Merry Christmas!

Read: Matthew 2: 19-23

Key verse: “Then Joseph got up and took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. …And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee.” Matthew 2: 21, 22b

Safe at last, the Holy family returned to Israel, settling in the town of Nazareth in the district of Galilee. There Joseph and Mary would fulfill their responsibility to God, raising God’s son. Scripture tells us little about these formative years, but we can imagine the parents’ wonder at the events that occurred at his birth, and the magnitude of their responsibility. Luke tells us that “Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in divine and human favor.” (Luke 2:52)  This implies they did their job well.

Prayer: Lord God, may we endeavor to bring up our children in homes that honor you. Help us to be examples of Christian living, providing our children the strength that comes from a close relationship with you. Amen

GOD SAVES THE CHILD

Read Matthew 2:12 - 3:18

Key verse: Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”  Matthew 2:13

Herod’s plot was foiled when the wise men were warned in a dream to ignore his request; they took another route back to their home, leaving King Herod in a frenzy, determined to find the baby who threatened his power. Joseph was also warned to flee from the king’s wrath, and followed the instructions he was given in a dream, escaping to Egypt until the danger was past.

Herod’s vengeance brought death to all the innocent children two years old and under, in and around Bethlehem in an effort to eliminate the new king.  This is the tragic side of the Christmas story.

But the Christ child was saved.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, our hearts ache for innocent lives that are lost – in Biblical times and today. We pray for your love to comfort those who suffer and we pray for the day peace will reign. Amen.

VISITORS FROM THE EAST

Read Matthew 2:1-11

Key verse: In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” Matthew 2:1-2.

The visit of the wise men from the East establishes the first manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles. Also referred to as the Magi, these men were astrologers and interpreted the star’s rising as evidence of the new king’s birth. They assumed the royal city Jerusalem was the proper place to seek the new king. When they learned that prophecy indicated the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, they set out to follow the star to that town. We can imagine the fear that gripped King Herod when he heard this threat to his power; he played it cool and asked for them to return and tell him where the child was so he too could worship him.

Tradition lists the wise men as three in number, probably because of the three gifts they brought to the new king: gold, frankincense and myrrh. Each of these gifts was symbolic of the future of this child. Gold symbolizes the kingship of Jesus. Frankincense, an aromatic gum-resin from trees in southern Arabia, produces a sweet fragrance when burned. It was used with other aromatics to produce incense for offerings to Yahweh in ancient Israel’s worship. Myrrh, another aromatic gum-resin, was mixed with aloes and used to anoint the body before burial.

Prayer: Dear Lord, may we be wise people, and seek Christ, hailing him as King, offering ourselves as gifts to his service. Amen.

Home

Read Luke 2: 39-40
Key Verse: And the child grew

Mary and Joseph showed their love for God as they fulfilled His law in Jerusalem before they took their precious baby home to Nazareth.  Don’t you wonder at their thoughts as they prepared to raise God’s son?  Who were they?  No one special...and that may be why God chose them: their only recommendation for this magnificent responsibility was their love and obedience to His will.   And that was what God wanted.

And still wants today.

Prayer: Lord, may I, too, love and obey You.

Women

Read Luke 2: 36-38
Key Verse: 36: There was also a prophetess, Anna...

Anna, a devout woman, lived in the temple, worshipping and praising God daily.  Here we find God giving her special honor as she, along with Simeon, welcomed the infant Jesus.  In a day and time when women were considered second class citizens, God is telling us that women and men are equal in His sight.

Prayer: Lord, thank you that You love and honor ALL of us.

God Fulfills

Read Luke 2:25-35
Key Verse: 20: Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace.

Again we see Jesus’ parents fulfilling the laws and customs of their people, and also by God’s great good pleasure also fulfilling His promise to Simeon, an elderly and devout Jew.  God’s promise – that Simeon would see the Lord’s Christ before he died – has come to pass.

Prayer: Lord, May we always remember that You keep your promises.  Thank you.

Tradition

Read Luke 2:22-24
Key Verse:  As it is written in the Law of the Lord...

Jesus’ early years are glossed over in our Scripture, but we are assured that from His birth, He was raised according to Jewish law and in the traditions of his people.  He, God’s Future, was also steeped in God’s Past.

