Recapturing the Glory of Christmas: A 25-Day Advent Devotional (Audio)

5

Not your typical cozy story of snowflakes and lollipops. Rather engaging and articulately written. Theological breadth and fluency become apparent as the author relates how the incarnation relates to other truths like Christ's death and resurrection, and his works of redemption and judgment. Each episode is about 5 to 9 minutes long. Chap. 8, 0:50 - In a section of chapter 8, regarding typical beautiful and sentimental Christmas cards he says, "But have you ever seen a Christmas card that depicts John the Baptist? ...a man clothed in camel hair and snacking on locusts and wild honey... As the one who prepared the way for the coming of Christ and his ministry... (he) proclaimed the essential need for repentance in every human heart... No doubt, the accompanying message would need to begin with, 'Dear brood of vipers…' Yet, John's message of repentance is of course a central component of any meaningful celebration of Christmas." Chap. 16, 4:21 - "Reading the Gospel texts, we know we either believe or run away. This is either the greatest truth ever declared, or it is the saddest lie ever told. The Christmas story cannot be reduced to a sentimental tale that gives humanity a warm glow. When the heavenly host declares Jesus is the Savior, Christ the Lord, they announce the forgiveness of sins to those who repent and believe, and they declare war on those who would oppose this child. In these days, our task is to raise up a generation of faithful, urgent, learned, and skilled counter-revolutionaries for the Kingdom of Christ, an insurgency against the principalities and the powers. That is what Zechariah was declaring as John's mission. That is what we declare every year when we celebrate the birth of Christ. Indeed, that should be our anthem every day of every year." Chap. 17, 0:29 - "I have never received a Christmas card depicting Armageddon. No one has yet sent me a Christmas card that takes war as its theme, picturing Christ as the rider on a white horse, a sword coming from his mouth, ready to, 'rule the nations with a rod of iron.' This too, however, is the accomplishment of Christ's messianic mission, but one rarely, if ever, mentioned at Christmas."