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St. Luke Advent Devotional Booklet 2012

Advent Devotional booklet 2012

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Page 1: Advent Devotional booklet 2012

St. Luke Advent Devotional Booklet 2012

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December 2, 2012“But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a

dream, saying ‘Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name

JESUS, for he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: ‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall

call his name IMMANUEL (which means, God with us.)’”Matthew 1:20-23

In The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe C.S. Lewis refers to it as the deep magic and the ancient magic. The Beaver family remembers the ancient prophecies pertaining to the return of Aslan. All of Narnia anticipated the day when their land would be redeemed from the power of the great witch. Narnia was a mystical land where it was “always winter, but never Christmas;” a land of constant expectation but never any fulfillment.

The land of Narnia groaned as she waited for Aslan the King Lion to come and save them. Aslan, upon his return to the Narnia, did more than save the people from their long-suffering…he dwelt among the people, loving them, encouraging them, and teaching them.

C.S. Lewis didn’t come up with this idea for literature from his own creative thinking. Rather, he shaped Narnia, and Aslan, from his baptized Christian imagination. Aslan sym-bolizes the Lord Jesus. The people and land of Narnia symbolize humanity and all of crea-tion. The deep, ancient magic is the Faith of the Church as expressed through the story of salvation in the Holy Bible.

As we begin this journey of expectation and remembrance this Advent, I would like for you to read the Scripture above. I highlighted two names for the promised Messi-ah/Savior of the world: Jesus and Immanuel. Did you know that the promised Lord had two names? One of the names is a noun (who he is), the other is a verb (what he does).

So, who is the Messiah? He is Immanuel—God with us. What does he do? He saves his people from their sins. Jesus is the God-with-us-saving-us-from-our-sins Messiah! He is the long awaited King who has come to redeem humanity and all of creation. During the Advent season, we remember Jesus’ first coming (advent) in Bethlehem while at the same time we eagerly await his second coming sometime in the future.

Peace to you all as you begin this sacred journey.Pastor Mark

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December 3, 2012Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will

give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel. He will eat curds and honey when He knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right. Isaiah 7:14-15

“Immanuel” translates as “God with us”. The Bible teaches that God is so different from us; all his attributes are the things we are not: holy, merciful, full of glory, divine, all knowing and on and on. Yet scripture also teaches us that God did indeed become “flesh and dwelt among us” and even that his glory was visible! (John 1:14) What a mysterious concept- “God with us”. God’s love for us is so far-reaching that He decided to empty Him-self and become human and live with us: teaching, healing, performing miracles, showing kindness to outcasts. His loving-kindness expressed all of his divine qualities; they are in-separable. Very different from us but still flesh, like us.

We worship a God who loves us so much he left His throne to come be with us, re-veal Himself to us, bend down in the dirt and bind our painful wounds. “God with us”- how compassionate and tender, our “God with us”. Immanuel.

This Advent season, take time to remember just who it is we are singing about and hearing stories about- Jesus, who is the God of the universe whose love for us knew no bounds- “God with us”.

Prayer: Lord, we praise you for your mercy, for your compassion to us. Thank you for coming to live among us, for revealing yourself to us in Jesus, for coming to live in the hearts of each of us through your Holy Spirit. Thank you for your love.

Melissa Gould

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December 4, 2012Each biblical ‘writer’ has an historical context. Isaiah 9:2 is no exception: The peo-

ple walking in darkness have seen a great light, on those living in the land of the sha-dow of death a light has dawned. Isaiah tells us that King Ahaz chose to walk in dark-ness when he decided not to believe God. With a confederation formed between the Nor-thern Kingdom (Israel) and the Assyrians causing great fear and trepidation, even though the prophet Isaiah speaking for God said “not to worry,” Ahaz took matters into his own hands. He decided to buy off the Assyrians with an alliance of his own and therefore pro-tection. Ultimately his plans failed. The Assyrians crushed the Northern Kingdom and then marched into and through the Southern Kingdom of Judah, crushing them as well. The re-sult was a time of horrendous gloom and doom, or said more biblically, a time when the people walked in darkness. Oppression is its own unique kind of darkness, though not the only kind!

As a figurative term, darkness can take on many shapes and forms. Walking in dark-ness, as one writer suggested, implies a voluntary motion growing out of choice and resolu-tion. Walking is in itself an on-going motion, one step following the other. It is a progressive (ing) motion. Figuratively speaking, darkness signifies a condition of intentioned ignorance, sin, and misery due in large part of corrupt principles resulting in the commission of grave transgressions. Moral darkness is wanton living hallmarked by lust, license, cruel spots at the expense of other’s lives, intellectually and electronically living as if God really is the “un-known god.”

However, Isaiah continues. Though folks have been walking in darkness, dwelling in the land of the shadow of death (as the result of the decision of Ahaz or our own choices) a great light is to be seen. The point is God’s intention is for the darkness to be dispelled by light. Gloom would be replaced and God would have a people ruled by a perfect king. A light would shine.

