Jesus and the Goodness of Christmas

The Text in Context

Bob Utley, "Luke 2" from the series Luke the Historian: The Gospel of Luke.

http://bit.ly/2Ai3uJ9

Truth, Goodness, and Beauty— The Three Transcendentals

Excerpt from Peter Kreeft’s essay, “Lewis’s Philosophy of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty,” published by IVP Academic; Print on Demand edition, June 15, 2008.

http://bit.ly/2kgh09d

Can You Be Good Without God?

Video from philosopher and theologian Dr. William Lane Craig, "Can You Be Good Without God?" YouTube.

http://bit.ly/1ut1mWH

Matthew 7:1 KJV

Right and Wrong as a Clue to the Meaning of the Universe

C.S. Lewis brilliantly explores "Right and Wrong as a Clue to the Meaning of the Universe" in Book I of Mere Christianity. Follow the link to read his thoughts…

http://bit.ly/2tGTMbp

1. Christmas assumes…

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1. Christmas assumes that we live in a moral universe.

Romans 12:9 NIV

Why We Love Cop Shows

"I’m convinced that the popularity of cop shows reflects our God-given desire for justice and moral clarity. Our love of these dramas — and before them, westerns — reflect our acute awareness of the difference between good and evil, guilt and innocence." —Charles Colson, "The Oldest Morality Play: Why We Love Cop Shows" BreakPoint, April 9, 2006. Read more…

http://bit.ly/2AQcJzo

Psalms 107:1 NIV

Genesis 1:31 NIV

James 1:17 NIV

Genesis 3:1-5 NIV

"You will not certainly die," the serpent said to the woman…

What Does the Bible Say About Goodness?

"What Does the Bible Say About Truth: 100 Bible Verses About Goodness," Open Bible.

http://bit.ly/2zWmMQg

Romans 7:18-19 NIV

Humankind created a problem for itself that we are no longer capable of correcting.

The Goodness of God

Bob Deffinbaugh, "The Goodness of God" from the series Let Me See Thy Glory: A Study of the Attributes of God.

http://bit.ly/2B6lvK2

God Is So Good

Richard Strauss, "God Is So Good" from the series The Joy of Knowing God.

http://bit.ly/2iIQNfh

Why There Is No Such Thing as a Good Atheist

Rick Henderson, "Why There Is No Such Thing as a Good Atheist" HuffPost, December 18, 2013.

http://bit.ly/2krmHBh

For Reflection/Discussion: How would you define the word 'good'? On what basis do we identify something as good or evil? Are moral judgments merely personal opinions, or are there moral absolutes? What evidence is there that we live in a moral universe? Why (and how) does Rick Henderson argue that "there is no such thing as a good atheist"?

2. Christmas celebrates…

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2. Christmas celebrates the good news of the Gospel.

Luke 2:10-11 NIV

Names and Titles of Jesus in the NT

"Names and Titles of Jesus in the New Testament," Wikipedia article.

http://bit.ly/2kh7Zcn

For Reflection/Discussion: What is the good news of the Gospel? What makes it good? What is the connection between Christmas and the good news of the Gospel? What do the titles Jesus, Savior, Christ/Messiah, and Lord mean? How does each reflect God's goodness?

3. Christmas makes…

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3. Christmas makes us better people and makes the world a better place.

3 John 1:11 NIV

1 Thessalonians 5:15 NIV

Ephesians 2:10 NIV

Galatians 6:9 NIV

Dan Burr, The Good Samaritan.

What If Jesus Was Never Born?

Phil Ryken, "What If Jesus Was Never Born?" Tenth Presbyterian Church, December 11, 2005. Inspired by D. James Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe's book What If Jesus Had Never Been Born? (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1994].

http://bit.ly/2nMwJOv

For Reflection/Discussion: In what ways can Christmas and the Birth of Jesus contribute to our becoming better people? What contributions has Christianity made to the world? How would the world be different if Jesus had never been born? How would your life/ your family be different? How can you share or demonstrate God's goodness and love to someone this week?

Believing God Is Good No Matter What

5 Days

Luke 2:10 NIV