The Second Sunday in Advent

 

     On the second Sunday in December, the second purple candle was lit on the Advent wreath. This second candle represents faith. Some traditions call this the "Bethlehem Candle," symbolizing Christ's humble beginnings:

"This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." (Luke 2:12, NIV)

     Again, the prophets foretold the birthplace of the coming Messiah.

But you Bethlehem, Ephrathah, though you are small among the class of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel whose origins are from of old. Micah5:2

     No other book or person has foretold the future with 100 percent accuracy. Over 300 prophecies came true at the first coming of Jesus and even more are written about His second coming. These prophecies were written over a span of thousands of years and written by multiple authors. Have faith! Our faith pleases Him.

And without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

See the baby in the manger. The Messiah has come bringing good tidings of great joy!

Father,

Our faith grows as we study Your word. Jesus is the word of God in the flesh and we praise You for the gift of faith.

In Jesus name,

Amen

An Ordinary Night

 

     It was an ordinary, quiet night for the shepherds; leading their flocks through the mountain fields, tending to their needs, keeping them safe. There was nothing unusual at all, until the heavens opened up around them, that is. I will let the beautiful words of Scripture remind you of the familiar story.

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 clothes 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.” Luke 2: 8-14

     I love this! God chose Mary and Joseph, an ordinary couple from humble homes. Now He opens up the heavens with a host of angels praising God to a group of shepherds. What did they do? Just like the wise men, they went to find the baby. And when they found Him, when they understood, what did they do next?

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.  Luke 2:17-18

     Something about meeting Jesus makes us want to talk about Him. We cannot help but speak of all we have seen and heard. (See Acts 4:20) Have you amazed anyone lately with stories about Jesus? Filling up on His glory, recognizing the heavenly hosts surrounding us with protection and sustenance, finds us unable to keep it to ourselves. This kind of news needs to be shared.

     And for all of us who have encountered the Savior, one day the heavens will open up for us and we will witness the heavenly host of angels saying, “Glory to God in the highest.” And we will be singing and shouting right along with them.

Dear Father in heaven,

Thank you for showing Yourself to ordinary folks like us. Your glory is beyond anything we can imagine and one day we will be in the midst of it. One day that will last forever. Each day of our lives is precious on this earth. Let us make the most of them, as we speak of the Good News. A child is born in the city of Bethlehem. He is the Messiah, the Lord, the Christ.

Amen

A New Way

 

     The wise men from the East saw the star. Not many did. How did they know? What was it about that star that brought them in search of the Messiah? Were they familiar with Jewish Scripture?

“A star shall come out of Jacob, a scepter shall rise out of Israel.” Numbers 24:17

     It is ironic that King Herod, the king of the Jews, calls a secret meeting with the Magi. He had consulted with his advisors and teachers of the law. He asks the three men to seek out this child and report to him, and they go on their way.

     God leads them to Bethlehem. That same star is just ahead of them.

When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with His mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, and having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.  Matthew 2:10-12

     The virgin birth, the town of Bethlehem, the star rising, and now the gifts of the three Magi, all prophesied hundreds and even thousands of years earlier. Statistically impossible by human standards. But with God, nothing is impossible.

“Herds of camels will cover Your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah and all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming the praise of the Lord.” Isaiah 60:6

    The wise men were watching the skies, waiting for the Messiah. Are you? Jesus could return at any moment. Wise men still seek Him. And maybe, like them, your route will change. Worshiping Him, seeing Him up close and personal, often moves us in a new direction. The three travelers were moved out of the way of a scheming King.

     Which way will He lead you? Away from a poor choice, away from weariness, away from all-encompassing anxiety? After meeting Him for the first time, we turn from despair and move to expectant joy and hope. Just as His mother clothed Him in swaddling clothes, He clothes us with His righteousness. He wraps us in His loving arms and we will never be the same. Keep your eyes fixed on the skies. We are heaven-bound!

Dear Lord,

The stories surrounding your birth astound us. From the ordinary birth in a manger to the brightest star spoken of so long ago, all leading us to You. Keep our minds and hearts focused on You during this season and every single day thereafter.

In Jesus name

Amen

And There Was Light

 

     Joseph and Mary have heard from the heavenly host. They are carrying the Son of God, the future King, the Savior of the earth. What would you expect with this kind of news? The offer of a palace with satin sheets and lavish banquets? A parade filled with all of the fanfare expected to herald the arrival of a King? Birth announcements embossed in gold? No.

Rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  Philippians 2:7

     Around the time of Christ’s birth there came a decree from Caesar Augustus. Everyone was required to register in their hometown. Joseph happened to be from Bethlehem. Micah knew where the Messiah would be born. He wrote about it hundreds of years before the event.

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for Me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”  Micah 5:2

    Yes, Jesus was to be born in Bethlehem and God knew exactly where Joseph and Mary would be on that glorious night. The trip would be long, about 70 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Where would Joseph and Mary stay at the end of this long and bumpy road? In the presidential suite of the town? Well, not exactly.

