Stephen De La Vega

We may not think of Jesus’ tomb as a tomb of honor, but it was. It was prepared with honor, it was sacrificed with honor, and Jesus was buried in it with honor. But it was not honor that led Him there. The death of Jesus was a death of mockery, deceit, divisiveness, lies, misunderstanding, and, especially, hatred, retaliation, and pain. But this was all part of God’s gracious plan to restore us into His fellowship. Amazing grace led Jesus to the cross. It’s a story known across the globe and through the ages. We can be saved because of God’s amazing grace. Grace ushered Jesus to the cross and to His earthly grave. By grace we are saved through faith, by grace we enjoy a personal relationship with Christ, and by grace we serve a resurrected Lord. How could someone spread His arms so open with love, and leave them extended to take the blows of torture, of humiliation, of rejection ...even rejection from His Father? How can someone’s love be so perfect? ...

I used to think I was very patient. Any offense was water off my back.  If things didn’t work out, no big deal. ...Then my patience was tested.  This was some 30 years ago, so I don’t recall the circumstances, but I do remember the ego shock when it hit me:  I really did have a problem with patience. Since then, I’ve been tested and tested again, continuously, and I’ve fallen short.  I’m not the guy I so naively…and arrogantly…thought I was. The kind of patience I’m writing about is the kind that is associated with forbearance, forgiveness, understanding, gentleness, and self-control. It’s the kind of patience that directs a right response when we experience the unpleasantries of people. About a year ago, I shared with the men in our small group that various little things had been bothering me and I had trouble just letting them be. Some things should bother us as Christians, but these were not those things. A couple weeks later I shared the following...

Another Christmas has passed, but the celebration is not over. Do you remember this from last week? …The angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him not to be afraid.  The Messiah was coming. The long-awaited Savior of the world would soon be with us. Isaiah’s prophecy would soon be fulfilled: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God with us’)” Matthew 1:23 (NIV) Jesus was born and God was with us. A Savior came and died, And He’s alive today. His name was called Wonderful, And wonderful He remains. They called Him Prince of Peace, And peace He gives today and forever. He was with God and is God – the Mighty God – And He heralds His might today. He was called Counsellor, Still He gives us counsel today Through His gift – the Holy Spirit. He’s the Everlasting Father. Everlasting. He was named Emmanuel, “God with us,” And He is with us this day. (thoughts from Matthe...

Alternate Title: Why Did We Hear from John the Baptist Before We Heard from Jesus? As I enjoyed Thanksgiving, I looked forward to Christmas and I couldn’t stop wondering: Why did the man we call John the Baptist need to tell the Jews that Jesus was coming? I’d never thought about it before. Why is he part of biblical history? And why did God lay out such an integrated and impossible duo of supernatural pregnancies for Baby John and Baby Jesus? The Christmas story began with the pregnancy of John, who was selected by God to be a forerunner to Jesus. He was precursor both in birth and in ministry. So the Christmas story is not complete without the birth of John the Baptist. So why did the Jews need a forerunner? Wouldn’t they still have their Messiah, and wouldn’t we still have the gospel, without John the Baptist? Let’s consider their situation… The Jews expected a Messiah as promised from God. They expected a King who would rescue them from their ...