*Note in the UK and other Commonwealth countries, the day after Christmas is known as “Boxing Day”: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxing_Day

Today, for some post-Christmas amusement, I thought I would share a short, humorous video by LutheranSatire:

Christmas represents an important point of orthodoxy that separates Christians from Jews and Muslims, the claim that God took on flesh, was born of the Virgin Mary, and lived and died among us. To deny this claim is to hold that Jesus is a liar, for He Himself claimed to be God in the flesh and His Apostles taught the first Christians likewise.

Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM.

-John 8:58

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

-John 1:1

…one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him

-1 Corinthians 8:6

–But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. 

-2 Peter 3:18

The new year approaches, and the culture wars within and without the Church will continue apace. My message to you looking forward is threefold.

  1. Be prepared to separate on points that must not be compromised.
    • We talk of unity, but we must not confuse true Christian unity among the orthodox with a false unity between true believers and heretics. The New Testament speaks to both situations and marks a distinction between them.
  2. Pay attention to the signs of the times and study the Kingdom in all its fulness.
    • Christ will come back one day. When He returns , His saints will share His Kingdom with Him. As we seek to advance the “invisible Kingdom” today through the power of the Spirit, we must start to look at the “visible Kingdom” of the Messianic Age, and prepare for its unveiling.
  3. Seek the will and heart of God without unnecessary preconceptions.
    • I am not talking about the ethical and metaphysical foundations of our faith. Those principles, learned by revelation and reason keep us on the straight and narrow way, guiding us in the distinction between good and evil. Look, though, to new moves of the Spirit as God shakes the earth for the coming of His Son – Joel 2 and Acts 2.