     The sounds they would hear on that particular night would not include the voice of the hotel manager bringing them fresh towels and warm food. In fact, there was no room for them. The silence would have been deafening beyond the cries of childbirth. But I am sure they could hear a soft moo, a hushed whinny, a squeaky baa, as the animals, created by God, witnessed the birth of their Creator Himself in human form on that very special eve.

     How about you? Overwhelmed with a long and tiring journey? Is there a long recovery ahead, an unanswered prayer with no end in sight? Have you been squeezed out by divorce or a family feud? How about your stable mates? Or should I say, stall mates at work? Are they a little stinky, noisy or ill-mannered?

     Imagine a glorious end to the journey, a new birth in a relationship or a witnessing miracle at work. Anything can happen when the Savior is near. You may recognize a change in your outlook, a peace in the wait, a hope in your heart, a new way to cope. When He appears, anything becomes possible. And then there was light.

Dear Jesus,

The story is miraculous. The characters, regular folks, in the most ordinary of surroundings. No hoopla, just humility. Your birth. The wonder of it all. We sit in awe of You.

Amen

 

Holy Spirit Miracles

 

     Joseph was engaged to the young and devout Jewish girl, Mary. Can you imagine his thoughts, his reaction to the news? She was expecting a child. The Bible tells us, “…before they came together, she was found to be pregnant…” (See Matthew1) As was right according to Mosaic law, Joseph was going to petition for a divorce from the betrothal. God had other plans. He often does. God not only chose Mary to carry the Christ. He chose Joseph to raise the child.

     Joseph was a decent guy. He did not want to disgrace Mary. He had in mind to divorce her quietly. No Facebook page announcing the single girl’s pregnancy. No, “How could she do this to me?” Just a quiet exit from a devastating shock. Instead, Joseph had a heavenly encounter with an angel.

“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.” Matthew 1:20-21

    The virgin birth reminds us that this very news fulfills a prophecy written by the prophet Isaiah hundreds of years before Christ’s birth. (See Isaiah 7:14)

     God chose Joseph and Mary. He chooses you. He saw you before the beginning of time and He sees your path. He will step in and use you to fulfill His purposes on earth. Joseph obeyed. He took Mary as his wife and they named their newborn son, Jesus. Mary had been told her precious son would be the Son of God and His kingdom would have no end. (See Luke 1)

     Tomorrow we will journey with Joseph and Mary as they, unknowingly, fulfill another prophecy written 500 years before their child’s birth, and we will sit with them in their unusual surroundings as they and we get ready to greet the Messiah.

Dear Lord,

Your humble beginnings speak to us. Your servant’s heart shows us. The people you chose give us hope. Speak now. Show us today. Choose us. Fill us with that same Holy Spirit that gave birth to the Christ, the same Holy Spirit that resurrects the dead. The Spirit that changes us.

Amen

Expectation and Great Joy

 

     December is here, ready or not. The church’s calendar is turned to the beginning of a new year. The four weeks leading up to Christmas are celebrated as the season of Advent. It is a time of anticipation, expectation and preparation. Sort of fits in with our cultural relationship with Christmas, doesn’t it?

     Could these weeks be a time to fill our hearts with joy and gladness? The light of the world is coming! The Word is about to become flesh and dwell among us! The God of creation is about to humble Himself. He will be born in human form to become a servant to all. Yes, His first coming is a time to celebrate the miracle that changes everything. Emmanuel, God among us, is about to be born.

     Let’s take a peek into the cast of characters surrounding this great event. We will see how God worked through the most ordinary people to show His glory. He does the same with us. He can use the craziest circumstances, the darkest of days, the most challenging journeys and suddenly show up in the most miraculous of ways.

     Put your feet up. Take a few minutes each day as we revisit Joseph on his difficult journey, the Magi taking a completely different route after seeing Jesus, the shepherds retelling the tale after witnessing the heavenly host. Will you recognize Him and be changed?

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.”  Luke 2:10-11

Dear Father,

Walk with us through the greatest story ever told. We listen with expectation as we await the celebration of Your Son’s birth. Let the joy and gladness seep into our very souls over these next few weeks until we are changed forever. The light of the world has come. Oh, come let us adore Him.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

The First Sunday in Advent

 

     Today is the first Sunday of Advent. On this day, one of the purple candles of the advent wreath is lit. This candle is typically called the "Prophecy Candle" in remembrance of the prophets, primarily Isaiah, who foretold the birth of Christ:

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14

     This first candle represents hope or expectation in anticipation of the coming Messiah. The prophets of old longed for His coming. The disciples and the followers of Jesus saw those prophecies fulfilled in their lifetimes. They walked with Him and talked with Him and He will come again one day soon.

     In the meantime, there is hope. We celebrate His first coming during this wonderful season of hope.

“But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in You.” Psalm 39:7

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

Lord,

We wait for You in hope. Renew our hearts this season with the gift of hope. We anticipate the celebration of Your birth and wait for Your second coming.

Amen