Comments on: Famous Last Words

By: Not Just Optimism » Evangel | A First Things Blog

Not Just Optimism » Evangel | A First Things Blog — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 12:17:36 +0000

[...] So let’s think about this for one second: the purpose of most of the Bible is to tell us that the wrath of God is just around the corner, and in that context this child named Jesus is born in Bethlehem — [...]

By: With Interest » Evangel | A First Things Blog

With Interest » Evangel | A First Things Blog — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 15:14:17 +0000

[...] because we don’t deserve a break. What we deserve is, frankly, the wrath of God. That’s why Malachi gave that warning when he was closing up the Prophetic shop of the Old Testament – that’s what we deserve. [...]

By: Kill-joys at the Yuletide » Evangel | A First Things Blog

Kill-joys at the Yuletide » Evangel | A First Things Blog — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:02:29 +0000

[...] of you are thinking, “Frank, you’re a jerk, you know that? This is the Christmas season, and you’re ignoring the fact that the Angels we have heard on High sang Glo-o-o-ria in-ex-chel-sis-day-o. They were happy – [...]

By: Gary Simmons

Gary Simmons — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 21:07:10 +0000

Absolutely amazing. Thank you for this!

By: Jeff Schultz

Jeff Schultz — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:34:17 +0000

This is why Advent can be a great time of the year in the church.

We want to think about a cute baby and sing Christmas carols; few want to be awed and humbled by a God who is a refining fire and in whose presence none may stand. We want to hear about rescue and ransom, but we don’t like being reminded why we need rescue and redemption. We want to talk about the gift of God’s love without having to think about why that love is so inexplicable and undeserved.

Advent is an opportunity to put Christmas in context, to understand what it’s really saying about us and the God of all grace, so that it really means something.

Thanks for the reminder.