NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES

Advent Devotions

Read Matthew 1:18-25.
She will bear a Son, and you shall call His Name Jesus, for
He will save His people from their sins. Matthew 1:21

Today we jump back a few weeks before Mary and Joseph
brought Jesus to the temple for His presentation. We look at
Jesus' eighth day when He was circumcised and named. We
will speak of the significance of His circumcision in tomorrow's
devotion, but today we speak of the importance of His Name.
Does a name mean much to you? To the people of Israel and
to God a name was extremely important. Each name carried
its own meaning and became an integral part of that child's life,
often describing the character of that child. An Israelite boy's
name was very significant, and it was usually given on the
eighth day when he was circumcised.

So on the eighth day when the Christ Child was circumcised,
He was given the name Jesus, just as the angel had instructed
Joseph and Mary.

What a deep and profound Name! Jesus means "The LORD
saves." It describes the purpose for which He descended from
heaven and became human. As the angel told Joseph, Jesus
would save His people from their sins. His Name perfectly fits
who He was and that which He had come to do for us all. As
we close out the year 2014, it is fitting to look back on the last
365 days and take account of our lives. What great things has
God done for you or through you in this year? Give Him praise.

On the other hand, what regrets do you have? What problems
in your life are the still strong echoes of sinful and foolish
choices you have made? At the beginning of this coming New
Year we all want to wipe the slate clean and start 2015 with a
fresh start. But neither regret nor resolution can wipe our slate
clean. Only Jesus can do that.

This is why many churches open their doors this night to hold
New Year's Eve services -- often with Holy Communion. As we
receive the very same body and blood which Jesus took on
Himself at His conception, the same body which was laid in the
manger at His birth, the same blood which was poured out for us
on the cross, our sins are taken away, our slate is washed clean,
and we are at peace with God our Father. That peace is not only
for day one of 2015, but for every day that remains in this life and
for all eternity.

THE PRAYER:

 Lord God, thank You for a clean slate, washed clean by the
blood of Jesus Christ. Renew us this New Year's Eve so that we
may dedicate the coming year to living for Your glory and sharing
the Name of Jesus throughout the world. We pray in His holy
Name. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

THE WIDOW

"The Widow of Christmas"

 Advent Devotions

Read Luke 3:36-38.
Coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God
and to speak of Him to all who were waiting for the redemption
of Jerusalem. Luke 2:38

We have reached the sixth day of Christmas, and my wise
men are half way there. Today we will take one last look at
Jesus' presentation at the temple. Now that Simeon has
completed his words Anna steps forward. Luke tells us she is
an extremely old woman. She has lived 84 years, but it is
unclear whether Luke means she's 84 years old, or if she's lived
84 years since she became a widow. (If that's the case, she is
well over 100 years old!) Either way, she spends all her time in
the courtyards of the temple, fasting and praying.

At the very hour Simeon is speaking, Anna comes up to Mary,
Joseph, and Jesus, thanks God for His Son, and begins to speak
of Jesus to all those who have been waiting for the Christ. And
undoubtedly she will keep speaking about Him until the Lord
brings her home.

The Lord's choice to include Anna among those who saw the
young child Jesus is fascinating. Here is an elderly woman who
is widowed. Like many elderly widowed men and women of faith,
she could easily have asked, "Why am I still here? What is left for
me to do?" Anna shows us. We are never too old to share the news
about Jesus, never too old to make a lasting impact in our world.

In the later years of our life we can make a difference, even if we are
weak, sick, or confined to a bed in a nursing home. And as is true
all through your life, your attitude and your behavior will make all the
difference. If you are kind and grateful to those who help you, then
your words will carry great weight with those who attend and care for
you. But if you are bitter, short-tempered, impatient, and crabby,
your words -- and your faith -- will mean very little to them.

God has chosen each of us. He has washed away our sins in Jesus'
blood through Baptism, made us part of His family of faith, and
gathered us together to celebrate His great salvation. Each of us
finds ourselves at different points along our journey to our heavenly
home, surrounded with a unique circle of friends and acquaintances.
Like Anna, may God guide us to joyfully share the story of Jesus with
everyone we meet along the way.

THE PRAYER:

 Heavenly Father, thank You for choosing me among the multitudes
who have heard of Your Son and put their faith in Him. Strengthen me
to continue sharing His Name that many more may come to a saving
faith by Your Holy Spirit. I pray this in Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

OUR OWN EYES

"Seeing It With My Own Eyes"

Advent Devotions

Read Luke 2:29-32.
My eyes have seen Your salvation. Luke 2:30

Today is the fourth day of Christmas and my wise men are making
solid progress on their way to the manger scene. But today we are
looking at Simeon, who held little Jesus in his arms at the same
time the wise men were traveling toward the land of Israel.

Mary must have been amazed at the things God revealed to her
about Jesus through friends and total strangers. First, her cousin
Elizabeth told her she was pregnant with God's Son before Mary
had the chance to say a word about it (Luke 1:39-45). Then, Joseph
told her about the angel in his dream who said he should not be
afraid to take her as his wife because the child was God's Son
(Matthew 1:18-25). And, of course, there were the shepherdswho
rushed in that first Christmas night to tell of the angel's message.

And here through another total stranger God reveals to Mary the
scope of her Son's work. Simeon said, "My eyes have seen Your
salvation that You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a
light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to Your people
Israel" (Luke 2:30-32). Mary knew Jesus would reign over the throne
of His father David and save Israel. But now she learned Jesus
would save not only Israel, He would be the Savior for all nations.

Jesus came as a light for those who live in the darkness of sin,
unbelief, and ignorance. He came for those who do not know that
God the Creator is perfect, and He demands perfection of His
creatures. He came for those who do not know God is merciful. He
came for those-Jew and Gentile alike-because He is love. In fact,
He loved this fallen world so much that He gave His one and only
Son to take all mankind's sins upon Himself and win eternal
salvation for all of us by His suffering, death, and resurrection.

For those of us who do know God's Word, Jesus brings glory to
God through the great salvation He has won. And in our lives He
brings glory by clothing us in His own righteousness and leading
us to do good works that glorify God.

Like Simeon, our eyes have seen God's salvation. That is why
Simeon's song has been sung for centuries in the Church after
receiving Holy Communion. When we receive the bread and wine
we are holding Christ's very body and blood, which was nailed to
the cross and poured out for our forgiveness. We have seen it with
our own eyes and felt it with our hands and on our tongues. No less
than Simeon we can say, "My eyes have seen Your salvation."
Having been saved, we glorify God and depart in peace to share
Christ's salvation throughout the world.

THE PRAYER:

 Lord God, I praise You for revealing Your salvation to me-Your Son
Jesus Christ. As He has brought light to my darkened mind, let me
share His name to all those You bring into my life, that they may see
His light and praise You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

DON'T BE AFRAID

Scripture:

The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found
favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and
bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.'
Luke 1:30-31

Voice

To be a Christian is to live dangerously, honestly, freely - to step
in the name of love as if you may land on nothing, yet to keep on
stepping because the something that sustains you no empire
can give you and no empire can take away.
Cornel West

Prayer

God, like Mary, we are afraid. Give us that courage that no empire
can give us and no empire can take away. Amen.

IN MY LIFETIME

Advent Devotions

Read Luke 2:25-28.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see
death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. Luke 2:26

My wise men are making progress along their way. Since yesterday,
they have moved a little closer to the manger scene. But there are
two other people who really should be included in our Nativity scene.
In fact they saw the infant Jesus before the wise men did. These
faithful Jews were in the temple on the 40th day after Jesus' birth
when Mary and Joseph brought Him up to the temple to present Him
to the Lord.

The first is a man named Simeon. Luke describes Simeon as
"righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the
Holy Spirit was upon him" (Luke 2:25b). It's not that Simeon was
perfect, he was a sinner like all of us and needed the Son of God
to save him. But since he trusted God's promise to send a Savior,
the consolation of Israel, and since the Holy Spirit was upon him,
we know Simeon was a believer. His faith in Jesus made him
righteous and devout.

