Description
This little book is meant to be used as a daily devotional guide throughout the Christmas season. It is broken into five sections of five devotions. Each section focuses on one passage of Scripture that is considered verse-by-verse. The book is designed for use as a personal or family devotion tool. Each individual study has some questions to help apply the passage and each section has a text to commit to memory. As a bonus, there are several original Christmas poems in this work from my dear friend, Dr. Tom Nettles that I am sure will be an encouragement to you.
As the Darkness Clears Away is a lyric from the old hymn Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence. It is my hope that this guide will be a helpful reminder this Christmas season that Jesus, the Light of the World and Giver of Life, came and defeated death and darkness. It is through the life, death, and resurrection of our incarnate God that we can sing “That the pow’rs of hell may vanish, as the darkness clears away.”
Book Details
As the Darkness Clears Away: 25 Daily Devotions on How the Incarnation has Shifted History
By Thomas K. Ascol
©2024 Thomas K. Ascol
Published by Founders Press
Printed in the United States of America
ISBN: 978-1-943539-77-2
Endorsements
Tom’s decades of preaching and meditation on the truths of the incarnation are evident in As the Darkness Clears Away. If you are looking for a heavy dose of Biblical Christology accompanied by the practical insights of a seasoned pastor, this the advent devotional will be a great encouragement to you.
Graham Gunden
Assistant Pastor, Grace Baptist Church
Dean of Theology and Philosophy, The Fletcher School
Cape Coral, FL
This magnificent Christmas devotional masterfully shows how all of history is centered on Jesus Christ, who came humbly into this world to roll back the darkness of Satan, the broken world, and the flesh, to establish an everlasting kingdom of light, and to reign over His people in wisdom and love. This book is dripping with wisdom, grace, and hope for poor and needy sinners. Tom Ascol moves easily from sound biblical doctrine to heartfelt devotion and worship, leading his readers not only to understand Christ, but to see and delight in Him personally, calling them to live their lives for His glory in submission to His kind rule. This is the book I’ll be recommending and giving to my friends and relatives for Christmas.
Tom Hicks
Pastor of First Baptist Church of Clinton, LA
Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year! Hardly anyone in the Western world disagrees that it is but there is a diversity of belief as to why. Christians recognize that this is the time of year we celebrate the arrival of Jesus Christ to earth. Yet so many believers struggle to disentangle the biblical truth of Christ’s coming with the hype, traditions, and fables repeated by culture. Tom Ascol’s new book, As the Darkness Clears Away, is a welcome devotional filled with biblical and theological insights and doxological praises. Each chapter is a deep dive into passages that showcase the reality and reasons for the coming of our Savior. I warmly commend this little gem as a Christmas companion that will guide you toward a heartfelt appreciation for the advent of our glorious Savior.
Nate Pickowicz
Pastor of Harvest Bible Church, Gilmanton Iron Works, New Hampshire
Editor of Dear Titus: Letters on Church Planting (Founders Press, 2024)
If you are looking for a devotional for the Christmas season, look no further. As the Darkness Clears Away is both educational and accessible. With brief yet profound contemplations on the Christ of Christmas, every single one deeply rooted in the text of sacred Scripture, your appreciation for the birth of Jesus will grow.
The devotions begin with the Word of God and close with practical, discussion-prompting questions. There is even a bit of poetry! By the grace of God, the Light of hope will shine brighter in your soul with the turn of each page. Read it on your own, or even better, go through it with family or friends this December.
Ben Seewald
Pastor | Immanuel Baptist Church
Springdale, AR
Christmas is not just an important event on the church calendar but is the hinge of history and the Rosetta stone for decoding the whole of God’s work in redemption. In this brief but incisive volume, Dr. Ascol weaves together biblical texts, rich theology, and
his hallmark down-to-earth, pastoral tone together into a dazzling tapestry displaying the sheer wonder of our Lord’s first advent. I encourage everyone to explore this book, work through each reading, and celebrate the season by reveling in the glory of Christ’s incarnation and present reign by which he is making all things new.
Alex Kocman
Director of Communications and Engagement | ABWE
Dr. Ascol has, once again, beautifully compiled the abiding truths Christians need most in these turbulent times. Each devotional is jam-packed with soul-soothing reminders of God’s faithfulness, and every question inspires the reader to think more deeply about eternity and its implications for our lives today. Now, as ever, you need the wisdom presented in this book.
Allie Beth Stuckey
Author and Host of Relatable
Contents
Introduction:
Section 1: Isaiah 9:1–7
- God Will Rescue His Suffering People — Isaiah 9:1–5
- Post Tenebras Lux — Isaiah 9:2
- The Birth That Changed the World — Isaiah 9:6
- Upon His Shoulder — Isaiah 9:6b–7a
- The Zeal of the Lord — Isaiah 9:7b
Section 2: Isaiah 40:1–5
- The Comfort of Christmas, Part 1 — Isaiah 40: 1–2
- The Comfort of Christmas, Part 2 — Isaiah 40: 1–2
- “Let every heart prepare Him room” — Isaiah 40:3
- He Will Prepare the Way — Isaiah 40:4
- The Glory of God in the Birth of His Son — Isaiah 40:5
Section 3: John 1:1–14
- Jesus is the Word — John 1:1
- The Word is God — John 1:1–4
- The Word Became Flesh — John 1:14
- Light and Life at Christmas — John 1:4
- A Light in the Darkness — John 1:5
Section 4: Luke 2:22–35
- Hope and Peace in Christ — Luke 2:25–32
- The Significance of Christmas — Luke 2:29–35
- A Divider of People, Part 1 — Luke 2:34–35
- A Divider of People, Part 2 — Luke 2:34–35
- A Divider of People, Part 3 — Luke 2:34–35
Section 5: Matthew 1:18-2:18
- Born of a Virgin — Matthew 1:23
- Born for an Eternal Purpose — Matthew 1:21
- An Apathetic Response — Matthew 2:3–6
- Gifts for a King — Matthew 2:10–12
- Hope from the Ashes — Matthew 2:12–18
Conclusion: Fear Not — Luke 2:8-11
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