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In the earlier chapters of Ephesians, Paul discussed deliverance from death, reconciliation at the cross and union with Christ. In this lesson, we turn to one of Paul’s powerful prayers to gain greater understanding of how the Christian is strengthened by God’s power through his Spirit in the believer’s inner being.

The prelude or overture for our lesson in the first chapter of John’s Gospel is called the prologue to the larger scope of the full Gospel.

A favorite memory from my childhood Christmases with my grandparents in Chicago is arranging the nativity set under the tree. The scene included the usual figures of the holy family, shepherds, wise men, sheep, cows, plus cats, chickens, ducks and a dog.

Many evangelical commentaries and most modern translations do not regard John 7:53-8:11 as originally part of John’s Gospel even if they affirm the general authenticity of the account. For example, the New International Version and the New Revised Standard Version each bracket these verses as important teaching about how Jesus dealt with a woman accused of being involved in an adulterous affair. We will gain such insight by treating the experience as authentic.

Joy is a word that appears in many of our songs, sayings and stories at Christmas. Today’s study is wrapped in joy as an elderly couple experience incredible joy at the birth of a son and the whole world is told the incomparable good news that God's promised Messiah is about to appear.

We study a beautiful song named the “Magnificat” from the first word of the Latin translation of Luke. Note the religious context of this magnificent song, remembering there was no scribe present when Mary shared this miracle with Elizabeth and certainly no electronic recording device.

The first epistle of John was written with two basic purposes — leading the Christian churches to reject the heresy of the Nicolaitans who had left the church, and to teach the believers to love God and to love the brotherhood devoted to Jesus.

This session comes right after the six-week study from the Book of Daniel, which dealt largely with how to respond to opposition from Daniel’s life and ministry.

It has commenced: The constant stream of Christmas music everywhere you go! Once “I saw mommy kissing Santa Clause underneath the mistletoe last night” and “Santa Baby” gets in your head, the soundtrack is hard to stop.

The theme of faithfulness to God is central to the Book of Daniel.