And Simeon had received a special promise from the Holy Spirit.
For generation after generation God's faithful people had been
waiting for the coming of the Savior. This was a promise given
clear back in the Garden of Eden to Adam and Eve. Each
generation wondered if He would come during their lifetime, but
countless generations had come and gone without seeing the
promised Savior. But Simeon knows how close that coming
finally is. In fact, during his lifetime, before he departs from this
earth to rest with God in heaven, he will see the promised One-
the Lord's Christ. And this is the day, the 40th day of Jesus' life,
when God kept His promise.

You and I have that special honor too, like Simeon. Today we
look at Jesus through the eyes of faith. We know that He has
come and has saved all of us from sin, death, and the devil by
His perfect life, and His innocent suffering, death, and
resurrection. We also know He will return again, but we don't
know if that will happen in our lifetime or not. But one thing is
certain, whether we depart from this world or Christ Jesus
returns first, we will see Jesus with our own eyes, face to face-
just as Simeon did. In the meantime, filled with the Holy Spirit,
let us go up to the house of the Lord to worship every week,
and joyously look forward to the day when we too will see
Christ Jesus with our own eyes.

THE PRAYER:

 Lord God, thank You for Your promise that I will see Jesus
when I depart from this world. Strengthen my faith through
Your holy Word, Baptism, and Holy Communion that I may
live in peace and share the Good News of Jesus' salvation
with everyone You bring into my life. Grant me the courage to
do this ununtil that great day when You let me depart in peace.
In Jesus' Name. I pray. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

GOD'S HOUSE

"Jesus Goes Up To God's House"

2014 Advent

Read Luke 2:21-24.
They brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord.
Luke 2:22B

Our Nativity scene has the baby Jesus, Mary, and Joseph and
the angel and shepherds. The only figures left in my collection
are the wise men. But they weren't part of the first Christmas
gathering. In fact, at the moment the shepherds were hurrying
to find the baby, the wise men were just first seeing the star in
their own countries. They still had to gather their provisions and
set out on their long journey to meet the King of the Jews.

So on Christmas morning I like to put my wise men on the
opposite side of the room from the Nativity scene, and slowly
move them closer and closer each day through the twelve days
of Christmas until they arrive at Jesus' feet on Epiphany Day,
January 6. Since today is the second day of Christmas, they
still have a long way to go.

In the meantime, during these twelve days of Christmas, we will
be looking at two events that occurred in the life of the infant
Jesus before the wise men arrived. On New Year's Eve and New
Year's Day we will speak about His circumcision and naming,
which occurred when Jesus was eight days old. But in the
meantime we will jump ahead to a special event that occurred
when Jesus was 40 days old.

Forty days after an Israelite woman gave birth to a son, she was
to be purified and her firstborn male child was to be presented to
the Lord. This set Jesus apart for a life of service to God-a
service that would include living a perfect life and require His
suffering and death to take the curse of sin, death, and hell away
from us forever.

In our Baptism God joined us together with Jesus and set each
of us apart for lives of service to Him. He forgives our sins for
Jesus' sake. He gives us Jesus' own righteousness, makes us
His own children, and fills us with His Holy Spirit. Like Jesus, we
dedicate our lives to serving others and telling them the joyful
news of the eternal Kingdom Jesus won for us all through His life,
death, and resurrection. When our earthly lives reach their end,
Jesus Himself will present us to our Heavenly Father, and
welcome us into our eternal home.

THE PRAYER:

Jesus, by Your presentation, When they blessed You, weak and
poor, Make us see Your great salvation, Seal us with Your
promise sure; And present us in Your glory To Your Father,
cleansed and pure. Amen

(Lutheran Hour Ministrie)

THE FIRST VISITORS

Read Luke 2:8-20.
The shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem
and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made
known to us." Luke 2:15B

Do you enjoy a large gathering on Christmas Day? Or are you
isolated this year by work, finances, weather, or for some other
reason? You are not alone. It is certainly possible that Mary and
Joseph came into the first Christmas feeling the same way,
huddled together and all alone with their newborn baby.

God didn't leave them alone

for long. When He sent an angel with the first Christmas invitation
He didn't choose a mighty emperor or king, prominent priests or
Levites, or even wealthy, powerful people. Instead He sent His
angel to poor shepherds watching over their flock at night. The
angel told them the exceedingly good news that God had kept
His promise-a Savior had been born! Because Jesus would take
their sins and pay the full price we all owe God, they could leave
their flocks and hurry into the presence of their God and King.

Suddenly the sky was filled with a multitude of angels praising
God. The overjoyed shepherds said to one another, "Let us go
over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which
the Lord has made known to us." And they hurried and found
Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. And so began the first Christmas
gathering.

Can you imagine the joy Mary and Joseph felt when this
unexpected company arrived? We continue this wonderful
tradition by hurrying from our homes to "go over to Bethlehem"
and gathering together with our Christian brothers and sisters in
church to "see this thing that has happened."

On this day as you gather with family, friends, and your
Christian brothers and sisters at church, don't forget your eternal
home where Jesus no longer lays in a manger, but sits on His
royal throne at the Father's right hand. Mary and Joseph no
longer wear their poor clothing but shine in the glorious
righteousness of Jesus with which they are robed in paradise.
The shepherds are before the throne of God, worshiping the Son
of God who saved them from their sins.

And if there is an empty spot at your Christmas gathering
because a loved one has left this world in faith, then take heart.
Like the shepherds, they have gone to see this thing that has
taken place, which the Lord had told them about. One day you
and I will gather with them because God's Son became human,
took our sins upon Himself, and died in our place on the cross.
Through His glorious resurrection He has guaranteed we will rise
again and live with Him forever in paradise.

THE PRAYER:

Almighty God, thank You for this wonderful day in which our
Savior was born. As we gather at church and in our homes, fill
 us with joy. And like the shepherds may we return, glorifying
and praising You as we share with our family, friends, and
neighbors all that we have heard and seen, just as You told us.
Then, in Your perfect timing, bring us to Your eternal gathering
in our heavenly home. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

AN EMPTY MANGER

Read Luke 2:1-7.
And she gave birth to her firstborn Son and wrapped Him in
swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was
no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7

Now that Joseph and Mary were together as husband and wife
only one detail of prophecy remained to be fulfilled. Do you
remember our shelter and manger waiting patiently for Mary,
Joseph, and Jesus down in Bethlehem? Mary and Joseph are
70 miles away and have no plans for a trip south! The shelter
and manger will remain empty and Micah's prophecy unfulfilled-
unless God steps into human history once again.

So God steps in through the Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus,
a powerful ruler at that time over the Mediterranean world.
Augustus issued a decree commanding a worldwide census. He
has no idea that he is an instrument in God's hand to fulfill the
words of the prophet, "But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are
too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come
forth for Me One who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth
is from of old, from ancient days" (Micah 5:2). Because of this
census Joseph sets out with his wife Mary to the little town of
Bethlehem.

While they were there the time came for Mary to give birth. And
since there was no room in the inn in the crowded city, she laid
her baby in our manger inside that lowly shelter.

So many people come out to church on this night. Often they're
people who have not been here since last Christmas Eve. And
sometimes they're people who will not set foot in church again
until next Christmas Eve. Like the crowds of Bethlehem, they
turn Jesus away from their hearts and make Him remain outside
in the cold. He faced that kind of rejection all through His earthly
life-all the way to His death. But He suffered it all to save us. No
matter who we are or what we have done, Jesus has won our
place in paradise by His perfect life and innocent suffering and
death as our Substitute.

Are you home for the holidays this Christmas Eve? As you
prepare to gather together with family and friends, don't forget to
gather with your Christian family. Not just tonight or tomorrow,
but all through the year. Don't leave Jesus in that manger as
though He never grew up to save you. Join us in your church
home as we follow Him through His childhood. Join us as He
takes on His life's work and goes to the cross to save us all
through His suffering, death, and glorious resurrection.

God grant you a joyous Christmas gathering together with your
family and friends at home, in your church home, and in eternity
in His heavenly home.

THE PRAYER:

 Heavenly Father, thank You for moving Augustus to issue a
decree so that Your Son would be born in the place You chose.
Prepare me to celebrate our Savior's birth this night, that He
might be born in my heart again, and that forgiven of all my sins
for His sake, I may rejoice in Your presence now and always. In
Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

A CHRISTMAS PRAYER

The Pope writes a Christmas letter to Middle East’s persecuted
Christians

(The following is just 3 paragraphs taken from the Popes Letter)

Please during Christmas remember these persecuted  brothers
and sisters in Christ.

