Simply Jesus: A Fresh Look at the Christmas Story
()
About this ebook
Related to Simply Jesus
Related ebooks
Children's Ministry and the Spiritual Child: Practical, Formation-Focused Ministry Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTracing the Line of the Messiah: A Bible Study Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsIn God's Image: For Teenagers and New Believers Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Tender Words of God: A Daily Guide Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGreater Creator: About God, #1 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Awesome Bible Kids Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWhy...a Bible study for 9-12 year olds Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Bible's Amazing Story Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSalvation: A Bible Study Wordbook for Kids Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Kids Bible Buzz Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Colors of Prayer: Bible Study Guide and Bible Marking Plan Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Dwelling Places of God: A Scriptural Survey of the Places God Has Chosen to Live Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings30 Children's Worship Lessons Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNuggets: Establishing a Daily Quiet Time Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMy Learn to Read Bible: Stories in Words and Pictures Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTears! Does Jesus Cry? Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRevelation Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Believe Storybook, Vol. 1: Think, Act, Be Like Jesus Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsOpposites for You and Me Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Lamp on a Lampstand: A Study of the Parables of Jesus Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Influence Course: Your Journey into God's Heart for Good Governance Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFaith to Defeat Cancer Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEaster Stories: A Storyteller Book Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsReally Woolly 5-Minute Bedtime Treasury Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5God with Us Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDestination Dig: Devotions to Unearth the Truth About Jesus Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings100 Bible Stories For Children With Interviews and Activities Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsClever Cub Explores God's Creation Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings101 Bible Stories from Creation to Revelation, Vol. 2 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Holidays For You
Fight Like Jesus: How Jesus Waged Peace Throughout Holy Week Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Journey to the Cross: A 40-Day Lenten Devotional Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Walk: Five Essential Practices of the Christian Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5On Calvary's Hill: 40 Readings for the Easter Season Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5How to Run a Traditional Jewish Household Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/512 Truths & a Lie: Answers to Life's Biggest Questions Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsStories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5God Is on the Cross: Reflections on Lent and Easter Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Little Book of Lent: Daily Reflections from the World’s Greatest Spiritual Writers Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Jesus Lives: Seeing His Love in Your Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A Way other than Our Own: Devotions for Lent Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Preparing for Easter: Fifty Devotional Readings from C. S. Lewis Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Case for Easter: A Journalist Investigates Evidence for the Resurrection Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/540 Days With Jesus: Celebrating His Presence Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Wiccan Wheel of the Year: A Witch's Guide to Celebrating the Wiccan Sabbats Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsChristmas Carols For Guitar: Graded arrangements of 12 favourite Christmas songs for acoustic, fingerstyle and classical guitar Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Rest of God: Restoring Your Soul by Restoring Sabbath Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Shadow and Light: A Journey into Advent Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Lent in Plain Sight: A Devotion through Ten Objects Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5For This We Left Egypt?: A Passover Haggadah for Jews and Those Who Love Them Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Honest Advent: Awakening to the Wonder of God-with-Us Then, Here, and Now Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Jesus Calling for Christmas, with Full Scriptures Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Living a Jewish Life, Revised and Updated: Jewish Traditions, Customs, and Values for Today's Families Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Because of Bethlehem (with Bonus Content): Love Is Born, Hope Is Here Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/550 Beautiful Christmas Stories Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Jewish Way: Living the Holidays Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Twelfth Night Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5In the manger: 25 Inspirational Selections for Advent Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/540 Days of Decrease: A Different Kind of Hunger. A Different Kind of Fast. Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Forty Days to a Closer Walk with God: The Practice of Centering Prayer Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Reviews for Simply Jesus
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
Simply Jesus - Steve A. Spangler
© 2009 Steve A. Spangler. All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.
First published by AuthorHouse 6/15/2009
ISBN: 978-1-4389-9658-5 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-4678-7477-9(ebk)
Printed in the United States of America
Bloomington, Indiana
Contents
John 1:14-18
How Could They Really Know
Points to Ponder
Matthew 1:18-25
Joseph’s Dilemma
Points to Ponder
Luke 2:19
Invading the Plain
Points to Ponder
Luke 2:8-20
Changing Our Journey
Points to Ponder
Luke 2:25-38
Anna’s Declaration
Points to Ponder
Bibliography
This small volume is dedicated to…
• My wife Ruth who discovered many years ago a very simple man and decided that was okay and whose faith in Simply Jesus
has enabled her to find strength when others would falter and hope in dark places. Thank you for loving me!
• My son Blair and his wife Miranda. Blair’s finger graces the front of the book and he took the picture. They delight in simple things and they bring delight to me. Thank you.
• My granddaughter, Savannah Grace Spangler (Gracie), whose hand graces the front cover of the book. Truly you are unmerited favor.
• My daughter, Emily, whose creativity, design and computer skills have all combined to knock off rough edges and bring clarity out of chaos. A father could not ask for a better daughter. Thanks for everything.
• Lastly, this small volume is dedicated to all of the characters in the churches I have been privileged to serve through the years. You have lived out the Simply Jesus
life before me and I am so much better for it. Thanks.
Several years ago, in the middle of a very hectic pre-Christmas
travel schedule, I found myself overwhelmed and even angry with all of the Christmas hype. Plastic mangers, gaudy wise men and haloed baby Jesus’ had all combined to build for me a Christmas stew – and it was not a very palatable meal! I had even gotten to the point that bath robed children playing shepherd roles just turned me off to the whole Christmas narrative. I got over the bath robed children part but I continued to bemoan the increased missing of the real point of the Christmas celebration. It was not a winter holiday or the holiday season – it was simply Jesus . I mulled that thought over for much of the next year.
While they were without a pastor, a North Carolina church gave me the opportunity to preach every Sunday during Advent that next Christmas season. I began to really focus on the theme of Simply Jesus.
Was this just a catchy phrase or was there something we could take away from it that might make a difference in the focus of our Christmas celebration? Out of that preparation came a poem/chorus and an Advent sermon series I titled Simply Jesus.
The chorus and sermon series were well received but then lay dormant for the next several years.
I am grateful to the fellowship at Pocahontas Baptist Church in the mountains outside of Bluefield,