Isaiah’s words obviously go beyond Chapter 9, Verse 2. By the time we reach verse 7, Isaiah tells the people of all generations that a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulders; and his name will be called Wonder-ful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace; … the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Being in the Advent season is to realize that this is a time of expectation, hope and promise, a time of preparation for the coming of Jesus the Christ: Babe of Bethlehem, Man of Galilee, Christ of Calvary. It is Jesus who proclaims, I am the light of the world. An-other translation says: I am the world’s Light. No one who follows me stumbles around in darkness. I provide plenty of light in which to live. Stumbling is a distorted form of walking. Jesus’ word to us is that this does not have to be. I come as light into the world so that all who believe in me need not walk or live in darkness. I am the light of the

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world. Choosing to live and walk in light is the choice of believing and following Jesus. He is the one who fill us with the light that enables us to shed light on a world that is needy and lost. As we live and walk in his light, he can be reflected through us and become a light for others around us.

Anonymous Author

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December 5, 2012For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his

shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righ-teousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:6-7

For Unto Us a Child Is BornChorusFor unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon His

shoulders.And His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father,

the Prince of Peace.

I love seeing newborn babies. Don’t you? They are so sweet and cute. I’m still ex-cited about my new great-nephew who was born back in October.

Yet, here we are told of a different kind of baby. We are told of a son to be born. Not just any son, however, but the Messiah who will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace. Also, we learn that the government will be upon His shoulders and that of His peace there will be no end. This child to be born will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom with justice and righteousness forever and it will be accomplished by the zeal of the LORD Almighty.

Back then, they didn’t know that the Messiah to be born was Jesus. We do. Should-n’t we share the news of the baby born over 2,000 years ago so that others may know of Him and His peace?

Kathy McLaughlin

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December 6, 2012A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him – the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord – and He will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what He sees with His eyes, or decide by what He hears with His ears; but with righteousness He will judge the needy, with justice He will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth; with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be His belt and faith-fulness the sash around His waist. Isaiah 11:1-5

I’ll admit that I’m not very good at writing but Melissa said she’d help me out if I nee-ded it and I gladly took her up on it. She showed me an article from her women’s devotional Bible connected to this Scripture written by a lady named Sue Monk Kidd. The name of the article was called “Out of a Stump.”

She mentions that some of her midlife suffering came from tensions within her own marriage. One weekend, she and her husband went away to a lakeside cabin and, early one morning, they went for a walk. The path wound up a steep hill and she couldn’t help but think that marriage had its own steep hills.

At the top of the hill, she paused to catch her breath while her husband wandered about 20 yards ahead. The next thing she heard was her husband calling “Look! Come closer.” She looked up to see him pointing at a scarred tree stump. When she came closer, she saw a green shoot of a new oak tree growing in the center of the stump.

She was unaware of how long they stood there, but felt God speaking eloquently to her “about rebirth…a simple message about how life comes out of death and healing comes out of scars and wounds. The message said that rebuilding could happen after leveling. It said that hope is bigger than despair.

“I looked at Sandy. Could we heal the wounds?”Relationships (and people) can be fragile, just like a tender green shoot from a tree.

Are there relationships in our lives that need repairing and rebuilding? If so, maybe this is the time of the year to repair, rebuild, and renew.

Submitted on behalf of Amber Quinn

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December 7, 2012

Matthew 24:35 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”

I Peter 1:25 “The word of our God which will stand forever.”

Pastor Mark recently said that he is convinced that a person can’t love God deeply without knowing God deeply. Mark has said this before and I hope he reminds us of it again and again. The older I get, the more I understand how true that is. As I study the Chapter of John each week, I have also been reading two of William Barclay’s commentary books about it. I must confess that I have read these books before, around 40 years ago. Back then I very carefully underlined and wrote notes to myself on the side of various pages. I am amazed of what a good job I did. Guess what, I absolutely don’t remember these things that I thought were so important. Perhaps part of that is age, but I still have to ask myself how I could have forgotten all of that wonderful information and insights about Jesus and the Jew-ish customs and lifestyles. The truth has smacked me right dab in the face, for I have not been digging into God’s word hard enough.

I am finding myself actually looking forward to doing my study each day and finding out what all I have forgotten through the years. Last week the Barclay book asked the ques-tion of why would Jesus tell his disciples that He knew that they would abandon Him. He did not chastise them. He did not hold it against them. Barclay stated that Jesus spoke these things so that they would have peace. If Jesus had not foretold their weakness, when they realized afterwards how they had failed Him, it might have driven them into despair. Barclay paraphrased this by writing, “I know what’s going to happen; I am telling you about it now; you must not think that your disloyalty came as a shock to me; I knew it was coming; and it does not make any difference to my love. When you think about it afterwards, don’t des-pair.” Wow! Not only did Christ give them divine forgiveness then, He is saying that He gives it to us now because of His love.