  Dear brothers and sisters who courageously bear witness to
Jesus in the land blessed by the Lord, our consolation and our
hope is Christ himself.  I encourage you, then, to remain close
to him, like branches on the vine, in the certainty that no
tribulation, distress or persecution can separate us from him
(cf. Rom 8:35).  May the trials which you are presently enduring
strengthen the faith and the fidelity of each and all of you!

            I pray that you will be able to experience a fraternal
communion modelled on that of the first community of Jerusalem. 
The unity willed by our Lord is more necessary than ever at
these difficult times; it is a gift from God, who appeals to our
freedom and awaits our response.  May the word of God, the
sacraments, prayer and fellowship nourish and continually renew
your communities.

            The situation in which you are you living is a powerful
summons to holiness of life, as saints and martyrs of every
Christian community have attested.  I think with affection and
veneration of the pastors and faithful who have lately been killed,
often merely for the fact that they were Christians.  I think also
of those who have been kidnapped, including several Orthodox
bishops and priests of various rites.  May they soon return, safe
and sound, to their homes and communities!  I ask God to grant
that all this suffering united to the Lord’s cross will bring about
much good for the Church and for all the peoples in the Middle
East.

PLEASE NOT ONLY REMEMBER THESE BROTHERS AND
SISTERS IN CHRIST BUT ALSO ALL PERSECUTED PEOPLE
FOR WE ARE ALL CHILDREN OF GOD!!!!!

HAVE A SAFE AND BLESSED CHRISTMAS

THE VIRGIN WHO?

Read Luke 1:26-38.
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city
of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose
name was Joseph,of the house of David.... Luke 1:26-27A

Our Nativity scene has a shelter and a manger. Now it's time to
start adding the figures. My Nativity figures have a special
meaning for me because my dad hand painted each of them a
few years before he left us to go to his eternal home. He took
great care painting the faces of baby Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,
the shepherds, the wise men and the angel. Now, because of his
faith in Jesus Christ his Savior, Dad has spent 22 years looking
at those same glorious faces in his heavenly home.

As we begin placing the figures into the Nativity scene let's take
some time to examine each one. It is interesting that a shelter
and manger stand ready in Bethlehem for that special night. But
look as hard as you want, you can't find the virgin mother in that
little town just south of Jerusalem. You have to travel 70 miles
north to the region of Galilee and to a town called Nazareth. That's
where a young virgin lives. That's where God sends His angel
Gabriel.

Look closely at the virgin and the clothes she wears. It is obvious
this young woman has no claims to fame. Her family is not wealthy,
powerful, or influential. Her betrothed husband is a carpenter who
has no claim to fame either except, perhaps, that both he and his
virgin wife are descendants of King David. God could have selected
any virgin girl to be the mother of His Son, but He specifically
chose this young woman.

You and I are also unlikely people God has chosen. So often we
are self-absorbed and concerned about all the wrong things-problems
that in the end don't pile up to a hill of beans. These days before
Christmas we usually focus on the least significant things, and we
display our irritation and impatience to our families, co-workers, and
everyone we encounter who is standing in our way. Now is the time
to slow down and follow the story of our Savior's birth.

The angel explains to Mary that she will be the mother of God's Son
through the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit. He will be a holy
Child, whose Father is God. Being human He will be able to suffer
and die in our place. And being God's Son, He will be able to win
salvation for all people by His suffering and death on the cross, and
He will be able to stomp death into the dust.

This Christmas we would do well to learn from Mary's humility and
simple trust. "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me
according to your word. ..." (Luke 1:38a). When we approach
Christmas with that same trusting response, we will enjoy a more
profound and joyous celebration of our Savior's birth.

THE PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, thank You for choosing an unknown virgin to be
the mother of Your Son. Give me true humility that I may live as
Your child and live with You in Your heavenly home forever. I pray
this in Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

GRACE

Scripture

A shoot shall come out from the stock of Jesse, and a branch
shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest on
him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of
counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the
Lord. His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.
 Isaiah 11:1-3

Voice

I do not understand the mystery of grace — only that it meets
us where we are and does not leave us where it found us
-Anne Lamott


Prayer

God, though we do not yet fully understand the mystery of
Jesus, we are thankful for his coming. This advent, do not let
the grace of Jesus leave of us where it found us. May we be
transformed into a people truly capable of courageous acts
of love. Amen.

A CRIB?

"Do You Call That A Crib?"

Read Isaiah 7:10-17.
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son,and shall call
His Name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14B

All right, we have some kind of shelter for our Nativity scene.
Now let's turn to the one object inside that shelter that is
mentioned specifically in the Christmas account: the manger.
A manger is a feeding trough for animals. Don't you think that's
a pretty shabby crib? I wonder if Joseph and Mary ever thought
about that. The best they could do for God's one and only Son
was to lay Him in a feeding trough inside a pitiable shelter? If it
was me, I think I'd be trembling in fear at the thought.

Actually, that's what a lot of people do at Christmas time. They
tremble in fear over problems in their lives: serious health
problems, bills they can't pay, jobs they've lost, marriages that
have crumbled, or loved ones who are no longer here. Sadly,
many Christians add the fear that these are punishments from
a displeased God.

Actually, one of the great prophecies of Jesus' coming was given
to a king quaking in fear. King Ahaz was a descendant of King
David and ancestor of Jesus. Seven hundred years before Jesus'
birth, Ahaz feared two kingdoms that were threatening his little
kingdom of Judah. The Northern Kingdom, Israel, and its neighbor
Aram (Syria) had allied together to conquer Judah and replace Ahaz.

God wasn't about to let that happen. Instead He sent the prophet
Isaiah to reassure him. God offered to perform any miracle Ahaz
asked, but Ahaz didn't trust God and refused to ask for one. So
Isaiah rebuked the king, then said, "Therefore the Lord Himself will
give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son,
and shall call His Name Immanuel. ... For before the boy knows
how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two
kings you dread will be deserted" (Isaiah 7:14, 16). Within the time
a baby could be conceived, delivered, and grow old enough to know
the difference between good and bad, those two kingdoms would
cease to exist.

The virgin's Son is a sign for us as well. He is holy and pure, and He
gives us His holy and perfect life as though it were our own. He took
our sin upon Himself and suffered the punishment we deserve.
Because of His great exchange we can stand pure and holy before
God the Father by faith, clothed in Christ's holiness and righteousness.

Isaiah tells us the virgin "shall call His Name Immanuel." That name
means "God with us." This reassures us that no matter what our
problems may be this Christmas, God is right here with us just as He
was with Mary and Joseph. He has promised never to leave us or
forsake us. He will deliver us from all our problems too.

THE PRAYER:

 Almighty God, thank You for noticing our fear and anxiety. Thank You
for comforting and reassuring us. Remind us that You are Immanuel
and that we may know You are an ever-present help in trouble, until the
day You bring us to Your eternal rest. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

HOME

"Home Where We Belong"

 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal
puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is
written: "Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your
victory? O death, where is your sting?" The sting of death is sin,
and the power of sin is the Law. But thanks be to God, who gives
us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:54-57

Occasionally, I have run into a Christian who is afraid of dying.
To assist them I have shared these stories.

Years ago, a young boy was dying, and he also was afraid. To calm
his fears, his mother explained: "Dear, do you remember when you
were a little boy how you used to play so hard that when night came
you would fall asleep on the couch, or on the floor, or on the back
seat of the car?"

Yes, he remembered that.

Mother continued, "Those places were not your bed. They were not
where you belonged. In the morning, much to your surprise, you
would wake up and find yourself in your own bed and in your own
room. You were there because your father had come and taken you
to where you belonged."

"Honey," mom continued, "death is just like that. We are tired and
we fall asleep in a place that isn't home. Then we wake up and find
ourselves in another place, a place where we belong. That's because
Jesus has come, and with hands that were once pierced by nails,
has taken us to our own room."

The boy's shining, trusting face showed he understood, and the fear
was gone. He never questioned again, and several weeks later he
fell asleep just as his mother had said. At that moment Jesus came
and took him home where he belonged. There was no one else who
could have done that -- no one else.