Prayer: Lord, May we gain wisdom and guidance from an understanding of our Past.

What’s In a Name?

Read Luke 2:21  On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceive.

Jesus’ name, given to Mary by the angel who first came to her, is the Greek form of the name Joshua, and it means “The Lord Saves.”  From the moment of his conception Jesus’ name foretold His future.

Prayer: Lord, You have known us from the womb, and destined us for Your purposes.

Now Act!

Read Luke 2:15-20
Key Verse: So they hurried off and found....

Being practical men, the shepherds’ reaction was also practical: Let’s go and check this story out!  And amazingly enough, it was true!  They hurried to spread this great and good word, and then returned to their flocks, rejoicing and praising God.

Prayer: Lord, May we not only hear and understand your Word, but act on it, following your will for our lives.

Now Hear This!

Read Luke 2: 8-14
Key Verse: An angel of the Lord appeared to them....

Being a shepherd can be a rough, tough job, and the men who do it are rough, tough men.  They are practical men, not given to visions or fancies, and perhaps this is why God chose to send his angels to them to announce His great gift.

Prayer: Lord, may I be open to any announcements You may have for me.

Mary and Joseph, Part VII

Luke 2:1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.  7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

Once when my children were very young, I remember on Christmas Eve reading this story to them…and then we talked about the miracle that happened in Bethlehem that night.  And, as I was tucking her in, the five-year-old asked, “But did Mary and Joseph ever pay their taxes?”

Yes, let’s demand that they show those tax returns!

How easy it is to fix on something insignificant and miss the real point of the story.

Indeed, the whole matter of the census taking and the date and who was governing the Roman province have vexed scholars for two millennia as they try to “fix” the date of Jesus birth, and the reason his Galilean parents would have been in Bethlehem to satisfy yet another Old Testament Prophecy.

And they miss the point.  It is not where…nor why they were there…nor whether there really were shepherds in the fields or wise men from the east…that is the stuff of which Christmas pageants are made, but it is not the “true” meaning of Christmas.

The “true” meaning is found in the Gospel of John, the one that doesn’t have any mangers or shepherds in it at all: In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

It was not a tax that was collected, but a gift that was given…the gift of light and life eternal…the most tax-free gift of all…LOVE.

It is a gift that cannot be truly given nor truly accepted, it can only be shared.

Prayer:  Lord, who so loved us that you gave us the perfect example of Love in Jesus, help us to accept that love and to share it will all your children everywhere.

Mary and Joseph, Part VI

Matthew 3:13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. 14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? 15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

There are many kinds of baptism, and one I remember vividly came to me on this date, December 7, in 1941.  I was 11 years old. I had lived a simple life with few problems or pains, I knew that people died (old people, like my great grandfather who had fought in the Civil War) and I knew that there was a war going on somewhere else in the world…but it wasn’t where I was.  And then something happened and the next day at school they gathered us together in the hall to listen to President Roosevelt, and told us we needed to know how to get under our desks or under the stairs in case there were bombs.   Christmas was coming, but suddenly, it took on a new meaning, especially since my mother worked at the hospital at Army Air Base.  She said all the young men who worked with her had their Christmas leaves cancelled and wouldn’t get to go home for the holidays.

So we invited them to our place and we had some snacks and things and tried to pretend it was Christmas eve, and then one of the boys (for that is what they were, just boys, although I thought they were men) said, “Do you think there is a midnight service at the church down the street?”  And without a word we all went to church and prayed for peace.

And what does all that have to do with the baptism of Jesus?  Perhaps because Jesus sought out John for baptism…in keeping with His becoming one of us…this is no aloof God sitting on a cloud watching with disinterest what goes on down here. This is a God who involves himself with the rest of us.  He shows us love and expects us to do the same.

