December 25, 2025 • 28 mins
On today’s Bible Answer Man broadcast (12/25/25), Hank begins this special Christmas Day edition by recapping this week’s special editions of the Bible Answer Man that featured his acronym, CHRISTMAS. Hank also poses the question: do you have the Christmas spirit? In fact, what is the Christmas spirit? More than the feeling of happiness experienced when we receive a gift or a bonus. The true spirit of Christmas is a spirit of selfless giving, like the Lord Jesus Christ, who humbled himself for our sake and gave us the greatest gift of all.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Welcome to the Bible answer Man Broadcast with Hank Canagraph.
We're on the air because life and truth matter. On
this special Christmas day, let us not forget the wondrous
incarnation of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God, and the Word became flesh
(00:29):
and dwelt among us. And we have seen his glory,
glory as of the only Son from the Father, full
of grace and truth. From all of us at the
Christian Research Institute, we wish you a merry Christmas. The
following program was pre recorded and now here's Hank Canagraph.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Well, thank you very much for India and Mary. Christmas
to all of you. I hope you're having a wonderful
day with family members and friends. Most important, a wonderful
day with our incarnate Lord and Savior in Jesus Christ.
(01:10):
Over the last four days, I've attempted to prepare your
heart for Christmas, for Christ's coming in flesh, and to
make that journey memorable. I organize the last four days
around my Christmas acronym, each word representing something transcendently important,
(01:31):
none more than the Christ of Christmas. The Sea in
the acronym Luke's Gospel said it best. Today in the
town of David, a savior has been born to you.
He is Christ. He is Christ. The Lord has mentioned.
(01:53):
The Christ of Christmas is the long awaited Messiah who
fulfills all the types in shadow of the Old Testament scriptures.
We also talked about the historical reality of Christ's coming
in flesh, that as you ponder the history of Christmas,
(02:15):
you can be absolutely certain that Christ is coming in
flesh is demonstratibly rooted in history and evidence. I talked
about resurrection and incarnation because without the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
there's little point and even discussing what we are celebrating
(02:38):
to day. Why well, because if Christ has not been raised,
our preaching is useless, said the apostle Paul, and so
is your faith. And with respect to incarnation, like the Trinity,
this doctrine may be considered by some to be incoherent,
(03:00):
but in reality, the doctrine of incarnation, while miraculous, does
not transgress the loss of logic. I say that because
miracles like incarnation are not only possible, but they turn
out to be absolutely necessary in order to make sense
(03:24):
of the universe in which we live. So if we're
willing to believe that God created the heavens of the earth,
we should have no problem accepting His incarnation in time
and space. Well, on Mundane, we moved to the S
and the T in Christmas, representing Santa in traditions. What
(03:46):
I said a couple of days ago, tongue in cheek,
is that even Santa can be saved, that far from
being a dangerous fairy tale. Santa Claus is a reference
to Saint Nicholas, a Christian bishop from the fourth century
who lavished gifts on needy children, but also who valiantly
supported the doctrine of eternity at the Counts of Nicea.
(04:09):
In three twenty five, A d the example of Saint
nick as a constant reminder to generously support God ordained
ministries so that the message of salvation can reach those
who have not as yet received the quintessential gift. And
with respect to traditions, I talked about the significance of
(04:32):
the Christmas tree tradition, the tradition of gift giving, and
arguably the oldest and most significant of all Christmas traditions,
that of Epiphany, which highlights the reality that due to
our sin, we can't come to God. Thus the King
of Kings, the Lord of Lords, has come to us.
(04:56):
And yesterday I moved to the last three letters in
the Christmas ad acronym, representing miracles, advent, and salvation. With
respect to miracles, it pointed out that as we encountered
those who capriciously cast aspersions on the miraculous nature of
the virgin birth, it's your responsibility, my responsibility to demonstrate
(05:22):
that the miracle of Christ coming in flesh is not
blind faith, but faith founded on a refutable fact. Respecting advent,
which literally means coming, I noted that we not only
celebrate the first Advent, but we look forward to a
final advent, an advent in which the bridegroom will return
(05:47):
and carry his bride over the threshold of Jordan into
the New Trusom, coming down out of Heaven from God.
