As I write this article it’s still Friday December 21st 2012, but I will have to finish it tomorrow the day after the end of the world. I’m still relaxing in my bunker and have made myself hidden like a groundhog. Actually, I have a gym workout yet to do and some errands to run, to get Santa ready for Christmas. All joking aside, I’m saddened by the various people worldwide who … [Read more...]
Luke's orderly birth narrative for the healthy skeptic
Below is my summary of the sermon, He Came to Us: Knowing we are skeptics, preached by Jim Applegate out of Luke 1. It is the third part in a four part series of the significance of Christmas in each Gospel, with the theme of "He Came to Us" throughout the series. Part 1 (Matthew) | Part 2 (Mark) | Part 4 (John) Luke 1: 1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a … [Read more...]
Christians, Jews, and the Baby Messiah (Part 2)
Most Jews and Christians agree that after a long time of trouble, God will establish Israel as the foremost nation in the world and will bring about universal peace. That’s where the Messiah comes into the picture. Some Jews believe the Messiah will be a man from the lineage of King David, with impeccable spiritual credentials, who will lead Israel to defeat the great armies of … [Read more...]
An Unexpected Peace: How the Arrival Of Jesus Impacted the World
“Glory to God in the Highest; and on earth, peace, and goodwill to those on whom His favor rests.” __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ After being told that peace had arrived in the form of a child in a local manger, the Jewish shepherds who received this message would have likely … [Read more...]
The Controversy (and confusion) that is Christmas
Inevitably, as I drive through bumper to bumper traffic that comes with every December evening, I start muttering: "It's the most horrible time of the year...." Lest I be misconstrued, I also enjoy the season. But I draw the line when the circumstances border on the absurd - the traffic on the roads are practically unbearable. Everything comes to a standstill, simply because … [Read more...]
Christmas Science
In an article from scienceblogs.com, the writer opens with this statement: “If there's one universal trait among humans, it seems to be an unquenchable thirst for certainty.” We want to know what is provable beyond a shadow of doubt. Where would you guess that most of us think that type of certainty is found? The realm of science! How is it that Science supposes gives us … [Read more...]
A Look at Messianic Prophecy
Introduction Anyone who has studied evidential apologetics will see that many apologists have laid a great emphasis on messianic prophecy as one of the keys to demonstrating Jesus is the Jewish Messiah. One thing that is left out of these discussions is that when it comes to prophecy, it is not always predictive. The Greek word for fulfill is πληρόω (pleroo) – which has a much … [Read more...]
Christians, Jews, and the Baby Messiah (Part 1)
I’ve had the privilege of speaking with many Jewish people through the years about their Messiah. I’ve found a lot of common ground with them about prophecies concerning the Messiah. However, I’ve also come across some major disagreements. For those Jews who believe the Messiah will be a person, one thing we can agree on is that the Messiah begins life as a baby. Question is, … [Read more...]
A Question for Christmas: Who is Jesus Christ, really?
(pt.1 of 4) This is perhaps the most important question, apologetically and evidentially, regarding Jesus Christ in all of the Scriptures. If the Bible is true, then how a person answers this simple question will determine where an individual will spend their eternal destiny. Especially at this crucial time of celebrating the Christmas season, are you personally able to … [Read more...]
Belief unto death. All for a lie?
The establishment and spread of the Christian faith is unique among all religions in that both rest on a historical event (the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ) witnessed firsthand, unwavering belief that what was witnessed actually happened (i.e., what happened was a true state of affairs in reality), and the resolve to share this conviction in … [Read more...]