Where’s the baby? The Gospel of Mark doesn’t have a nativity story—so where’s the Advent message? It’s in every aspect of Jesus’ life, to his death and beyond. The Incarnation—God come to earth in human form to be baptized, teach, heal, eat, and die—is what we celebrate at Christmas, and Mark shows us just how radical and celebration-worthy it is! Holy Disruption presents a fresh understanding of the holiness of Christmas grounded, not in a conventional cozy Christmas message, but thro...
Valuable not only for their sublime musical expression, the African American spirituals give us profound insights into the human condition and the Christian life. Many focus on an essential scene of the Christian drama: the coming of God as the child in Bethlehem and as the hope of the world and the liberator of God's oppressed people. In these devotions for the season of Advent, Luke Powery leads the reader through the spirituals as they confront the mystery of incarnation and red...
To "prepare for Christmas" in our society is to be sucked into a vortex of indulgence, from decor to gifts to calorie-rich foods. Layer upon layer of tinsel, lights, chocolate drizzle, and wrapping paper create the illusion of abundance, disguising the feeling of emptiness in our souls. The arrival of the Messiah, by contrast, is true abundance disguised by the impression of scarcity. Training our eyes to see through the rough stable, the adolescent mother, and the anxious escape to...
During the holidays, so many of us can suffer for all kinds of reasons. The magnitude of our weary world weighs on our hearts and minds. We wrestle with chronic pain, broken relationships, shattered dreams, fragile faith, and unexpected losses. Our grief and sorrow feel particularly acute when compared to the festivity and joy everyone else seems to be feeling. More and more churches are acknowledging this fact with “Blue Christmas” services (also called “Longest Night” services) and offering re...
In Isaiah 9:6, a divine utterance is given to us using four royal titles- Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. Names for the Messiah ponders each royal designation and how the people understood it then, how Jesus did or did not fulfill the title, and how Christians interpret Jesus as representative of that title.Christians have claimed from the beginning that Jesus was the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament. In this study, best-selling autho...
How might a house look for Christmas based on what each Gospel says about it? In Christmas in the Four Gospel Homes, beautiful illustrations from architect Kevin Burns reimagine each of the four Gospels as a “house,” which the church visits at Christmas. In each section, Cynthia M. Campbell reflects on the distinctive perspective of the birth of Jesus or the incarnation offered by each Gospel. Suitable for individual or group study, Christmas in the Four Gospel Homes creatively reimagines the se...
When the night is long, the light still comes. Find hope this Advent through the words of the prophets.For many, Advent and Christmas are celebrated in the darkest time of the year. The experience of waiting and longing for the first glimmer of sunlight over the horizon serves as a poignant and perennial metaphor for the human quest to find hope amid sorrow, hardship, and fear.The prophets knew this feeling well and spoke hope to God’s people with the power to sustain them—and us—through uncerta...
Find sacred stillness in the Psalms amid the rush of Advent.The season of Advent, meant to be a time of waiting, all too often hurtles headlong into Christmas without allowing us to take a breath. The poetry of the Psalms, on the other hand, invites us to slow down, pause, and connect with the thoughts, feelings, and images the psalmist has offered. To help readers carve out time for reflection and meditation during this ironically hectic time, noted Christian educator and best-selling author El...
Jesus may have been born to an obscure young couple in a backwater town, but his family tree told a greater story.
Jesus was born into the rich legacy and sacred history of the Jewish people, with lineage said to go back to King David and rooted in the whole history of the Hebrew Bible. This Advent, find out how this little baby we worship became the savior that he was and discover your place with Jesus in the big story of God and God’s people.
Inspired by the centuries-old Jesse Tree tradition,...
Now that his family has moved to California, Matthew has doubts as the holiday season approaches. Palm trees? No snow? It’s all wrong.
Little sister Lucy thinks everything is wonderful, but Matthew knows better. And to top it off, the sudden disappearance of his beloved dog, Jasper, settles it. This will be the worst Christmas ever.
Or will it? Surprising events on Christmas Eve just might change everything—and maybe this new place can feel like home to Matthew after all.
Step into Advent with this captivating study and devotional, where angelic encounters come to life, echoing the timeless message of overcoming fear.
What would you do if you were not afraid?
Life can be daunting, filled with uncertainty and fears. It wasn't any different two thousand years ago when Jesus was born. An aged priest is told he is about to become a father for the first time. A young woman is told she is going to give birth - outside the protection of marriage. A simple carpenter is...
While the world tries to rush us into Christmas, decorating the day after Halloween and packing it all up once the gifts are opened on December 25, Advent is a season of preparation that—like our holiday gatherings themselves—takes time and care. Think of the anticipation that comes with hosting loved ones for Christmas dinner: We begin by extending an invitation. We make plans, and as the event draws closer, we begin our preparations. Ultimately, we open the door and welcome our guests, and tha...