That story lets us know that, in Jesus, there is hope: certain hope.
We no longer need to mark the passing of the years with wistful
sighs and wishes that something might happen to delay our dying.
That's because something has already happened to abolish death.

That is why I can tell you that as surely as Christ is risen from the
dead, your loved ones in the Lord will also rise; as will you. The
miracle of life has happened. Recovery has been complete. This is
the glory of the resurrection Gospel that when the earthly outlook
is dimmest, heavenly hope is brightest, and where defeat seems
most final, the victory of Christ is most glorious.

All of this means our thinking and our talking can be changed. And
if you're wondering how it's changed, let me tell you about a little
girl whose baby brother had just died. She asked her mother where
the baby had gone.

"To be with Jesus," replied the mother. A few days later, talking to
a friend, the mother said, "I am so empty without my lost baby."

The little girl heard and, remembering what her mother had told her,
came over and asked, "Mother, is a thing lost when you know
where it is?"

"No, of course not."

"Well, then how can the baby be lost when we know he is with
Jesus?"

Her mother never forgot; nor should you. Our loved ones, and
someday we, ourselves, will not be lost. We all will be with Jesus.

THE PRAYER:

 Dear Lord, because of Jesus, the sting of death has been removed.
Grant that my fears of death may be eliminated, and I may always
enjoy the peace of mind and heart that comes from believing in
Jesus as my Savior and Lord. In His Name I pray. Amen

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

CHILDREN'S GAMES

Read Matthew 11:7-15.
From the days of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of heaven
has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. Matthew 11:12

Kids can be cruel-so can reindeer. It always bothered me as a kid
when we got to that part about "all of the other reindeer used to laugh
and call him names. They never let poor Rudolph join in any reindeer
games."

Children love to play games, especially when they can make up the
rules. That's the kind of world Jesus Christ lived in and the kind of
world we live in. The Jewish leaders were like children. They didn't
like the way John the Baptist was so strong and fiery. When he ate
locusts and wild honey and abstained from drinking wine it made
them look bad. But they didn't like what Jesus was doing either.
That was because He was preaching the Good News. He was also
feasting, drinking, and celebrating with sinners who came to
repentance-sinners they had pushed away.

But Jesus wasn't going to play their game. He played by God's rules
the same way John did. John's deeds were from God. They showed
us that we must turn from our sins and put our trust in Jesus Christ
alone. And Jesus' deeds were from God too. They showed us God's
mercy and love for all those devastated by sin and death.

The things Jesus did, especially in His suffering, death, and glorious
resurrection, proved He was the mighty Son of God. When we live
according to God's design-repenting of our sins, trusting in His
forgiveness through Jesus Christ, and sharing His love with the world-
we will be misjudged, mocked, and ridiculed by the children around
us. But God knows, and in the end He will prove us right through
Jesus Christ our Lord.

God has helped us see this world as adults, so just like the prophets
and John and Jesus we can remain calm and strong even when we
are falsely accused and viciously attacked. We know in His good
time God will vindicate us from all false accusations.

THE PRAYER:

 Lord God, comfort and uphold us when those around us play their
children's games. Help us be strong and mature in Jesus Christ our
Savior so that we may keep showing the world Your love and grace.
In Jesus' Name.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

STOLEN JOY

Read Matthew 11:2-6.
Jesus replied, "Tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive
sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the
dead are raised and good news is preached to the poor. Blessed
is he who is not offended by Me." Matthew 11:4-5

One of my Dad's worst Christmases was in 1976. On the 21st of
December he was on a step-ladder at church, trying to close a
window that was stuck open. As he tugged on the window the
ladder gave way; he smashed into the wall fracturing his shoulder
in three places and cutting a deep gash into his shin. He spent
that Christmas in agony sitting day and night in a chair in the living
room, waiting for his shoulder to heal.

Do circumstances in your life ever steal away the joy of your
Christmas? Do they raise doubts in your mind about the Child of
Christmas-if He is really God's Son? Do you ever wonder why there
is still so much suffering in our lives and in our world if Jesus came
to save the world? This Christmas many of you will find or still find
yourself unemployed. Others have lost loved ones whose absence
is keenly felt this time of year. Some have lost marriages. Some
may even be facing the prospect that this will be their last
Christmas on earth.

Similar thoughts darkened John the Baptist's mind. He was locked
in a dungeon because he had done exactly what the Lord
commanded him to do: he had warned the wicked ruler Herod
Antipas to repent. Like the prophets before him, he preached of
 judgment, but now John was the only one facing the judgment!
There in the dark, gloomy dungeon John couldn't see Jesus very
clearly. He sent word to ask if Jesus was the One or should the
people of Israel be looking for another.

Jesus reminded John of the very things He came into this world
to do: giving sight to the blind, restoring the lame and the
paralyzed, cleansing those with leprosy, restoring hearing to the
deaf, raising the dead, and preaching good news to the poor. All
of these were signs to prove Jesus was God's Son. And at the
same time they pointed ahead to the future when Jesus Christ
will raise all the dead and change every living believer to enjoy
perfect health in a perfect creation in God's wonderful presence
forever.

The Child of Christmas is here to comfort and help you through
all your struggles, your doubts, your darkness, and your pain.
He knows how hard it is when you are misunderstood, judged,
and condemned. He was nailed to the cross because of the
jealous rage of His enemies. But He rose again on the third day
to remind us that God is the victor, and through faith in Jesus
Christ, God will share that great victory with each of us.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, in those times when my spirit is in the darkness
of despair lift me up. Forgive my sins, restore my joy, and
strengthen my faith and trust in You. Give me patience until
You bring relief. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

A GREAT LIGHT

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness — on them light
has shined. - Isaiah 9:2

There is a light in this world, a healing spirit more powerful
than any darkness may encounter. We sometimes lose
sight of this force when there is suffering, too much pain.
then suddenly the spirit will emerge through the lives of
ordinary people who hear a call and answer in extraordinary
ways.
-Mother Teresa

Prayer

God, thank you for giving us light in the darkness. Do not
let us lose sight of this mysterious power. As we have
been given hope in the midst of our suffering, may we too
offer hope and light to those who only see darkness. Amen.

BE PATIENT

Read James 5:10-11.
As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the
prophets who spoke in the Name of the Lord. James 5:10

It was always about this point in December when I just knew
I was going to crack under all the pressure. Christmas is still
a whole week away. Seven more days I have to be kind and
courteous. Seven more days of not hitting my brothers even
though they are really annoying me. And, of course, seven
more days of trying to concentrate enough to finish school
while remembering every line from the Christmas program!
And if I crack and do something bad there's a good chance
I'll find a lump of coal in my stocking and no presents under
the tree.

It's a terrible strain to be a kid seven days before Christmas!

Growing up doesn't remove the impatience from life,
especially when we are suffering. And many people find the
Christmas season actually seems to increase their suffering.
These issues include sickness, depression, grief, and being
misunderstood by the people we care about.

That's what happened to the prophets who spoke in God's
Name before Christ came into this world. They warned the
people of their sins, and they called them to turn and repent.
But the people of Israel didn't want to hear what they had to
say. They rejected God's messengers, mistreating them,
beating them, imprisoning them, and even putting some of
them to death.

Still the prophets faithfully warned the people about God's
coming wrath and punishment. But Israel continued its
stubborn rebellion. The prophets kept preaching and nothing
happened. Days turned into months, months turned into
years, and yet sinners kept on sinning and everything
remained the same. The prophets were ridiculed because
their message didn't seem to be coming true.

But the prophets learned patience. Though they suffered
they knew God was true. When His time was right, all their
prophecies would come true-both the warnings God had
given in patience and the promises of a Savior God had
made in love for His people.

We can learn from their patience. Through Jesus' life, death,
and resurrection, God has given us many great promises.
These include a final victory over sin, death, and hell and an
eternal life with Him in the new heavens and the new earth.
Christmas is a great reminder of God's faithfulness. He
keeps every promise He makes.

God grant you patience through your sufferings, especially
this Christmas.

