Month: December 2019

Our scripture this week is John 1:1-18.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1:1-5

Genesis tells us that everything that exists was created by God’s Word. In John’s Gospel passage for today we read that “through Him all things were made” and “in Him was life”. We need to take a moment to realize that the baby Jesus we celebrate at Christmas and the risen Christ we adore at Easter are the same “light of all mankind”, The Word, and the reason we exist at all.

“The Word was with God and the Word was God” sounds like a paradox, but it is our human attempt to understand how God the Father and Jesus the Son relate to each other and to us. God created everything, including us, out of love. It was His desire that we be free to choose our own path, but it was also His desire that we choose Him.

Jesus came to be with us as a human to let us see what true humanity is and to show what we were intended to be – God’s beloved children, connected to Him and each other. God loves us so much that He was willing to endure the pain and suffering of the broken world we have made of His creation. If we accept the truth Christ brings us and acknowledge our heritage in Him, we are promised that we can live eternally with Him.

Loving Lord, we bear the responsibility for the mess we make of our lives and Your world. Help us to see our mistakes and to accept Your forgiveness, to move forward in the new year and the new life You offer us. Amen.

Our scripture this week is John 1:1-18

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
John 1:1-18

As we approach a new year, we usually think about changes for the better we can make in our lives. We have just celebrated biggest change the world has ever known, the coming of Christ to be with us, so it is appropriate that we think about what that means to each of us. We are called to change our hearts and minds and lives according to His teachings and follow the path He set for us.

The first chapter of the Gospel of John relates the truth of Christ as “the Word” and “the light of all mankind”. That’s a pretty awesome description, indicating that while Jesus came to be among us as one of us, He has a purpose and a power far beyond anything we can imagine. John tells us that “the Word was God” and “through Him all things were made”, an indication that Jesus was with God from the very beginning.

We honor Him as the human baby born in Bethlehem, but let us never forget that He is Emmanuel, God with us and He has much to share with us. May we see the light He brings to our dark world and tell everyone what He has come to do.

Loving Lord, we feel Your presence with us. As we begin a new year on our human calendar, we invite You into our lives to begin a new way of living, answering Your call to share Your love. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 2:13-23.

After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.” So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.
Matthew 2:19-23

This passage concludes with the family returning to Israel after fleeing from the danger Herod posed to the baby. God had called them to an awesome task, they had accepted and obeyed, and God led them to a home where the child could grow up safely. This is the model of connection with God that Jesus would teach to all His followers – listen, obey, repeat.

God sought out Joseph and Mary for this holy charge. God seeks us in the same way everyday. We often think “if only God would speak to me as He did to people then”, but the answer is always “He does”. God has never stopped speaking to us, but in most cases we are not listening, at least not in the proper manner.

Our expectations are sometimes like those who thought the Messiah was to come as a conquering king. We expect the voice of God to reach us loud and clear. In scripture, we have God’s word, in Jesus we have the model for our lives and with the Holy Spirit we are guided, strengthened and encouraged. God calls us through all these means, if we are ready to receive His message and respond.

Gracious God, we are slow to listen and obey the loving instruction You give to us. Help us to hear Your call and do the things You ask of us. Make us energetic doers of Your word. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 2:13-23.

When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
Matthew 2:16-18

When Christ came into the world, most of those who received the message rejoiced and gave thanks to God. However, there were those who were frightened and angry, afraid of losing their power and position. King Herod was one of these, furious at the thought of a new king being born literally in his backyard, and made even more angry by the appearance of important people from far away coming to worship the child.

King Herod reacted as many people do when frustrated. He lashed out at others, trying desperately to undo what God had done. In his rage, many innocent children were murdered. Some ask “why did God let this happen?” The answer is hard – God made people with free will, able to choose for themselves as part of their created nature, and God would not interfere. Herod chose to commit evil, not looking for a reason, not asking God for help, but sending his soldiers out in a desperate bid to destroy the King he feared would replace him.