And then I ended the Christmas acronym was so talking
about the triple barrier set aside by Christ, that of
(06:07):
nature by his incarnation, of sin by his death, and
of death by his resurrection. But today, on Christmas Day,
I want to focus, as I do each year, on
what I call the spirit of Christmas. And as I do,
I want to ask you a question. Do you have
(06:28):
that Christmas spirit? I mean, do you really have that
Christmas spirit? That are yet? What is the Christmas spirit?
Is it the warm and familiar feeling of being with
family and friends around a soothing fire and flickering candlelight.
Is it the joy of seeing anticipation in the eyes
of a child. Is it the satisfaction of unwrapping a
(06:52):
special gift? Or could it be something else? The answer
is found in Christ, who, for our sake came that
Christmas morn two thousand years ago, who for our sake
condescended to cloak himself in human flesh, who emptied himself,
(07:15):
who made himself nothing, taking on the very nature of
a servant, being made in human likeness, and being found
in appearance as a man who, far from grasping the
prerogatives of Divinity, humbled himself. That that, I would argue,
(07:37):
is the spirit of Christmas. It's not just the rush,
the rush we experience when we get get a gift,
get a feeling, get a bonus, while these are wonderful
in and of themselves, but the real spirit of Christmas
is found not in what we get, It's found in
(08:02):
what we give. It is becoming ever more like our
Savior in the spirit of selflessness, and not just during
the Christmas season, not just on Christmas Day, but rather
throughout the remainder of our lives. So this Christmas season,
(08:25):
just as during every Christmas season, Ah and my family
have a prayer for you and yours, just as we
have a prayer for ourselves. And that prayer is that
as we see images of the poor standing in soup
lines or on our smartphones, television screens, in person, that
(08:50):
we might see ourselves placing a piece of bread in
the hands of the hungry. Because as we remember those
in nursing homes, as we remember dispensing hugs, as we
remember the widows and orphans, we are imagining ourselves doing
(09:13):
of everything that Jesus did, and that is healing the
hurts of the world. Where his instruments were his hands
and his feet. Ultimately, it is the dispensing of the
bread of life. Of the bread of life, said Jesus.
He who comes to me will never go hungry, and
he who believes in me will never be thirsty. I'm
(09:37):
the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone
eats of this bread, he'll live forever. So as you see,
the Spirit of Christmas is not a once in a
year experience. It's the spirit to be to embrace throughout
(09:58):
the entirety of the coming year. It's the spirit of
Ebenezer Scrooge, who experienced a complete metamorphosis after his encounters
with the spirit of Christmas past, the Spirit of Christmas present,
and the spirit of Christmas yet to come. It is
the spirit I want to rebirthen my soul as each
(10:19):
Christmas eye in my family watch yet another rendition, as
is our tradition of a Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.
When I come back from the break, I want to
go to something I hope will become a tradition in
your family. Stay tuned for that. And in the meantime,
(10:43):
thank you so much for standing shoulder to shoulder with
me in the battle for life and truth. Thank you
for giving in a safe, secure fashion on the webit
equipped dot org or via the mail at box eighty
five hundred, Charlotte, North Carolina, z I code two eight one.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
I'll be right back with more Christians agree that life
and truth are important, but have you considered how the
absence of truth can actually ruin lives, How distortions of
truth can lead people to make tragic decisions affecting not
only their lives, but also the lives of others. This Christmas,
as we celebrate the birth of the One who is
(11:23):
the Way and the Truth and the Life, why not
help others to continue receiving Biblical truth through the Bible
answer Man Broadcast. To make a Christmas gift that can
transform lives, visit equip dot org. That's equip dot org.
You can also write to see our i at Post
Office Box eighty five hundred, Charlotte, North Carolina, two eight
(11:47):
two seven one. We'll be back with more of the
Bible answer Man Broadcast, so stay tuned.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
Truth Matters, Life matters More. By Hank hannagraph is essentially
two books in one because Truth Matters. Part one equips
Christians to defend the essential truth of the historic Christian faith.