Prayer: Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where there is hatred let me sow love…

Mary and Joseph, Part V

Matthew 1:18  Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example was minded to put her away privily. 20 But while he thought on these things, behold , the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying , Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. 22 Now all this was done , that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child , and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. 24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

They were engaged, this carpenter in Nazareth and this young woman he had loved for years.  And now, all of a sudden, there are nasty stories going around, people pointing and whispering behind their hands.  Poor Joseph, everybody in Nazareth knows but him…well, he’ll find out soon enough…

Oh, he knew, all right, but he loved her and he wasn’t going to make an example of her, although, under the law there were lots of things he could do…even stoning was an option.

Are dreams only our own wishful thinking, or do they really bring us answers?  Joseph put a lot of stock in the dreams he was having…enough to think maybe, just maybe, God was telling him something very important.

And he decided to trust God.  Because he loved God and because he loved Mary, he insisted on going ahead with the wedding.  And taking full responsibility for Mary and her child, the boy to whom he became role model and teacher and nurturer…setting an example of what a father should be like, so that when, in later years, the adult Jesus chose the metaphor of “father” to express the relationship of God to his people, when he taught his disciples to pray “Our Father,” he surely had in his mind a picture of one who was loving and just and fair.

Prayer:  Thank you for Joseph, the humble carpenter, who understood that God works in mysterious ways and uses each of us to further his plans.

Mary and Joseph, Part IV

Scripture Luke 1:46-56
Luke 46: And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, 47And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. 48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold , from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed .  49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. 51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. 53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.  54 He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; 55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed forever. 56 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.

I spent several years in Roman Catholic parochial schools.  My all-time favorite teacher was a nun who somehow acquired a stray cat and managed to keep it as a pet.  The cat was called Maggie, which, Sister Mary Clare explained, was short for Magnificat.

That was the first time I’d heard of this incredible piece of poetry. The Old Testament is full of psalms attributed to David and others.  Unlike these, so many of which are pleas for help, Mary sings of her joy at being able to render the greatest of all services to God…that of being His mother (or so the nuns told me.)

The concept of God having a mother was a little hard for me to grasp … when you are eight the concept of the Trinity is kind of hard to handle.

And Mary isn’t praising God for the privilege of changing diapers and wiping divine noses…she is in fact praising God for his love of and care for what her Son would later call “the least of these.”

What is so “magnificent” about God and the gift He gives at Christmas is that it is an ongoing gift of love and concern for all His creatures.

Prayer:  Thank You, Lord, for Love, the one great gift you have bestowed upon us…Your love poured out that also enables us to love one another.

Mary and Joseph, Part III

Luke 39-45
39 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah; 40 And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. 41And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: 42And she spake out with a loud voice, and said , Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. 43And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45 And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.

Blessed is she that believed…ok, I believe…I think I believe…I’ve been told all this stuff since I was little…too little to understand that virgins don’t have babies and …

But there is another interesting point to be made here.  Revelations about the coming of the Messiah are being made to women, who were not held in very high esteem in those days.

Indeed, Elisabeth’s husband Zechariah has been so skeptical that he, the man, had been stuck dumb for not believing.  It’s the girls in this case that are doing the leading.

Women have been taking the rap for all that is wrong in the word ever since Genesis and that business with the serpent…and now, hey, these two women are suddenly in the spotlight and the man of the house is struck dumb.

Maybe, although it took centuries for it to come to pass, this is another special Christmas surprise… Paul spelled it out in Galatians 3:28:  There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Centuries later, Abigail Adams, wife of an American president, would admonish her husband to “remember the ladies.” God, it appears, has never forgotten them.

Maybe we’re not quite there yet, in every branch of the church or every culture, but we are getting there.

Prayer:  Thank you, Lord, that all people are equal in your sight and your salvation is for everyone.

Mary and Joseph, Part II

Luke 1:26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 29And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 30And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. 35And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. 36For with God nothing shall be impossible. 37And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

Second Verse, same as the first…another telling of essentially the same story, because, scholars tell us that the writers of Matthew and Luke drew on the same source, something called “Q” which is short for the German word for “source.”

But it doesn’t hurt to look at it again from a slightly different perspective.  This one goes into a little more detail and tells us absolutely, positively, that Mary was “troubled” by this angelic appearance.

Far from Cupid-like cherubs, the angels that appear to people in the Bible seem to be rather more frightening (remember, the shepherds were “sore afraid,” or as some translations put it bluntly, “terrified.”)