The Bible is the world’s best-selling book. I’m so grateful to Mark and the Education Team for these Wednesday night studies. I’m slowly learning that before I delve into it, I need to first ask the Holy Spirit to speak to me through its words. A March Daily Word De- votional described the Bible beautifully with these words: “It contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the fate of sinners, and the happiness of believers. It is the traveler’s roadmap, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s weapon, and the player’s game plan. It’s a mine of incredible wealth and a river of genuine joy. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Christ is its grand subject, your good its design, and the glory of God its end. Read it to be wise, be-lieve it to be safe, practice it to be spiritually healthy. Read it slowly, frequently and prayer-fully. Let it fill your memory, rule your heart, and guide your steps. It is given to you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest respon-sibility, will reward the greatest labor, and judge those who trifle with its sacred contents.”

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Dear Lord, thank you for your word. Thank you for a church family that studies it to-gether and is willing to learn from one another. Help it to be our roadmap, our daily com-pass. Strengthen us as we walk with You. Light our paths with your word.

Mary Dee Brown

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December 8, 2012“The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will fulfill the gracious promise I

made to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.“In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s

line; he will do what is just and right in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jer-usalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called: The LORD Our Righ-teousness.” Jeremiah 33:14-16

The ProphecyChorusBehold, the days are coming when the Lord will raise up a righteous branch for David.Behold the days are coming when a King shall reign and prosper and shall execute

judgment and justice in the earth.In His days, Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell in safety and this is the name

whereby He shall be called: The LORD our Righteousness.

The LORD our righteousness — There is no such name any where given, either to the Jewish or Christian church, as the Lord our righteousness, but the full import of that name is spoken of Christ, Isaiah 45:23, which text is applied to Christ, Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10.1

Christ is our Lord God, our righteousness, our sanctification, and our redemption.2

What does it mean for Christ to be the Lord our Righteousness? One definition of righteousness is without guilt or sin. What a perfect description of Jesus! Jeremiah prophe-sied about Him in both chapters 23 verses 5-6 and 33 verses 14-16. He describes Him as Someone Who will do what is just and right (and without sin).

However, if you look ahead to 2 Corinthians 5:21, it says, “God made Him who had no sin to become sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” Wow! Another way of saying that would be, “God made Him who had righteousness to be-come sin for us, so that in Him we might become without guilt or sin…” Wow! Just to think that Christ was born as the LORD our Righteousness (without guilt or sin) and died so that we would be found righteous (without guilt or sin) in Him… That just amazes me! Does it amaze you? Perhaps we should share that with others this season so that they may be equally amazed and turn to Him if they haven’t already.

Submitted on behalf of Suzanne Brewer

1 John Wesley’s explanatory notes2 Matthew Henry’s commentary

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December 9, 2012“Marshal your troops, O city of troops, for a siege is laid against us. They will strike

Israel’s ruler on the cheek with a rod. ‘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.’ Therefore Israel will not be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor gives birth and the rest of His brothers return to join the Israelites. He will stand and shepherd in the strength of the Lord, His God. And they will live securely, for then His greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And He will be their peace.” Micah 5:1-5

The prophet Micah promises Israel that out of Bethlehem will come their ruler, “whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” He goes on to describe this ruler…

“He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be their peace.”

It is interesting that this chapter begins with “marshal your troops, oh city of troops, for a siege is laid against us.” These words seem to suggest battle and a leader who will save them with strength and power. Yet this promised ruler is described gently as a shep-herd, as one who will guide us to living securely. His strength is not in brute force or the other things the world might consider powerful qualities. His strength is the majesty of the name of the LORD. He leads us not to victory in battle, but to peace. He calls us to a min-istry that extends to the ends of the earth. In Isaiah 40:11, that promise continues: “He tends his flock like a shepherd. He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.”

The book of Micah speaks a great deal of unrighteousness and the judgment of sin. He attacks greed, oppression, injustice, and all kinds of evil. But he speaks so tenderly of this Redeemer, this promised ruler. It is perfect that a loving God would defeat evil not with more evil, but with LOVE. It is right that he would not send us a warrior, but instead a shep-herd. I love this image of Jesus, cradling us in his arms; saving us, leading us, sending us out, taking us home.

In a frenzied and still unrighteous world, we need that shepherd more than ever. Micah only foretold this leader. In this season and always, we can celebrate his arrival! We can live securely in His presence! We can share the good news to the ends of the earth!

“And he will be their peace.”Debbie Blackman

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December 10, 2012Of the Father’s Love Begotten

Verse 1Of the Father’s love begotten, ere the worlds began to be,He is Alpha and Omega, He the source, the ending He,Of the things that are, that have been, and that future years shall see,Evermore and evermore!Verse 2O ye heights of heav’n adore Him; angel hosts His praises sing;Pow’rs, dominions, bow before Him, and extol our God and King;Let no tongue on earth be silent, ev’ry voice in concert ring,Evermore and evermore!Verse 3Christ to Thee with God the Father and, O Holy Ghost, to Thee,Hymn and chant and high thanksgiving and unwearied praises be.Honor, glory, and dominion, and eternal victory,Evermore and evermore!

Whenever I hear this song, for some strange reason, I hear Malcolm McDowell spea-king the words to this song. I’m not sure why, but this is who’s voice I’m hearing on this song.