The world is slowly emerging from the worst global emergency in a century, and the myriad struggles of the contemporary moment—division, isolation, illness, and uncertainty—make living our faith a challenge. For Christians, a number of questions have gained new urgency: Where do we find hope when it seems in such short supply? Where are the signs of God’s peace in this divided world? Where do we find a deeper sense of joy?
Thomas G. Long and Donyelle C. McCray remind us that these are the ques...
At Christmas, God came into our ordinary world in the form of a child, and still today, God is at work through the ordinary stuff of life, if we train our eyes to see.
In this daily devotional for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany, Jill J. Duffield draws readers’ attention to ten ordinary objects that appear in the biblical narratives of messianic prophesy and incarnation—objects we encounter in our own lives. Through objects such as gates, trees, cloth, light, and water, readers will find new me...
"Walking into Advent can be like walking through the wardrobe." With its enchanting themes of snow and cold, light and darkness, meals and gifts, temptation and sin, forgiveness and hope—and even an appearance by Father Christmas—C. S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe fits naturally into the Advent season. As the reader seeks a storied king and anticipates the glorious coming of Christmas, these twenty-eight devotions alternate between Scripture and passages from the novel to prompt...
Congregations are often confused or uninspired by the emphasis on Old Testament themes during Advent and too "over" Christmas by December 26 to pay much attention to the Gospel stories that follow Jesus' birth. Walking Backwards to Christmas starts at the end of the story, with Jesus' presentation to Anna and Simeon at the temple, and moves backwards through Herod's slaughter of the innocents, the wise men's visit, Jesus' birth in a stable, Mary's pregnancy, and finally to the much...
Advent for Everyone: Luke provides readers with an inspirational guide through the Advent season, from the first Sunday in Advent through the Saturday after the Fourth Sunday in Advent. Popular biblical scholar and author N. T. Wright provides his own Scripture translation and brief reflection, exploring the Gospel themes of faith, repentance, justice, and celebration.Wright’s engaging reflections take you on a journey of spiritual enlightenment, guiding you toward the wonder and joy of Christma...
Sing out, my soul, the wonder . . .
Mary’s baby has arrived, and she can’t contain her joy! As Joseph sleeps, she examines her newborn’s tiny mouth, his wild hair, his little hands. Yet what’s most wondrous is that this child is not just Mary’s own but a gift that God has shared with everyone.
Poetic text by Newbery Medalist Katherine Paterson and striking images by Lisa Aisato reveal the intimacy of that unforgettable night long ago, when the mother of Jesus was the first to welcome him into ...
“In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage."
—Matthew 2:1–2
This enchanting Christmas story by beloved author and preacher Barbara Brown Taylor follows the three wise men on their world-changing journey to Bethlehem. In this beautiful retelling of their adventure, Taylor captures the power of...
Never are moments of quiet reflection more important than during the rush of the Christmas season. These beautiful meditations from the works of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, one of the most beloved theologians of the twentieth century, are perfect as brief devotions for those who already love Bonhoeffer's work and as wonderful introductions to his writing for young readers and others not yet familiar with him. Combined with beautifully evocative, full-color photographs, these passages remi...
Despite the presence of many beautiful Advent songs in many of our hymnals, most of us would prefer to skip right to singing our favorite Christmas carols. But in our rush to get to the joy of Christmas, we forget what Advent is all about-watching and waiting for the coming of a promised king.It is not about shopping, partying, gift wrapping, and vacationing. It is about resting, trusting, praying, and seeking. Through the words of moving Advent hymns and the powerful words of Scr...
Advent for Everyone: Matthew provides readers with an inspirational guide through the Advent season, from the First Sunday of Advent through the Saturday after the Fourth Sunday of Advent. Popular biblical scholar and author N. T. Wright provides his own Scripture translation and brief reflection to guide readers through the season toward the wonder and joy of Christmas. This book is suitable for both individual and group study and reflection.
Advent for Everyone: A Journey with the Apostles provides readers with an inspirational guide through the Advent season, from the first Sunday in Advent through the Saturday after the Fourth Sunday in Advent. Popular biblical scholar and author N. T. Wright provides his own Scripture translation and brief reflection, helping readers understand Advent in the wider context of God’s love. Wright’s engaging and accessible writing and imagery help us see Advent both in relation to the Bible’s message...
In a style that is reverent and faith-filled, Anne Weems reflects on the mystery of the Christmas season. Included in this collection are twenty-six new poems as well as popular selections from her earlier works, especially Reaching for Rainbows and Family Faith Stories. Capturing the spirit of joyful celebration, they can be used in worship services, read aloud at family gatherings, or used by individuals for quiet reflection.
This collection of carefully selected lectionary readings, poems, carols, prayers, and litanies will enrich the Christmas worship experience--in the church and at home. The three main segments of this anthology follow the traditional sequence of the Christian liturgical year: Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany. With this resource, the hearths of homes can become altars, and the blessed season may be honored in holy tribute to the birth of Christ.