In part two, Hank explains why life matters more and
how we can experience the height of human existence union
with God in Christ. Simply put, the map is not
(12:24):
the territory, the menu is not the meal. We cheat
ourselves of authentic union with Christ. When we elevate the
message above the Messiah. Truth matters, Life matters more is
a modern classic and the magnum opus of one of
the great theological minds of our time. To receive truth matters,
Life matters more, simply call eight eight eight seven thousand
(12:46):
CRI and make a gift in support of the life
changing work of the Christian Research Institute. That's eight eight
eight seven thousand CRI, or go online to equip dot org.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
Anyone who's been paying attention knows there's a war going on,
not just on traditional morality, civility, and decency, but even
more fundamentally on historic notions of truth. And the enemy
isn't just the onslaught of fake news, facilitated by a
post truth culture and turbocharged by growing legions of ideological
spind doctors note the real enemies of truth range from
(13:24):
postmodernist convictions that there is no objective truth to militant
scientism that claims that only science can determine truth and
religion is little more than primitive superstitions. But CRI support
team members are not waving a white flag of surrender.
They're holding the fort by undergirding everyone of Christian Research
(13:44):
Institute's mind shaping and life changing Outreaches twenty four to seven.
To learn how you can make a difference and enjoy
all the benefits of support team membership, simply visit equip
dot org. An infinite God reduced to the size of
a human embryo, the creator of time and space, invading
(14:08):
both in human form. Such is the mystery and the
majesty of the incarnation Supreme Being condescending to become one
of us. Perhaps nothing is more important than grasping the
significance of the coming God in human flesh. Without the life, death,
and resurrection of the incarnate One who walked among us,
(14:29):
our world would be unfathomably dark. To be equipped as
a witness and to be inspired in your walk, you'll
want to feast on Hank Hantagraph's book Incarnation, The Ultimate
Self Revelation of God. To receive your copy of Incarnation,
simply call eight eight eight seven thousand CURI and make
(14:50):
a gift to support curi's Life changing outreaches, or visit
equip dot org. Equip dot org and now let's rejoin
your host, Hank Anagraph.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
Thank you Indian. As we wrap up this Christmas Day
edition at the Bible answer Man Broadcast, I want to
do something that I do each year in my own
home with my own children and with my grandchildren, and
that is to read the narrative given to us by
doctor Luke in chapter two with respect to the birth
(15:35):
of Christ. In those days, Caesar Augustus issued a decree
that his census should be taken of the entire Roman world.
This was the first census that took place when Quirinius
was governor of Syria, and everyone went to his own
(15:59):
town her register. So Joseph also went up from the
town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea to Bethlehem, the
town of David, because he belonged to the house and
the line of David. He went there to register with Mary,
(16:24):
Mary who was pledged to be married to him and
was expecting a child. While they were there, the time
came for the baby to be born, and she gave
birth to her first born, a son. She wrapped him
(16:49):
in claws and placed him in a manger because there
was no room for them in the inn, and there
were shepherds living out in the fields near by keeping
watch over their flocks at night, and an angel of
(17:12):
the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the
Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the
Angel said to them, do not be afraid. I bring
you good news of great joy that will be for
(17:37):
all people to day to day. In the town of David,
a savior has been born to you. He is Christ,
the Lord. This will be a sign to you. You
(17:57):
will find a baby wrapped in claws and lying in
a manger. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host
appeared with the Angel, praising God, saying glory to God
in the Highest and on earth on earth, Peace to
(18:21):
men on whom His favorite rests. When the angels had
left them, when the angels had gone into heaven, the
shepherd said to one another, let's go to Bethlehem. Let's
see this thing that has happened, this thing which the
(18:47):
Lord has told us about. They heard off and found
Mary and Joseph and and the baby who is lying
in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread
the word concerning what had been told them about this child,
(19:12):
and all who heard it all were amazed at what
the shepherd said to them. But Mary Mary treasured up
all of these things and pondered them in her heart.