“Of the Father’s Love Begotten” was written by Marcus Aurelius Clemens Prudentius to express his faith that Jesus is, indeed, divine –– the Son of God –– not like the rest of us, who are children of God, but uniquely the Son of God –– begotten by the Father’s love –– the Alpha and Omega –– the beginning and end –– evermore and evermore. When you think about it, this is one of the things we profess to believe in the Nicene Creed: We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, very God from very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father.

One of the things I like about this song is that we’re all called to give praise to Jesus: “Let no tongue on earth be silent, ev’ry voice in concert ring, evermore and evermore.” An-other thing I like is that it praises God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost: “Christ to Thee with God the Father and, O Holy Ghost, to Thee, hymn and chant and high thanksgiving and unwearied praises be.”

May we be ever praising God this Advent season and always for what He has done in our lives.

In Christ,Melissa Ball

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December 11, 2012So 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 room for them in the inn. Luke 2:4-7

Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Ro-man world. Augustus’s decree went out in God’s perfect timing and according to God’s perfect plan to bring his Son into the world.

Joseph was required by law to go to pay his taxes and his fiancée, Mary, was requi-red to go with him. They traveled seventy miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem where they were required to register. Joseph must have been worried about the trip and about Mary. Mary must have been very uncomfortable and worried about her baby. But they both trus-ted God to care for them and see to their safety.

When they finally arrived, tired and worried because Mary’s time was drawing near, they could not even find a room. When they did find the stable, it was probably warm from the animals that were there but certainly not very comfortable. It was there that our Savior was born.

We are not promised comfort when we do God’s will. However, God’s perfect plan for our lives is assured if we believe in Him.

Lord in Heaven, Please grant us the courage to follow your plan for us. Guide us in all things that we may do your will. Thank you for your Son our Lord, your amazing love for us and our many daily blessings. Amen

Alice Staves

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December 12, 2012“Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing

you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them. In the past, he let all nations go their own way. Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.” Acts 14:15-17

FAITH – What an elusive thing! A Christ Child is born but it is by FAITH that we real-ly believe it. It is by FAITH that we bow down to pray and ask Jesus to lift whatever it is we are carrying. Yet at times, FAITH for each of us seems to wane. Sometimes we feel our FAITH is for naught and we wonder where God is!

It is times like these we need to heed the Scriptures and witness God’s miracles ev-ery day. Take a walk in nature. Watch the sun travel across the sky – feel the wind in your face – delight in the stars at night – watch plants grow and flowers bloom – see a rainbow – watch the birds. How can we ever doubt! It is times like this that Paul’s words have great meaning – “FAITH does not rest in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God!” (Para-phrase from 1 Corinthians 2:5)

We would do well to take time from our busy lives – pray and watch the miracles of God by just observing nature in all it’s glory!

We as Christians are sometimes just human enough to lose FAITH in Jesus! It is the season of Christmas that jars us enough to renew our FAITH and again become avid followers of Christ! His daily miracles make all of this real!

Praise be to God!Dwight Sampson

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December 13, 2012Matthew 2:3-8: When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all

Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’”

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find Him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship Him.”

Once In Royal David’s CityVerse 1Once in royal David’s city stood a lowly cattle shed,Where a mother laid her Baby in a manger for His bed.Mary was that mother mild,Jesus Christ her little child.Verse 2He came down to earth from heaven, Who is God and Lord of all,And His shelter was a stable, and His cradle was a stall.With the poor and meek and lowlyLived on earth our Savior holy.Verse 3Jesus is our childhood’s pattern, day by day like us He grew,He was little, weak, and helpless, tears and smiles like us He knew.And He feels for all our sadnessAnd He shares in all our gladness.Verse 4And our eyes at last shall see Him through His own redeeming love,For that child so dear and gentle is our Lord in heaven aboveAnd He leads His children onTo the place where He has gone.

Advent is a season of rebirth and renewal. I ponder these things during this Season, knowing that Jesus chose to be born of lowly stature and to experience all the emotions and growing pains that we all do. God watches after us as we grow; only asking that we trust and obey Him. He wants to see us grow and be happy and to have everlasting life with Him in Heaven. God protects us from the Herods of the world and the forces of darkness that attempt to extinguish the Light. He assures us, “I love you more than the stars and the sun that I taught how to shine; you are Mine and you shine for Me too…” I pray this season be one of joy and rebirth for you. Remember not to live solely by the pleasure/pain principle, but instead be thankful for all things God has given us. Keep in mind that challenges and

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discipline we receive serve to bring glory to Him and help us grow in faith. I believe it is im-portant to give sacrificially, especially at Christmastime – for God loves a cheerful giver and is honored by such gifts.

Kevin Kelly

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December 14, 2012After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in

the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mo-ther Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Matthew 2:9-12

The wise men travelled a great distance to see this newborn king. We do not know exactly where they came from, how many there were, or how they knew the star represen-ted a king. We do know they came with costly gifts to worship Jesus. That is perhaps the beginning of gift giving tradition at Christmas that is such an important part of the holiday today.