THE PRAYER:

 Lord God, Your Word stands sure and certain forever. Let
me never be discouraged but give me faith, confidence, and
perseverance to always stand secure and certain in Your
promises through Jesus Christ my Savior. In His Name I
pray. Amen

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

IF ONE GOES OUT

"If One Goes Out They All Go Out"

Read Isaiah 35:8-10.
And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion
with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they
shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall
flee away. Isaiah 35:10

I have a love-hate relationship with my Christmas lights. I love
them when they work. I hate them when they don't. Sometimes
a single bulb goes dark; sometimes it's a section; sometimes
it's the whole string. Often they are all working when you put
them up. But then, usually on a dark night when snow is falling,
the temperature is dropping, and a cold wind is blowing, you
look up to admire them and you see some of them are unlit.

When I was a kid miniature bulbs had one huge drawback-the
electric current had to run all the way through each and every
bulb or it wouldn't run through any of them. So if one bulb went
out, they all went out. Sometimes our joy at Christ's birth
seems like that. We get the idea we will only have a great
Christmas if everything goes perfectly. But if one part of life
goes badly, it steals the joy and leaves us in darkness.

But vast improvements in miniature bulb strings have been
made since I was a kid. Now, when a bulb burns out, current
still runs through the base of that bulb to the next. As a result,
you may have lights burned out, but the rest will keep shining.

Odds are this Christmas won't find everything perfect in your
life. You may have good health and a good job, but are
struggling with relationship problems. Your family may get
along fine, but you're having troubles paying your bills. It might
be everything else is good, but this is the first Christmas
since a loved one died and it just doesn't feel like Christmas
without him or her.

It's hard to keep from letting one problem crowd out our joy and
thankfulness. It's hard, that is, until you stop and think about the
first Christmas. Joseph and Mary were not wealthy people. And
since there was no room to lodge, they had to wrap Jesus in
swaddling cloths and lay Him in a manger-a rough feeding trough.
But the lack of a crib did not diminish the joy of that first
Christmas. The joy still shone through because the Son of God,
the Savior of the world, was here.

On that first Christmas, Jesus Christ began sharing our sorrows,
our problems, our pains, and our sufferings. Eventually He shared
our death and God's wrath. But through His perfect life and
innocent suffering and death, He conquered our death and won for
us eternal life. Until His glorious return to this earth, our lives will
not be perfect and neither will our Christmases. But He will change
all of that upon His return. Never again will there be sorrow, loss,
grief, suffering, or pain. All of that will flee in His glorious presence,
and we will be crowned with eternal joy and gladness.

THE PRAYER:

 Lord Jesus, because of Your great sacrifice, I have reason to rejoice
and be glad all the days of my life. Comfort me in my sorrows this
Christmas. Please open my eyes to see those who suffer around me
so I can offer them that same comfort. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

WHITE CHRISTMAS

"Dreaming of a White Christmas"

Read Isaiah 35:1-7.
Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees.
Say to those who have an anxious heart, "Be strong; fear not!
Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the
recompense of God. He will come and save you." Isaiah 35:3-4

Ordinarily I love a white Christmas, but that was the last thing
my wife and I wanted for Christmas 2002. Mom was dying of
cancer and we hoped desperately to be able to drive back the
550 miles for Christmas. The weather forecast in the days
leading up to the holidays wasn't good and, sure enough, on
December 24 there were eight inches of snow on the ground
and more expected to fall through the day. We were forced to
cancel Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services at church,
and soon it became painfully clear we would miss gathering
for Mom's last Christmas here on earth.

There are times in our lives and, sadly, at our Christmases,
when we face problems that make us anxious, troubled, and
fearful. Maybe you face great struggles this Christmas. Maybe
you are hanging at the end of your rope. Maybe, instead of
getting better, things are getting worse. It might seem God
doesn't care at all.

Our Lord Jesus understands that feeling better than we can
imagine. As He hung from the cross enduring the fiery wrath
of God for our sins He cried out, "My God, My God, why have
You forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46b). God the Father did not
forsake His only begotten Son because of anything Jesus
Himself had done. He forsook His Son because Jesus took
upon Himself the punishment that should have fallen on
each of us.

That is God's love for all fallen men, women, and children. He
demonstrated that love when He sent His Son at Christmas,
the baby in Bethlehem's manger, to be our sacrifice, the pure
Lamb who would take away the sins of the world.

Jesus died and rose again to be our Good Shepherd. Having
defeated death He is with us forever. When we are at the end
of our wits, Jesus is there to hear our prayers and comfort us.
"Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).

Come to Bethlehem's manger. Come see Your Lord and
Savior who was born to rescue you and bring you to eternal
life in heaven.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, there are so many times when I'm at a loss and
when I don't know where to turn. Remind me to come to You
humbly and completely. You are my Lord and my risen Savior
who has conquered death, hell, and given me eternal life. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

WHO TO TRUST

"You Have to Know Who to Trust"

Read Psalm 146.
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in
the LORD his God, who made heaven and earth. ... The LORD
watches over the sojourners. Psalm 146:5, 9A

Putting up Christmas lights by yourself isn't very easy, and often
it's not very smart either. In the first week of December 2006 three
men in northern Texas fell off ladders while decorating their
houses. Two were paralyzed and the third died. They broke one
of the first rules of using a ladder: always have someone there to
help steady the ladder. They forgot the second rule too: if you must
climb the ladder yourself, make sure it is secured to the roof.

We tend to trust in our skills, our abilities, and our knowledge --
even our balance -- more than we should. But asking someone to
help who has no idea how to hold a ladder would be no better.

This week in church we light the third candle in the Advent wreath.
Traditionally, and still in many churches today, that candle is a
different color from the others. It is a reminder to turn our attention
to Christ Jesus who is different from all other people. He is
absolutely trustworthy and able to handle every single problem
that could possibly come our way.

Are you hoping for a "perfect Christmas" this year? What are you
counting on to make it perfect? Is it the perfect present under the
tree? Is it getting all the presents bought and wrapped? Is it
getting every string of lights onto your house and your Christmas
tree and then keeping them lit all through the holiday season?
Will it be the perfect Christmas if you are able to get each
member of your family to join you? Will it be perfect if everyone
is healthy?

How often do our hopes and aspirations for Christmas -- and for
life itself -- depend on our accomplishments or someone else
coming through for us? Whenever you have placed your
confidence in an Internet business, a department store, or the
forecast of the local meteorologist, how many times have you
been disappointed at Christmas because you or somebody else
has failed?

There is only one safe place to set our hope, and that is in the
God who made the heavens and the earth. He alone has the
power to do all we need. He alone loves us enough to give us
more than we can ask or imagine. He is the God who became
human and lived among us. He is God who laid down His life
on the cross and rose again in glory for us. He is the God who
walks along with us and guides us to our heavenly home. Our
hope is in Jesus Christ our only Savior, for whose sake our
Heavenly Father stands at the end of life's road with His arms
widespread, waiting to welcome us into His heavenly Kingdom.

THE PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son to be our
Lord and Savior. Forgive us for placing so much trust in
ourselves or in others. Teach us to rely on Jesus Christ alone
for He can never fail us. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

NOT FOREVER

"Christmas Trees Don't Last Forever"

Read Matthew 3:7-12.
Even now the axe is laid at the root of the trees. Every tree
therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown
into the fire. Matthew 3:10

The cut Christmas trees we got when I was a kid sure didn't
last long. Mom always tried to stretch them until Epiphany,
January 6, but the tree didn't always make it that long. And
each day it became more of a fire hazard. We'd watch our
cut tree dry up, drop its needles, turn brown and die -- all
 because it had been cut off from its roots.

Each of us is like a cut Christmas tree. From the moment
we're born we begin the gradual process of dying. But that is
not the way God created us. God made our first parents Adam
and Eve sinless and pure and placed them in the Garden of
Eden. When they listened to the words of the serpent and ate
the forbidden fruit, God cut them off from the Garden and barred
their way to the tree of life. Like a tree cut off from its roots, we --
along with all of Adam and Eve's other children -- creep steadily
closer each day to the day of our death.

But God did not leave us alone in our sin. While Adam and Eve
were still in the Garden, even before God drove them out, He
promised them a Savior, who would be the Seed of the woman.
He would crush the serpent's head on the cross, and through
His resurrection would swallow up the death that came to us
all in the Garden.

