There is something different about Christmas Eve. It is quieter than Christmas Day.Less certain. Less complete. Christmas Eve lives in the space before fulfillment, when the light has not yet fully arrived, but the darkness knows it cannot last. And for many people, that space feels familiar. Hope Is Born in the Dark Hope does … More Christmas Eve and the Power of Hope
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 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
Christmas is the season where we talk about love the most, and often experience it the least. We decorate it. We sing about it. We wrap it in lights, gifts, and expectations. And yet for many people, Christmas quietly exposes something uncomfortable: the gap between how deeply we love and how deeply we are loved … More Christmas Love: What It Is; What It Isn’t
Every year, Christmas turns into a competition. Bigger gifts. Higher prices. More stress. More debt. We convince ourselves that value can be measured in dollars, boxes, and receipts, and somehow we forget something painfully obvious: Most people don’t need more things. They need to know they matter. I know what it feels like to believe … More The Most Important Christmas Gift Isn’t the One We Buy
Every year around this time, people panic. Credit cards get stretched. Budgets get ignored. Pressure gets heavy. Somehow, we’ve been trained to believe that the value of a gift is measured by how much it costs. As if love, appreciation, honor, and remembrance can be calculated by a receipt. But here’s the truth most people … More Decoding the Perfect Gift: Why Meaning Always Outlasts Money
Troy P Zehnder 