Each Christmas Americans spend millions and millions of dollars and countless hours buying gifts for family and friends. We get caught up in finding just the right gift for each person on our list. Gift cards have become popular in the last few years so that each person can choose exactly what they want.

What we have forgotten is that God gave us “just the right gift” on that very first Christmas in Bethlehem. It’s perfect for everyone and something we all need. It is Jesus and through Him our salvation and eternal life in Heaven!

Heavenly Father,We praise and thank you for the wonderful gift of your Son, Jesus. Help us to share

this gift with others during this Christmas season.In Jesus name,

AmenSue Krall

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December 15, 2012When 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 un-der, 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 mourn-ing, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.” Matthew 2:16-18

I struggled with this devotion. As we read about the story of the birth of Jesus, the killing of innocent children doesn’t seem to fit. A King who is fearful of losing his power, violence, brutality, and a mourning mother over the loss of her children. It’s quite a stark image of mankind’s sin, for the sought after power and authority that King Herod was seek-ing. But doesn’t this paint such a vivid picture of why our Savior was so needed? Human-kind, with our sinful natures, so desperately needed a Savior. And even Jesus, as a tiny in-fant, was not safe from the cruel world. Jesus immediately took on his Humanity and was not only born in a stable, but into a violent, unjust world. Jesus—fully human but yet a fully divine Savior.

Dear God,Thank you so much for sending us Your Savior. We know that our ways are sinful.

Please help keep us focused on Your Word and your path for our lives. You sent your only son into a brutal world for us, You sent Your Son to die for our sins. Thank You so much Awesome God and help us to remember this most beautiful gift at Christmas time and al-ways. In Jesus’ Precious Name we pray, Amen.

Sarah Seymour

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December 16, 2012In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a

virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; His kingdom will never end.”

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most

High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.”

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her. Luke 1:26-38

During the Advent Season most of our thoughts look forward to the birth of Jesus. Little time is spent considering Mary in the divine birth. The phrase “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God” implies that both divine and human gifts of grace were to be found in Mary. Mary was chosen because God had given her all of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Gabriel truly proclaimed her full of grace. He saw that she had already received these gifts. Mary was chosen for this honor not because she had perfected herself, but because she was “full of grace” – fully welcoming of and prepared by God’s abundant love. Although there are many women in the Bible who received God’s favor, no other has the amazing glory of the Virgin Mother of God—gifts unimaginable to us!!

Isn’t it astonishing that Jesus entered the world as a baby, totally dependent on Mary and Joseph for his nourishment, training, and love. And, isn’t it also perplexing that Mary and Joseph were given the task to raise Jesus when we think about all of the hardships they endured. Only a truly magnificent God could be responsible for this amazing miracle.

Apostle Paul wrote, “God sent his Son, born of a woman so that we might receive adoption as children of God. Humble Mary was chosen and followed God’s plan. As Chris-tian women (chosen by God) I hope we will consider Mary as a mentor and not get “caught up” in the sinful world that is often times degrading to women. I pray that all of us (men and women) will be mindful of Mary’s grace, i.e., fully welcoming of and prepared by God’s abundant love.

Jean McHenry

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December 17, 2012Sing to the LORD, bless His name; tell of His salvation from day to day. Psalm 96:2

What Will I Give Him?

We’re halfway through Advent. For many, that statement evokes stress. There’s shopping to be done, projects to finish, and long to-do lists.

Yet the psalmist’s words bring us back to the true meaning of Advent: preparing to celebrate the past, present, and future coming of Christ. They remind us that in the midst of this demanding season, we need to pause, show gratitude to God, and share the joy of His salvation.

Advent is a time when Christ’s story becomes ours, because at the heart of Christi-anity is our relationship with God through Christ. Albert Einstein reminds us, “There are only two ways to live your life: as though nothing is a miracle, or as though everything is a miracle.”

Gracious God, we thank You for the many miracles in our daily lives and the greatest miracle of all – Your gift to us of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Submitted by Jini SampsonFrom a devotional in These Days a few years ago.

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December 18, 2012And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their

flocks at night. Luke 2:8While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night

Verse 1While shepherds watched their flocks by night, all seated on the ground,The angel of the Lord came down, and glory shone around,And glory shone around.Verse 2“Fear not,” he said, for mighty dread had seized their troubled minds.“Glad tidings of great joy I bring to you and all mankind,To you and all mankind.”Verse 3“To you in David’s town this day is born of David’s line,The Savior who is Christ the Lord, and this shall be the sign,And this shall be the sign.”Verse 4“The heavenly Babe you there shall find to human view displayed,All meanly wrapped in swathing bands, and in a manger laid,And in a manger laid.”Verse 5Thus spake the Seraph and forthwith appeared a shining throngOf angels praising God, who thus addressed their joyful song,Addressed their joyful song.Verse 6“All glory be to God on high, and to the earth be peace;Good will hence forth from heaven to men begin and never cease,Begin and never cease.”

