Guilt is one of the most paralyzing and debilitating forces that ever attacks our humanity. Jesus came and died on the cross to remove the guilt of our sin and give us a clean start. That’s the summary of Christmas and Resurrection Sunday, two of the biggest Christian holidays.
Author: Jojo Agot
Pastor at Victory. Faculty and adviser at Every Nation Leadership Institute (ENLI). MA in Theology and Mission at Every Nation Seminary.
Gandalf and Dumbledore at the Manger
The original nativity scene was more unusual than we could ever imagine. Pagan astrologers, very much similar to what we’d call sorcerers and wizards, came to worship baby Jesus. Imagine Gandalf and Dumbledore at the manger, falling down before the true and powerful Sovereign of the World. That’s mind-boggling.
The Violence of Christmas
Mike Cosper on the violence of Christmas:
In Genesis, a serpent slithers into a perfect world and begins lying, eroding its foundations. In Revelation, this evil one has grown into a furious dragon: his power and dominion are far more menacing. He fumes and rages and casts down stars from the sky. But he’s still doomed.
And the first attack against him isn’t marked by the shout of warriors, the flash of swords, or the thunder of cannons. It’s marked by the cry of a baby…
Christmas in the Muslim World
A school in Texas banned the wearing of traditional Christmas colors (red and green) during holiday parties to ensure the separation of church and state and make sure that they don’t “send the wrong message.” “I’m surprised they have allowed traffic lights to function at Christmas,” wrote Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias.
Meanwhile, Christmas carols continue to play even in the malls of Muslim cities in other parts of the world. A tall Christmas tree stands side by side with a mosque in Dubai. And in India, a country with more than 330 million gods, Christmas is curiously called “The Big Day,” an inadvertent nod to the importance and supremacy of Christ.
Repeating the Gospel
On sermon preparation:
“But if you pursue that train of thought, you will end up preaching just the gospel. Don’t you think it’s too much of a repetition? What about those who already accepted Christ? I believe they need a little more than the basics.”
I stood there dumbfounded. That was exactly what I was saying. Unfortunately, that was also exactly what he was trying to avoid.
Touched by the Gospel
I met her on the lobby last Sunday with an unusual look on her face. Her brother is in the hospital and is in a critical condition. Christmas is two weeks away and a shadow of gloom is cast over their family. Her pain is obvious.
“So how are you doing?” I asked, carefully observing that her make up was a bit smudged. I could tell she’s just been crying minutes ago.
She then told me the story of how her older brother finally came to know Jesus. After years of sharing the gospel to him and praying for his salvation, her brother finally relented and surrendered his life to God.
“I couldn’t believe it. All those years…” she cried.
Jojo Agot 