Christmas Posts, 2015
A Christmas Study: “How Can This Be?”
12/18/15
We live at a time when many amazing things happen—things some people might think of as miraculous. Not so fast! The true story of Jesus’ birth reminds us of what authentic miracles really are like. Nothing has been more amazing than God’s invasion of our world in the person of Jesus Christ, His Son!
Who Is He, and Why Has He Come?
12/25/15
Reminding ourselves of whose birthday we celebrate at Christmas will help us experience the season’s true meaning. When announcing Jesus’ birth to shepherds, an angel identified the Baby clearly and precisely. This post examines the titles the angel used to refer to Him on that holy night.
photo credit: www.lumoproject.com
Christmas—Divinely Orchestrated
Christmas Posts, 2016
Christmas—Divinely Orchestrated, Part 1
Setting the Stage for Jesus’ Birth
12/16/16
In Galatians 4:4, the apostle Paul wrote that “when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth his son, born of a woman.” What does the phrase “fullness of time” mean? This article explores this question, and what we learn leaves us in awe. Christmas is about Jesus, yes, but it’s also about the world—including you and me!
Christmas—Divinely Orchestrated, Part 2
Becoming One of Us and Paying Our Penalty
12/23/16
At Christmas, “God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law” (Gal. 4:4-5). This divinely inspired statement indicates that Christmas was—and is—both extremely complicated and profoundly simple. God took care of the complicated part, however, and leaves the simple part to us. Yet—irony of ironies—even though the proper response to Christmas is simple in many ways, it also is difficult. To respond as we should to God’s gift of Jesus, we must release our pride and our bent toward living our lives as we please. We must realize we are incapable of saving ourselves and rely on Jesus for forgiveness and eternal life. This really is what Christmas is all about. Read this post and explore with me both the mystery and the delight of Jesus’ birth.
Christmas—Divinely Orchestrated, Part 3
The Wonderful, Glorious Aftermath of Christmas
12/30/16
Why has “God sent forth His Son”? Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the apostle Paul told us: “that might receive the adoption as sons.” This is the heart of Christmas, and it changes everything for those who believe in Jesus Christ. We explore God’s “adoption program” this week. It’s a timely reminder as we stand on the verge of a brand new year.
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Every Child Needs a Mom and Dad—and so Did Jesus
Christmas Posts, 2017
The Christmas Story teaches us many things, including the often-overlooked truth in our day that every child needs both a mom and a dad.
This 2-part series explores various aspects of Mary’s role as Jesus’ mother, and of Joseph’s role as His father by adoption. Hopefully, this series will help Christians better understand the need of every child to have two opposite-sex parents—ideally his or her own biological mom and dad. This isn’t always possible in the world in which we live, but that reality never should keep us from upholding the ideal.
Every Child Needs a Mom and Dad—and so Did Jesus, Part 1: Mary
Every Child Needs a Mom and Dad—and so Did Jesus, Part 2: Joseph
Christmas, 2018
Five Bible Passages We Don’t Typically Consider to Be Christmas Passages—but that Still Are—12/23/18—article 198
Properly understood, Christmas is a celebration, not just of Jesus’ birthday, but also of His life, ministry, death, burial, and resurrection. It also is a celebration of His profound impact on the world and on individual lives. Jesus changes everything!
Christmas, 2019
God cannot lie about anything, especially His own Son. You’ll do well to hear and heed what the Lord says about Jesus! Explore with me the certainty of Christmas!
The Certainty of Christmas, Part 1
December 23, 2019—article 254
The Certainty of Christmas, Part 2
December 25, 2019—article 255
Christmas, 2020
The Wonder of Christmas
December 21, 2020—article 312
We marvel at the arrival of Jesus as a baby in Bethlehem, and rightly so. Still, this response, as appropriate as it is, is just the beginning. The life and ministry of the Savior, including His substitutionary death and His victorious resurrection, leave us awed and overcome time and time again. The wonder of Christmas isn’t about Christmas only, but about Jesus Himself and His sacrificial love!
From Breaking Bread
Breaking Bread
Two-Minute Bible Studies that Inform, Encourage, and Challenge
Breaking Bread consists of several series of studies highlighting information about themes, ideas, concepts, people, places, and events in Scripture.
This series highlights the events surrounding and relating to Jesus’ Birth. While all the articles have been written by B. Nathaniel Sullivan, some appear on www.sundayschoolzone.com.
Access the Breaking Bread home page here.
photo credit: www.lumoproject.com
From the Book of Matthew
- Engaged—Matthew 1:18
- Joseph—Matthew 1:18-19
- In a dream—Matthew 1:20
- Jesus, His Name—Matthew 1:21 (This article is posted on www.sundayschoolzone.com.)
- Immanuel—Matthew 1:23
- Herod the Great—Matthew 2:1
- Wise Men from the East—Matthew 2:1
- His star—Matthew 2:2
- Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh—Matthew 2:11
From the Book of Luke
- Zechariah—Luke 1:5-7
- Elizabeth—Luke 1:5-7
- Gabriel—Luke 1:19
- Mary—Luke 1:26
- Overshadow—Luke 1:35
- “Nothing will be impossible with God”—Luke 1:37
- Mary, The Lord’s Slave—Luke 1:38
- Caesar Augustus—Luke 2:1
- Quirinius—Luke 2:2
- Bethlehem—Luke 2:4 (This article is posted on www.sundayschoolzone.com.)
- Manger—Luke 2:7
- Inn—Luke 2:7
- “For all the people” —Luke 2:10
- “Savior…Messiah…Lord” (Who Is He, and Why Has He Come?)—Luke 2:11
- “The sign for you” —Luke 2:12
- Just as they had been told—Luke 2:20
- Simeon—Luke 2:25
The Virgin Birth
- The Importance of the Doctrine of the Virgin Birth
- The Virgin Birth from Joseph’s Perspective
- The Virgin Birth from Mary’s Perspective
- What did Isaiah 7:14 mean in Isaiah’s Day?
Old Testament Prophecies
- The Messianic Promise in Isaiah 9:6
- The Messianic Promise in Isaiah 9:7
- The Messianic Promise in Micah 5:2
Photo credit: www.lumoproject.com
Contents of this page © 2020 by B. Nathaniel Sullivan. All rights reserved.