-
10 mins read|01/02/25In Simeon's hands and Anna's gaze, we are reminded of God's promise—not distant, not fading, but alive.
-
13 mins read|12/25/24Belief at Christmas is neither neat nor safe. It is the path that leads to the manger and, from there, to the cross.
-
10 mins read|12/21/24That’s How Love Goes. In this episode, we read a Christmas sermon by Norman Nagel and discuss the nativity, the mother of God, iconography, Bible translating, story-telling traditions, teaching through the story, God’s strange way of loving people, and people’s expectations of Christmas and how it affects the Church.
-
10 mins read|12/22/23The God Who Stole Christmas. In this episode of Banned Books, we discuss Christmas Eve and Christmas Day readings, prayers, hymns, and traditions. We also have a lot of fun jesting and critiquing time-held hymns and traditions. We talk translations, history, worship, and why Christmas is the best time to embrace the enchanting absurdity of Jesus — the God-in-the-flesh, who’s come to be a Light in the darkness, a shield against sin, the world and the devil, and the Door opened and welcoming us into eternal life.
-
8 mins read|12/11/23All Day and All of the Night. In this episode of Banned Books, we discuss Advent and the second coming of Jesus Christ while reading a sermon by Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Along the way, we talk about the symbols and meaning of Christmas, how preaching a biblical sermon doesn’t mean it’s a gospel sermon, and why that matters, all with an extra echo for dramatic effect.
-
6 mins read|12/21/22Let’s Not Talk About Love. In this episode, we discuss R.C. Sproul’s Christmas sermon wherein he preaches on the Gospel of Luke chapter 2. The espresso kicked in early, and we read through the whole sermon before diving deep into the distinction between exposition and proclamation, so buckle up. Riley talks too much while Gillespie exercises patience and restraint.
-
6 mins read|12/19/22Is It Too Early for Jesus’ Birth? In this episode, we read excerpts from various early church fathers on Jesus’ birth, with a heavy emphasis on the historicity of God’s incarnation. What part did earthly signs play in announcing Jesus’ birth? Why did it matter to the early fathers that God was born on an actual day, in an actual place, at an actual time? Do we at the present place the same emphasis as the early fathers on Jesus’ birth?
-
6 mins read|12/16/22It’s Addressed To You. Open It! In this episode, we discuss Martin Luther’s sermon on Luke 2 for Christmas afternoon. What’s the consequence of the “to you” and “for you” of Luke’s Gospel message for Christians?
-
6 mins read|11/24/22They Call Me… Tim. In this episode, we discuss Tim Keller’s sermon, The Purpose of Christmas. Does it matter that Jesus’ birth is a historical fact? What’s the difference between an eyewitness account and a legend? What are we really preaching at Christmas, and why should anyone care?
-
6 mins read|12/29/20Christmas-time is the bold proclamation that God was born to save sinners.
-
4 mins read|12/17/20Can We Just Have A Civil Christmas? In the episode, what was Christmas like during the Civil War? Puritans, holiday traditions, and why the Church is an incarnate Church.
-
4 mins read|12/10/20Have Yourself A Very Enlightened Christmas. In this episode, an examination of the impact of the Enlightenment on the Church, especially the preaching and traditions of Advent and Christmas.
Loading...
No More Post
No more pages to load