Cognitive
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Long Awaited, Unexpected
1 minute read time Reposted from December 25, 2016 They had waited so long for the Messiah, but they did not expect a child. Mary and Joseph did not expect a pregnancy. The shepherds did not expect a sky full of angels. Herod did not expect the Magi. The wedding guests did not expect the…
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The Light of Revelation and Glory
12 Days Before Christmas Series: 11 – 12/23/2025 Five minute read time Read: Luke 2:22-40 When reading the Christmas Story and exploring the roots of early Christianity, you may notice how exclusive it first appears. Several key Bible passages highlight that the story centers on the birth of the Jewish Messiah—Jesus, born into the heritage…
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The Holy Spirit Was Busy!
12 Days Before Christmas Series: 10 – 12/22/2025 Three minute read time Read: Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:5-80; Luke 2:22-40 When we read the Christmas story in the Bible, our focus is often on the main character—Baby Jesus! However, there’s another significant presence woven throughout the narrative: the Holy Spirit. By taking a closer look at…
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Who Is This Herod You Speak Of?
12 Days Before Christmas Series: 9 – 12/21/2025 Five minute read time Read: Luke 2:1-7; Matthew 2:1-23 WARNING: Buckle up, because by the end of this blog, you might feel like you’ve just survived a rollercoaster ride through a biblical family reunion. Don’t worry—by the time we’re done, we’ll have untangled most of this wild…
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The Wise Men from Enemy Territory
12 Days Before Christmas Series: 8 – 12/20/2025 Three minute read time Read: Matthew 2:1-23 Most nativity displays include a stable, a couple of animals, shepherds, Mary, Joseph, at least one angel, baby Jesus (of course!), and three strange looking men each holding a gift. Three kings, or Magi, or wise guys. But just like…
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You Want Me to Put the Baby WHERE?
12 Days Before Christmas Series: 7 – 12/19/2025 Three minute read time Read: Luke 2:1-21 I can imagine a conversation between Mary and Joseph that ends like this: “Wait, WHAT? You want me to put baby Jesus in a food trough?!?! Do you think he was born in a barn?” It probably didn’t happen that…
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The Heavenly Armies Didn’t Sing
12 Days Before Christmas Series: 6 – 12/18/2025 Three minute read time Read: Luke 2:8-21 If you’ve had any experience singing Christmas carols or hymns, you’ve likely sung songs about angels. “Angels We Have Heard on High,” “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” “Angels from the Realms of Glory,” or “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.”…
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Shepherds, the Shepherd King, and the Good Shepherd
12 Days Before Christmas Series: 5 – 12/17/2025 Four minute read time Read: Luke 2:8-21 If you’ve ever watched “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” you’ll remember Linus’s iconic moment on stage, reciting the story of the shepherds from Luke’s gospel. “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their…
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His Name Will Be Called What?
12 Days Before Christmas Series: 4 – 12/16/2025 Three minute read time Read: Matt 1:21, 25 What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet. – The Bard If you’re familiar with the Christmas story, you know the angels instructed that the baby should be called…
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The Boring Parts: Matthew and Luke Give a Nod to Moses
4 minute read time 12 Days Before Christmas Series: 2 – 12/14/2025 Read: Matthew 1:1-17 – Jesus’s Genealogy (through Joseph), and Luke 3:23-38 – Jesus’s Genealogy (through Mary) The Biblical Christmas story can be found in Matthew, chapters 1 and 2, and in the first three chapters of Luke. Matthew’s gospel (gospel means “good news”)…
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