Jesus said that if anyone wanted to follow him, that person would need to deny himself and take up his cross and follow Jesus.
So the question is, what is a Christian supposed to do with "his cross?" It is not some difficulty in life that he needs to endure. There is something far more significant than that.
This message looks at the three references to crucifixion in Galatains to see what it is that we are supposed to crucify.
Progressive ideology is its own kind of religion. Progressives believe that everything will get better and better through their progressive policies. They believe that they can eliminate poverty, injustice and violence through passing new laws. Through taxes and redistribution of wealth they can solve inequities. They can fix global warming through energy policy and scientific research. They can come up with a medical solution for every disease and maybe even a technical fix for death itself.
But the only cure for death is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Only Christ can fix the brokenness we have introduced into the world by our sin. At present we yield ourselves to Jesus so that our hearts are fixed. There is nothing wrong with fighting against injustice and systemic poverty as long as you do not put your faith in the wrong
Last year at Christmas we had no idea what was going to happen in just a few short months. The COVID pandemic changed everything. Beyond sickness and death it caused economic upheaval, isolation and social strife. Many people were (are) concerned about who is to blame - whether masks help or hinder - if the government can impose restrictions on people's freedoms - and so on...
But much of the upset is due to the prevailing mindset that says everything can be managed, controlled, cured, prevented or fixed by human ingenuity. We are the masters of our own fate!
God has a different view.
Christmas is loaded with traditions and traditional activities. There are lights and trees and gifts. There are carols and cards and cookies. But in the busy-ness of the season, be careful not to lose the most important thing about Christmas - the Christmas Message. "Unto you is born... a Savior who is Christ, the Lord."
Things have never been the same! God has become a man to rescue us from our sins.
Luke is the gospel that contains the most detailed information about the virgin birth of Christ. Luke evidently was able to interview Mary and get her perspective on things. He includes not just what happened, but also her perspective on these things.
The virgin birth - foretold by the angel Gabriel - was to be the means by which God became a man. In this way he brought salvation and eternal life to all who would call upon him.
Luke does not start his gospel about Jesus with the announcement to Mary. Luke begins with the announcement to Zechariah! He does this to make some important points about who Jesus was and what was happening when he came.
Thanksgiving is not just a national holiday where we eat turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce. It is a central part of biblical worship. Today we will consider an invitation for the whole earth to participate in praising God for his wonderful works.
