At Christmas it’s easy to be swept along by lights, food, and familiar routines, and to forget the staggering truth at the center: the God who created everything became part of His creation. He grew from a fertilized egg, learned to walk, likely stubbed His toe on the very ground He made, got hungry and thirsty, and grew sleepy. The baby in the manger is the One through whom all things were made. This is not a sanitized fairy tale; it is holy reality—God with us, in our skin and story. Let your heart be amazed again, not by tradition alone, but by the humility of the Creator who came near. Wonder is the proper doorway into worship today. [03:36]
Luke 2:10–12: The messenger said, “Set fear down; I’m bringing news that will gladden every heart. Today in David’s town a Rescuer has been born for you—He is the Anointed One, the Lord. Here’s how you’ll recognize Him: you’ll find a newborn wrapped up and resting in a feeding trough.”
Reflection: Which familiar Christmas habit keeps you from being amazed at Jesus taking on flesh, and how could you make room this week to notice Him in ordinary moments like hunger, tiredness, or weakness?
Jesus is the faithful witness—faithful to the Father’s plan and faithful to you. In Gethsemane He chose, “Your will, not mine,” and He went all the way to the cross, even through the horror of separation as He carried our sin. He promised never to leave nor forsake His followers, and by His Spirit He keeps that promise in every season. His faithfulness holds even when ours falters, and one day we will see Him as He is. Receive His grace and peace today from the One who is, who was, and who is to come. You are not alone. [12:16]
Revelation 1:4–5: Grace and peace to you from the One who is, who was, and who is coming; from the sevenfold Spirit before His throne; and from Jesus Christ—the trustworthy witness, the first to rise never to die again, and the ruler over earth’s kings.
Reflection: Where do you feel most alone in a specific responsibility right now, and what small daily practice could help you remember and rely on Jesus’ present-with-you faithfulness?
Many were raised in Scripture only to die again, but Jesus rose to live forever; He is the firstborn of the dead. Like a pulling guard opening the hole, He broke through death so all who follow Him can run through after Him. Without Him we get stopped at the line, but in Him we have a living hope that outlasts every loss and fear. The world says to chase your name on buildings and plaques, but those fade; resurrection life does not. Let this confidence lift discouragement and put you back in the game. The hole is open because Jesus lives. [18:28]
1 Corinthians 15:3–4, 20: Here is what matters most: Christ died for our sins just as the Scriptures said, He was buried, and on the third day He was raised as the Scriptures promised. But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead—the first portion of the harvest, the guarantee that more will follow.
Reflection: Where does the fear of death or loss quietly shape your choices, and what one concrete act of courage could you take this week as a declaration, “Jesus has opened the way for me”?
Jesus is the ruler of the kings of the earth. Every leader—ancient and modern, famous and forgotten—will bow and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. For those who follow Him now, that confession will simply be the joyful continuation of a life already bowed to Him. Surrender is not loss but alignment with the only Kingdom that will finally stand. Bow gladly today, and let His lordship reorder your comfort, reputation, dreams, and desires. [20:39]
Philippians 2:9–11: Because of His obedience, God lifted Jesus to the highest place and gave Him the name above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bend—in heaven, on earth, and under the earth—and every tongue will declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, bringing glory to God the Father.
Reflection: What is one specific area—reputation, comfort, a dream—where you sense Jesus inviting you to bow now, and what first step will you take today to live under His good rule there?
The baby in the manger is the One who loves us—present tense—and released us from our sins by His blood. He did not only take something from us; He also gave something to us, making us a kingdom and priests to God. Priests have access to God and represent God to people; this is your calling in Christ. Pray for those you love and those you don’t even know, and carry His mercy into your conversations. Live ready, with open hands, because He is coming with the clouds and every eye will see Him. To Him be the glory and dominion forever and ever. [33:11]
Revelation 1:5–6, 7: To the One who is loving us and who set us free from our sins by His own blood, and who made us into a kingdom—priests serving His God and Father—be glory and power forever. Look—He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. So it will be. Amen.
Reflection: Name one person God is placing on your heart; how will you intercede for them daily this week, and what gentle next step will you take toward them as Christ’s priestly ambassador?
Revelation 1:4–6 brings Christmas out of sentimentality and into blazing clarity. The Child in the manger is introduced by heaven itself: the Faithful Witness, the Firstborn of the Dead, and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. The wonder of the incarnation is not a soft-focus scene; the Creator entered creation as a real human—hungry, thirsty, sleepy, learning to walk, working with wood He Himself had grown. This humility sets the stage for His obedience to the Father’s plan—faithful unto death, faithful in resurrection, and faithful now through the Spirit’s presence with His people.