The shepherds returned, they glorified and praised God for all
(19:37):
the things they had heard and seen, which were just
as they had been told. As they closed this broadcast,
it's my prayer that this passage, which is read every
year on the eve of the Nativity of our Lord
(19:58):
and Savior Jesus Christ, as I said before, might be
read in your home as well, and that and that
it might become a tradition heard by your children and
by their children. For like the shepherds, the shepherds who
(20:21):
proclaim Christ to the world, we too are called to
perpetuate the Goussomer strand that I talked about on Thursday's
Bible Ancer Man broadcast. Jacob Neusner rightly said that civilization
hangs suspended from generation to generation by the Gussomer's strand
(20:46):
of memory. If only one generation of parents fails to
convey to its children what it has learned from its
own parents, than the great chain of historical reality it snaps.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
We have.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
A responsibility to pass on the faith once for all
delivered to the saints, for it is the reality of
Christ's incarnation of his life, of his death, of his resurrection,
of his ascension. That is transformative. It is, in fact,
(21:32):
the very impetus behind Western civilization wants the greatest mission
sending force in the history of humanity. And yet, as
I speak, a civilization that is in the throes of death.
(21:55):
But you and I are not called to curse the
darkness or to try to prognosticate what is going to
happen in the future. You and I are called to
make a difference. While there is yet time. We can't
do anything about what has passed. We can't do anything
(22:21):
about what might necessarily be. But we can have this
moment today, a moment in which we can use our influence,
first in our family and then in the world to
make a difference, to develop what I call an eternal perspective.
(22:44):
We start by saturating ourselves and our families in the
Word of God, something Jesus modeled, and then we proceed
by viewing this world with an eye toward eternative. We
do that by focusing on the needs of others. As
(23:05):
our masters sacrificed himself for the sins of the world,
we must learn to live selflessly rather than selfishly, because
at the judgment, those who fed the hunghrate, gave drink
to the Thursday, clothed the naked, cared for the sick,
and visited those in prisons will be rewarded if they
(23:27):
had done these things, not just to be seen, but
done these things for the Lord himself, because that's really
what it's all about. If you have done this to
the least of one of these, you have done it,
said Jesus unto me. And finally, we develop an eternal
(23:50):
perspective by withdrawing from the invasive sounds of the world,
so that we can hear the sounds of another place,
another voice. Doctor Luke told us that Jesus often withdrew
to lonely places and prayed. Unlike the religious leaders of
his day, Jesus do not pray to be seen by men.
(24:11):
He prayed because he treasured fellowship with his heavenly father.
So if you wish to develop the kind of perspective
that leads to abundant living, both now and for all eternity,
go in your room, close the door, and pray to
(24:31):
your father, who is unseen. Then said our Lord, your father,
who sees what is done in secret, will not might,
but will reward you. So do not lay it for
yourself treasures on earth, where moth and rosts destroy, and
where thieves break in and steel. But lay for yourself's
(24:52):
treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rost destroys, and
where thieves do not break in and steal. For said Jesus,
where your treasure is there, your heart will be also well.
(25:14):
Today is every year on Christmas Day, I wish you
a merry Christmas and a year in which you not
only have an eternal perspective, but make a difference for
time and for eternity. Thank you to all of you
(25:36):
who this year stood with us, prayerfully and financially, shoulder
to shoulder with us in the battle for life and truth.
You have indeed made a difference on this planet, a
difference that will be remembered in the renewed universe that
is to come. Merry Christmas, so long.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
For now, thank you for joining us today. Our mission
at the Christian Research Institute is to equip Christians to
think and to live christianly. This Christmas, as we celebrate
the birth of the One who is the Way, the Truth,
and the Life, why not help others to continue receiving
Biblical truth in Christ through the Bible answer Man Broadcast.
(26:20):
To make a Christmas gift that can transform lives, simply
call eight eight eight seven thousand CROI eight eight eight
seven thousand CRI. You can also write CRI at Post
Office Box eighty five hundred, Charlotte, North Carolina two eight
two seven one, or simply visit online at equip dot org.
(26:43):
The preceding program was pre recorded. The Bible answer Man
Broadcast is funded by listeners like you. We're on the
air because life and truth matter.
Speaker 3 (27:01):
For decades, Hank Hannograph has shared the truth of the
historic Christian faith by answering questions over the radio, defending
the faith through the written word, and preaching from pulpits
around the globe. Today, he is ready to share his
life in Christ, as detailed in his most profoundly personal
piece of penmanship to date, Truth Matters, Life Matters More.
(27:24):
Hank feels closer to Christ than ever before and wants
you to learn from his experiences as recounted in Truth Matters,
Life Matters More, so that you can join him on
life's greatest journey, the journey toward Union with God in Christ.