God had warned Joseph to flee to Egypt with Mary and the baby Jesus, but no warning went out to the families of Bethlehem. Why were they sacrificed? Lysa TerKeurst writes in the NIV Devotional Bible “It takes prayer, and a decision to stop asking for answers and start asking for perspective”. When we are hurt and confused we need to take it to God in prayer, understanding that He doesn’t send evil but people commit evil acts because they don’t have a connection to Him.

Loving Lord, we don’t understand when terrible things happen in our world and innocent people are hurt. Help us to see that people cause evil and that even in the aftermath of tragedy, You are with us in our grief. Amen.

Our scripture for Sunday is Matthew 2:13-23.

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
Matthew 2:13-15

Receiving a warning in a dream, Joseph is told that Herod wants to kill the child. Like any good father, he protects them. He listens to God’s command and takes them to safety in Egypt. This reinforces the pattern of hearing and obeying begun when he was told of the sacredness of the child entrusted to them.

Humans are creatures of habit, bad and good. What we think, say and do repeatedly becomes the pattern of our lives. There is an old saying, “Be careful what you think, your thoughts become your words. Be careful what you say, your words become your actions. Be careful what you do, your actions become your habits.” God wants us to pattern ourselves after the perfect model, Jesus Christ who came to love and teach and save us.

How can we practice obedience? First, it must be intentional – we must make the decision and the effort to follow God’s path for us. Second, it must be repeated over and over. The constancy of practice becomes the stability of action. Finally, it must be out of our love for God, and our honest desire to be connected to Him always. By our connection and love for God, we can better connect and love those around us.

Patient God, we know You are waiting for us to give up our earthly desires and return to You. Help us to be the disciples You intend here so that we may be with You in eternity. Amen.

Our scripture for this Sunday is Matthew 2:13-23.

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.” After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.” So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.
Matthew 2:13-23

After Jesus is born, the Gospel of Matthew tells us of an angry king seeking to destroy the one who would end his reign. This passage appears only in Matthew. The gospels of Mark and John both begin with Jesus as an adult, and while Luke’s Gospel contains the beautiful birth narrative we just read, it doesn’t report the flight to Egypt as does Matthew.

So, is one of these stories wrong? Not necessarily; read any two biographies of a well known person and you will find some differing accounts. It could be that God inspired the writers differently because they were writing to different groups. Matthew may have included this because it mirrors Israel’s history – going to Egypt as Joseph’s family did to escape the famine, children being murdered by an angry king as Pharaoh ordered the execution of the Hebrew babies, being directed to a specific place to live as God had led them to the promised land.

Whatever the reason, Matthew reports that Joseph obeyed God’s instructions to protect the newborn king. God is telling us that He has done this before to connect with us, that He wants to be the center of our lives and we can trust Him to take care of us. When we listen to His word in scripture and follow His commands, we are becoming part of His plan for salvation.

Loving Lord, we ask that You continue to lead us throughout our lives. You sent Jesus to teach us to be obedient and to love each other as You first loved us. Thank You for such a blessing. Amen.

Merry Christmas! May you know the love of God today and always, and may you share that love with everyone, everywhere, every day.

Our Christmas scripture is Luke 2:8-20.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Luke 2:8-20

The shepherds were the least likely people to be invited to the birth of Jesus according to popular opinion of that time. They watched over the dirty, smelly, not so bright sheep, and many thought the same of the shepherds. Why would they receive word from the angels to go to Bethlehem?

Two good reasons, actually – shepherds would become the example Jesus used many times for how He loved and cared for us. He came to save us messed up, often not too bright humans from sin and death, and while comparing us to sheep is a bit unflattering, it is more true than we care to admit. Without the Good Shepherd to watch over us, we would be lost! Second, Jesus came as Lord for all people, but He had a special affinity with the poor, the marginalized and the oppressed. Jesus commanded us to seek the last, the least and the lost, and to care for them as He cared for us.

