Lessons from Christmas

In this Christmas Eve episode of Anchored by the Word, Pastor Justin reflects on the past several weeks of teaching by summarizing key themes from the Christmas story and celebrating God’s faithfulness during the podcast’s first year. As the show looks ahead to year two, this episode invites listeners to slow down, reflect, and see the nativity not merely as a familiar story, but as a powerful reminder of God’s redemptive plan unfolding exactly as promised.

The episode highlights three central truths drawn from Scripture. First, God is always faithful to His promises—from the first gospel promise in Genesis 3:15 to the fulfillment of salvation in Christ. Second, God consistently uses the least likely people and places to accomplish His purposes, reminding us that salvation and service are grounded in grace, not human strength or ability. Through personal reflection and biblical teaching, listeners are encouraged to embrace a posture of humility, availability, and surrender before the Lord.

Finally, the episode emphasizes that God meets people exactly where they are in order to draw them to Himself, just as He did with the wise men. Rather than being discovered by human effort, God pursues sinners with overwhelming grace for His glory. As listeners prepare to celebrate Christmas with family and friends, this episode calls them to trust God’s promises, pray faithfully for the lost, and enter the coming year with open hands, confident that God is at work and worthy of complete surrender.