Our Lord Jesus Christ capped His superlative life and sacrificial death with a surprising resurrection. And it was women’s intuition, not men’s, that perceived the full meaning of the gospel and began to broadcast it to others.

Only the one, true, triune, and living God is to be worshipped in the manner in which Jesus was exalted on Palm Sunday. The people cushioned His saddle and lined the roadway with the clothes off their backs (and as John’s Gospel tells us, leaves from palm trees). They praised Him and called Him King.

Dear Cade, Instead of preaching at your ordination service, I thought I’d write you this letter instead.  I wish someone had written one like it to me at my ordination.  Things may not have turned out differently, but at least I would have been forewarned.

The stoning of Stephen in Acts 7:54-60 was preceded and precipitated by the attempted stoning and eventual crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ. All three events are recorded by Luke.  

Mary’s song is a theological song. It sings of who God is and what He is like. “Magnify” literally means to greatly illumine, or shine the brightest spotlight.  As she offers this song, Mary does not put this spotlight upon herself, but upon her God.

Advent and Christmas are seasonally intertwined. Advent is the deeply religious celebration of the first coming of Jesus Christ, with a view towards the second.

Now, Christ has paid the price to redeem sinners, and we are all sinners. Now, faith is gift from God that makes a permanent transformation in a person’s life. Now, understand those who have truly drawn near to Jesus will be found, now, in God’s word and in Christ’s church. Those in Christ, now, will be ready when Christ comes again, then.

God’s love is perfect. God initiates our love relationship with Him.  His love, like Mother’s but higher, is unconditional, sacrificial, and permanent. 

Admittedly, the Scriptures do not have a great deal to say about Judas. What we do find is not flattering. His dastardly deed is predicted by the minor prophet Zechariah (ref. 11:12-13), then the four Gospel writers bring him into low light.

It is a tradition at Advent to offer a sermon on the greatest of all the herald angels who harkened the arrival of Jesus Christ.