Luke 2:1-20 Christmas Peace (Kegel)
The Hebrew word for peace, SHALOM, encompasses all we need for a full and rich life. Shalom is what God gives us in Jesus Christ. He is the peace which surpasses human understanding.
Luke 2:1-20 When Heaven Came Down (Hyde)
Barbara Brown Taylor says that Christmas Eve is the time “when the membrane between heaven and earth is so thin you can almost see through it. "
Luke 2:1-20 Good, But Not Safe (Hoffacker)
The Aslan of whom Mr. Beaver speaks with such respect is the story's central character, the savior of that world, the Christ of Narnia. Knowing something about lions, Lucy wonders aloud whether this lion is safe, and Mr. Beaver answers her. "Who said anything about safe?"
Luke 2:1-20 Straight to Bethlehem (Molin)
When the angel Gabriel told Mary that she would conceive and bear a son, she was surprised. When Joseph learned that his fiancee was pregnant, he was surprised. But nobody was more surprised than the shepherds near Bethlehem when angels appeared to them.
Luke 2:1-20 Christmas Colors (Zingale)
To help us understand Christmas better, I would like to look at the Christmas event through the vivid colors which were present at the manger as described by our little mouse friend.
Pastor Tim Zingale
PASTOR TIM ZINGALE is ordained by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He served churches in a number of Iowa towns, but retired from active ministry due to Post Polio Syndrome which affected his mobility and his vocal chords. He loves preaching, and continues to write a sermon each week. Tim and his wife, [...]
Luke 2:1-20 The Eternal Houdini (Hoffacker)
There's one phrase in Luke's Christmas story to which we pay little attention. "She wrapped him in bands of cloth." Some of us may remember an older translation, where he was "wrapped in swaddling bands." This is mentioned twice in the Christmas story
Luke 2:1-20 The Christmas Gift (Sellery)
What we want for Christmas is often very different from what we get. It has been that way from the very first. The chosen people wanted a powerful Messiah who would smite their enemies. Instead they got a helpless newborn who when grown would tell them to love their enemies.
Luke 2:1-20 Mary’s Story (Sanders)
Welcome! I am so glad you came by to visit a widow lady. I have been lonely since Joseph died. I do miss him a lot. James and the others are good boys, but they spend quite a bit of time at the carpentry shop.
Mary Sanders
MARY SANDERS is a graduate of Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley, California. She is married, the mother of three adult daughters, and serves as pastor of the Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Galt, California. She also serves as one of the volunteer police chaplains in her community. Her hobbies include gardening, playing the [...]