Category Archives: Christmas

Concerning Christmas – God’s entering human history through the birth of Jesus the Christ

Will you fall for giving Christmas gifts for the wrong reason?

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Baby Jesus surrounded by Joseph, Mary and gives while the two witnesses of Rev 11 await their time of ministry
A Christmas Meditation

For many people, Christmas time is, as Andy Williams sings, “The most wonderful time of the year.” [1] There are many reasons for that—the beauty of the lights, the warming of hearts that Christmas cheer brings, gathering with loved ones, and, of course, the giving and receiving of gifts. Before I get too far into this meditation, let me warn you this will not be the standard type of Christmas meditation to help you revel in the season. This is the type to make you examine your own heart closely. Jesus is the reason for the season, and we should indeed focus on God’s gift of the baby in the manger that allows us to draw near to God. But, as the apostle Paul says, ‘What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short.” (1 Cor 7.29) and it is much shorter than when Paul first gave that warning to the Corinthian church nearly 2,000 years ago. Jesus gave many signs that would portend a time of trouble before his return. Those signs are upon us. So I feel compelled to give the appropriate meditation and warning in light of the current signs of the times.

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Q119 – When Was Jesus really Born?

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Jonathan Cahn - When was Jesus REALLY born?

Jonathan Cahn – When was Jesus REALLY born?

Amazingly, to the question “When was Jesus born?” some, are still answering December 25th,while other ministries are defending that whatever the date, it’s okay for Christians to celebrate Jesus birthday on that day. I agree that Christians can celebrate it on December 2th, but we should be clear – that’s not the actual day Jesus was born. There are a number of reasons why that date is incorrect. Jonathan Cahn gives well researched, Biblically consistent reasons in the above video. Every Christian should watch this every Christmas.
Though he gives the exact date, I will preview the month for you: Nissan – the first month in the Jewish calendar. Watch for the exact date.
Youtube  Archive 

Duane Caldwell  | December 2025 | Printer Friendly Version
 

An Advent Sign by Faith – A Christmas meditation

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An angel announces the birth of the messiah to shepherds watching their flocks by night

An angel announces the birth of the messiah to shepherds watching their flocks by night


This Christmas I wanted to bolster the faith of those who believe, inspire faith among those have not yet believed, and I wanted to do so by means of a clear sign or, alternately, a vision–not necessarily a supernatural sign but a natural (non-supernatural) sign. I wasn’t sure that would be possible since it is God who is the author and producer of signs, and I wasn’t sure he’d give one for this humble article. But as I was meditating on the advent narratives and praying about this, God graciously granted my request by opening my eyes to a sign I had not seen before. As I pondered it, it occurred to me that I was not the only one who missed it all these years for reasons explained below. We’ll get to that sign in a moment.

Now, with regard to signs, some may not realize this, but not all signs from God are supernatural. God does not always supernaturally manipulate the natural. Sometimes he simply works behind the scenes to bring about the indicated signs using only natural (non-miraculous) means.

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Q21 How can Christians think their way is the only way? Part 1: A Christmas Meditation

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For Christians this is a very easy question to answer. But first a clarification. It’s not “our way” it’s “the way” and that would be the way of our God and King, Jesus. (Titus 2.13, Rev 19.16) Jesus literally said that he is “the way” (John 14.6). Note that he didn’t say one of many ways, but the way–meaning the only way.

But, this being Christmastime, I wanted to give you a bit more to meditate on. So the meditation part is in this article. Further theological considerations will come in part 2, the follow-up to this article.

Many Signs, One Destination Continue Reading

This Christmas: Presents or Presence?

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Nativity

A Christmas Meditation

Some theologians point out a paradoxical truth regarding the first Christmas: while we tend to think many were aware of what was happening that first Christmas and were there to see it, from gospel descriptions it seems not many people knew what was happening. So few celebrated or worshipped during that first Christmas. Think about it. Besides Mary and Joseph and the heavenly hosts who told the shepherds, who was aware that the King of kings was being born as a baby in Bethlehem that first Christmas? You have the shepherds, Anna and  Simeon (who don’t see him until his presentation at the temple Luke 2.21,27), and the wisemen. And you can argue that since by the time the Magi arrive the Messiah was no longer an infant (βρεφος brephos Luke 2.12 cf. Luke 1.41) but a young child (παιδιον paidion Matt 2.8), they probably weren’t there the first Christmas either. They came later. Continue Reading