To receive your copy of Truth Matters, Life Matters More,
The unexpected beauty of an authentic Christian Life. Call eight
(27:45):
eight eight seven thousand CRI and make a gift to
support the Christian Research Institute's life changing outreaches eight eight
eight seven thousand CRI or visit us at equipped dot
org
Welcome to the Bible answer Man Broadcast with Hank Canagraph.
We're on the air because life and truth matter. On
this special Christmas day, let us not forget the wondrous
incarnation of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God, and the Word became flesh
(00:29):
and dwelt among us. And we have seen his glory,
glory as of the only Son from the Father, full
of grace and truth. From all of us at the
Christian Research Institute, we wish you a merry Christmas. The
following program was pre recorded and now here's Hank Canagraph.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Well, thank you very much for India and Mary. Christmas
to all of you. I hope you're having a wonderful
day with family members and friends. Most important, a wonderful
day with our incarnate Lord and Savior in Jesus Christ.
(01:10):
Over the last four days, I've attempted to prepare your
heart for Christmas, for Christ's coming in flesh, and to
make that journey memorable. I organize the last four days
around my Christmas acronym, each word representing something transcendently important,
(01:31):
none more than the Christ of Christmas. The Sea in
the acronym Luke's Gospel said it best. Today in the
town of David, a savior has been born to you.
He is Christ. He is Christ. The Lord has mentioned.
(01:53):
The Christ of Christmas is the long awaited Messiah who
fulfills all the types in shadow of the Old Testament scriptures.
We also talked about the historical reality of Christ's coming
in flesh, that as you ponder the history of Christmas,
(02:15):
you can be absolutely certain that Christ is coming in
flesh is demonstratibly rooted in history and evidence. I talked
about resurrection and incarnation because without the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
there's little point and even discussing what we are celebrating
(02:38):
to day. Why well, because if Christ has not been raised,
our preaching is useless, said the apostle Paul, and so
is your faith. And with respect to incarnation, like the Trinity,
this doctrine may be considered by some to be incoherent,
(03:00):
but in reality, the doctrine of incarnation, while miraculous, does
not transgress the loss of logic. I say that because
miracles like incarnation are not only possible, but they turn
out to be absolutely necessary in order to make sense
(03:24):
of the universe in which we live. So if we're
willing to believe that God created the heavens of the earth,
we should have no problem accepting His incarnation in time
and space. Well, on Mundane, we moved to the S
and the T in Christmas, representing Santa in traditions. What
(03:46):
I said a couple of days ago, tongue in cheek,
is that even Santa can be saved, that far from
being a dangerous fairy tale. Santa Claus is a reference
to Saint Nicholas, a Christian bishop from the fourth century
who lavished gifts on needy children, but also who valiantly
supported the doctrine of eternity at the Counts of Nicea.
(04:09):
In three twenty five, A d the example of Saint
nick as a constant reminder to generously support God ordained
ministries so that the message of salvation can reach those
who have not as yet received the quintessential gift. And
with respect to traditions, I talked about the significance of
(04:32):
the Christmas tree tradition, the tradition of gift giving, and
arguably the oldest and most significant of all Christmas traditions,
that of Epiphany, which highlights the reality that due to
our sin, we can't come to God. Thus the King
of Kings, the Lord of Lords, has come to us.
(04:56):
And yesterday I moved to the last three letters in
the Christmas ad acronym, representing miracles, advent, and salvation. With
respect to miracles, it pointed out that as we encountered
those who capriciously cast aspersions on the miraculous nature of
the virgin birth, it's your responsibility, my responsibility to demonstrate
(05:22):
that the miracle of Christ coming in flesh is not
blind faith, but faith founded on a refutable fact. Respecting advent,
which literally means coming, I noted that we not only
celebrate the first Advent, but we look forward to a
final advent, an advent in which the bridegroom will return
(05:47):
and carry his bride over the threshold of Jordan into
the New Trusom, coming down out of Heaven from God.
And then I ended the Christmas acronym was so talking
about the triple barrier set aside by Christ, that of
(06:07):
nature by his incarnation, of sin by his death, and
of death by his resurrection. But today, on Christmas Day,
I want to focus, as I do each year, on
what I call the spirit of Christmas. And as I do,
I want to ask you a question. Do you have
(06:28):
that Christmas spirit? I mean, do you really have that
Christmas spirit? That are yet? What is the Christmas spirit?
