Tag: Jesus
Jefferson Bethke Writes a Letter To His Unborn Daughter
Posted on January 5, 2015 in Life by Nathan Cherry
Jefferson Bethke, a spoken-word artist that gained fame for his video “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus,” recently wrote a letter to his unborn daughter and then read it to her after she was born. In the video Jefferson shares some practical insight with his infant daughter and let’s her know how proud he is to be her daddy. But he also shares truth with her, that life is hard, and sometimes things don’t make sense. But in it all, Jefferson, true to his calling, shares Jesus in the video and lets his daughter know that Christ is the most important thing about life.
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One of the Earliest Transcripts of the Historical Christmas Story (Video)
Posted on December 25, 2014 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
If you’ve ever wondered what Christmas is all about. What the purpose of Christmas is. The “transcript” below of the first Christmas shares the inherent meaning that in inseparable from any Christmas celebration. Without the birth of Jesus Christ 2000 years ago there would be no Christmas. But because God came tow earth as a baby in order to die for the sins of mankind, we can celebrate. Not only can we celebrate today, but for those who have placed their faith in the saving, atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross, we can celebrate every day.
The following passage, and video, share the events of the first Christmas. I hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas and honor the true meaning of this joyous day.
Luke 2:4-14 (ESV) – 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,
5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.
7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.
10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
What’s Christmas All About? Just Ask Linus!
Posted on December 24, 2014 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
This beloved family Christmas movie gets sweeter each year as I raise my own kids. One of the most cherished scenes from the movie is when Charlie Brown, exasperated by all the “commercialism” associated with Christmas, asks “isn’t there anyone that knows what Christmas is all about?” Linus gives Charlie Brown the answer is the scene below. Take a moment to watch, share it with your kids, and remember the true meaning of Christmas. Merry Christmas!
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Viral Video: Home Free Singing Their Version of a Christmas Classic
Posted on December 19, 2014 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
When rising a capella group Home Free wanted to record a video for their stirring rendition of “Angels We Have Heard on High,” they chose a church to do it. Considering the content of the song it seems a fitting backdrop. But the church takes second place to the group’s incredible vocal version of this beloved Christmas classic.
It won’t take long before the listener will understand why this video has gone mega viral in just a few shorts weeks (the video had over a million hits just two weeks after Thanksgiving). The five man group blends melodies and harmonies in what can only be described as a symphony of vocal music to create a beautiful rendition of this Christmas carol that is worth every second it takes to listen.
Songs like this are deeply embedded into our celebration of the Christmas holiday. They tell the story of what Christmas is truly all about. “Angels We Have Heard on High” tells about the angels that appeared in the skies to sing and announce the birth of Christ to the shepherds (Luke 2:8-14), and the shepherds going to see Jesus in the manger (Luke 2:15-20). It also tells of the little baby born to take away the sin of the world (John 1:29). The song makes this clear in the last verse: “See Him in a manger laid, Jesus Lord of heaven and earth; Mary, Joseph, lend your aid, With us sing our Savior’s birth.”
We love these Christmas songs because in the chaos that can be Christmas they remind us of the true meaning of the season and why we can even celebrate. We are remembering the day Jesus was born as a baby for the purpose of dying on the cross for our sins. These songs ground us in the truth of what Christmas is supposed to be, a celebration of Jesus. And this video by Home Free is just another version of the song that will be enjoyed for generations to come and serve that purpose. Take a few moments to listen, it will be a highlight of your day.
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This Classic Christmas Song Would Be Banned in Many Public Schools
Posted on December 12, 2014 in Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. We love Christmas and look forward to it all year. One of the best parts of Christmas is the music. We have a whole library of songs that we only sing during this time of the year and it brings joy to our hearts to do so. The video below of “Mary, Did You Know” by Pentatonix is no exception.
Unfortunately those who don’t like the inherent religious meaning in the Christmas season are working hard to make sure many of these songs are no longer sung in public places, such as schools. Those who do not like any religious meaning in the Christmas season want to ban anything with that same religious meaning from being part of our Christmas celebration. So school plays and musicals and concerts, town festivals and parades, and even Christmas caroling are all being targeted. Songs such as the one below are being banned as “religious” and therefore not appropriate for such activities. These cherished songs are being replaced with empty, meaningless “holiday” songs.