That Seed was Jesus Christ, God's own Son who became one
of us when He was conceived of the Virgin Mary. Though He
was without sin, Jesus fully paid the price for all our sins. He
was cut off. He was crucified and died on that cross. He washed
us free of our sin in Baptism, and He has restored eternal life to
us. Through His Word and His body and blood in Holy
Communion He empowers us to do good works -- just the same
way a tree bears good fruit when it is firmly attached to its roots.

John warned us against being overly confident in ourselves. It is
humility and sincerity that make us approachable to others. As
we share the love of God with others this Christmas season,
remember to offer more than a "Merry Christmas!" Offer to give
yourself as you follow the example of Christ's sacrifice for us.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, You became one of us, that through Your suffering
and death, You might crush the Serpent's head. Receive our
praise and thanks and enable us to bear fruits that reflect Your
love. We pray this in Your Name. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

OUT OF PLACE

Read Matthew 3:1-6.
John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around
his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Matthew 3:4

I grew up thinking our living room was the natural place for a
Christmas tree. But after I had grown up it finally dawned on me --
 a tree is not supposed to be sitting right in the middle of your
living room! It's totally out of place there! Trees belong outside
in the yard! In fact, in recent years we decorated one evergreen
tree in our front yard with lights, ornaments, and bows. The tree
belongs outside -- where it can live and grow year round. Cutting
a tree down and setting it up inside a house is an out of place
location for a tree.

That phrase "out of place" fit John the Baptist perfectly. John
wore different clothing from everyone else, and he ate very
different food from everyone else, and he lived in a very different
place than everyone else. Why? Because John was the prophet
God sent to prepare the way for His Son. His message was
repent! In other words, reverse the direction of your life because
the Kingdom of God is at hand.

We too must recognize how often we are going the wrong way
in life because of our sinful nature. We often see it pretty clearly
in our broken family relationships, our strained friendships, and
our divided congregations. Just like an evergreen tree that is cut
down and then propped up in a living room and decorated, we
are all dying.

John came to show us why we need a Savior. So John dressed
differently, and he preached out in the wilderness. And if you
wanted to hear what God had to say to you through John, you
had to go out of place too. You had to join him in the wilderness.
His location teaches us to leave our old way of thinking and our
old way of life to meet and travel together with our humble King.

Just as John the Baptist left his home in the hill country of Judea
to live in the wilderness, Jesus left His heavenly throne and lived
among us. The glorious Son of God, Creator of all, became a
human baby and lived out His earthly life among us in poverty and
want. He was rejected, suffered, and died that we might find
peace and forgiveness. Jesus was out of place on earth so that
you and I would be made right for heaven, His home.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, thank You for going out of place for us when You left
Your home in heaven to live with us here on earth. Through Your
sacrifice and death in our place, we are forgiven all our sins and
inherit eternal life. Move us to leave our sinful lives and walk with
You on the road to heaven. We pray this in Your Name. Amen

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

ORNAMENT

Read Romans 15:8-13.
Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's
truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the
patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles may glorify God
for His mercy ... Romans 15:8B-9A

I have to admit, once the lights were on the tree, I was
satisfied. I didn't really care whether any ornaments went
on or not. But that wasn't the case with Mom. I never could
understand why she took each ornament in hand, carefully
inspected it, and smiled as she chose its precise place on
the tree. To me she was wasting time -- just get them up
there so we can put the icicles on!

Now that I have a few years behind me, I understand Mom
a whole lot more. Now I find myself looking carefully at our
ornament collection. "This was the ornament we got when
we were first dating!" "We were newlyweds when we bought
this." "This was Jacob's first Christmas!" "This was our first
house." And, like Mom, a smile spreads across my face as
I recite each ornament's history.

The promises God made about Jesus in the Old Testament
are like those ornaments. Each one has a beauty and
significance that grows deeper every year. Consider one
from Isaiah: "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a
son, and shall call His name Immanuel (which means 'God
with us')" (Isaiah 7:14b). Or Micah's famous, "But you, O
Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the
clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for Me one who
is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old,
from ancient days" (Micah 5:2). My favorite is another
from Isaiah, "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).

Each prophecy is like a dearly loved ornament. We get it
out, examine it carefully, place it into the timeline of
Christ's life, and rejoice in what it shows us about our
Savior.

* He went around serving people through His words and
mighty deeds.
* He took our sin and guilt upon Himself and suffered
and died in our place.
* He perfectly satisfied God's wrath for our sins.
* He rose in glory on the third day.
* He ascended into heaven and took His place at the
Father's right hand.
* On the Last Day He will return to judge both the living
and the dead.

Like precious ornaments they hang on the tree of our faith
and strengthen our confidence and trust in Christ Jesus
who is our Savior and our Guide through this life.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus Christ, thank You for fulfilling all the promises
given to Your Old Testament people, our ancient brothers
and sisters in the faith. Give Your children great joy, hope,
and confidence in Your life so that we may glorify Your
Name and share Your salvation with all people. Amen

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

SHARP NEEDLES

Read Isaiah 11:6-10.
They shall not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain; for the
earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters
cover the sea. Isaiah 11:9

I love the smell of fresh cut Christmas trees, but I'm not crazy
about their sting. I was never a fan of those sharp needles. Your
each in to string some lights or attach an ornament and ouch!

That's one of the reasons my wife and I decided to go with an
artificial tree when we started our own family Christmas traditions.
You can reach in there all you want and know nothing will prick
you.

Wouldn't it be nice if the world was like that, especially this time
of year? How wonderful it would be to go shopping and know
people would be patient and polite. How refreshing it would be if
you knew people wouldn't cut you off to have that parking space
or wrestle you over those "must-have" presents this Christmas?

I imagine most of us would like our homes to be oases of
respect, safety, and peace. But here too the pressures of the
season can cause tempers to be short, words to be sharp, and
patience to wear thin.

Even in your church congregation there is undoubtedly stress
and strife. Slights and insults are exchanged like Christmas
cards; pessimism and doubt leads to discouragement and
apathy; selfish pride leads to deep divisions that splinter us.

But that is why Jesus Christ -- our brother and King -- is here
with us. He guides us in humility and meekness and teaches
us to treat one another in the same way. He who came to this
world as a little baby shared our humanity, our sorrows, and
our disappointments. He suffered from the cruelty and
murderous hatred of His own people. He wore a crown of
thorns and died on the cross for all the sins we committed
against our God and against one another. But now, risen from
the dead, He works to bring healing, peace, and harmony to us
and each one of our broken relationships.

Showing us the depth of His love in His holy Word He fosters
love within our hearts toward one another. Forgiving our sins in
our Baptism, He empowers us to forgive those who sin against
us. Reminding us of the price He gladly paid for our salvation,
He softens our hearts as He gives us His own body and blood
to eat and to drink so that we gladly sacrifice ourselves for each
other.

In Jesus Christ, God's Word through Isaiah is fulfilled: "The earth
shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD," and nothing will hurt
or destroy us on His holy mountain.

THE PRAYER:

Holy Lord, tame our wild impulses, forgive our sins, and change
our rebel hearts so that we may no longer cause any hurt or harm
in Your holy house. We pray this in Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

SPEAK OUT!

In recent weeks, we’ve seen firsthand that our justice system
treats some people like they don’t matter. Grand juries in
Missouri and Staten Island both decided that the deaths of
unarmed black men were not worth further investigation by
declining to call for a trial of the police officers who killed them.

This isn’t just a problem in Ferguson, not just something that
happens in New York. We hear over and over again that our
society is treating our black sisters and brothers as though
their lives don’t matter.

How do you change a culture that systematically devalues
our black brothers and sisters? Start locally. A letter in your
local paper calling for justice is a powerful way to reach your
friends, neighbors, and community with the message that
ALL people are made in the image of God.

Your voice is critical. If we are ever going to change our
culture that disregards the worth of black lives, Christians
need to speak out.

We need all Christians to speak out against the injustice
we’ve seen toward our black sisters and brothers. The work
of the church is reconciliation – now let’s get to it!

