world as to whether we really reflect him. The simple truth is that they fleshed out the challenge and prayer of Jesus. As the second-century writer Tertullian noted, the awed pagan reaction to the Christian communal life was, “See how they love one another.”

When the Bible talks about such loving unity, it doesn’t mean uniformity, which is everyone looking and thinking alike. And the biblical idea of unity is certainly not to be confused with unanimity, which is complete agreement about every petty issue across the board. By unity, the Bible means first and foremost a oneness of heart—a relational unity.

This involves being kind to one another, gracious to one another, forgiving of one another—not assuming the worst, shooting the wounded, or being quick to be suspicious. Biblical unity is about working through conflicts, avoiding slander and gossip, and being generous in spirit.
This leads to another reason this is happening:
As Schaeffer wrote:

“Jesus is giving a right to the world. Upon his authority, he gives the world the right to judge whether you and I are born-again Christians on the basis of our observable love toward all Christians.

“That’s pretty frightening. Jesus turns to the world and says, ‘I’ve something to say to you. On the basis of my authority, I give you a right: you may judge whether or not an individual is a Christian on the basis of the love he shows to all Christians.’”

Schaeffer then added that the world cares little for doctrine. That the one thing that will arrest the attention of a world that has disavowed the very idea of truth is, “The love that true Christians show for each other and not just for their own party.”

By party, Schaeffer meant whatever various segment of the Christian faith you might be a part of, such as Baptist or Presbyterian. And those divides can run deep. But that is not where Christian love and unity is being most breached today. It is the observable unity and love between Christians despite political divides.

During this moment in history, we can either be a shining light to the world—another example of how the Christian faith creates radical community even in the midst of honest disagreement—or we can allow our faith to be shoved aside in the name of politics and, as a result, have unloving attitudes and words cause a stench that the world can smell and destroy our witness before a watching world.

So why is it so bad right now? What’s going on with us? Why are so many Christians behaving so badly, in ways that are no better than those who are not Christians or even worse?

Two reasons come to mind.

One is that we don’t know how to disagree with someone agreeably. We only know to give in to anger, to demonize, to belittle, to demean, to cancel. We don’t even try to empathize with others, enter into understanding or put love ahead of opinions. We can barely even treat them with basic human dignity.

In other words, we only know one way to enter into a disagreement: Go to war.

As Robert Morris has written, to choose war is to set someone else apart as the enemy, often through a process of disrespect and dehumanization. And we like war! Being at war and having enemies can be exhilarating. It brings a sense of moral clarity and life purpose. The neat trick is that when you so demonize your opponents, particularly when they are fellow Christians, you don’t have to consider them Christians at all. You simply relegate them to a sub-Christian level and absolve yourself of all responsibility for civility, much less charity.

This leads to another reason this is happening:

We’ve stopped seeing it as sin.

What if we followed suit? What if we, as Christ-followers, would say: spew out the most caustic, mean-spirited words, actions, and attitudes as if they are not reprehensible before heaven. But they are. According to Jesus, and throughout the New Testament, this is likened to second-degree murder (Matt. 5:21–22; James 3:5–10).
From Outreach Magazine Eric Geiger: Making the Most of the Moment—Part 1

The one thing we must not do as followers of Christ is to give ourselves over to partisan bickering in such a way that we put party before faith. We are not primarily Republicans or Democrats. We are first and foremost followers of Christ. And as followers of Christ, we should bear the mark of our Savior.

And the mark of the Christian is love. That means we see our brothers and sisters in Christ, regardless of party or position, as our brothers and sisters in Christ. And the way we should interact and engage should be the way a healthy, loving, functional family should interact and engage.

One of the stories that surfaced surrounding the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was her deep friendship with another Supreme Court Justice who died before she did—Antonin Scalia. You could not imagine two people further apart politically. Yet the icon of the left and the icon of the right were extremely close.

They went to the opera together.

Their families spent New Year’s Eve together.

And while vacationing with their families, they even rode elephants in India together.

