Christian Reflection and Prayer

Advent Devotions

Read Luke 2:25-28.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see
death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. Luke 2:26

My wise men are making progress along their way. Since yesterday,
they have moved a little closer to the manger scene. But there are
two other people who really should be included in our Nativity scene.
In fact they saw the infant Jesus before the wise men did. These
faithful Jews were in the temple on the 40th day after Jesus' birth
when Mary and Joseph brought Him up to the temple to present Him
to the Lord.

The first is a man named Simeon. Luke describes Simeon as
"righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the
Holy Spirit was upon him" (Luke 2:25b). It's not that Simeon was
perfect, he was a sinner like all of us and needed the Son of God
to save him. But since he trusted God's promise to send a Savior,
the consolation of Israel, and since the Holy Spirit was upon him,
we know Simeon was a believer. His faith in Jesus made him
righteous and devout.

And Simeon had received a special promise from the Holy Spirit.
For generation after generation God's faithful people had been
waiting for the coming of the Savior. This was a promise given
clear back in the Garden of Eden to Adam and Eve. Each
generation wondered if He would come during their lifetime, but
countless generations had come and gone without seeing the
promised Savior. But Simeon knows how close that coming
finally is. In fact, during his lifetime, before he departs from this
earth to rest with God in heaven, he will see the promised One-
the Lord's Christ. And this is the day, the 40th day of Jesus' life,
when God kept His promise.

You and I have that special honor too, like Simeon. Today we
look at Jesus through the eyes of faith. We know that He has
come and has saved all of us from sin, death, and the devil by
His perfect life, and His innocent suffering, death, and
resurrection. We also know He will return again, but we don't
know if that will happen in our lifetime or not. But one thing is
certain, whether we depart from this world or Christ Jesus
returns first, we will see Jesus with our own eyes, face to face-
just as Simeon did. In the meantime, filled with the Holy Spirit,
let us go up to the house of the Lord to worship every week,
and joyously look forward to the day when we too will see
Christ Jesus with our own eyes.

THE PRAYER:

 Lord God, thank You for Your promise that I will see Jesus
when I depart from this world. Strengthen my faith through
Your holy Word, Baptism, and Holy Communion that I may
live in peace and share the Good News of Jesus' salvation
with everyone You bring into my life. Grant me the courage to
do this ununtil that great day when You let me depart in peace.
In Jesus' Name. I pray. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

"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)