Christmas: The Rest of the Story with Rick Renner
In his trademark teaching style that is rich, yet accessible, Rick Renner unpacks the deepest bible-secrets of the Christmas story across 15 powerful episodes.
Episodes
Christmastime is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on God’s eternal plan of salvation. What is your salvation story?
Jesus’ purpose in coming to the earth was not just to give us the sweet picture of a baby in a Bethlehem manger. Certainly, the act of God coming as a baby, in the form of human flesh, was an astounding, magnificent feat that should keep us in awe of the God who designed it, planned it, and executed salvation to make salvation a living reality in the lives of everyone who believes.
Matthew is the only Gospel writer to record this heartbreaking event, but this tragic, horrific scenario happened, just as the Bible tells us. Strangely, this horrendous event wasn’t even recorded by the Jewish historian Josephus, a scholar who was careful to chronicle many of Herod’s horrific deeds. Why is that? We will address this question in this episode.
Why does Matthew 2:11 specifically mention three gifts of the magi? To find the answer to this question, we must remember where the Magi came from and what we know about the culture of Magi from that part of the world.
What does the Bible mean when it says Herod was “troubled” and that all of Jerusalem was troubled with him at the visit of the magi and the birth of Jesus? Why were they so troubled?
Mark, Luke, and John are silent about the appearing of the Magi, but Matthew’s gospel very clearly tells us about their arrival in Jerusalem, their interview with Herod, and their eventual trip to Nazareth, where they found Jesus and presented Him with treasures and magnificent gifts.
The name Herod the Great is one of the most famous names in human history. But who exactly was he and why was he referred to as Herod the Great?
At the time of Jesus’ baby dedication, there were two servants of God who were waiting for the Messiah’s appearance. The names of those faithful servants were Simeon and Anna.
Both of these people were at the Temple in Jerusalem on the day Jesus was brought to be dedicated to the Lord. And the moment their eyes beheld Him, they inwardly and supernaturally knew they were witnessing the long...
After the birth of Jesus, Mary and Joseph were still in Bethlehem, which was near Jerusalem, so they took Jesus to Jerusalem to dedicate Him at the Temple. Luke 2:22 says, “...They brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord.” This was an important and powerful act of obedience by Joseph and Mary — one that you will see actually demonstrates a practice we as believers are called t...
Can you just imagine what the shepherds witnessed that historical night? First, they were dazzled by a beam of light that suddenly shone on them. Then a single angel appeared to announce the birth of Jesus. But after that, an incalculable number of heavenly angels that were dressed like mighty soldiers “materialized” in the heavens above them! These angels were dressed like a mighty army —...
On the night Jesus was born, an angel appeared to announce the Savior’s birth to a group of shepherds who were out tending their livestock near the city of Bethlehem. There were many shepherds in Israel at that time, so exactly why did God choose to make such a heavenly announcement to this particular group of shepherds and not another group of shepherds? Was there something special about these shepherd...
Over the course of 2,000 years, the Church of the Nativity and the cave under it has undergone numerous restorations and modifications — but it was there that the Creator of the universe entered the human race and lived among us for 33 years. The greatest miracle of all time took place in that holy moment.
Every year around Christmastime, millions of people sing the familiar carols “Silent Night” and “Away in a Manger.” But was the time of the Savior’s birth really a silent night? And have you ever stopped to think, What is a manger? or, What are swaddling clothes? I believe the answer to these questions will surprise you and inspire your faith in new ways.
In this episode, we will see that, just like Mary, Joseph was also amazingly chosen by God above all other men in his time to be Jesus’ earthly father. There were many young men in Israel whom God could have potentially chosen to be the earthly father of Jesus, so was there a special reason, or reasons, why God chose Joseph and not another young man?
You are about to discover...
Have you ever wondered why God chose Mary to give birth to Jesus — to be His mother on the earth and to participate in raising Him? Luke 1:28 says she was “highly favored,” but why was Mary so “highly favored” that God would choose her to bring Jesus into the world? There were thousands of young girls in Israel at that time — any one of whom God could have chosen to give birth to Jesus. So...
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