Christian Reflection and Prayer

"Jesus Goes Up To God's House"

2014 Advent

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

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

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

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

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

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

THE PRAYER:

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

(Lutheran Hour Ministrie)

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

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

God didn't leave them alone

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

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

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

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

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

THE PRAYER:

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

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

THE PRAYER:

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

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)