-
Dec 24, 2024 | 
theaquilareport.com | Leland Ryken
Spurgeon’s meditation keeps the focus on the announced subject, which is why we should be supremely happy about the birth of Christ. It is a simple idea, but Spurgeon keeps unfolding more and more nuances, until we begin to think that the subject is inexhaustible. The starting point is the message of the angels to the shepherds. After telling the shepherds not to fear, the angel states reasons why the shepherds should not fear. The first reason is that the angel is bringing tidings of great joy.
-
Dec 23, 2024 | 
theaquilareport.com | Leland Ryken
Christ’s incarnation was a greater and more wonderful thing than ever had yet come to pass. The creation of the world was a very great thing, but not so great as the incarnation of Christ. It was a great thing for God to make the creature, but not so great as for the Creator himself to become a creature. . . . God becoming man was greater than all [previous events in history]. Then the greatest person was born that ever was or ever will be.
-
Dec 11, 2024 | 
crossway.org | Leland Ryken |John Piper
The Greatest BirthdayThe angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. (Luke 2:10)The birth of Christ should be the subject of supreme joy. We have the angelic warrant for rejoicing because Christ is born. It is a truth so full of joy that it caused the angel who came to announce it to be filled with gladness. . . .
-
Nov 22, 2024 | 
sowespeak.com | Leland Ryken
If you’re like me, you have already started selecting gifts for those on your list. And every year, I reflect on books I have read that I think others would enjoy, too. This is a varied list, mainly highlighting my favorite texts across many genres. The first category I mention is biographies.I always find myself heartened by Christians whose faithful stories encourage me today.
-
Oct 3, 2024 | 
crossway.org | Douglas Sean O'Donnell |JONATHAN GIBSON |Leland Ryken
Recalling Truth“The liturgy saved me.” Recently, I was asked about my conversion to Christ. As I was sharing my testimony, I used that line—“the liturgy saved me”—(an exaggeration!) to make an important point about how God used the many Bible readings, prayers, and songs from the Sunday liturgies of my childhood to recall God’s truths to mind and eventually to work them deep down into my heart.
-
Apr 20, 2024 | 
crossway.org | Douglas Sean O'Donnell |Leland Ryken
This article is part of the What Does It Mean? series. And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”—Mark 2:17The Use of InterrogativeMirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest one of all? Anybody home, McFly? O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? What’s up, Doc? Pardon me, do you have any Grey Poupon? What has it got in its nasty little pocketses?
-
Apr 7, 2024 | 
crossway.org | Douglas Sean O'Donnell |Leland Ryken
This article is part of the 10 Things You Should Know series. 1. Mark is readable and intended to be read aloud. When I lived in Australia, my church invited an actor to come and perform, in one sitting, the whole Gospel of Mark—word-for-word, using only the direct words of the Gospel itself. Of course, he acted out the various scenes and gave different voices to different characters. But he didn’t add or subtract from a single verse.
-
Dec 23, 2023 | 
crossway.org | Leland Ryken |John Piper
A Devotional by Martin LutherBad enough that a young bride married only a year could not have had her baby at Nazareth in her own house instead of making all that journey of three days when heavy with child. How much worse that when she arrived there was no room for her. The inn was full. No one would release a room to this pregnant woman. She had to go to a cow stall and there bring forth the Maker of all creatures because nobody would give way. . . .
-
Dec 22, 2023 | 
theaquilareport.com | Leland Ryken
Edwards repeatedly uses the word condescension, and we need to understand that this is a theological word and concept, with no hint of the negative connotations that the word holds in common usage today. Christ’s condescension was his descent from a higher divine state to a lower human one, accompanied by his relinquishing of divine privilege in order to accomplish an action (the salvation of people) that strict justice does not require.
-
Aug 6, 2023 | 
crossway.org | Philip Graham Ryken |Leland Ryken
The Beauty of EternityWhere have you seen the beauty that God is bringing into the world? I have glimpsed it in a flaming meteor streaking across the August sky and disappearing with a flash over a darkly shimmering lake. I have heard it in the laughter of a baby girl climbing up into a chair for the first time and chortling over her unexpected little triumph. I have seen it in the face of a radiant bride on her wedding day and the irrepressible tear on the cheek of her beloved groom.
