Josephus does not tell us that Christianity is true, and Christians do not need Josephus to tell them that Christ is risen. But Christianity makes claims about things that happened in public history under identifiable rulers, priests, and governors. For that reason, testimony from outside the church matters.
Today, the longing for cultural Christianity on both the left and the right hearkens back to an older version of Christendom that was a mixed blessing for the church in the western world. The cultural mediation of Christian views on created order has certainly benefitted the civilization we’ve inherited. But the gospel itself isn’t something that can be reduced to cultural mediation either. Instead, the gospel as a message stands apart from all human accomplishments and achievements, no matter how beneficial they might be.
The student of Scripture should always have a map open next to their Bible as they read. If possible, they should also travel to Israel, not to make a pilgrimage, but to see the context of the land in which these stories took place. These are not fairy tales made up about fictional fantasy lands; these are stories about real people in real places interacting with a real God.

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Toy Story is indeed a Christmas story.
A.I. can’t make the proclamatory move that delivers God’s word in a way that is specifically for me.
The more awareness we have that we are weak and low and frail and incapable of doing this thing called life, the more perfectly we are positioned to meet the God of grace.
All our sin and shame is answered for in the death and resurrection of our Lord.
It all starts with God; and it all ends with God. He is the alpha and omega of giving and generosity.
You are the friend in low places. It’s only from this place that you are free to look outside yourself for the remedy to the issues that plague you and humanity.
You are a child of God. You’re blameless, holy, perfect, and righteous. Don’t feel that way? Too bad. God is greater than your heart.
You’re not new because of what you do. You’re new and so you do new things, even in spite of yourself, because of your sinful nature.
From the beginning to the end of his letter, John really wants one thing: for us to be in Jesus.
Through water, blood, and word, the Spirit never stops pointing us to Christ, and even more, giving us Christ.
When we cry to the Lord in our trouble, he will send us a preacher with words that deliver us from destruction.
“There,” the Queen said, “That’s so much better than talking, isn’t it?”