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December 25th was not the day Jesus was born, but it is the date set aside for us to honor that birth. For Mary His mother, that birth began a long period of pain and sorrow, a personal toll we seldom consider during this time of year.

While Christians can now enjoy the benefits of the Saviors birth, life, death and resurrection, there was one person who felt great pain when He came. In this message, we seek to understand the real cost of Christmas to the mother who later had to watch her son be put to death.

Christmas is a special time of the year, but why do we celebrate Christmas in the first place? During this holiday season, take a few minutes with Pastor Erwin Lutzer, and consider Christmas from a different viewpoint, from a place far away and a time long ago.

Most people like the lights, the decorations and the gifts of Christmas. But why do believers celebrate Christmas? We may enjoy lights and gifts, but we celebrate because Jesus renounced the glories of heaven to fulfill the Fathers will. He became a man and died for a sinful human race.

At Christmas we celebrate much more than gifts and good cheer. Believers in Jesus know He came into a world of woe. Born in a humble stable, this baby grew up to be the Savior of the world.

Most of us are glad we dont know the trials tomorrow will bring. But Mary knew that pain was in her future even before her son grew up. Jesus would divide people, and that division would run right through Marys soul.

When light comes, darkness scatters. The brightness of Jesus made clear the blackness of sin, and those who encountered Him either repented or rebelled. This was prophesied by an old man in the Temple at Jerusalem.

When you read the words of Jesus, you find some radical sayings that confounded the people of His day. His mother Mary had insight into the effect her son would have, and she spoke about this in her Magnificat.

The world neither understood nor welcomed the arrival of Jesus. The things He said caused bickering and strife among those opposed to changing their ways. In this message, we look at an amazing revelation given to His mother Mary.

Jesus did not appear on earth without advance notice. Many Old Testament prophecies foretold his arrival. In the New Testament, we find an amazing prophecy given just before His birth through a man named Zechariah.

Over two thousand years ago Jesus was born in a small country in the Middle East. That birth became the turning point between BC and AD. But another child was born first, a forerunner of Jesus, whose name was John.

We cannot win in lifes race without agreeing with God about our basic condition. We need His grace, not to supplement our goodness, but to save us from our depravity. In this message, we hear some straight talk about how badly we need the grace of God.

Many philosophers believe that good and evil naturally coexist in humans, fighting for ultimate control. The Bible paints a different picture, one of a basic depravity that can only be remedied by the grace of God in Christ. In this message, we will see a big picture view of who we are, and how we can be made good in the eyes of God.

Coming clean before God has infinite rewards, including being able to run lifes race without the weight of accumulated sin. In this message, we turn to the book of First John and learn what is involved in coming to the light.

Under cover of darkness, criminals steal, kill and destroy. But the light cuts the darkness like a knife. It reveals that our hearts are full of deception, even if we are not convicted criminals. In this message, the light of Gods Word cuts through our illusions and shows us what God sees when He looks into our soul.