Read: Luke 2:15-20 They shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, “God with us.” —Matthew 1:23 A stable? What a place to give birth to the Messiah! The smells and sounds of a barnyard were our Savior’s first human experience. Like other babies, He may even have cried at...

Read: Ephesians 2:13-19 He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation. —Ephesians 2:14 On Christmas Eve 1914, during the First World War, the guns fell silent along a 30-mile stretch of the Western Front. Soldiers peered cautiously over the...

Read: Philippians 2:5-11 [Jesus] made Himself of no reputation . . . coming in the likeness of men. —Philippians 2:7 At our house some Christmas events are the same each year. Among them is my wife Martie’s appeal to the kids and grandkids as they attack their gifts: “Save the...

Read: Hebrews 9:11-22 Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come. —Hebrews 9:11 The conductor stood on the podium, his eyes scanning the choir and orchestra. The singers arranged the music in their folders, found a comfortable position for standing, and held the folder where they could...

Read: John 14:12-21 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. —John 16:24 One of my favorite collections of photos is of a family dinner. Preserved in an album are images of Dad, his sons and their wives,...

Read: 1 Timothy 1:12-17 The grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. —1 Timothy 1:14 Charles Dickens’ novel A Christmas Carol was released on December 19, 1843, and has never been out of print. It tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge,...

Read: 1 Samuel 18:1-4; 23:15-18 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. —1 Samuel 18:3 John Chrysostom (347–407), archbishop of Constantinople, said this about friendship: “Such is friendship, that through it we love places and seasons; for as . . . flowers...

Read: John 15:9-17 Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. —2 Peter 3:18 Pablo Casals was considered to be the preeminent cellist of the first half of the 20th century. When he was still playing his cello in the middle of his tenth decade...

Read: Luke 2:6-14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men! —Luke 2:14 The people of Ukraine include many wonderful elements in their observance of Christmas. Sometimes wisps of hay are placed on the dinner table as a reminder of the Bethlehem manger. Another portion...

Read: Deuteronomy 4:1-9 Take heed . . . lest you forget the things your eyes have seen . . . . And teach them to your children and your grandchildren. —Deuteronomy 4:9 Many people take great care to make sure their resources are used well after they die. They set up trusts, write wills,...

Read: Isaiah 7:10-15 Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. —Isaiah 7:14 In the pages of Scripture, several baby-boy births stand out. Cain, the firstborn after creation. Isaac, the hope of Israel’s future. Samuel, the answer to a mother’s fervent prayer. All...

Đọc: Ma-thi-ơ 1: 18-25 Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. —Matthew 1:19 For most of my life, I missed the importance of Joseph in the Christmas story. But after I became a husband...