A little-known story is that once Scalia bought Ginsburg two dozen roses for her birthday. One of his clerks, knowing how divided they were on countless court cases, and how she had never given him a vote he needed on a 5–4 decision of any significance, asked him why he did it. Scalia simply said, “Some things are more important than votes.”

When Ginsburg was asked how they did it, this is what she said:

“We know that even though we have sharp disagreements on what the Constitution means, we have a trust. We revere the Constitution and the Court, and we want to make sure that when we leave it, it will be in as good a shape as it was when we joined the Court.”

What if we followed suit? What if we, as Christ-followers, would say:

“We know that even though we have sharp disagreements on what the Constitution means, we have a trust. We revere the body of Christ and its witness before a watching world, and we want to make sure that when we leave it, it will be in as good a shape as it was when we joined it.”

If we could, we would flesh out the one, true, real mark of the Christian faith that Jesus said would be the one thing that would arrest the attention of the world and prove that what he came to establish was real. And that one mark has been, and will always be … love.

This article originally appeared on ChurchAndCulture.org

04/05/2022

If you feel lost, there's a way maker...

MercyMe - I Can Only Imagine (Live from Hawaii)

02/02/2022

A Poem...

“Focussed: A Story and a Song” by Lilias Trotter (1853–1928)

It was in a little wood in the early morning. The sun was climbing behind a steep cliff in the east, and its light was flooding nearer and nearer and then making pools among the trees. Suddenly, from a dark corner of purple-brown stems and tawny moss, there shone out a great golden star. It was just a dandelion, and half-withered—but it was full-face to the sun, and had caught into its heart all the glory it could hold and was shining so radiantly that the dew that lay on it still made a perfect aureole around its head. And it seemed to talk, standing there—to talk about the possibility of making the very best of these lives of ours.

For if the Sun of Righteousness has risen upon our hearts, there is an ocean of grace and love and power lying all around us, an ocean to which all earthly light is but a drop, and it is ready to transfigure us, as the sunshine transfigured the dandelion, and on the same condition—that we stand full face to God.

Gathered up, focussed lives, intent on one aim—Christ—these are the lives on which God can concentrate blessedness. It is “all for all” by a law as unvarying as any law that governs the material universe.

We see the principle shadowed in the trend of science; the telephone and the wireless in the realm of sound, the use of radium, and the ultraviolet rays in the realm of light. All these work by gathering into focus currents and waves that, dispersed, cannot serve us. In every branch of learning and workmanship, the tendency of these days is to specialize—to take up one point and follow it to the uttermost.

And Satan knows well the power of concentration, if a soul is likely to get under the sway of the inspiration, “this one thing I do,” he will turn all his energies to bring in side-interests that will shatter the gathering intensity.

And they lie all around, these interests. Never has it been so easy to live in half a dozen good harmless worlds at once—art, music, social science, games, motoring, the following of some profession, and so on. And between them we run the risk of drifting about, the “good” hiding the “best” even more effectually than it could be hidden by downright frivolity with its smothered heartache at its own emptiness.

It is easy to find out whether our lives are focused, and if so, where the focus lies. Where do our thoughts settle when consciousness comes back in the morning? Where do they swing back when the pressure is off during the day? Does this test not give the clue? Then dare to have it out with God—and after all, that is the shortest way. Dare to lay bare your whole life and being before Him, and ask Him to show you whether or not all is focussed on Christ and His glory. Dare to face the fact that unfocussed good and useful as it may seem, it will prove to have failed of its purpose.

What does this focussing mean? Study the matter and you will see that it means two things—gathering in all that can be gathered and letting the rest drop. The working of any lens—microscope, telescope, camera—will show you this. The lens of your own eye, in the room where you are sitting, as clearly as any other. Look at the window bars, and the beyond is only a shadow; look through at the distance, and it is the bars that turn into ghosts. You have to choose which you will fix your gaze upon and let the other go.

