Daily Lesson for Christmas Eve 2021

 Beloved,

On that Christmas Eve so long ago, Mary and Joseph had come so far, and still had so far to go. Nazareth was a long way back, and Egypt a long ways ahead. There was much heavy labor and worry in between. 

But after the labor, there was for a while the tender moment of joy and gratitude.

It’s been a long journey, friends; and apparently we still have a long, long ways to go. Herod is still out there; and so is another variant of the Coronavirus. 

But let us not lose the goodness of this night. Let us worship, let us pray, let us give thanks and praise, and let us behold. 

For unto us a child is born!  Unto us a son is given!

Yes; we’ve still got a long ways to go. But the journey can only be made a day at a time, and not at all without joy and gratitude for having come this far by God’s grace. 

Merry Christmas, friends. 

And remember, it’s ours to keep . . .

PS — I’ll be taking a break from my Daily Lessons. I plan to pick back up in the New Year. 

Ryon Price is Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas. 

Daily Lesson for December 23, 2021

 Today’s Daily Lesson comes from Luke chapter 1 selected verses:

59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. 60But his mother said, ‘No; he is to be called John.’ 61They said to her, ‘None of your relatives has this name.’ 62Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. 63He asked for a writing-tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’ And all of them were amazed. . . 66All who heard them pondered them and said, ‘What then will this child become?’ 

The author Anne Rice just passed.  

Best known for her book “Interview with a Vampire” and other vampire novels, she also wrote a series of what I think are brilliant historical faction novels about the life of Jesus. 

In one, Rice imagines Jesus visiting the home of Elizabeth when Jesus and his cousin John are each about 12 years old. There is controversy over Elizabeth’s parenting, as she is allowing young John to go out into the wilderness as a nazirite rather than following in his father’s footsteps as a priest in the temple. 

Elizabeth faces scorn from her community, but she is firm. This child of hers will go his own way if he wants. Jesus then says Elizabeth spoke with an authority he had never before witnessed in a woman. 

No doubt, Elizabeth did speak with authority. I’m sure the people asked whatever the “Who wears the pants in their family?” was back then. But Elizabeth did not care. As Rice has her say, “When you talk to me you don’t talk to a woman. You talk to Sarah of old. To Hannah of old.”

Elizabeth talked. And the people talked too. 

But they also listened. 

You better believe they listened good. 

Ryon Price is Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas. 

Daily Lesson for December 22, 2021

 Today's Daily Lesson comes from Luke chapter 1 verses 41 through 44:

41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy.

What happened inside Elizabeth was spontaneous and exhilarating. She was filled with what Paul calls "the inexpressible and glorious Joy" of God. She could not have explained how the Joy came upon her. She was, like C.S. Lewis, "surprised by Joy".

But sometimes Joy is a little harder to find. It doesn't always come right when we want it. And though Christmas is the most wonderful and joyous time of the year, sometimes getting into the Christmas spirit of Joy is difficult.

On the third Sunday of the Advent I preached on Joy as a practice.

"Leap FOR Joy," Jesus told his disciples.

And we sing FOR Joy. There is even an idiom which says, "Weep for Joy."

Joy can surprise us. When it does, it's wonderful. But sometimes we have to work and practice at it. We have to make Joy our habit.

And the most Joyful people in the world indeed do.

Ryon Price is Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas.

Daily Lesson for December 21, 2021

 Today's Daily Lesson comes from 1 Samuel chapter 2 verse 8b:

For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,

and on them he has set the world.

It is the longest night of the year here in North America.

Our ancient ancestors might have wondered and worried that the earth was falling into a deep and complete darkness from which it would never return.

But the pillars of the earth are fixed, and the darkness will pass away.

It will pass away, beloved. It has it's longest night; but it can't hold on forever.

For those struggling, know that I pray for you. For those for whom Christmas is deep sadness, may you hold out in this 4th watch of the year knowing that you are not alone.

The pillars are set. Tomorrow will literally be a longer, if not brighter day.

It may be the bleak winter now, but the darkness passes away, and behold, the light comes.

And the darkness cannot overcome it.

Ryon Price is Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas.

Daily Lesson for December 20, 2021

 Today's Daily Lesson comes from Luke chapter 1 verses 24 and 25:

24 After those days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she remained in seclusion. She said, 25‘This is what the Lord has done for me when he looked favourably on me and took away the disgrace I have endured among my people.’

Five months.

I'm not sure I ever noticed how long it was. But then again, I wasn't looking.

But if anyone who has ever lost a pregnancy or, like Elizabeth, only been pregnant in old age, they would have noticed.

Five months in seclusion -- waiting, wondering, hoping, but not wanting to hope too much.

The joy was contained. The fear of shame and loss so real. One little sickness or sudden move seemed to risk it all.

So she was shut in.

People stay home for all manner of reasons. The aged, and frail, and immuno-compromised, and anxious have their reasons -- especially now.

There should be no judgment about that. Just this good news:

Christmas came to Elizabeth's house also.

Thanks be to God.

Ryon Price is Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas.

Daily Lesson for December 17, 2021

 Today’s Daily Lesson comes from Revelation chapter 5 verses 11 through 13:

11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12singing with full voice,

‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered

to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might

and honour and glory and blessing!’ 

13Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing,

‘To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb

be blessing and honour and glory and might

for ever and ever!’ 

Peter Storey, a former Duke professor and the right hand man for Desmond Tutu during the anti-apartheid struggle, visited East Berlin in the days just after the fall of the Berlin Wall.  He saw a little church near the Wall with a small and understated sign out front.  "The Lamb wins," it said.

We are coming down to the end of the year. The nights are at their longest in the Northern Hemisphere.  We do not know what the next year will hold. 

But as we read Revelation the apocalyptic words assure. The Lamb will win. 

And to Him be all blessing and honour and glory and might for ever and ever.

And to us the courage to keep walking in the night . . . 

Ryon Price is Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas. 

Daily Lesson for December 16, 2021

 Today’s Daily Lesson comes from Revelation chapter 5 verses 1 through 5:

Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll written on the inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals; 2and I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?’ 3And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. 4And I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep. See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.’

As we come to the end of the year, and darkness settles deep over this part of the earth, it is a time when worry and fear about the future can set in. 

We worry about what is to come of this country and this earth. 

We fret over the lives and wellbeing of our children. 

If you are in church leadership, you wonder if there will be any manna left after all the turmoil of the past couple of years. 

If you watch the news, you worry over the climate, the economy, and the state of the electorate. 

It is overwhelming, and there is reason to see why John of Patmos wept bitterly for fear of what was inside the scroll in today’s Lesson. 

But hear this good news, friends. Though we do not know what all is to come of this earth; the promise is that the Lion is with us; and He has the power to open the scroll. 

In C.S. Lewis’s “The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe” it is said of the Lion amidst a world that is “always winter, and never Christmas” that the Lion “isn’t safe. But he’s good.”

Things may not be safe. But the Lion is good. And He has the power to open the scroll so Christmas can come again.

And we will not fear.