Rejoicing in the Revelation of the King

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Arthur pulls the sword from the stone - Stained Glass

Arthur pulls the sword from the stone as the people recognize the new King

A Christmas Meditation

There’s a recurring theme – both in scripture and in literature where the king, for various reasons, winds up incognito among the people. But even then the king cannot long be hidden. But being incognito for a time is of course a great setup for a dramatic revelation of the king to the people – (though sometimes the revelation is so subtle it goes over the head of the people as in John 6.29-30). But often the revelation is made when the king does something that only a king can, thus revealing his true identity. This is doubly true for the King of Creation – who did many things only the Creator and thus only the rightful king  could do.

But since the king came incognito and is hard for some to see, many religions claim a false king. And atheists claim there is no king. But Christianity makes a unique claim. It claims the Creator, the King entered his creation, though for a time he was incognito.  Not all religions claim that the God who created every created thing himself entered into that creation and interacted with it. Such a creator, the true King of all creation cannot be mistaken for those seeking him.

So for this Christmas meditation we’re going to meditate on how difficult or easy it would be to identify the king, the creator, were he to enter into his creation. For those really interested, the true king is not hard to identify.  Continue Reading

The Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn: A Christmas Meditation

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Jupiter (the brighter object) and Saturn, December 8, 2020 – getting closer to their closest approach on December 21, 2020 – The Darkside Observatory

Christmas is a time of intersections. Think back to the first Christmas. God intersected with man in the person of Christ. Angels intersected with shepherds. Wisemen intersected with the human appointed King of Judah, as well as the divinely appointed King of kings. And if I’m right about the star of Bethlehem (see my meditation on it last year here) God announced the work he was about to do with a number of intersections concerning the star of Bethlehem. One of those intersections was the triple conjunction of Jupiter with Saturn, which I argued was understood by the wise men as a King (as in God’s king) was coming to Judah. That happened about the time that Jesus the Messiah, the Christ, was born.

Interestingly enough, there are some striking parallels between the intersections then, and intersections today, which though not perfect, make for some interesting thoughts to consider and meditate on – which of course is the purpose of a meditation. Let’s start with the king who was ruling at the time of the first advent: Herod, known as the Great, King of Judea. Continue Reading

Star of Bethlehem – Divine Preparation for the Incarnation

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A Christmas Meditation

The naiveté  of those who doubt that Jesus is the messiah because they suppose that he arranged to fulfill the requirements and prophecies of the messiah himself always amuses me – particularly at this time of  year when the preparations of God for the arrival of the messiah are so apparent.

It reminds me of the naiveté of the comic character Calvin, of Calvin and Hobbes – an active and curious child who with his stuffed tiger (who is alive to Calvin) always gets into amusing situations.  In one instance Calvin asks his father: Continue Reading

Testimony of the Shepherds – an Enduring Sign

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The Shepherds and the Angel

A Christmas Day Meditation

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.”


When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.


When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,  and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
(Luke 2.12-18)

I often get the impression that many unbelievers think that if they themselves personally had a sign from God they would believe. Which leads them to wonder why God doesn’t give more signs.

This whole line of questioning of God’s use of signs makes me wonder – if you think God needs to provide you with a sign, if he did, would you believe him? As I’ve demonstrated previously, unless you’re already inclined to believe, the likely answer is no.  Signs are a type of evidence. And unless you’re willing to believe what the evidence is pointing to, no amount of evidence will persuade you. Even so it appears to me God has left evidence more powerful than a sign. But before we can understand it, let’s look first at how God uses signs: Continue Reading

A tale of two stories – a Christmas day meditation

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The Nativity (Detail) by Franz von Rohden (19th century)

A Christmas Day Meditation

The word “story” is a rather ambiguous word.  It’s ambiguous in that the word itself does not tell you whether the story is true or not. Thus we’ve come up with phrases to help us with that.  When the story is true, we use phrases like ” the true story of…” or   ” (story name), a true story”,  or “the real story of” – to differentiate true stories from stories full of common misconceptions.

We also have ways identifying stories that are not true. When we tell “fairy stories” we’re telling a story we’re acknowledging to be a fanciful, made up fictional string of events.  Or we may end an explanation with “… that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.”  Most people understand this as a tacit admission that parts or all of the story might not true, but the teller of the story is unwilling to tell “the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth” as you would in a court of law. Continue Reading