The reality is that Christmas is not just some arbitrary winter celebration. Christmas is the celebration surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ. At it’s heart, inherent to everything that Christmas is, is the reality that God came down to earth as a a man to redeem mankind. You cannot simply remove this meaning from the Christmas season without creating something new that is not Christmas. So the song below is not just another song, it is a celebration of a historical event that changed the world.
A Gay Man Wants to Help Christian Bakers After They Refused to Bake a Cake for Homosexual Wedding
Posted on November 13, 2014 in Marriage, Theology by Nathan Cherry
A story not quite as well-known as the baker from Colorado is the one of the Klein’s, bakers from Oregon. These Christian bakers found themselves in the middle of a national controversy for refusing to bake a cake for a homosexual wedding. In doing so they garnered the wrath of the state which found them guilty of violating anti-discrimination laws. The penalty for adhering to their religious convictions has been the loss of their shop, legal fees, and the possibility of a massive fine that could bankrupt them.
The Klein’s closed their successful bakery in 2013 in the face of legal issues surrounding their case. They decided to operate out of their home in order to be able to do business according to their religious convictions. But this family of 7 is facing bankruptcy as a result of a possible $150,000 fine from the state.
But now, an unlikely ally is coming to their aid and seeking to raise enough money to erase any fines and ensure the family business continues.
That ally is a gay man.
Jesus Didn’t Say Anything Against Same-Sex “Marriage” So He Must Support It.
Posted on October 7, 2014 in Marriage, Sexuality by Nathan Cherry
A favorite argument for advocates of marriage redefinition is that Jesus is on their side. Being experts in biblical studies and theology they have determined that since Jesus didn’t explicitly prohibit homosexuality and same-sex “marriage” that He, obviously, is for it.
These armchair theologians have somehow deduced a meaning from Scripture that nearly every pastor, every theologian, every academic, and every expert denies as impossible. But, apparently gaining some insight from the Holy Spirit that others have not been blessed with, they are adamant in their belief that Jesus supports the homosexual lifestyle.
As someone that has studied the Bible for a couple decades and regularly reads through it, I find it hard to believe that anyone reading the pages of Scripture can find support for homosexuality. A cursory reading of the text, whether Old or New Testament, reveals a universal consensus that homosexual behavior is sin. Only through a strange twisting of any particular text could anyone hope to find anything less than a condemnation of homosexual actions.
Famous Rocker Says Jesus Would Allow Gay Clergy to Marry
Posted on August 12, 2014 in Marriage, Theology by Nathan Cherry
What would Jesus say about gay clergy if He was physically walking our streets today? Would He gives His blessing to those called to pastor His church that also wanted to take part in homosexual behavior? According to one legendary rocker, that’s exactly what Jesus would do.
In an interview with Sky News rock icon Elton John shared his thoughts and opinions on the gay rights movement and where it stands today. He is thankful for the progress made but believes more is needed. On the heels of complimenting all that Pope Francis has done to “simplify” religion, John was asked whether the church should allow gay clergy to marry. He answered:
Why It Might Be a Good Thing for People to Leave Our Church
Posted on August 1, 2014 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
The distraction of keeping everyone happy comes from a fear that if people aren’t happy they will leave our church and go elsewhere. Because many churches are struggling to grow and having financial issues the task of keeping everyone happy (and tithing) takes precedence. Though they might not say it out loud, many pastors are afraid that someone might leave their church, not realizing that having people leave their church might be the best thing for the church.
Wait a minute. Did I just say it might be good for someone to leave the church? As a pastor that seems like an odd thing to say. Even more odd would be the statement that not only is it a good thing for people to leave, it might be what is best for that person and the church as a whole.
An Open Letter to Glenn Beck After Speaking at Liberty University
Posted on May 24, 2014 in Theology by Derick Dickens
*This article is in response to Glenn Beck’s recent statements about the backlash of speaking at Liberty University. I have opposed inviting Glenn Beck speak at Convocation because he is not a Christian.
Dear Glenn Beck,
Discovering your program long before you moved to New York and then Texas, from the early days I enjoyed your political commentary, satire, and “Moron Trivia”. While I do not always agree with you, you have amassed an empire that does try to combat the liberal bias prevalent in other outlets. I rarely listen to you today, but I am not hostile to you.
I am a graduate of Liberty University in Lynchburg Virginia. In fact, I am not merely a one time graduate, I hold my undergraduate degree and a Master of Divinity, Master of Business Administration, and Master of Arts in Religion from Liberty. I am a conservative and not one who would bash you or Liberty because of your conservative stance.
Yet, I opposed you speaking at my Alma Mater.