Are we ready for cleavage to be wrought through the whole range of our lives, like the division long ago at the taking of Jericho, the division between things that could be passed through the fire of consecration into “the treasury of the Lord,” and the things that, unable to “bide the fire,” must be destroyed? All aims, all ambitions, all desires, all pursuits—shall we dare to drop them if they cannot be gathered sharply and clearly into the focus of “this one thing I do”?

Will it not make life narrow, this focusing? In a sense, it will—just as the mountain path grows narrower, for it matters more and more, the higher we go, where we set our feet—but there is always, as it narrows, a wider and wider outlook and purer, clearer air. Narrow as Christ’s life was narrow, this is our aim; narrow as regards self-seeking, broad as the love of God to all around. Is there anything to fear in that?

And in the narrowing and focussing, the channel will be prepared for God’s power, like the stream hemmed between the rock beds, that wells up in the spring, like the burning glass that gathers the rays into an intensity that will kindle fire. It is worthwhile to let God see what He can do with these lives of ours, when “to live is Christ.”

How do we bring things to a focus in the world of optics? Not by looking at the things to be dropped, but by looking at the one point that is to be brought out.

Turn full your soul’s vision to Jesus, and look and look at Him, and a strange dimness will come over all that is apart from Him, and the Divine “attrait” by which God’s saints are made, even in this 20th century, will lay hold of you. For “He is worthy” to have all there is to be had in the heart that He has died to win."

*The word “attrait” used at the end of this passage was the French word used for “attraction,” which Lilias regularly used in her writings.

And the Hymn that it inspired...

“Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” by Helen Lemmel- (1863-1961)

1. O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

2. Thro' death into life everlasting,
He passed, and we follow Him there;
O’er us sin no more hath dominion--
For more than conqu’rors we are!

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

3. His Word shall not fail you--He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

01/06/2022

Seek the Lord with all of your heart!

12/17/2021

Why I Don’t Think Jesus Was Born In A Stable (And Why It Matters)
(Posted on December 6, 2018, by Dale Chamberlain)

With the Christmas season upon us, it’s time to break out all our decorations. The tree. The stockings. The garland. And, yes, of course, the nativity scene.

I love my nativity scene. I got it in Bethlehem when I visited Israel a couple years ago. And I don’t only pull it out during Christmas. It stays on my mantle all year long.

But what if our nativity scene isn’t exactly accurate to how Jesus’ birth actually happened?

It’s no secret that we Christians treasure artistic imagery of Jesus that isn’t always historically accurate. After all, it’s not likely that Jesus had a Western European complexion and long, flowing hair. (My apologies if I just shattered your world right now.)

But why pick on the classic nativity scene? We all love it! It’s an important part of our Christmas traditions.

I think if we don’t pause to reflect on our traditional conception and imagery of the nativity event, then we may miss something really important about the message of the story as told in Luke’s gospel.
Don’t Freak Out

Don’t worry. I’m not here to tell you that you need to throw out all the nativity decorations you’ve collected over the years. You’re not a heretic for loving and cherishing them.

With that being said, I don’t think Jesus was born in a stable. Or a cave for that matter.

I’ve been to Bethlehem and touched the rock that Jesus was supposedly laid on when he was born. But I wouldn’t stake my life on the fact that he was born there, in that precise spot. And it doesn’t actually matter that much.

While the precise location of Jesus’ birth is inconsequential (even though it’s very interesting), the conditions of Jesus’ birth are much more important.

When Luke describes the details of Jesus’ birth, he’s sending us an important message. Unfortunately, we don’t always pick up what he’s throwing down.

When Luke describes the details of Jesus' birth, he's sending us an important message. Unfortunately, we don't always pick up what he's throwing down.
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An Unfortunate Translation of kataluma (inn)

The whole issue boils down to what I believe to be an unfortunate translation of one word in the biblical nativity story. This one word has shaped our conception of Jesus’ birth. Entire sermons–in fact, entire movies–have been built around the translation of this one word from the original Greek in Luke’s narrative.

