Article
The first Christmas carol was sung by angels.
Before the heavenly choir arrived, a single angel of the Lord appeared in the sky and hovered above a group of frightened shepherds who were guarding their flocks in the cool night air. However, it was not just the angel that surprised the shepherds—suddenly midnight was turned into midday. “The glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified” (Luke 2:9). The angel spoke to them, telling them not to be afraid but to receive with great joy the news they were hearing: “Today in the town of David a …
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I am thinking especially of two or three things in connection with this topic. First, is baptism essential to salvation? A great many people think it is, but I want to let the Word of God answer that question. And then if we find that it is not essential to salvation, another question arises: Why then baptize at all? In the next place, I am thinking of a slightly different question: Has water baptism any place at all in this present dispensation of the grace of God or has it been done away with altogether? If not, just what place …
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“Wherein...Christ is all in all.”—Colossians 3:11
Christianity is not a cold, dead or not a theory about Christ; it is not a series of ethical statements proceeding from Christ; it is not a system, builded upon the concepts of Christ—Christianity is Christ.
Christianity is not a cold, dead organization; it is a living organism, and it could not survive the loss of Christ, its living, vital Head any more than a human body, a living organism, could survive the loss of its head. Herein lies the chief distinction between Christianity and all world religions. Buddhism survive the loss of Buddha; …
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Message given by Rev. C.W. Slemming, from Bible Testimony Fellowship, London, England.
PART I
(Taken from The Moody Church News, Volume 35, Number 2)
Let us journey with a shepherd of Bethlehem and his flock and see what we can glean from their experiences that will help us to understand the Bible as well as comprehend a little more of the Great Shepherd of the sheep. We will divide our thoughts into three main divisions to help us harness the many experiences and the numerous references. They will be Sunrise, Noonday, Eventide.
SUNRISE
With the rising of the sun …
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“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while …
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“Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it...supposing him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey.” —Luke 2:43–44
This is a precious portion of Scripture, if for no other reason than that it furnishes the only bit of authentic information concerning the life of Jesus from his infancy to the beginning of His ministry. Sometimes we refer to “the eighteen silent years” of His life, but as a matter of fact, apart from the record of this one event, there are thirty silent years.
Probably all of us have been more …
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“And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;
“For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?
“And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.
“I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity …
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“So they cast him out of the vineyard.” —Luke 20:15
I suppose that the time has come when most men refuse to say there is no God. Men have gotten far enough in science to know that there is a God. They realize that there is an intelligence running the world, although they do not want to admit that intelligence is the God of the Bible.
Now if there is a God, then it is surely true of that God that He is able to enlighten that which He creates. Certainly the sun that brings forth the lily in your …
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As the youngest child in our family, it was customary for me to read the Christmas story in our home before we opened our gifts. As you might guess, I probably had my mind on the presents under the tree rather than on the words I was reading. Even so, I often was puzzled by the promise of the angel, “Peace on Earth.” Even back then I knew that there was little peace in the world.
I’m sure you know the story. The shepherds are tending their flocks on the outskirts of Bethlehem at night. They are startled when suddenly …
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“And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. For whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, …
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