Is it the warm and familiar feeling of being with
family and friends around a soothing fire and flickering candlelight.
Is it the joy of seeing anticipation in the eyes
of a child. Is it the satisfaction of unwrapping a
(06:52):
special gift? Or could it be something else? The answer
is found in Christ, who, for our sake came that
Christmas morn two thousand years ago, who for our sake
condescended to cloak himself in human flesh, who emptied himself,
(07:15):
who made himself nothing, taking on the very nature of
a servant, being made in human likeness, and being found
in appearance as a man who, far from grasping the
prerogatives of Divinity, humbled himself. That that, I would argue,
(07:37):
is the spirit of Christmas. It's not just the rush,
the rush we experience when we get get a gift,
get a feeling, get a bonus, while these are wonderful
in and of themselves, but the real spirit of Christmas
is found not in what we get, It's found in
(08:02):
what we give. It is becoming ever more like our
Savior in the spirit of selflessness, and not just during
the Christmas season, not just on Christmas Day, but rather
throughout the remainder of our lives. So this Christmas season,
(08:25):
just as during every Christmas season, Ah and my family
have a prayer for you and yours, just as we
have a prayer for ourselves. And that prayer is that
as we see images of the poor standing in soup
lines or on our smartphones, television screens, in person, that
(08:50):
we might see ourselves placing a piece of bread in
the hands of the hungry. Because as we remember those
in nursing homes, as we remember dispensing hugs, as we
remember the widows and orphans, we are imagining ourselves doing
(09:13):
of everything that Jesus did, and that is healing the
hurts of the world. Where his instruments were his hands
and his feet. Ultimately, it is the dispensing of the
bread of life. Of the bread of life, said Jesus.
He who comes to me will never go hungry, and
he who believes in me will never be thirsty. I'm
(09:37):
the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone
eats of this bread, he'll live forever. So as you see,
the Spirit of Christmas is not a once in a
year experience. It's the spirit to be to embrace throughout
(09:58):
the entirety of the coming year. It's the spirit of
Ebenezer Scrooge, who experienced a complete metamorphosis after his encounters
with the spirit of Christmas past, the Spirit of Christmas present,
and the spirit of Christmas yet to come. It is
the spirit I want to rebirthen my soul as each
(10:19):
Christmas eye in my family watch yet another rendition, as
is our tradition of a Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.
When I come back from the break, I want to
go to something I hope will become a tradition in
your family. Stay tuned for that. And in the meantime,
(10:43):
thank you so much for standing shoulder to shoulder with
me in the battle for life and truth. Thank you
for giving in a safe, secure fashion on the webit
equipped dot org or via the mail at box eighty
five hundred, Charlotte, North Carolina, z I code two eight one.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
I'll be right back with more Christians agree that life
and truth are important, but have you considered how the
absence of truth can actually ruin lives, How distortions of
truth can lead people to make tragic decisions affecting not
only their lives, but also the lives of others. This Christmas,
as we celebrate the birth of the One who is
(11:23):
the Way and the Truth and the Life, why not
help others to continue receiving Biblical truth through the Bible
answer Man Broadcast. To make a Christmas gift that can
transform lives, visit equip dot org. That's equip dot org.
You can also write to see our i at Post
Office Box eighty five hundred, Charlotte, North Carolina, two eight
(11:47):
two seven one. We'll be back with more of the
Bible answer Man Broadcast, so stay tuned.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
Truth Matters, Life matters More. By Hank hannagraph is essentially
two books in one because Truth Matters. Part one equips
Christians to defend the essential truth of the historic Christian faith.
