This series has traced the story of Jesus’ birth as Scripture records it, first by presenting the narrative itself, then by gently distinguishing it from the traditions and images that have grown around it. The purpose has not been to diminish the story, but to slow it down, listen more carefully, and allow the biblical … More Part 7: Nazareth and the Long Silence
The story of Jesus’ birth does not move from wonder to peace. It moves from worship to danger. Not long after the wise men depart, the narrative takes a sharp turn. The child who has drawn worship from shepherds and seekers now draws fear from power. A Threat Without a Voice Jesus does not speak. … More Part 6: Out of Egypt I Called My Son
The birth of Jesus was announced first to shepherds, ordinary men watching through the night. But the story does not remain local. Sometime later, the narrative widens. From the east come men who were not part of Israel, not raised on the Law, and not waiting in Bethlehem. They arrive as outsiders, guided not by … More Part 5: The Wise Men and the Gifts
The setting of Jesus’ birth is one of the most familiar images in Christian memory. It appears on greeting cards, church stages, paintings, and films. Yet Scripture describes it with remarkable restraint. There is no grandeur. No spectacle. No attempt to impress. The humility of Jesus’ arrival is not accidental, it is intentional. A Manger, … More Part 4: The Humility of the Arrival
When Jesus was born, heaven did not announce it to kings, scholars, or priests. There was no proclamation in the temple. No delegation from Jerusalem. No notice sent to Rome. Instead, the announcement came to shepherds. This choice was not accidental. Shepherds on the Margins In the first century, shepherds lived on the edges of … More Part 3: The First Witnesses: Why Shepherds?
The story you’ve just read in Part 1 is drawn entirely from Scripture, arranged only to help it be seen as a whole. It is shorter and quieter than many of the versions we’ve come to know, not because anything is missing, but because the Bible itself is remarkably restrained. Over time, art, tradition, and … More Part 2: The Story We Picture vs. the Story We’re Told
A Scriptural Narrative The next few days I will be doing a multi-part series on the Christmas narrative according to scripture. At the end is a list of passages should you choose to read the scripture in order of this narrative. I hope you enjoy, learn, and worship the Greatest Gift ever given. Blessings. From … More The Birth of the King – Part 1
Immigration is one of the most divisive topics in our society. Everyone has an opinion. Everyone has a moral argument. And everyone believes their side reflects compassion, justice, or righteousness. But here’s a perspective almost no one talks about: Heaven has immigration laws. Strict ones. Eternal ones. And if Christians applied the same energy to … More THE IMMIGRATION REQUIREMENTS FOR HEAVEN: A Biblical Look at the Narrowest Border in Existence
We all carry memories, some we treasure, some we try to outrun, and some that come crashing back at the worst possible moments. Ask someone to share their worst memory, and it usually comes out instantly. Ask them for their best, and they pause… they look upward… they sort through the cluttered shelves of their … More When Memories Won’t Let You Go, And Why God Gave Them to Us
We call God by many names, Father, Lord, Creator.We call Jesus our Savior, Redeemer, the Son who walked among us.But when it comes to the Holy Spirit, most Christians shift into something closer to abstraction.We talk about Him, but rarely to Him. We acknowledge Him, but rarely revere Him. And yet Scripture makes something startlingly … More The Forgotten Member of the Trinity: Why We Need to Recover Our Reverence for the Holy Spirit
Troy P Zehnder 