This Christmas story told in song form reminded me of some truths that I should put deeper into my life.

Verse 1. Watching – I should watch more to see what God is doing in my life and in the lives of those around me. Sometimes I am aware of lessons that God might be teaching me and others but not always. I have no idea what jobs He may have us do in the hereafter but I am sure He is training us for different jobs. In addition, we are all probably learning obedience and perseverance. If heaven is peaceful and runs smoothly, I want to be well trained so I don’t mess up.

Verse 2. Fear not – I hope I’m learning to trust Him with all of my life and not depend on myself to do everything and to try to help others solve their problems. Oh, what a mess that can be. I don’t have all the facts but God does. He does a much better job.

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Verse 3. Savior – I need one – I can’t save myself. I don’t have that power. He has so much power that He can keep this earthly world going every day and He may still be cre-ating in the universe. What a mess I would make of it.

Verse 4. The heavenly baby – is there if we only open our eyes. Yes, Jesus came to earth to show us who He is and to tell us of a future we can have, if only we will let go of our lives and let him have them.

Verse 5. Praising angels – set the example for us to praise God daily for all that He is. And we should give thanks for all the blessings He sends us. (Psalm 100:4) Remember the Praise books that really spelled out the need and value of praise to God.

Verse 6. God and good – God starts good things in our lives and continues it without ceasing till it is accomplished. God is the only one that is truly good. I must trust this when my life seems uncomfortable and I selfishly want to think He is mean. I am so thankful for Jesus and the Holy Spirit for their guidance.

What more could I ask? He created me with needs and provided for those needs to be met (sometimes by members of this congregation). Please join me this season in giving thanks to God and each other. What a great fellowship we have.

Thank You, Lord, for fellowship with You and others. May we learn our lessons with gratitude and joy.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND AN INTERESTING 2013 TO ALL OF YOU.Mary Srack

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December 19, 2012An 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 of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:9-12

God Rest Ye, Merry GentlemenVerse 1God rest ye, merry gentlemen, let nothing you dismay. Remember, Christ our Savior was born on Christmas Day. To save us all from Satan’s pow’r when we were gone astray.ChorusO tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy, O tidings of comfort and joy.Verse 2In Bethlehem, in Jewry, this blessed Babe was born and laid within a manger upon that blessed morn, the which His mother Mary did nothing take in scorn.Verse 3From God, our heavenly Father, a blessed angel came and unto certain shepherds brought tidings of the same, how that in Bethlehem was born the Son of God by name.Verse 4“Fear not,” then said the angel, “let nothing you affright. This day is born a Savior of a pure virgin bright to free all those who trust in Him from Satan’s pow’r and might.”Verse 5The shepherds, at those tidings, rejoiced much in mind, and left their flocks afeeding in tempest storms and wind and went to Bethlehem straightway the blessed Babe to find.Verse 6And when they came to Bethlehem, where our dear Savior lay, they found Him in a manger where oxen feed on hay. His mother, Mary, kneeling down, unto the Lord did pray.Verse 7Now to the Lord, sing praises all you within this place. And with true love and brotherhood each other now embrace. This holy tide of Christmas all others doth deface.

...And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.

We have heard the saying “The Lord works in mysterious ways” many times throughout our lives, and here is a vivid example. At this most important time in Earth’s history, God, Our Heavenly Father, continues to reveal his Son, but not to those we might expect. Obviously, first of all God through an angel promises the birth of Jesus to Mary (Luke 1:26). This of course is not surprising that God would reveal to the birth mother that his Son was to be born. But, perhaps individually speaking, this announcement came as a great surprise to Mary. However, here Luke records that Jesus’ birth was announced to

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shepherds in the fields. Not kings or royalty, not rich people, not scholars, but simple humble shepherds. These shepherds may have been the shepherds who supplied the lambs for the Temple sacrifices, performed for the forgiveness of sin. God through his Angels now invited these shepherds to greet the Lamb of God (John 1:36), who would take away the sins of the whole world, forevermore.

Imagine how terrified you might be when first approached by an Angel, but how wonderful the feeling that would come over you once the Angel reveals to you the good news of Jesus’ birth. Immediate fear quickly turning into ultimate joy! What a life-altering experience. To be spoken to by an Angel who tells you about the imminent birth of the world’s Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Surely, these lowly shepherds tending the field must have questioned – why us, why are we the ones to first hear of the birth of Jesus. How wonderful, how incredible, how significant they must have felt!

These shepherds, specifically chosen by God, must have been overwhelmed and in awe because they were invited to witness the new born Jesus and instructed to go out into the world and share the good news that Jesus Christ is born. Imagine being invited to see the baby Jesus, and then being appointed, by God, no less, to go spread the word that Jesus, mankind’s Messiah, mankind’s Savior has been born.

Given all of this, these humble Shepherds were the first people to seek Christ. Try to imagine their feelings and the questions they must have had. The Promised Messiah Had Come! Try and Compare your feelings when YOU first really met Jesus Christ, the Messiah to the feelings of these Shepherds.

