Dear CCU Family,
"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:11).
These words, proclaimed by angels to trembling shepherds two thousand years ago, are the foundation of everything we believe, everything we teach, and everything we hope for at Colorado Christian University. Christmas is the celebration of Jesus Christ — not merely as a moral teacher or historical figure, but as Lord, Savior, and King.
Let us be clear about who this child in the manger truly is:
He is our Savior — "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). The baby born in Bethlehem came on a rescue mission. We were dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1), enslaved to darkness, separated from a holy God. But God, being rich in mercy, sent His only Son to be the propitiation for our sins (1 John 4:10). Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10).
He is our Lord — "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9). The child wrapped in swaddling clothes is the eternal Word who was with God and was God (John 1:1). He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. By Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible (Colossians 1:15-16). He is not one option among many. He is not a helpful addition to our lives. He is Lord of all — and He demands our complete surrender, our total allegiance, our wholehearted devotion.
He is our King — "On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords" (Revelation 19:16). The infant born to a virgin in an obscure corner of the Roman Empire is the One before whom every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11). His kingdom has no end. His reign is eternal. His throne is established forever.
This Christmas, we do not merely commemorate a birth. We worship the One who was born to die, who died to rise, and who rose to reign. We celebrate the incarnation — that mystery of godliness: "He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory" (1 Timothy 3:16).
The Gospel message is beautifully simple yet infinitely profound: "God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). Christmas is about love made tangible. Grace made visible and tangible and hope made eternal.
And this Gospel — this good news of Jesus Christ — is not merely information to be acknowledged. It is an invitation to be answered. Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). He stands at the door and knocks (Revelation 3:20). He calls us to repent and believe (Mark 1:15). He invites us to take up our cross and follow Him (Matthew 16:24).
At Colorado Christian University, this is our confession: Jesus Christ is Lord. This is our conviction: salvation is found in Him alone. This is our calling: to proclaim His Gospel to the ends of the earth.
As Tammy and I reflect on this past year, we are overwhelmed with gratitude for how God has worked in and through this community:
You are bearing witness to the transforming power of the Gospel. You are living proof that when Christ saves a soul, He changes everything. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17).
This Christmas season, Tammy and I pray that the reach and love of God would do a mighty work in each of your hearts:
May you experience the peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). May the joy of the Lord be your strength (Nehemiah 8:10). May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all (2 Thessalonians 3:18). And may you walk worthy of the calling to which you have been called (Ephesians 4:1).
We worship Jesus — our Prophet, Priest, and King. Our Redeemer and Friend. The Author and Perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). The Bright Morning Star (Revelation 22:16). The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).
Let us fix our eyes on Him this Christmas and always.
From our family to yours, and from all of us at Colorado Christian University, we proclaim with the angels: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!" (Luke 2:14).
Soli Deo Gloria
Eric Hogue, M.Th. & Tammy Hogue, MAT
President & First Lady
Colorado Christian University
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.- Isaiah 9:6