Historians would have to critique this, but perhaps the world is more polarized than ever. On the eve of a new year can we say that the world is united in anything but sin? Sadly, the church is not much better. The answer to the divisive tensions in the world, and to the fractured fellowship […]
Our planet’s shorelines, canyons, and deserts bear the marks of gradual destruction from wind, water, and ice. Most days the small creek near my house minds its own business, but in the spring, heavy rains turn it into a small river. Over time, soil erosion has changed the course of the creek. A different kind […]
Use one or both of these questions to introduce the lesson: 1. Tomorrow is a day that features football bowl games. Why do you believe team sports appeal to us, even more than individual sports competitions? 2. What team experiences have you had (sports, work, social organization, etc.)? What makes a team effort more satisfying […]
The Christ of Christmas is a ruler who would shepherd Israel (see Isaiah 40:11). But he would also appeal to faithful seekers from all over the world. The Bible cites many reasons why Jesus came—to save the lost (Luke 19:10), to serve and die as a ransom (Mark 10:45), to destroy the works of the […]
We call them Magi, but they weren’t magicians. We associate them with the first noel, but they weren’t the first to see the baby Jesus. Carolers sing “We Three Kings of Orient Are,” but the Bible doesn’t call them kings and “the east” probably doesn’t mean the Orient as we know it. We call them […]