Surely, we all as believers of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ can only dream of being called upon by God to see his new born son. However, today, we as believers can still feel the joy these lowly shepherds must have experienced; that joy of spreading the news today, tomorrow and forever that Jesus Christ was indeed born – born to be the world’s Messiah and Savior!

Merry Christmas! Today we celebrate the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Whether you are with friends, family, or away from home, let us not forget the miracle that was the birth of our Lord and Savior. Let us remember the blessings that He brings to us all and how God provides to us in every way. The Lord speaks to us through so many facets of our lives. Let us always remember our blessings and glorify God in all we do.

Christ’s Peace this Holiday Season,Michael A. Gould

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December 20, 2012“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising

God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”Luke 2:13-14

It Came Upon the Midnight ClearVerse 1It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old,From angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold:“Peace on the earth, goodwill to men, from heaven’s all gracious King”;The world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing.Verse 2Still through the cloven skies they come with peaceful wings unfurl’d;And still their heav’nly music floats o’er all the weary world.Above its sad and lowly plains, they bend on hov’ring wing,And ever o’er its Babel sounds the blessed angels sing.Verse 3Yet with the woes of sin and strife the world has suffered longBeneath the angel-strain have rolled two thousand years of wrong.And man, at war with man hears not the love-song which they bring,O hush the noise, ye men of strife, and hear the angels sing.Verse 4And ye, beneath life’s crushing load, whose forms are bending low,Who toil along the climbing way with painful steps and slow,Look now! for glad and golden hours come swiftly on the wing:O rest beside the weary road, and hear the angels sing.Verse 5For lo, the days are hastening on, by prophets seen of old,When, with the ever circling years, shall come the time foretold,When the new heaven and earth shall own the Prince of Peace their King,And the whole world send back the song which now the angels sing.

This poem was written by a preacher named Edmund Sears in 1849 in his parish near Boston. He had recently survived a period of depression and illness. His congregation was full of people whose lives were crushed by war, famine, suffering and fear.

Our country had just finished a war with Mexico and a civil war was looming on the horizon. Revolutions wracked Europe from France to Russia. When these were crushed, many refugees poured into the U.S. Also, between 1845 and 1849, there was a terrible famine in Ireland. So many poor Irish immigrated that they made up one-quarter of the population of the major Eastern cities, including Boston.

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The Industrial Revolution took hold in the North and slavery was rampant in the South. Men, women and children had to toil from dawn into the night under harsh condi-tions in both factory and field.

Pastor Sears firmly believed that Jesus was the only hope for his desperate world. To them, he wrote:

“And ye, beneath life’s crushing load, whose forms are bending low, Who toil along the climbing way with painful steps and slow. Look now! for glad and golden hours come swiftly on the wing, O rest beside the weary road and hear the angels sing.”

Like the Jewish people of Bible days, he longed for the Messiah to come soon and establish God's kingdom on earth. In this Christmas carol, he makes a strong connection between the first advent and the second coming of Jesus Christ.

Like the people of his day, we live in a world full of violence, cruelty, greed, slavery, famine and suffering. We have tried to solve these problems through science, diplomacy, money, education and war. All of our efforts have failed. Jesus Christ is our only hope. In Him, people who formerly hated each other have found brotherhood.

The Scripture quote above follows the King James Bible wording, “and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.” A lot of people through the years have scoffed at the mess-age of the Bible due to this poor translation. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow put it best in his carol. “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” He wrote:

“And in despair I shook my head: “There is no peace on earth," I said,“For hate is strong and mocks the songOf peace on earth, good will to men.”However, a better translation of the Scripture would be, “and on earth, peace in

those men well-pleasing to Him.” The Greek word translated as “good will” or “well-pleas-ing” is the same word used by Luke at the baptism of Jesus, where God says, “You are My beloved Son. In you I am well-pleased.”

Jesus will bring peace in the future, yes, but also right now, to those who are well-pleasing to God. Who are they? They are the ones who embrace His gift of salvation in the death and resurrection of His son, making Him their Lord. Jesus promises,

“My peace I give to you.” John 14:27The real Christmas carols offer Jesus Christ as the only hope for me and for you. We

need to sing them every year. Our sad world needs to hear them. They echo the promise of the Bible, that “the new heaven and earth shall own the Prince of Peace their King.”

Lord, use me to spread your good news to someone and bring them peace. Amen.

Ted Horowitz

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December 21, 2012When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one an-

other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” Luke 2:15

Many of our congregation members are natives of Missouri, the Show Me State. Under that motto, we want to see before we believe. All of us fall into this manner of thin-king at times and, in certain instances, caution is warranted. The U.S.’s “trust but veri-fy” modus operandi with Soviet Russia in the 1980s comes to mind. But the Luke 2:15 shepherds remind us that we need not see to believe when the Lord speaks. That is, rather than saying “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see whether this thing that the Lord has told us about has happened,” the shepherds say “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

When the Lord speaks, we can (and should) simply believe. He is Truth. And just as the shepherds’ faith led them to an unparalleled-in-history eye-to-eye encounter with the eternal Gift, belief opens the door for us to enjoy all the richness of life in His presence, here and now.

