Archive for month: December, 2022
Abide in Christ
Jesus calls his disciples to abide in him, knowing that he is our source of life and growth. Through him, we bear abiding fruit, but apart from him, we can do nothing. Thankfully he tells us how we can abide in him.
He is Mighty!
Mary’s “Magnificat” is one of four songs in Luke’s infancy narrative. It’s a God-exalting, Scripture-saturated prose of the overflow of the mother of Jesus’s heart. Recently, Sovereign Grace Music released a modern hymn based on Mary’s song, “He Who is Mighty.” Matthew Walden uses this new hymn and Luke 1 to direct our attention to Jesus this Christmas.
This is the Christ
We often see Jesus confronting and correcting the expectations of his followers and opponents regarding the Messiah in the gospels. Jesus is so much better than our wildest dreams. He’s the Christ we need. He is the one who will set us free from sin.
Prepared for Christmas
Do you find yourself so busy at Christmas that it seems it comes and goes, and you never quite contemplated its Christian meaning? Timothy Babatunde helps us consider how we might prepare for Christmas using the traditional hymn The First Noel and Luke 2 so that we might worship with joyful hearts, longing for the second coming of Jesus.
Come Almighty to Deliver
NAOBC Worship has done a fantastic job writing new songs and rearranging old favorite hymns this past year. They recently released a Christmas song, “Come Almighty to Deliver.” Caleb Morton and his wife, Ellen, led the charge on this song, and Caleb leads us through today’s Devotionable about the immovable truths of this song based on the Scriptures.
V is for Victory
The hymn, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” reminds us of God’s promises to free his people from Satan, sin, and death through the victory of King Jesus–the promised rod of Jesse. The LORD brings magnificent victory to his people in the most unbelievable ways. Through humility and seeming defeat, the Lord Jesus takes on flesh, lives a perfect life, and is hung on a criminal’s cross. It looks like Satan rules the day. But on Sunday, everything changes. Victory belongs to King Jesus, and his people share in his triumph.
Come All You Faithful
The Word became flesh. Stunning. We must sit back and contemplate these words and the truth they are communicating. It’s easy to be so familiar with Christmas that we miss its significance. We need hymns like “O Come All Ye Faithful” and devotionals from guys like Derek Riley to call us back to this contemplation that leads to worship. O come, all you faithful!
Go Away in a Manger
It’s important to sing songs that are theologically and doctrinally sound. “Away in A Manger” is a sweet Christmas song, but what line of the hymn needs a bit of correction? Daustin Kratzer reminds us that babies cry, and Jesus cried as a baby because he was fully human. That’s vital to our theology and our salvation.
