The Heart of Christmas: A Devotional for the Season
3/5
()
About this ebook
Have Yourself a Historical and Inspirational Christmas!
Let the Christ of Christmas prepare your heart for the celebration of His birth through a devotional journey beginning December 1st and climaxing Christmas day. Each of the twenty-five devotions includes a Scripture reading, carol, and questions for meditation and discussion. The acronym C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S (Christ, History, Resurrection, Incarnation, Santa Claus, Traditions, Miracles, Advent, Salvation) is used to focus on who Christ is and why He came.
Hank Hanegraaff
Hank Hanegraaff es presidente y moderador de la junta del Instituto Cristiano de Investigación, con sede en Carolina del Norte. También es el anfitrión de un programa nacional de radio que se escucha a diario en todo Estados Unidos y Canadá, y en el mundo entero por el portal equip.org de la Internet. Hank ha escrito más de veinte libros. Considerado altamente como uno de los principales autores y apologistas cristianos, Hank está profundamente dedicado a la preparación de los cristianos para que estén tan familiarizados con la verdad, que cuando se presenten las falsificaciones en el horizonte, las puedan reconocer de inmediato. A través de su programa de llamadas en vivo, responde las preguntas a partir de una cuidadosa investigación y un razonamiento sólido, además de entrevistar a los líderes y pensadores más importantes del momento.
Read more from Hank Hanegraaff
The Apocalypse Code: Find Out What the Bible Really Says About the End Times and Why It Matters Today Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Complete Bible Answer Book Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Has God Spoken?: Proof of the Bible?s Divine Inspiration Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Christianity in Crisis: 21st Century Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Heart of Christmas: A Devotional for the Season Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5The Creation Answer Book Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Bible Answer Book Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCounterfeit Revival: Looking For God in All the Wrong Places Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Truth Matters, Life Matters More: The Unexpected Beauty of an Authentic Christian Life Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMUSLIM: What You Need to Know About the World’s Fastest Growing Religion Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Muslim: What You Need to Know About the World's Fastest Growing Religion Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Resurrection Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Bible Answer Book: Volume 2 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Third Day: The Reality of the Resurrection Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Prayer of Jesus: Secrets to Real Intimacy with God Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Covering: God's Plan to Protect You in the Midst of Spiritual Warfare Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFatal Flaws: What Evolutionists Don't Want You to Know Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5The Covering: God's Plan to Protect You in the Midst of Spiritual Warfare Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Fatal Flaws: What Evolutionists Don't Want You to Know Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Apologetics Study Bible: Understand Why You Believe Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Face That Demonstrates the Farce of Evolution Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Different Gospel: Updated Edition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related to The Heart of Christmas
Related ebooks
Cameos of Christ Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSlaves of Jesus the Christ Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSuffering & Glory: Meditations for Holy Week and Easter Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWho is Jesus of Nazareth Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJourney to Bethlehem: 24 Days of Advent Reflection Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Gospel We Preach Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBethlehem's Warrior Baby Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJesus Christ, The Stumbling Block Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Why Christians Should Care about Their Jewish Roots Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsChrist's Sanctuary: study guide Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Jesus Christ, The Supreme Sacrifice Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEnd Times: According to Scripture Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFulfilling the Feasts of Israel Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Journey Through Holy Week: From the Gospel of Matthew Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRevelation: The Abomination of Desolation Ends the Final Two Tribes and the Levite Priests Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSorrow and Comfort - A Devotional Study of Isaiah Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJesus (Yeshua) is a Worm and a Snake too....Among Other Things Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Sweetheart Deal: God's incredible offer in his unspeakable gift Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNoah: Pointing to Jesus, #1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFeed My Lambs/ Tend My Sheep/ Feed My Sheep (John 21:15-17) (Feeding Our Souls with God’s Word) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJerusalem Crucified, Jerusalem Risen: The Resurrected Messiah, the Jewish People, and the Land of Promise Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Divine Messenger: Appearances of the Son of God in the Old Testament Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Cross: A fresh look at the meaning of the death of Christ Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsKing of the Jews: Why the Bible - and all history - points to Jesus Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJesus, the Apostles and the Early Church Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Son of God, the Clone of God: Solving the Mystery of "The Trinity" Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsReligion and the Return of Christ Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Prophecy Answer Book Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Primer on Messianic Prophecy: A Bible Journey through the First and Second Comings of Christ Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJesus Is Coming! How to Use Jesus Calling In 365 Days? Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Christianity For You
The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Winning the War in Your Mind: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Winning the War in Your Mind Workbook: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Bible Recap: A One-Year Guide to Reading and Understanding the Entire Bible Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Holy Bible (World English Bible, Easy Navigation) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5It's Not Supposed to Be This Way: Finding Unexpected Strength When Disappointments Leave You Shattered Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Book of Enoch Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Your Brain's Not Broken: Strategies for Navigating Your Emotions and Life with ADHD Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Screwtape Letters Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Good Girl's Guide to Great Sex: Creating a Marriage That's Both Holy and Hot Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are so You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Boundaries Workbook: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mere Christianity Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Four Loves Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Changes That Heal: Four Practical Steps to a Happier, Healthier You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5New Morning Mercies: A Daily Gospel Devotional Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Law of Connection: Lesson 10 from The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Grief Observed Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Undistracted: Capture Your Purpose. Rediscover Your Joy. Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Habits of the Household: Practicing the Story of God in Everyday Family Rhythms Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Reviews for The Heart of Christmas
1 rating0 reviews
Book preview
The Heart of Christmas - Hank Hanegraaff
CHRIST
HISTORY
RESURRECTION
INCARNATION
SANTA CLAUS
TRADITIONS
MIRACLES
ADVENT
SALVATION
THE
HEART
OF
Christmas
A Devotional for the Season
HANK HANEGRAAFF
9781404187580_ePDF_0005_002Copyright © 2009 by Hank Hanegraaff
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Thomas Nelson, Inc., titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail SpecialMarkets@ThomasNelson.com.
