68 results for tag: christmas

Just Another Party? – Greg Albrecht

Many contemporary Christmas celebrations and traditions have strayed far from the reason for the season. Jesus is often left out in the cold as many observe one of two opposing celebrations that appropriate his name: 1) a secular Christmas, or 2) a religious Christmas. A secular Christmas is usually all about eating, drinking, spending and consuming to excess. It’s just another excuse for a party. A religious Christmas is all about doing the right things at the right times in the right places with the right people. Authentic Christianity offers a third option, one that is neither secular nor religious. The focus of a Christ-centered Christmas is ...

From the Pasture to the Palace

Our career and avocation, as Christians, involves being humble, even as our Chief Shepherd exemplified humility in all aspects of his birth, life, death and resurrection. This week's sermon leads us to consider the humble beginnings of the earthly life of our Lord and the relevance it has for our lives. https://ptmorg.dreamsites.io/mp3/FreeDwnld/RCWR044.mp3

Peace Arrives!

Our Savior, who rescues us from danger, disaster and destruction has arrived! The peace of God is a new kind of peace, not a relative calm between storms, but an abiding, eternal, internal peace give to those who can never deserve it nor ever do anything to merit it. https://ptmorg.dreamsites.io/mp3/FreeDwnld/RCWR043.mp3

The King Who Became a Man – Greg Albrecht

The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood (John 1:14, The Message).During his reign (1910-1936) King George V of the United Kingdom and the British Empire visited Leeds, a city in the north of England. When he was informed that a school was situated next to the railway line, King George agreed to have the train slow down so that he could appear on a platform and wave to the children as the royal entourage passed. When the king came outside the train he wore no outward signs of royalty, but was dressed in a suit, like any other male subject of his kingdom. After the train glided by and the cheers of the children faded, ...

The Long Wait

The sermon speaks to our long wait, waiting for “the blessed hope.” Greg encourages us to "live and experience December" - to fix our eyes and our spiritual compass on Jesus, and recommit to receiving God's grace. https://ptmorg.dreamsites.io/mp3/FreeDwnld/RCWR042.mp3

The Comfort of Christ

As we begin a season of anticipating the coming of Jesus, Greg's sermon is based on Isaiah's prophecy of Christ as comforter. https://ptmorg.dreamsites.io/mp3/FreeDwnld/RCWR041.mp3

God in the Manger

Many of us are more willing to accept Jesus Christ as the helpless, dependent baby in the manger than as Lord of our lives. We don’t want to hear how he challenges our beliefs and our way of life, but the central truth of Christmas is that the baby in the manger is God!

Coming to Jesus

Travel is very much a part of Christmas. We join bumper to bumper traffic as we shop, we fly many hundreds of miles and travel our freeways to be with family and friends. Travel was a part of Christmas from the beginning, but at the first Christmas travel was for a different reason.

The Cradle and the Cross

Christmas upsets many people because at least once a year they can’t run away from Jesus. When Jesus shows up, things change, the status quo is threatened. It is a time of challenge and confrontation to religion and politics.

When the Time Had Fully Come

by Greg Albrecht You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. But When the ...

Who IS, and Who WAS, and Who IS TO COME

by Greg Albrecht The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near. John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful ...

The King Who Became a Man

by Greg Albrecht The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood (John 1:14, The Message). During his reign (1910-1936) King George V of the United Kingdom and the British Empire visited Leeds, a city in the north of England. When he was informed that a school was situated next to the railway line, King George agreed to have the train slow down so that he could appear on a platform and wave to the children as the royal entourage passed. When the king came outside the train he wore no outward signs of royalty, but was dressed in a suit, like any other male subject of his kingdom. After the train glided by and the cheers of ...

December 2020

CLICK HERE to read now (PDF Format) Greg Albrecht: God Is With Us– pg. 3 Brad Jersak: Phenomenal Cosmic Powers– pg. 8 Ed Dunn: The Season of Lights – pg. 10 Laura Urista: Christmas Presence – pg. 12 Richard Rohr: Centered in the Presence – pg. 14 Brad Jersak: Love or Syrupy Sentimentalism? -pg. 15

December 2019

CLICK HERE to read now (PDF Format) Brad Jersak: Mary: The Second Eve– pg. 3 Scott Erickson: O Eve!– pg. 7 Greg Albrecht: Wrapping an Idea in a Person – pg. 8 Jim Fowler: The Reason for the Season – pg. 10 Felicia Murrell: Advent Poem – pg. 12 Richard Rohr: Christ in the Face of the Other – pg. 13 Greg Albrecht: Was Christ a Created Being? -pg. 15

“Breakfast with Brad” – Incarnation means God became human

In this episode of Breakfast with Brad," we are reminded that Incarnation (literally 'enfleshment') means that God became human. Why? To heal humanity and to reveal God's love in Jesus. Far from merely the initiating Christmas event, the Incarnation speaks of God assuming human nature as can be seen throughout the whole course of the life of Christ. Featured breakfast: jam-filled Christmas cookies!   PTM.org's "Breakfast with Brad" - Incarnation means God became human! from Brad Jersak on Vimeo.