On this Christmas may we renew our commitment to Jesus as we celebrate His coming among us, and live new lives full of His grace and mercy. Let us be the face of Jesus to those we meet and show them we are true followers by our witness and our love in action. May we joyfully accept the blessing and responsibility Christ brings to us.

Holy Lord, we remember Your birth and pray that You will be born again in us that we may die to sin and live for You. Let us be the sheep of Your pasture, and may we always keep Christmas in our hearts. Amen.

Our Christmas scripture is Luke 2:1-20.

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
Luke 2:1-7

We know this story so well, but we still ask questions. Why would Joseph take Mary on such a journey in her condition? Why wouldn’t they have left early? Why didn’t he stay with family? They are honest questions, but answering them is hard, if not impossible. We humans are also good at asking the wrong questions, things that don’t add to our understanding of the lesson we have been given.

God wants us to see Joseph and Mary as faithful people who said “yes” to His call. He wants us to know that they faced hardships along the way but that He was them and provided for them. At the heart of this story is the question God asks of us – Will you trust Me?

Jesus wasn’t born in a palace to powerful people. He was born in a lowly place to an ordinary couple. God wants us to know that He came to be with all of us. Even though He is God Almighty, he came as a vulnerable child, not a conquering king. He came to teach us to love and care for one another regardless of our class or background. We need to ask “what is the truth in the story” and not “is the story true” in order to understand what God is saying to us. May He bless you in this special time of celebration and lead you to a closer connection with Him.

Loving Lord, we are easily distracted by our questions about “what really happened”, and we lose the true meaning of the blessing You send us. Help us to open our hearts to Your love and light, and accept the call You make to all of us to share the Good News – Christ the Savior is born! Amen.

Our scripture for Christmas is Luke 2:1-20.

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Luke 2:1-20

Are you ready for Christmas? I’m not talking about gifts or cleaning or cooking. Yes, we do all those things to be ready to greet our friends and family when they arrive. But have you prepared yourself to greet the King of Kings?

We go to such effort to be ready in our earthly preparations, it should be even more important to be ready for the Lord of Lords to enter our lives. Don’t think you’re alone in this, we all have the same issues to some degree. We go to church on Sunday, maybe the weekly bible study and sit through the Christmas Eve service until the candles are extinguished and the strains of “Silent Night” echo into real silence. What then?

Do you feel a little guilty when you compare the time spent getting ready for Christmas to the time you spend getting ready for Christ? We all should. Take some time and reread the all too familiar scripture above. Jesus is coming and He’s not looking for a present under the tree with His name on it, He’s looking for your heart.

Loving Lord, our time is spent in the rush of the season, searching for things that fill the moment but often not seeking the gift You have to give which will fill eternity. Help us to slow our scurrying to be ready for the earthly celebration and make time for You to enter our hearts. Amen.

Our scripture for this week is Matthew 1:18-25.

This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
Matthew 1:18-25

Matthew tells us of two people who were essential to the plan God has for our salvation. They weren’t special, rich or powerful – a couple from a small town, going about their daily lives but suddenly made aware of the task God had for them. Their acceptance of God’s call still has an affect on us today through the birth of Jesus to live among us and His lessons that teach us how to live for Him.

What can we learn from their experience? First, God wants all of us to be a part of what He does in our world, to represent His light and love in an often dark and troubled world. Our witness to our brothers and sisters shows that we have accepted the call He has for us, that we are followers of Christ.

Next, our behavior as Christians should stand as a model, a testimony to what we believe. If we only talk about it and don’t live it, we are not good representatives for Him in our world. Finally, as the old hymn says “they will know we are Christians by our love”. If our love isn’t given without reservation or judgement, we aren’t following the path Jesus set for us. As we prepare to celebrate His coming to be with us, may we share that joy and thankfulness those in a stable in Bethlehem knew all those years ago.

Loving Lord, we are ever grateful for the love You have sent to us in Christ. Help us to show the world that love, reaching out to all we encounter today with the peace only You can give. Amen.