Well, I mean really, here you are, barely in your teens, about to be married to a very nice man and suddenly this…this….CREATURE is telling you that you’re pregnant and…ouch, ooh, it’s time to wake up…

And then, fully awake and aware, Mary realizes exactly what the angel is telling her…she knows the ancient prophecies and she knows it is past time for that Deliverer to show up.

And so she bows her head and accepts what she is being given to do…little knowing that down the road she will again be bowing her head, this time over the broken body of her crucified son…

As we light candles and exchange gifts we tend to forget what an old time radio commentator used to call “the rest of the story.”

Prayer: Stand with us, Lord, and guide us even when we don’t know exactly where this road is taking us.

Mary and Joseph, Part I

Matthew 1:22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying , 23 Behold , a virgin shall be with child , and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is , God with us.

Isaiah 7:14  therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign: a maiden is with child and she will bear a son, and will call his name Immanuel.

Most scholars today believe the Hebrew word 'almah’, used in Isaiah, would more accurately be translated as young woman rather than virgin, but this is not about chastity and has nothing to do with 21st Century politicians’ rhetoric.

It is about the conviction of the residents of what is now Palestine that God, their God, the one whose name was too sacred to be spoken aloud, had promised centuries earlier that when they needed it most God would send a deliverer.

They were exiles in Babylon when the promise was made.  They were under the heel of the Roman emperor centuries later, when the young woman in Nazareth, about to be married to the woodworker Joseph, had an encounter with an angel who told her she would be the mother of their deliverer.

She did not understand it then, and too many of us do not understand it now. Gabriel wasn’t talking about freedom from Roman oppression. His message was not just for Mary, not just for Israel, but for generations to come: that God believed all people should be free from the bonds of human frailty – selfishness, greed, prejudice – that kept them separated one from another.

The “miracle” is not a virgin’s pregnancy.  The “miracle” is the message of God’s continuing presence in our lives…Immanuel…God with us then, now and always.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for being there, a buffer between us and our human frailties, our Savior.

OUT OF BETHLEHEM

Read Micah 5:2-5a

Key verse: But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. Micah 5:2

The chief priests and scribes during the time of King Herod were well aware of this prophecy. When the wise men from the East came seeking the child who was born king of the Jews, and King Herod asked them where the Messiah was to be born, they replied, “in Bethlehem of Judea,” and quoted Micah’s prophecy. Bethlehem was a small town southwest of Jerusalem, in sheep grazing country. It was the home of Jesse, father of the shepherd boy David who became the mighty king of Israel. God’s covenant with King David assured him his throne would be established forever. Isaiah prophesied “A shoot shall come from the stump of Jesse; a branch shall grow out of his roots.” (Isa. 11:1) The Messiah would come from David’s royal line. In the New Testament, Matthew’s genealogy (Matt.1:1-17) traces the line of the baby born in a stable in Bethlehem back to King David.

Prayer: Dear Lord, We are touched by the humble beginning of our savior’s life – the stable in the small town of Bethlehem. How appropriate that the Good Shepherd should come to this quiet town in sheep herding country! May we humbly bow to worship the king, the Messiah, Jesus, Son of David.  Amen

PEACE AMONG THE NATIONS

Read Micah 4:1-5

Key verse: He shall judge between many peoples, and shall arbitrate between strong nations far away; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more; …Micah 4:3

This prophecy of Micah, like that of Isaiah, chapter 9, promises a time when war will no longer exist. For a long time Israel had been under siege by the Assyrians and the people were weary of warfare. His vision of instruments of war transformed to tools that provide sustenance for the people gives hope in a time of despair. Obviously this prophecy has not yet been fulfilled. Today instead of swords and spears, bombs and rockets destroy life and hope for their transformation to peaceful ends seems improbable. But the day will come when the lord shall judge among the nations and peace shall come at last.

