Posts from December 2023

Have you ever wondered about the origin of New Year’s resolutions? I have. If they are to be trusted, the folks at the History Channel denote the Babylonians, nearly 4,000 years ago, as the founder of such culture-wide determinations. It was as part of a 12-day religious festival known as Akitu. Later, at the prompting of none other than Julius Caesar, the Romans, again as a nod to a god—Janus, the two-faced god who looked backward and forward—observed the advent…

Where has time gone? We are already toward the end of another year! At Lehman Avenue, the theme for 2023 was Engaging Everyone for Eternity taken from Ephesians 4:11-16. As we reflect on the year, we see where there was a lot of engagement among our Lehman family. From our church family pulling together to bring about Equipped, the start of the Cumberland Trace building project, the tremendous spiritual growth among the members, and the involvement of so many members…

Often, during this time of year, there is an emphasis placed upon the gifts brought by the magi to Jesus—“gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh” (Mat. 2:11). They understood how Jesus was worthy of worship (2:2,11) and celebration (2:10). Their giving flowed from that recognition. The book of Hebrews turns the tables and reveals the Jesus who is the gift-giver. The same Greek word used to describe the wise men’s gifts to Jesus is used twice by the writer of…