“Firstborn of the dead” means more than a miracle of resuscitation; it announces a new order of human life. Others were raised only to die again; Jesus rose never to die again, opening a way through death for all who follow Him. His resurrection is the decisive “pulling guard,” breaking the line so that those behind Him can pass through. Without Him, death remains a wall; with Him, it becomes a doorway.
“Ruler of the kings of the earth” insists that every earthly authority will ultimately kneel and confess. This is not partisan triumphalism; it is the sober reality that every throne, powerful or petty, righteous or corrupt, must reckon with the One enthroned above all. For those who refuse Him, that confession will be final separation. For those who follow Him, it will be the continuation of a life already lived under His lordship.
The text also speaks in the present: He loves us and has released us from our sins by His blood. His love is not a memory; it is a present, active reality. The cross is both cleansing and liberating—removing guilt and breaking sin’s grip. And He has not only taken something from us (our sin) but given something to us: a new status and vocation.
“He has made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father.” In Him, believers carry access to God and represent Him to the world. We stand under His protection—not immune to trials, but assured they cannot separate us from His care. As priests, we go to God for people in prayer and go to people for God in witness. The same passage hints at the future: He is coming with the clouds. For the weary, the wronged, the waiting, this is not an escape but a sure hope—He will set all things right.
he rose to live forever and here's why that's so great. Paul would say this, if there is no resurrection, then we are stupid. That's a loose translation of what he says. Actually, what he says is we are most to be pitied. Because we've lived our lives for a lie. But ain't it good to know that living for the resurrection is the only truth we find in this world. The world tells you the only way to be immortal is to have your name on a building but someday they'll tear down those buildings.
[00:16:12]
(35 seconds)
#LiveForTheResurrection
The only way to be immortal is to have your name on a plaque but one day, there'll be a new generation that comes in and doesn't know what that plaque's all about and they'll throw it out in the dumpster. The only way to really make your name known is to put it on a company but not every company is going to make it till Jesus comes. He said, the way to make sure that you make a name for yourself is to have lots of education. That's great but it along will come a generation that forgot who you were. The only way to be immortal, truly to be immortal is to be a follower of Jesus.
[00:16:47]
(33 seconds)
#ImmortalityInChrist
When I was when I used to play football, don't laugh. So, I was a I was a pulling guard and so we we ran a wing tee offense and so there's a lot of pulling and the way that worked was my job was to pull and get up into the hole and knock whoever's in the hole out of the hole so the running back can go through the hole. Jesus was the guard. When he broke through death, he opened up the hole so that all of us who were coming behind him could get through.
[00:18:04]
(35 seconds)
#JesusOpenedTheWay
President Trump will bow before Jesus. Putin will bow before Jesus. Xi Jinping will bow before Jesus. Whatever whatever religious leader is running the countries of the world will bow before Jesus. We will all bow before Jesus and not only that, bow before Jesus and confess with our mouths that he is lord but here's the problem. If you don't follow Jesus now, if you don't become a follower of Jesus now, that will be the last you see of him.
[00:20:23]
(42 seconds)
#AllWillBowToJesus
The baby in the manger is he who released us from our sins by his blood. Think about that for a moment. Just let that pour over your heart like you're having to pour over coffee. I I often think, and maybe I've said this before, but can you imagine Mary watching Jesus hanging on the cross? Can you imagine watching the blood run from his wounds.
[00:25:05]
(44 seconds)
#MangerToCross
they knighted some people and so this the king stands up and he takes a sword and not with a sharp edge but with the flat edge taps each shoulder and then tells them their their name is now sir whatever. Ain't it great to think about the baby in the manger holding that sword and touching it to your shoulder and saying now, you're part of my kingdom? That's what the baby in the manger did.
[00:32:23]
(28 seconds)
#KnightedByJesus
How many have ever been done dirty by a business partner or a fellow student in school? Ain't it great to know Jesus is coming again? He's going to make all things right. How many of you are tired of trying to do things to better yourself only to fail after a short time? Ain't it great to know Jesus is coming again? He's going to make all things new.
[00:35:18]
(29 seconds)
#JesusWillMakeAllRight
limited by your by your physical condition or your health? You can't walk or run like you used to or you can't stand as long as you used to or you can't lift as heavy a weight as you used to. Anybody? Ain't it great to know Jesus is coming back and he's going to give us strength to run and not grow weary but here's the greatest thing of all, Jesus is coming back and and for those who have followed him, we will now see him as he is and live in his presence and no longer have to worship him by faith.
[00:35:49]
(35 seconds)
#FaceToFaceWithJesus
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