Monthly Archives: December 2024

My Christmas Wish

Posted on December 25, 2024 by Don Merritt

Merry Christmas to each and every one of you who drop in and read this blog from time to time. May God richly bless you and your loved ones today, and every day throughout the coming year as you serve … Continue reading →

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Jesus IS Born

Posted on December 25, 2024 by Don Merritt

Luke 2:1-21 In due course the time came for Mary to give birth to her son; they named him Jesus, just as the angel had told them. There really is no point in my retelling of the story since it … Continue reading →

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The Night When God was Naked Before Man

Posted on December 24, 2024 by Don Merritt

I like nativity scenes; they are the one thing we see around us this time of year that actually have something to do with what we are supposed to be celebrating. Yet sadly, even most nativity scenes, whether sculpted or … Continue reading →

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“I Am He”

Posted on December 24, 2024 by Don Merritt

John 18:1-11 This text is not actually one of the seven “I Am” statements of John’s Gospel, but it does make an interesting study nonetheless. It takes place in the Garden of Gethsemane after the Last Supper at the time … Continue reading →

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Father Abraham: Having a Candid Conversation

Posted on December 23, 2024 by Don Merritt

After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram.    I am your shield,    your very great reward.” But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer … Continue reading →

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I Am the Way

Posted on December 23, 2024 by Don Merritt

John 14:5-14 In essence, this is Jesus‟ “final briefing” to His disciples. Judas is gone, they were shaken by his betrayal and Jesus opened this chapter with words of comfort, followed by Him telling them that He was about to … Continue reading →

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I AM the Gate

Posted on December 22, 2024 by Don Merritt

John 10:1-18 Introduction This passage is figurative. (John 10:6) There are 8 components of the extended metaphor in this section: The shepherd is the caretaker and owner of the sheep. The sheep (flock) are the animals that the shepherd loves and cares for. The thief is … Continue reading →

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O Come, O Come… for a Sunday Morning

Posted on December 22, 2024 by Don Merritt

Here’s a great video and a wonderful song to start off the last week of Christmas. I hope it gets your week off to a great start!

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I AM

Posted on December 21, 2024 by Don Merritt

“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” John 8:58 This verse comes at the end of a rather long discussion between Jesus and the Jewish leaders that began with the validity of His testimony, and moved to … Continue reading →

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Bonus Post: The Passion Narrative

Posted on December 20, 2024 by Don Merritt

Matthew 26:1-28:20 This final section of Matthew’s account of Jesus is quite interesting for several reasons and is deserving of a little extra background information. To begin, it is comprised of three parts, the first of which runs from 26:1-56 … Continue reading →

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