In part two, Hank explains why life matters more and
how we can experience the height of human existence union
with God in Christ. Simply put, the map is not
(12:24):
the territory, the menu is not the meal. We cheat
ourselves of authentic union with Christ. When we elevate the
message above the Messiah. Truth matters, Life matters more is
a modern classic and the magnum opus of one of
the great theological minds of our time. To receive truth matters,
Life matters more, simply call eight eight eight seven thousand
(12:46):
CRI and make a gift in support of the life
changing work of the Christian Research Institute. That's eight eight
eight seven thousand CRI, or go online to equip dot org.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
Anyone who's been paying attention knows there's a war going on,
not just on traditional morality, civility, and decency, but even
more fundamentally on historic notions of truth. And the enemy
isn't just the onslaught of fake news, facilitated by a
post truth culture and turbocharged by growing legions of ideological
spind doctors note the real enemies of truth range from
(13:24):
postmodernist convictions that there is no objective truth to militant
scientism that claims that only science can determine truth and
religion is little more than primitive superstitions. But CRI support
team members are not waving a white flag of surrender.
They're holding the fort by undergirding everyone of Christian Research
(13:44):
Institute's mind shaping and life changing Outreaches twenty four to seven.
To learn how you can make a difference and enjoy
all the benefits of support team membership, simply visit equip
dot org. An infinite God reduced to the size of
a human embryo, the creator of time and space, invading
(14:08):
both in human form. Such is the mystery and the
majesty of the incarnation Supreme Being condescending to become one
of us. Perhaps nothing is more important than grasping the
significance of the coming God in human flesh. Without the life, death,
and resurrection of the incarnate One who walked among us,
(14:29):
our world would be unfathomably dark. To be equipped as
a witness and to be inspired in your walk, you'll
want to feast on Hank Hantagraph's book Incarnation, The Ultimate
Self Revelation of God. To receive your copy of Incarnation,
simply call eight eight eight seven thousand CURI and make
(14:50):
a gift to support curi's Life changing outreaches, or visit
equip dot org. Equip dot org and now let's rejoin
your host, Hank Anagraph.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
Thank you Indian. As we wrap up this Christmas Day
edition at the Bible answer Man Broadcast, I want to
do something that I do each year in my own
home with my own children and with my grandchildren, and
that is to read the narrative given to us by
doctor Luke in chapter two with respect to the birth
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of Christ. In those days, Caesar Augustus issued a decree
that his census should be taken of the entire Roman world.
This was the first census that took place when Quirinius
was governor of Syria, and everyone went to his own
(15:59):
town her register. So Joseph also went up from the
town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea to Bethlehem, the
town of David, because he belonged to the house and
the line of David. He went there to register with Mary,
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Mary who was pledged to be married to him and
was expecting a child. While they were there, the time
came for the baby to be born, and she gave
birth to her first born, a son. She wrapped him
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in claws and placed him in a manger because there
was no room for them in the inn, and there
were shepherds living out in the fields near by keeping
watch over their flocks at night, and an angel of
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the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the
Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the
Angel said to them, do not be afraid. I bring
you good news of great joy that will be for
(17:37):
all people to day to day. In the town of David,
a savior has been born to you. He is Christ,
the Lord. This will be a sign to you. You
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will find a baby wrapped in claws and lying in
a manger. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host
appeared with the Angel, praising God, saying glory to God
in the Highest and on earth on earth, Peace to
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men on whom His favorite rests. When the angels had
left them, when the angels had gone into heaven, the
shepherd said to one another, let's go to Bethlehem. Let's
see this thing that has happened, this thing which the
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Lord has told us about. They heard off and found
Mary and Joseph and and the baby who is lying
in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread
the word concerning what had been told them about this child,
(19:12):
and all who heard it all were amazed at what
the shepherd said to them. But Mary Mary treasured up
all of these things and pondered them in her heart.
The shepherds returned, they glorified and praised God for all
(19:37):
the things they had heard and seen, which were just
as they had been told. As they closed this broadcast,
it's my prayer that this passage, which is read every
year on the eve of the Nativity of our Lord
(19:58):
and Savior Jesus Christ, as I said before, might be
read in your home as well, and that and that
it might become a tradition heard by your children and
by their children. For like the shepherds, the shepherds who
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proclaim Christ to the world, we too are called to
perpetuate the Goussomer strand that I talked about on Thursday's
Bible Ancer Man broadcast. Jacob Neusner rightly said that civilization
hangs suspended from generation to generation by the Gussomer's strand
(20:46):
of memory. If only one generation of parents fails to
convey to its children what it has learned from its
own parents, than the great chain of historical reality it snaps.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
We have.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
A responsibility to pass on the faith once for all
delivered to the saints, for it is the reality of
Christ's incarnation of his life, of his death, of his resurrection,
of his ascension. That is transformative. It is, in fact,
(21:32):
the very impetus behind Western civilization wants the greatest mission
sending force in the history of humanity. And yet, as
I speak, a civilization that is in the throes of death.