All Scriptures are from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.
ISBN-13: 978-1-4041-8758-0
Printed in China
09 10 11 12 13 [HH] 6 5 4 3 2 1
www.equip.org
www.thomasnelson.com
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
CHRIST
Day 1 THE LONG-AWAITED CHRIST
Day 2 ISAIAH ’ S PROPHECY
Day 3 THE GOLDEN KEY OF MESSIANIC PROPHECIES
HISTORY
Day 4 A PAGAN FESTIVAL ?
Day 5 IN THE FULLNESS OF TIME
Day 6 GENEALOGIES OF THE BABE OF BETHLEHEM
Day 7 CENSUS CONSIDERATIONS
RESURRECTION
Day 8 TIDINGS OF COMFORT AND JOY
INCARNATION
Day 9 IMMANUEL
Day 10 ONE PERSON —TWO NATURES
Day 11 DID THE CHRIST OF CHRISTMAS CLAIM TO BE GOD ?
Day 12 WHAT CHILD IS THIS ?
Day 13 THE PREEMINENT CHRIST
SANTA CLAUS
Day 14 CAN SANTA CLAUS BE SAVED ?
TRADITIONS
Day 15 THE CHRISTMAS TREE TRADITION
Day 16 ARE IMAGES IDOLATROUS ?
Day 17 THE MAGI
Day 18 EPIPHANY
Day 19 THE GIVING OF GIFTS
MIRACLES
Day 20 MIRACLE OR MYTH ?
ADVENT
Day 21 THE FIRST ADVENT
Day 22 THE DAILY ADVENT OF CHRIST
Day 23 THE FINAL ADVENT OF CHRIST
SALVATION
Day 24 YAHWEH IS SALVATION
Day 25 THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS
NOTES
CHRISTIAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE
INTRODUCTION
Each year during Christmas, I communicate the truth concerning Christ’s coming in flesh. This year I want to take the truths of Christmas and turn them into a Christmas tradition. As such, the purpose of The Heart of Christmas: A Devotional for the Season is to ensure that just as you prepare your home for Christmas, you will likewise prepare your heart.
As the culture begins promoting Christmas shopping the day after Thanksgiving, Christians can begin preparing their hearts for the celebration of Jesus’ birth. It is my hope and prayer that this year you will use this devotional for the season to begin a Christmas tradition that carries on until the year in which you meet your Savior face-to-face—and that even in your absence, your loved ones will carry the tradition forward.
To make the journey memorable, I’ve organized this twenty-five-day odyssey around the acronym C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S.
CHRIST
Day 1
THE LONG-AWAITED CHRIST
Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you;
he is Christ the Lord.
—LUKE 2:11
We begin our journey to the heart of Christmas by zeroing in on the word Christ. In a biblically illiterate culture, many mistakenly suppose that Christ represents the last name of Jesus. In truth, Christ is a title that comes from the Greek (Christos) rendering of the Hebrew word Messiah, meaning anointed one.
As such, the Christ of Christmas is the long-awaited Messiah who fulfills all the types and shadows of the Old Testament Scriptures.
To fully grasp the significance of Christ’s messianic role, you must drink deeply from the wellspring of Old Testament prophecy. In Hebrews, as in the rest of the New Testament, the Old Testament history of Israel is interpreted as a succession of types that find ultimate fulfillment in the birth, death, resurrection, and ascension of the Christ we celebrate at Christmas.
In his letter to the Romans, Paul refers to Adam as a pattern
(literally, type) of Jesus Christ (Romans 5:14). Likewise, Paul taught the believers at Colosse that the dietary laws, religious festivals, and Sabbath of the Old Covenant were a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ
(Colossians 2:17).
The interpretive principle of typology is equally persuasive in the Gospels. Christ’s successful resistance of temptation in the desert after forty days of fasting is a direct typological contrast to the disobedience of the Israelites that resulted in forty years of wilderness wanderings (Matthew 4:1–11; Mark 1:12–13; Luke 4:1–13). In remaining faithful to His Father, Christ did what Israel was unable to do. Christ is thus the true Israel, and all who are found in Christ are heirs according to the promises God made to Abraham (Galatians 3:29).
Moreover, Jesus is revealed as the antitype (that to which the type points) of the Hebrew prophets through His preaching of repentance, His ministry of healing, His concern for the poor and social outcasts, and His death near Jerusalem. Though like the prophets in these ways, Christ is shown to be greater than all the previous prophets in the manner of His miraculous ministry, His claims to be God, and the vindication of those claims in His resurrection. According to Luke’s gospel, Jesus Himself, beginning with Moses and all the Prophets . . . explained to [his disciples] what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself
(Luke 24:27).
Today as you ponder the Christ of Christmas, remember that it is He alone who could emerge through the doorway of the Old Testament Scriptures.
READING
Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.
(Luke 2:11–14)
QUESTIONS
1 What is the meaning of the word Christ?
1 What are some of the Old Testament types and shadows that find fulfillment in Christ?
CAROL
JOY TO THE WORLD
Isaac Watts
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.
Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods,
Rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessing flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders