by ahna | Dec 27, 2021 | Advent: Behind Christmas
Isaiah 9:1-7 Isaiah, who prophesied hope, wrote of how God would bring His salvation to the world. It would be in an unexpected light—we know that light as Jesus. His light came in a way that was surprising, and equally surprising is for who this light of new life is...
by ahna | Dec 20, 2021 | Advent: Behind Christmas
Matthew 2:13-15 While God revealed His Son to the sages and magicians from the East, Herod was lost in trying to find Him. Herod was disturbed about this “king.” Jesus would have been part of the genocide if not for God’s intervention with Joseph. Joseph leads his...
by ahna | Dec 13, 2021 | Advent: Behind Christmas
Matthew 1:20-23 Matthew’s account of Joseph reveals that the coming of Messiah was even greater than what people could imagine from reading the prophets. Even though the Jews believed God was both personal and infinite, anytime anyone drew near to God in the Old...
by ahna | Dec 6, 2021 | Advent: Behind Christmas
Matthew 1:1,3,5,6, 16 Matthew’s gospel beginning with Jesus’ genealogy, which includes women, can seem tedious, and even boring. Yet it shows God’s planning for the arrival of His Son. Their stories change how we see other people’s stories—people are not lost causes...
by ahna | Nov 28, 2021 | Advent: Behind Christmas
Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 No matter what you want to do in a room, you have to first turn on the light, or you can’t see to do anything else. These verses call the world “dark,” which is ignorance and evil. No “good will” or “Christmas spirit” can change that. Only the light of...