(21:55):
But you and I are not called to curse the
darkness or to try to prognosticate what is going to
happen in the future. You and I are called to
make a difference. While there is yet time. We can't
do anything about what has passed. We can't do anything
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about what might necessarily be. But we can have this
moment today, a moment in which we can use our influence,
first in our family and then in the world to
make a difference, to develop what I call an eternal perspective.
(22:44):
We start by saturating ourselves and our families in the
Word of God, something Jesus modeled, and then we proceed
by viewing this world with an eye toward eternative. We
do that by focusing on the needs of others. As
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our masters sacrificed himself for the sins of the world,
we must learn to live selflessly rather than selfishly, because
at the judgment, those who fed the hunghrate, gave drink
to the Thursday, clothed the naked, cared for the sick,
and visited those in prisons will be rewarded if they
(23:27):
had done these things, not just to be seen, but
done these things for the Lord himself, because that's really
what it's all about. If you have done this to
the least of one of these, you have done it,
said Jesus unto me. And finally, we develop an eternal
(23:50):
perspective by withdrawing from the invasive sounds of the world,
so that we can hear the sounds of another place,
another voice. Doctor Luke told us that Jesus often withdrew
to lonely places and prayed. Unlike the religious leaders of
his day, Jesus do not pray to be seen by men.
(24:11):
He prayed because he treasured fellowship with his heavenly father.
So if you wish to develop the kind of perspective
that leads to abundant living, both now and for all eternity,
go in your room, close the door, and pray to
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your father, who is unseen. Then said our Lord, your father,
who sees what is done in secret, will not might,
but will reward you. So do not lay it for
yourself treasures on earth, where moth and rosts destroy, and
where thieves break in and steel. But lay for yourself's
(24:52):
treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rost destroys, and
where thieves do not break in and steal. For said Jesus,
where your treasure is there, your heart will be also well.
(25:14):
Today is every year on Christmas Day, I wish you
a merry Christmas and a year in which you not
only have an eternal perspective, but make a difference for
time and for eternity. Thank you to all of you
(25:36):
who this year stood with us, prayerfully and financially, shoulder
to shoulder with us in the battle for life and truth.
You have indeed made a difference on this planet, a
difference that will be remembered in the renewed universe that
is to come. Merry Christmas, so long.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
For now, thank you for joining us today. Our mission
at the Christian Research Institute is to equip Christians to
think and to live christianly. This Christmas, as we celebrate
the birth of the One who is the Way, the Truth,
and the Life, why not help others to continue receiving
Biblical truth in Christ through the Bible answer Man Broadcast.
(26:20):
To make a Christmas gift that can transform lives, simply
call eight eight eight seven thousand CROI eight eight eight
seven thousand CRI. You can also write CRI at Post
Office Box eighty five hundred, Charlotte, North Carolina two eight
two seven one, or simply visit online at equip dot org.
(26:43):
The preceding program was pre recorded. The Bible answer Man
Broadcast is funded by listeners like you. We're on the
air because life and truth matter.
Speaker 3 (27:01):
For decades, Hank Hannograph has shared the truth of the
historic Christian faith by answering questions over the radio, defending
the faith through the written word, and preaching from pulpits
around the globe. Today, he is ready to share his
life in Christ, as detailed in his most profoundly personal
piece of penmanship to date, Truth Matters, Life Matters More.
(27:24):
Hank feels closer to Christ than ever before and wants
you to learn from his experiences as recounted in Truth Matters,
Life Matters More, so that you can join him on
life's greatest journey, the journey toward Union with God in Christ.
To receive your copy of Truth Matters, Life Matters More,
The unexpected beauty of an authentic Christian Life. Call eight
(27:45):
eight eight seven thousand CRI and make a gift to
support the Christian Research Institute's life changing outreaches eight eight
eight seven thousand CRI or visit us at equipped dot
org
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