‘Twas Months Before Christmas

In the months leading up to the birth of Jesus a priest named Zechariah was serving in the temple. Zechariah was old; he and his wife had never been able to have children. As joyous as the news of (finally) becoming a father might have been, Zechariah didn’t believe 

In the Moment

I previously mentioned the account of Jesus feeding the five thousand while illustrating Jesus’ character. This miracle is the only miracle performed by Jesus that is recorded in all four gospels: Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-15. What I found remarkable was what Jesus 

Gifted Character

It’s interesting how the events unfold in the narrative of Matthew. Chapter 14 begins with the death of John the Baptist, then leads into one of the most well-known miracles Jesus performed. Matthew tells us Jesus fed five thousand men, besides woman and children. If each man had one 

Shifting Society

I have tended to avoid Philemon. It’s a New Testament book that always seemed out of place, as though I were eavesdropping on a private conversation. Of course the truth is we are eavesdropping. Philemon is a short letter (if you have not read it, or not read it 

After Christmas

Matthew 1:23 is often cited during the Christmas season as it recounts the story of Jesus’ birth, but I think the passage from Luke more aptly conveys the meaning of Christmas. Both authors quote the Old Testament book of Isaiah; what Matthew shares tells us what happened at Christmas