Believe, and worship in the light of His goodness and love. Blessings to you in this season of Joy.

Miriam Bailey

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December 22, 2012So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the

manger. Luke 2:16O Come, All Ye Faithful

Verse 1O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphantO come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;Come and behold Him born the King of angels;ChorusO come, let us adore Him,O come, let us adore Him,O come, let us adore Him,Christ, the Lord.Verse 2Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,O sing, all ye citizens of heaven above;Glory to God, all glory in the highest;Verse 3Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning,O Jesus, to Thee be all glory be given;Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing;

The hymn that was selected to accompany this devotion is “O Come All Ye Faithful.” The words to this song are familiar to everyone. It says, “Come to Bethlehem and behold the King of angels. Come let us adore Him.”

That certainly is the theme of this Advent season and we can feel the excitement in Luke 2:16 as they find the baby in the manger.

St. Luke Church is blessed this year to have many little angels skipping around the hallways. We pray that this trend will continue and that sufficient time and effort will be made to truly come and adore them and worship our heavenly Father.

Bob Hayward

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December 23, 2012When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what they 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.

Luke 2:17-19

How special Mary must have been to be chosen to give birth to The Savior. How humble Mary must have been to be able to give birth to the Savior and not gloat about it. What a special gift to be able to treasure this experience and not take any of the glory away from God. How many of us have heard from God and didn’t follow up with what He was saying? What do you think would have happened if the shepherds had not gone to see what the messengers were so gladly proclaiming? What if the shepherds remained afraid? God knew it would take His “armies of heaven” to get the attention of the shepherds. God wan-ted to make sure the excitement would cause the shepherds to go witness the event for themselves so that they could spread the good news of The Savior being born. God even gave the very details needed for them to know which baby born was The Savior. God still wants us to continue to be excited about spreading the good news of The Savior, The Mes-siah, The Lord. People today will still be astonished about the message of peace and good will through the birth of our Lord and Savior when we talk about the birth of Jesus.

Alonda Forde

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December 24, 2012The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard

and seen, which were just as they had been told. Luke 2:20Go Tell It On the Mountains

ChorusGo, tell it on the mountains, over the hills and everywhere;Go, tell it on the mountains, that Jesus Christ is born!Verse 1While shepherds kept their watching o’er silent flocks by night,Behold throughout the heavens there shone a holy light.Verse 2The shepherds feared and trembled when lo! above the earthRang out the angel chorus that hailed our Savior’s birth.Verse 3Down in a lowly manger the humble Christ was born,And brought us God’s salvation that blessed Christmas morn.

I love the song “Go Tell It On the Mountains.” It is one of my all-time favorite Christ-mas carols.

The chorus especially moves me and can be easily connected to Luke 2:20. To me, this song (and the Scripture) speaks of witnessing. For instance, take a look at what the shepherds did after seeing the baby Jesus: they returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, which God’s angels had told them about.

I can get pretty excited about sharing my faith with others and trying to get others to join me. Also, sharing with others about their need for a Savior can be quite satisfying. Then seeing that person come to Christ and growing in their relationship with Him is a powerful testimony to the Lordship of Jesus.

Perhaps this song can help you lead someone to Christ this Advent season. I pray it will and that you will be blessed.

Kathy Bailey

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December 25, 2012Christmas Day

Merry Christmas. The reality is that for most this day will leave little room for devo-tionals or reflection. It is also possible that many will be reading this either before or after December 25. In both cases, it is well. The “to do’ list has been long enough and the last thing we need is another task to work in. For this day we celebrate the beginning of the end of our labors. Today we celebrate the birth of the finished work.

The Christmas holiday is often referred to as “the season of hope.” In some ways this is accurate but, though it be true, it also falls far short of the full meaning. It is not my in-tention to disparage the importance of hope as a spiritual force, promise or necessity but I believe that Christmas points us to, and leads us to an ultimate destination. That destination is certainty.

In Luke 2:11 the angel said “for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” With the word “today” the Holy Spirit brings certainty to time. This is not to be placed with the prophecies concerning the Messiah. This is not that He will come. The future is now. Today is “today.”

The word “born” brings certainty to existence. This was not about God raising up from among the people one person. Nor was this about the Father calling out, setting apart or anointing one already living who would then have to respond with faithfulness and obedi-ence. He was “born.” He exists. He is here now.

Purpose is made certain in the word “Savior.” Prophet, teacher, healer, deliverer (He was, in fact, all of these) were given secondary importance with the proclamation of who He is, first and foremost: Savior of the world.

The Promise was no longer a promise. It was now reality, a flesh and blood human being, no longer hoped for only but now to for us to behold.

Lord God by Your Grace and the power of the Holy Spirit, enable us to embrace the present hope realized. Holy Spirit come and pull us out of the past. Free us from our con-cern about the future. Bear witness with our spirits of the certainty that we have in Christ. In His name. Amen.

Steve Bozarth

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