“And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:7 [Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)] )

Notice that there is no mention of a stable or cave. We infer it from the fact that there was no vacancy in the inn, which we conceive to be the first century equivalent of a Motel 6. Or the Hilton, if you’re bougie.

It’s on this conception that we construct an entire narrative. Mary and Joseph run around the entire city, looking for lodging. They’re out in the cold. Mary’s water has just broken. There’s no room anywhere, so they hunker down in a nearby stable. Joseph single-handedly delivers the baby, and they spend the night among the farm animals.

But that’s probably not the best way to understand that word. Or the story.

Kataluma, while it can be used to refer to a hotel-type lodging, can also just refer to the upper room of a house. Most homes had a main floor, with an upper guest room on the second story. In those same homes, there would be a lower level where the animals would be brought in at night for safekeeping. And yes, there were mangers there.

In addition to that, it would be pretty offensive for Mary and Joseph to go looking for a hotel to stay in. Why? Because they were in the city of their family origin. Which means there was someone in the neighborhood who was related to them.

In eastern culture, it would be offensive to be in town and not stay with your family. Even if it were family that you hadn’t seen in years, or had never even met at all. It would also be dishonorable to your family for them to refuse to host you.

So instead of giving birth in a cold lonely stable, Mary and Joseph were most likely with their family. But since literally everyone and their mother was in town for the census, this poor family member’s home was packed to the rafters. So the men were probably sent outside while the women stayed in the home to help Mary deliver the baby.

And when the baby came, he was laid in a manger on the main level of the home, since there was no more space for anyone to lay down in the upper room (the kataluma). Thus Jesus came into the world. Surrounded by family. Ordinary in every way.

Thus Jesus came into the world: surrounded by family. Ordinary in every way.
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Jesus’ Birth Was Not Sensational — And That’s The Point!

It’d be like if I told you that, last night, in a working-class neighborhood, a baby was born to a young couple. The couple isn’t famous. The labor gave way to normal, healthy birth. There was nothing newsworthy about it–the baby wasn’t born in the car on the way to the hospital or anything like that.

Unless you had a blood relation to that baby, you might be wondering why I told you. I mean, you’re happy for the couple. You just don’t know them. You’ve never read about them in Us Weekly, and their story wasn’t featured on the news.

It was ordinary. Just like the thousands of other births that happened in similar communities that same night.

And that’s the point.

The message is this: Jesus didn’t just come for the rich and famous. He didn’t come only for the prestigious and the noble. He came for the nobodies. He came for the people that others would never give a second thought to. The ordinary. The unimpressive and unremarkable.

And Jesus’ mission was reflected even in the manner of his birth. The infinite Creator of the universe was born under the most unspectacular circumstances.

If you didn’t already know the significance of what was happening, you’d never know. And yet God was doing something so spectacular that we can hardly even grasp the full weight of its significance 2000 years later.

God is writing eternity into the ordinary.

And so that means that maybe, just maybe, through Jesus, God can write an eternally spectacular story in the midst of your ordinary, bland, mundane, nobody life.

Maybe the abundant life Jesus offers isn’t just for the rich, the talented, the well-adjusted, the presentable, the lovely people of the world. Maybe, just maybe, it’s for you too.

That’s powerful. And that’s what Christmas is all about.

God is writing eternity into the ordinary.
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Yes, You Can Keep Your Nativity Scene.

Nativity scenes are great. I love mine. And, yes, it depicts Jesus, Mary, and Joseph in a stable. But I’m not getting rid of it.

The tradition of this nativity image is a great comfort to many of us. It calls our hearts to remember the impact of God becoming flesh and dwelling among us. And that’s a good thing.

Let’s lean into it even just a little more by remembering that Jesus, the King of Glory, came to us in the most inglorious and unspectacular fashion possible.

This Christmas, may your heart be filled with the wonder that Jesus came for you, in the form of someone just like you.

Jesus, the King of Glory, came to us in the most inglorious and unspectacular fashion possible.