As iron sharpens iron,
one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
“If the gospel we preach isn’t about happiness, then it contradicts God’s words in Isaiah 52:7. The gospel offers an exchange of misery-generating sin for happiness-giving righteousness provided by Jesus Himself.” - Randy Alcorn
“’We have found him of whom Moses … and also the prophets wrote’ (John 1:45). He didn’t say, ‘Surprise! God sent a Savior.’” - TGC
“Once a year, rootless moderns find an anchor in the past” - World
A little more than 2,000 years ago, “When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law” (Gal. 4:4, NKJV). It was exactly the right time, as predicted by Daniel (cf. 9:25) and confirmed by Jesus (cf. Luke 19:41-44).
It was also the right place—Bethlehem, six miles south of Jerusalem. Seven hundred years earlier, Micah wrote:
“Fifteen percent of Americans felt that the most annoying or overplayed Christmas song was either ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’ (12%) … or any other song by Carey (3%). ‘Jingle Bells’ (6%), ‘Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer’ (5%)” - RNS
The idea of Christ’s birth being on December 25 doesn’t fit Saturnalia (Dec 17-23) and predates Sol Invictus (AD 274). - P&D
“What started as a lighthearted recounting of experience may turn into a critical review of someone’s motives and actions…. There can be a fine line between storytelling and gossip.” - TGC
“In John 10:22–42, the apostle shows us how Jesus fulfills three key elements of this Jewish feast—the hero, the temple, and the lights.” - TGC
Spurgeon delivered this sermon on Lord’s-Day morning, December 20th, 1868 at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington.
And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. (Isaiah 25:6)
Discussion