Christian Reflection and Prayer

And at the end of eight days ... He was circumcised ...
(Luke 2:21).

 

New Year's Day was always an exciting new beginning.
If the old year had brought us pain and misery, we
could rejoice that it was over, gone, behind us. And in
the dawning of a new day, there was the hope the New
Year would be so much better.

 

This day was also a new beginning for the Baby Jesus.
Jesus is eight days old, and it is now time to circumcise
Him, according to the Law of the Lord. This ceremony
made Jesus a member of God's people Israel. It also
bound Him under the Law, obligating Him to keep that
Law perfectly. As our Substitute, Jesus perfectly obeyed
God's Law, so His perfection, holiness and righteousness
might be ours, covering our failings, our flaws, and our
sins.

 

But His circumcision carries with it the reminder that
Jesus will not simply cover our sin, He will remove it from
us -- forever. On this eighth day of His young life, Jesus
first sheds His blood for us, but it will certainly not be the
last time He does this. On a dark day some 30 years into
the future, Jesus will shed His blood and die on the cross
to satisfy God's wrath against our sins.

 

The symbolism of His circumcision and our Baptism both
remind us of God's work, cutting off our sinful nature or
drowning it. In Baptism God makes us new creatures, so
we can stand before Him spotless and pure through Jesus
Christ.

 

What a way to start a New Year!

 

THE PRAYER:

 

Lord Jesus, in Your circumcision Your blood was first shed
as our Substitute. Cut the sin from our hearts, that we may
enter this New Year in Your holiness and purity. Amen.

 

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

And at the end of eight days ... He was called Jesus
 ... (Luke 2:21).

 

New Year's Eve was exciting when I was a kid. We
say goodbye to the old and ring in the new. With each
New Year came all kinds of exciting opportunities,
hopes and dreams.

 

Jesus has now reached the age of eight days and
something new is about to happen. Every Israelite boy
who reached the age of eight days was required to be
circumcised and receive his name. As we saw earlier
in the naming of Zechariah and Elizabeth's son John,
names were important to the people of Israel.

Mary and Joseph have already been told the Name that
God has given for His Son. So in obedience they gave
Mary's Child the Name of Jesus. It was a common
name at the time. It means "The Lord is salvation" or "
The Lord saves." In the Old Testament the names
Joshua and Hosea are variants of the name Jesus.
Every other Israelite boy carrying this name in effect
reminded people to turn their attention to God, who is
their salvation.

 

In the case of Mary's Son it was completely different,
however. In His case the Name pointed to Himself as
Lord -- the One who is now present to save His people
from their sins. Many years from now His enemies will
hurl His Name back at Him in mockery, as He hangs
on the cross: "He saved others; He cannot save
Himself. He trusts in God, let God deliver Him now, if
He desires Him. For He said, 'I am the Son of God'"
(Matthew 27:42-43).

 

But there on the cross Jesus was fulfilling His Name --
the Lord saving His people from death and hell by
suffering for their sins.

 

THE PRAYER:

 

Lord Jesus, You truly are the Lord who saves His
people. Receive our thanks for being the Savior Your
name said You would be. Amen.

 

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

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

 

This is about the time we started running dangerously
low on Christmas cookies. I always hated getting to
the bottom of the "animal cookies." I'm not sure why
we called them that, since we used all kinds of different
shapes: trees, bells, etc. But I would definitely leave all
the others behind in my search for that one last animal
cookie.

 

The shepherds had the same feeling about the Christ
Child. After the angel army returns to heaven, the
shepherds immediately talk it over and decide to leave
their flocks behind in search of the Christ Child.

 

They go to Bethlehem and search until they find Him
wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger -- just
as the angel had said. How incredible was it to look down
into the face of the mighty Son of God? The shepherds
share the angel's words with Mary and Joseph and every
person they meet. All who hear their words are amazed,
but Mary stores up their words and ponders them deep
inside.

 

What the shepherds did in one night, we spend our
lifetimes doing. We learn of our Savior in the Bible. We
then spend the rest of our lives looking forward to the
moment when we will gaze upon His glorious face -- just
like they did. Because of His life, death and resurrection,
we will be able to remain in His wonderful presence forever.

 

THE PRAYER:

 

Lord Jesus, the shepherds left their flocks behind to find
you. Give me that same excitement that I may leave
everything to walk with You through life until I meet
You face to face. Amen.

 

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)