January 6 marks the end of the Christmas season. It is the last of the 12 days of Christmas and places us firmly in the new year. As we turn our thoughts away from Advent and toward our responsibilities for 2026, let me ask you this question. What if Jesus had never been born? Have you ever pondered that thought? If not, it is probably because at Christmas we just presume upon His birth. We celebrate it, as we certainly should. It is the birth most worth celebrating.

The celebration of New Year’s has a surprisingly complex history. Some cultures have celebrated the beginning of the year in the spring, since it is the season of new growth and life. Other cultures observed New Year’s closer to the winter solstice, when the days began to lengthen after the shortest day of the year. In Exodus 12:1-2, God decreed that Israel’s new year would begin in the month He delivered them from Egypt.

Juxtaposed with the Christmas spirit is the reality that many people experience grief, or the memory of grief, more keenly at Christmas than at other times. Additionally, each Advent season there are people who get bad news, or experience a tragedy, or suffer an unexpected hardship, or are forced to endure an existing one. For many people, an idealistic Christmas spirit is unrealistic.

“Follow me” is still a command for believers to obey today. Every Christian is to be a disciple. It is easy to suspect that it means we are all to permanently leave behind our proverbial nets and pursue full time gospel ministry. Before we draw conclusions, however, let us consider what the four men understood Jesus was commanding them to do.

There is always the danger that the decorations will distract from the significance of Christmas. Many unbelievers have elaborate light show

Jesus explicitly spoke about how His victory at the cross would defeat God’s enemy, the devil.

The right of self-defense is ingrained in the American cultural consciousness. To be responsible for one’s own safety is a lesson we...

In 1898, Charles Sheldon published In His Steps, a short fiction novel about a small-town pastor and his congregation. Anyone unfamiliar...

The day was the Sabbath, and from the perspective of the disciples, there was only one reason for the blindness of the man who sat...

Climate change is real. Did you ever think you’d hear that from a Christian? And yet there is a lot of evidence that the world we love...

Throughout history, beginning in Genesis, every corner of the world has given us tales of strong men. These tales were meant to inspire...

In ancient times, kings often had sole authority to make laws, go to war, and do as they pleased. With much power came deep-seated...

Broken by the Cornerstone “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise” (Psalm 51:17). As I journey through the Scriptures each year, I arrive at Luke’s Gospel and read the tragic story of the vineyard owner in Luke 20:9-19. In this parable, Jesus recounts the narrative of a man who invested much time and many resources in a vineyard. After leasing it to caretakers, the owner discovers at harvest time that they refuse

The Lie of Moral Superiority Do Christians think they are morally superior to unbelievers? Are we “better” than someone who doesn’t believe in Jesus Christ? Even if this accusation hasn’t been leveled against you specifically, you are probably familiar with it. The question is difficult to answer with a simple “yes” or “no” for several reasons. One is that Scripture clearly divides the sheep from the goats, the enemies of God from the sons of God, and the children of the king

It’s interesting that in the model prayer, when the disciples asked Jesus to teach them about prayer, they didn’t say “teach us how to...

The other day I was driving my son and daughter to school when my son started a game of “Would You Rather.” We frequently play this game...

On Easter, many Christians will gather together in the company of the redeemed to joyfully celebrate the resurrection and never-ending...

John 9:1-5: “And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did...

"The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe." (Proverbs 18:10) We’ve heard of runaway brides, and...

This sermon is based on Hebrews 4:14-5:10. Follow along in the Bible as you read through this content. Introduction: By way of review,...