Celebrating The Birth Of Christ

by Pastor Dominic Ortega

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" So it was when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us."
Luke 2:8-15

Had there been newspapers in the Roman Empire 2,000 years ago, some of the headlines might have been:

"GRAIN SHIPS DOCK"
"PIRATE SHIPS SUNK BY SIXTH FLEET"
"STUDENTS CLASH WITH POLICE, ROMAN RIOTS END"

The Last Sacrificial Lamb Is Born In Bethlehem

by Chuck Ness

When you think of the first story of Christmas, it's usually about Mary and Joseph looking down at their new born son in a manger, surrounded by barn animals and maybe a shepherd or two looking on. Angels singing praises of joy to the Lord Most High, and maybe even the star that is guiding the wise men from Babylon to the destination of the Jews Messiah.

We live at a time when children are born in sanitized hospital rooms with the best of care, before and after the mother gives birth. When we hear of stories of women giving birth at home, or alongside the road where the car had to pull over because the child would not wait, we are captivated and amazed of such a thing happening in today's world.

Yet, for the vast majority of man's history, women have given birth in conditions we would not expect our pet animals give birth in. So when you consider what Mary had to endure in her last week leading up the birth of her first child, I want you to consider the following. Then maybe, just maybe, you will look at the story of Christmas a bit differently than you have in the past.

When you consider that Luke was a Doctor, it kind of makes sense that his version of the Gospel is the only one that tells the story of the birth of Christ. It makes even more sense when you consider that Luke was not just a good friend and traveling companion, but he was also the Apostle Paul's Doctor. Another point of consideration is that, in Paul's letter to the Galatians he wrote that he did not receive the Gospel from man, but from Christ Himself. So who better to know the events leading up to the birth of Jesus, than the man He shared it with.

“But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ." Galatians 1:11-12

Merry Christmas Music.

Click The Pics & Text For Christmas Music

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Adored by Social Misfits

This MP3 audio is the Christmas message I shared with the women of Windchime Retirement
in Center in Chico Ca, back in 2008. The commentary below is based upon this message.

by Chuck Ness

The Gospel of Jesus can be summed up in three statements He made during His ministry. One statement was directed toward the Pharisees who questioned why He hung out with sinners and tax collectors.

"It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." (Mark 2:17)

Another statement was directed towards those who complained when He went into the house of Zaccheus, a chief tax collector in Jericho.

And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." (Luke 19:9-10)

Finally, the last statement I offer for your consideration is

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

These twenty five words convey the Lord's heart, His plan, and His will for our lives. No Scripture defines Christianity better then John 3:16, and it is this passage that makes the first two statements so profound.

Ten Reasons Santa Must Be A Conservative Republican

by Chuck Ness

​We find ourselves at the doorstep of Christmas again, so in the spirit of the Season, and just so I can be fair and equitable with my political opinions, I have decided to share what I think of Santa’s political persuasion.  Now, do not think that I'm putting a nonexistent, beloved, character on the same level as Jesus, I'm not. So lighten up all you Francis's out there, and try not to misconstrue the meaning of this article. I offer it as a simple, fun explanation of how I see Democrats and what I think Santa’s political leanings would be. If he existed, and if he would ever vote.

To begin with, when I wrote this many years ago, I pointed out that Santa could not be a Liberal Democrat. Well, I dropped the word "Liberal" and just use Democrat now. After all, Democrats today are all full blown Commies. Plus I originally had eight reasons, but have decided to add two more reasons for a total of ten reasons why Santa must be a Conservative Republican.

Who Will Take The Son?

I offer a story about a man and his beloved son.

 

The Christmas season is upon us, and I want everyone to remember that Christmas is not about the exterior things of this Holiday season. It’s about the Man this child would become. The Man who would one day be nailed to a cross and lifted like a snake in the desert for our sins.