In faith,
Janelle and the rest of the Sojourners team

A STUMP

"A Dead Stump"

Read Isaiah 11:1-5.
There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and
a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.  Isaiah 11:1

We were so excited when we brought the Christmas tree home,
but it never went into the house until the next day. My Dad
knew the tree would never last unless it soaked up plenty of
sugar water. So he cut a few inches off the bottom and soaked
it in sugar water until the next night. I still recall holding in my
hands that piece of dead stump he had cut off. It was only an
inch or two high, but it was definitely dead. Today's reading
speaks about a dead tree stump, "There shall come forth a
shoot from the stump of Jesse."

Jesse was the father of King David and all his descendants who
ruled over Judah-the Southern Kingdom. When those kings
turned away from God to lead their people in the worship of false
idols, the Lord cut off their kingship and sent His people into
exile. The strong family tree was cut off and only a dead stump
remained. For centuries not a single king rose from that stump to
rule on their throne. All that could be seen was the dead stump
of the line of David.

But in the fullness of time a shoot began to grow out of that stump.
That shoot was Jesus Christ. He was born a baby and laid to
sleep in Bethlehem's manger. He didn't come to claim any earthly
kingdom as His own. Instead, he came as our King to battle our
enemies: Satan, sin, death, and hell.

Though He Himself was cut down on the cross, and His lifeless
body was laid in the tomb, Christ rose again from the grave with
power and great glory. Through Baptism He makes us alive to God
though we were dead in our sins. Through His Word He makes us
wise in the ways of His salvation, and in Holy Communion He gives
us His body and blood by which He paid for our sins and won our
redemption. Now He lives to guide us on our journey to our
heavenly home.

THE PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son as a tender
shoot out of a dead tree stump. He has saved us from our sins
and opened the Kingdom of heaven to us. Help us tell the whole
world of His wonderful salvation. In Jesus' Name.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

THE RIGHT TREE

"Picking the Right Tree"

Read Psalm 72:1-7.
May He defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance
to the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor! Psalm 72:4

When I was growing up, our Christmas tree was always a freshly cut
tree. We used to buy them from our neighbor's produce stand. I
remember one year Dad picked a tree he thought was perfect, but
our neighbor shook his head and said, "Did you notice the bottom
of the trunk?" My Dad hadn't seen that it was club-footed. He would
have had to cut a foot off the bottom of the tree to make it fit the
stand. Another choice looked good, until our neighbor pointed out
how twisted and curved the trunk was; it would never stand up
straight. We quickly learned we could trust our neighbor to be a good,
reliable judge of Christmas trees.

The same is true of our Savior and our Judge. To be a good judge of
people He must be absolutely perfect and true. He can't judge out of
false motives, twisted reasons, or partiality, which is a good thing
when someone else has wronged us. But we also know we have
wronged plenty of people ourselves. So what happens when our
Judge turns His perfect, discerning eyes on us?

In this beginning of the second week of Advent we remember that
God our Father has called us to come up to His heavenly home.
But we are unworthy. Like unfit trees in a Christmas tree lot, we can
do nothing to cure our twisted hearts and corrupt minds. Nor can we
hide them from our all-knowing Judge. Despite our best efforts and
intentions we cannot make ourselves worthy of taking our place in
God's house.

But that is why we celebrate Jesus' first coming in Bethlehem so
many years ago. He did not come as our mighty Judge. He came
as our humble Savior. He lived the perfect life we could never live so
that receiving His perfection as our own, we might be acceptable
before our Heavenly Father. And on the cross He took our
punishment upon Himself so that He might satisfy the just wrath of
God in our place. Because of His life, death, and resurrection -- and
the faith He has given us in Word and Sacraments -- we are ready to
stand before Him when He comes as Judge. Then He will declare us f
it to come into the house of the Lord and remain there forever.

THE PRAYER:

Jesus Christ, thank You for being our Savior from sin and death. When
we stand before Your judgment seat we know we will be found worthy
to inherit eternal life in Your Father's Kingdom because of Your life,
death, and resurrection. Receive our heartfelt praise and thanks. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

REST STOP

"Those Rest Stops Along the Way"

Read Matthew 21:8-11.
The crowds that went before Him and that followed
Him were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed
is He who comes in the Name of the Lord." Matthew 21:9A

Rest Areas: they must have seemed like paradise to my
parents; they certainly were for us. They were a welcome
opportunity to get out of the crowded car, stretch our legs,
run around a little bit, and go to the bathroom.

But on second thought I have to take that back. I'm a grown
man now. I'll admit at certain times on long trips rest areas
are very welcome. But most times they are unwanted
interruptions that do nothing but draw out a trip that's too
long already! I find myself thinking of the progress we've lost --
the distance we could have covered if we had just stayed on
the road.

That's how stopping for church services can seem, especially
at this busy time of the year. We have so much to accomplish
every weekend and so little time to do it. Can we really afford
to stop and take the time to get ready and go to church?

Jesus thought so. The works He was doing were far more
important than the things that occupy our time. Yet He did not
neglect worship in the house of God. He knew life's journey can
consume us if we don't take time to rest, let God restore us,
and be reminded of the final destination at the end of life's road.

He also wants to remind us we aren't travelling alone. Rest
areas remind us of that fact too. The road is filled with people
just like us, each trying to reach his or her destination. Your
church is your rest area. It's an important place for you to stop
and get a little rest, get your mind off the difficulties of the journey,
and refocus on the end of the journey. The end of the journey is
an eternity of peace, joy, and wonder awaiting you. Weekly
worship is a place and time for you to gather with your fellow
travelers -- your brothers and sisters in Christ-and encourage one
another as you blend your praises for the Savior who has won
your home for you.

Churches, like rest areas, are interesting places. Some travelers
are weary when they enter; others are fresh and excited. Some
are eager to get back on the road again; others don't mind taking
some time away from it. Some dread the idea of piling back into
the car and hitting the road. It's important to remember a rest area
isn't home and neither is church. It's simply a place to pause and
refresh on the way to our true home.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, You know I need times of rest just like all people.
Thank You for providing Your Church as a true rest area. Refresh
my heart and mind this weekend, so I may be restored and
renewed for the journey that lies ahead. Amen.
Print this devotion    

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

A TRAVELER

"Traveling with Our Special Guest"

Read Matthew 21:1-7.
Behold, your King is coming to you, humble, and mounted on
a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.
Matthew 21:5B

Our Advent journey continues and, no, we're not there yet!
(Wondering when we would arrive was always my favorite
question during our long family trips.) Today a special guest
joins us. He doesn't claim the best seat-either in the front of
the car or in the first-class section of the plane. He's content
to sit in coach, or if it were our old station wagon, He'd be
sitting in the middle seat in the middle bench. Even more
likely, He'd be in the rear-facing backbench that only my
youngest brother and I could handle riding in.

Thousands of years ago this One also travelled with crowds
making their way up to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem.
Even though He was by far the greatest to ever walk those
roads, year after year He walked as one among many. But in
today's reading, Jesus took His rightful place at the center of
the throng. He rode with praises into Jerusalem for the final
festival where He would go to battle for us, laying down His
life that we might have eternal life.

At Jesus' command two of the disciples borrowed an animal
on which He would ride into Jerusalem as our conquering King.
But He did not choose a towering, powerful, warhorse. No, He
rode on a young donkey, a lowly beast of burden.

That is the mark of our King. At Christmas He comes as a tiny
baby, humble and lowly, born in a manger. In meekness He
came to lay down His life as a sacrifice to save us from our sins,
from death, from Satan, and from hell.

Today He also comes among us in humility. He chooses lowly
water and joins His Word to it to transform lost sinners into
children of God. He gives us His body and blood in humble
bread and wine to forgive us by that same sacrifice that took
away the sins of the world.

Today Jesus invites us, "Come to Me, all you who are weary
and burdened and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). Even as
we continue our journey toward Jerusalem, our King comes right
alongside us in great gentleness and humility. Since He is humble,
we too are moved to meekness toward each other, knowing He has
made our future certain in our eternal home.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, our Savior, thank You for coming to us in such humility.
You have saved us and now You ride with us to keep us and protect
us. Reassure us by Your presence and guide us safely to our home.
Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

LIGHT IN DARKNESS

"Lights in the Darkness"

December 4, 2014

Read Romans 13:11-14
"The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off
the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Romans 13:12

During this time of year the nights grow longer. That makes being
a kid riding in a car pretty tough. Though it certainly helps when
video and DVD players and iPods light up the night. I remember
as a kid when the only thing we had to brighten those long dark
night trips were the Christmas lights we'd see every once in a while.
(Of course, we always had to argue about who saw them first!)

