David Bahn - Reflections

Because of the Father's great love for us, "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." What a mystery! What a blessing! Thanks be to God! Of the Father’s Love Begotten Of the Father’s love begotten Ere the worlds began to be, He is Alpha and Omega, He the source, the ending He, Of the things that are, th...

Jesus, Lord at thy birth. Jesus Lord on the cross. Jesus Lord over death and the grave. Jesus Lord at the end of all time. Jesus Lord, confessed by all in the life of the world to come. What a beautiful truth to remember this Christmas!

Somebody needs to send out the message. Bells need to ring. People need to hear. That's why choirs sing his praises. Congregations join in the hymns and carols. Cantatas, concerts, and celebrations of many sorts point us toward Jesus. Our hope and belief is that right shall prevail. The wrong shall fail. That's why we must not stop and stay at the manger, but follow Jesus on to Calvary, and look w...

The angels announce a heaven-born Prince of Peace ( Isaiah 9:6 ). He is the Sun of Righteousness ( Malachi 4:2 ). He has laid his glory aside in order to redeem us and give us second birth ( Philippians 2:5-8 ; John 3:3-5 ). We are to join the refrain of the angels. We too must sing his praises. We too must acknowledge his work in and for us. We too must rejoice in his reconciling work. We too mus...

This is the beginning of a great deliverance. It's only the beginning. But its outcome is assured as the baby is born. Angels announce it. They sing God's praises: Gloooooooooooooooooooooooooria in excelsis deo!  Though most likely not in Latin, the message is clear, Glory to God in the highest. No matter how powerful, mighty, important, or high and honored the place or person, the glory to G...

The call goes out, O come all ye faithful! Come and behold him, the King of angels. True God from True God is he, light from eternal light, born of a virgin, the only-begotten Son of God. Come and join the angel chorus glorifying God. Indeed, to Jesus may all glory be given. That is what I want to celebrate and sing. I hope you do too!

The righteousness of God is revealed in the Good News of Jesus. It is a righteousness of faith. It is righteousness from God, given to us for Jesus' sake. For Jesus is purely and perfectly righteous. That never changes. My outward circumstances may change. My faithfulness may waver. My love may ebb and flow. None of that is righteous. But God's perfect righteousness is a gift that never flags or f...

Jesus is ruling even now in our hearts, and for the good of all by his grace. He will return on the Great Last Day and we will forever be with him. Sin, death, and the devil will no more plague us. That will indeed be a great and glorious day. And we will join with the angels and all believers singing God's praises forever. He is truly worthy of all praise and honor - not just because of his sover...

I've not been one to try to put on a show. I try to be real; just me. Once in a while I'll channel someone else's style, voice, or mannerisms. But I'm quickly called on that by my wife. I'm not Ozzie Hoffman, Martin Luther, or Michael Ziegler. I'm me. Acoustic. Unfiltered. Natural. But before you go the wrong way with that, remember, too that I am redeemed. I am made new by the grace of God! Truth...

That which was at first hidden in a Bethlehem manger shines brightly in the lights, celebrations, proclamations, songs, carols, and services of this season. O that we would be the light that points others to Jesus this Christmas and always!

I believe Jesus is ruling even now at the right hand of God. His is a rule of grace and steadfast love. On that Great Last Day the majestic glory will be fully revealed. Jesus will be honored by all - some under duress, others with joyful delight. Then we will truly rise and shine and rejoice in the full revelation of the Light of the world. Click here for the written version of this podcast David...

As good as Jesus' birth is - and it is good news! - the rest of the story is being lived out and will culminate on the Great Last Day and the life of the world to come.

This song presents a wonderful rehearsal of Jesus' ministry. All this leading up to the ultimate act of miracle and mercy: Jesus' suffering, death and resurrection. By this he has delivered not only Mary, but you and me. We look forward to that Great Last Day when we who look to him in faith will be delivered into his presence with joy and eternal praise for this baby boy who now reigns at the rig...

I wonder what fears may need to be allayed within us by which we may become ever more willing servants. That's what God did for us when he took on human flesh. Maybe you or I need to acknowledge our fears to him and see how he deals with them. Mary is an indication of God's gentle spirit toward those who open themselves humbly to his word. She didn't know how things would turn out, but she did fin...

We may put our yearnings in categories of disease, guilt, shame, disappointment, loneliness, emptiness, hopelessness, betrayal, or death's looming shadow. But we're all empty vessels, and sadly we too very often seek to fill ourselves with all the wrong things. Mary may have been different, and for that reason chosen to bear the Son of God. Salvation comes to us by God's grace - from first to last...

I believe that I've had one encounter with an angel. That's a whole different story. But the message I received shaped my entire ministry. Whether we've been visited by an angel or not, however, we all can take a cue from Mary's response to the angel's news. For we've heard good news as well. God has spoken to us in his word. We read the Bible and certain texts speak to us and touch our hearts. Ce...

I love the images of the song...Jesus walking on water, healing sons and daughters, giving sight to a blind man, kissing the face of God. This is an invitation to look forward to Jesus' life and ministry with anticipation every time we read the Gospels. It's like watching  The Chosen and knowing the stories of Jesus' ministry, but delighting to see how they will be portrayed. Jesus is God in...

Are you rejoicing? Listening to Christmas music - not  Grandma got run over by a reindeer!  How about Handel's Messiah. Mannheim Steamroller. Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite. King's College Christmas Carols. There are certainly many more! Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Emmanuel has come. He will come again. His mission is love, grace, truth, and redemption. He has ransomed us. We are his. We need not earn it. But we must live it. He will come again. On that day faith will be turned to sight. All will be right with the world. Justice will be fully and finally served. The humble will be exalted. The arrogant will be abased. We who look for and pray for his coming...

We are broken people, living in a broken world, with broken and false remedies to our own rescue. When we realize that, we are ever more ready to sing, "O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel!" Emmanuel has come. He has ransomed us. So now we rejoice for Emmanuel has come to us. We wait now for his final appearing and pray, "Come, Lord Jesus!"

Because God heard the pleas of his people and sent our Ransom. He has redeemed us, not with gold or silver, but with his holy precious blood and his innocent suffering and death, and his kind, good, gracious, merciful love. How precious are his gifts! How blessed are we. God is with us.

Jesus has come to be with us for only a short while, but long enough to ransom us. One day we will be with him forever. We pray for that in this hymn. Come, Lord Jesus... Emmanuel!

We don't have the perfect family. We each bring our own brokenness or shadow-side with us into every relationship. Nothing is without needed compromise, grace, forgiveness, and on occasion, the ministry of holding one's tongue  (cf. Dietrich Bonhoeffer). But I am thankful for my family. My wife is a Proverbs 31 woman, of whom I say, "Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fea...

Here's the text of this prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, Creator of the universe; Jesus, Son of God and Savior of the world; Holy Spirit, Comforter and Helper. In these few brief moments we thank you for your goodness, grace, mercy, peace, and abundant blessings, with these heartfelt praises and petitions: For forgiveness in a world where many live in guilt … For freedom in a world where many live in...

I am thankful for my brothers and sisters in Christ. Some may require extra grace. Others may be called on to provide that extra grace to me. But what a blessing it is to know we're all sisters and brothers in Christ. We don't have to face life's challenges alone. We should never withhold our praise at the joy of others. We may need to comfort others in their loss (a high privilege). We might need...