From time to time as we make our way along God's path through
this Advent season we catch glimpses of the light of our heavenly
home.These hints come to us as a favorite hymn or song in worship.
They also come as a renewed awareness of the forgiveness,
acceptance, and peace God offers through the pastor. They
especially come as that wonderful taste of the heavenly feast when
we celebrate the Sacrament of Christ's body and blood.

These glimpses thrill our hearts and remind us of the wonderful
place waiting for us. The lit candle on the Advent wreath-and the
three that remain to be lit in the coming weeks-remind us how little
time is left to prepare for the day that is rapidly approaching. Paul
reminds us of this same fact in today's reading.

Like a beautifully lit house at Christmas time, Jesus shatters the
darkness and fills us with the warmth of His glorious light. He is
the Light of the world who came into the darkness and vanquished
it through His suffering, death, and resurrection. And each of us
who were reborn in His image in Baptism shine like stars in this
dark night of sin, giving those who do not yet know Jesus Christ a
brief glimpse of God's love through our words, attitudes, and actions.
How brightly are you shining in the crowded store aisles, in the long
checkout lines, in the jammed parking lots, and on the busy roads?

THE PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, we would be Your lights, shining brightly in this
dark and selfish world. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit that we may live
as You choose, bringing the light of Christ's love to this dark world.
In Jesus' Name. Amen

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

ENJOYING THE RIDE

"Enjoying the Ride Together"

Read Romans 13:8-10.
"You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no
wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the
Law. Romans 13:9B-10

I'm sure my parents would have loved a video or DVD
player in our station wagon when I was a kid. Instead,
they had five boys sitting in the middle and back benches
as we headed down the road to Grandma's. Sometimes
we'd sing songs to pass the time or play little games
along the road, but usually we played the stop-touching-
me or stay-on-your-side-of-the-seat game. Of course, that
was about the time Dad threatened to turn the car around
and head back home.

In our church family, we often act like brothers and sisters
squeezed together in a car. We bicker and fight with each
other; we complain about the most insignificant things; we
insist on our way and pout when we don't get it. Meanwhile,
our unchurched family, friends, and neighbors wonder why
anyone would ever want to be a part of family like that. How
many times do we make our heavenward journey miserable
for everyone, wondering if it would be better to go it alone?

That's where Jesus shows the way. When His disciples
argued about which of them would be the greatest or tried to
get the best seats in heaven, Jesus showed them His humility
and restored their unity. Even when the religious establishment
-- the Jewish leaders -- misjudged Him, plotted His death, and
stood by His cross heaping their scorn on Him, Jesus was
quick to pray, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what
they do" (Luke 23:34b). And through His suffering and death
at their hands, Jesus won our full pardon from His Father in
heaven.

In this week's Epistle reading, Paul shows us another way to
travel together. He calls us to remember Christ's sufferings and
death for us, and to strive to live as our Savior did -- loving our
neighbor as ourselves.

As we make our journey toward the house of the Lord, we are
not traveling alone. We are part of a caravan, a multitude of
wonderful believers traveling along together, each guided by
Christ up to God's house. God has chosen every one of us.
He has gathered us together to use our unique skills and
talents as one body. If we travel together in joy and peace,
learning to appreciate one another, our journey will be so
much more thrilling, and we'll be the kind of caravan other
people will want to join. God grant us this peace and
harmony for Jesus' sake.

THE PRAYER:

Father in heaven, open our hearts to truly love and forgive
each other. Grant us a deep appreciation for each other,
that combining our gifts and talents, we may bring glory to
Your Name, and bring many to join us in heaven. Through
Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

OUR GUIDE

Read Isaiah 2:3-5.

"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house
of the God of Jacob, that He may teach us His ways and that
we may walk in His paths..." Isaiah 2:3B

Several years ago I was scheduled to preach at a church in
central Illinois. I had planned out my path along I-70 and left early
enough to arrive a half-hour early. But after about two hours I
discovered I had missed the I-70 exit sixty miles back and was
driving north toward Chicago on I-55! By the time I realized my
mistake and got turned around I ended up arriving at the church
30 minutes after the service was supposed to have started!
Thankfully, my Christian brothers and sisters had a sense of
humor!

Whenever you are driving, especially on a long and unfamiliar
trip, you want to be sure you are on the right path! When I was
a kid we relied on maps, but again, you could end up on the
wrong road for hours without realizing you were on the wrong
path. But today one of the best ways to travel is to have a GPS,
a Global Positioning System.

The guiding voice from this little box gives you turn-by-turn
instructions and tracks your progress. If you get off the right
path, it patiently tells you the best way to get back on the right
path again. But that's not all a GPS can do for you. If you get
tired and need a rest area or a motel along the way, a GPS can
find one for you. If you get hungry, a GPS will give you a choice
of restaurants and guide you to the one you want.

If we want to complete our Advent journey and reach the heavenly
"house of the Lord," we need a sort of spiritual GPS. At our
 Baptism God washed away our sins, made us His own children,
filled us with His Spirit, and set us on the right path for Jesus' sake.
To keep us on that path He gave us His Word and Sacraments.
Through the Law the Holy Spirit alerts us when we have wandered
off the path into sin, and through the Gospel He guides us back to
the right road by turning us in repentance and faith to Jesus Christ
who saved us from our sins through His death on the cross.

That is why it is so important to read, hear, and study the Word of
God in our home devotions and to gather together at church. For as
Jesus speaks to us through His Word, and feeds us with His body
and blood, He keeps us on our heavenward path. This provides us
spiritual rest and nourishment along our way as we journey up to
the house of the Lord!

THE PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us Your holy Word to guide
us along our path. Open our ears to hear our Savior's voice and
follow His ways. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

ARE YOU GOING?

"Are You Going?"

Read Isaiah 2:1-3a.
Many peoples shall come and say: "Come, let us go up to the
mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob.
" Isaiah 2:3a

Holidays are great fun, especially when brothers and sisters
who are scattered across the country gather together for
Christmas. Imagine getting a message from a family member
in Michigan: "I can't wait to spend Christmas with you at Mom's!"
Then you get an e-mail from a brother in California: "Looking
forward to catching up when we get in for Christmas!" And then
there's a text from a third in North Carolina: "3 1/2 wks & counting-
can't wait ..." Our excitement builds when we realize we will be
together again, and everyone is looking forward to celebrating
together.

In this week's Old Testament Lesson our brothers and sisters in
Christ are excited to share a similar message with us: "Let's go
up to the house of God!" But it isn't a once-a-year invitation just
for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. They need us this weekend
and every weekend. (They would even love to see you this
Wednesday night if there's an Advent service at your church.)
Their joy won't be quite as full unless you are there with them!

But if you take a closer look at the verse above you'll notice it
says "many peoples" will come and call you. The members of
your congregation aren't the only ones calling. All your Christian
brothers and sisters around the world are calling you to come on
up with them to God's holy mountain.

One of the best examples of this is the National Youth Gathering
that was held in San Antonio in July 2013. In the days, weeks,
and months before the event you can bet texts and e-mails were
flying across the country among friends who were looking forward
to spending the week together. And in the weeks after the get-
together many more e-mails, texts, tweets, and posts crisscrossed
the nation and the world: "That was so great! Wish we could do it
again!" Now imagine a worldwide gathering that won't end after a few
days but will last forever! That's heaven.

It took a lot of hard work and planning by dozens of dedicated people
to put the National Youth Gathering together. But to put our heavenly
reunion together it took Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. He
suffered and died to take away our sins so we would be fit to come,
and He is now preparing a place for us to stay eternally. No wonder
your brothers and sisters around the world and in heaven are excited
about the journey and are calling you to join them. "Come, let us go
up to the mountain of the Lord, the house of our God!"

THE PRAYER:

Lord, open my ears to hear my brothers and sisters calling me to join
them, and let me join my voice with theirs. Especially lead me to call
those who have not yet heard Your invitation. In Jesus' Name. Amen

(Lutheran Hour Ministries).