Prayer: Lord, we in the 21st century long for the day when war will no longer exist. Give us the desire and will to make peace wherever we are and to trust that in your own time the whole world will know peace.  Amen

A NEW COVENANT

Read Jeremiah 31:31-34

Key verse: No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, “Know the Lord,” for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord,; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.  Jere.31:34

In the midst of the anguish of the people of Israel, carried away into captivity, Jeremiah sees hope for the future. The covenant written on stone and in books was broken by the disobedience of the people and the relationship between God and the people destroyed. The day will come when God will make a new covenant with his people. God’s new covenant will be written on their hearts – they will be transformed by his creative power to desire and have the power to do his will. “I will put my law within them and write it upon their hearts,” says the Lord. He will “forgive their iniquity and remember their sins no more.” Once more the fellowship between God and his people will be restored.

On the night he was betrayed, Jesus Christ remembered this prophecy. He took the cup, gave thanks to God and said, “This cup is the new covenant, sealed in my blood.” All the blessings Jeremiah saw – obedience from the heart, restoration of fellowship with God through forgiveness, personal knowledge of God – are made available to the people of God through “the offering of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all.” (Hebrews 10:8-18)

The birth of Jesus Christ, his ministry, death and resurrection ushered in the Kingdom of God on earth known in part by those who choose to follow him. Jeremiah’s prophecy will be completely fulfilled in the future – when Christ returns and all will know the Lord.

Prayer: Dear Lord, we thank you for the new covenant through Jesus Christ that grants us forgiveness and restores our fellowship with you. Write your law on our hearts and enable us to love and serve you in response to your amazing love.  Amen

PROMISE OF RESTORATION AND PROTECTION

Read Isaiah 43: 11, 18-20

Key verse: I am about to do a new thing;  Isa. 43:18a

The “old thing” was the Covenant of Works. In Exodus 19, God tells his people, “You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples. Indeed, the whole earth is mine, but you shall be a priestly kingdom and a holy nation.”

God kept his part – the people failed. Time and again they turned away and worshiped idols. God saw the Old Covenant would not bring his people to him, so he planned a “new thing”—a New Covenant, through which he would redeem the world.

Through the Incarnation, he would come to earth and live the human life, beginning as a weak, helpless babe who would grow up to live a life demonstrating the life God intends for each of us. Ultimately, he would give his life on the cross – a cursed death - bearing the sins of all mankind – redeeming them. He defeated death when God raised him from the grave, giving eternal life to all who choose to follow him. What a wonderful New Thing!

Prayer: Lord, we praise your name for “doing a new thing!” No longer are we bound to legalism, striving to keep your law perfectly, knowing we are unable to succeed. We still strive to live according to your commandments through our love for you and our gratitude for your Son’s sacrifice to redeem our sins. We know when we fail and repent, he is gracious and forgives. Thank you for the New Covenant through Jesus Christ, our savior. Amen

ALL NATIONS WILL COME

Read Isaiah 60:1-7

Key Verse: Arise, shine for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.  Isaiah 60:1

Arise! You have been downcast, but the light of the Lord will shine upon you. Through the Incarnation, Jesus, the Light of the World, came to be Emmanuel, God with us. He ushered in the Kingdom of God, his life of love and service revealing the life that God would give to those who follow him as Lord and Master.

Isaiah prophesied that “nations will come to your light and kings to the brightness of your dawn.”  The Magi came to worship the Christ Child, having seen and followed the star that announced his birth. “They shall bring gold and frankincense, and proclaim the praise of the Lord. They are often referred to as The Wise Men, an appropriate name, since wise men (and women) of all ages choose to find the Christ and offer their lives in his service.

But Isaiah’s prophecy extends beyond the birth of the Christ Child. He prophesies the time, (the Second Coming of Christ,) when all nations will gather and honor Israel (the people of God) and nations that will not serve you will shall perish..(See Isa.60:11-12). As we celebrate the season of Christ’s birth, we also anticipate his second coming – the second “Christmas.” Are you ready for Christmas?”

Prayer:  Dear Lord, help- us to be “wise men and women” who dedicate our lives to you and seek to do your will each day. Give us wisdom to discern your will and courage to do it.  Amen

WAR AND CORRUPTION

Read Isaiah 9:5-7

Key Verse: For all the boots of the tramping warriors and all the garments rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire.  Isaiah 9:5

War, then as now, is horrible. Since Cain murdered Abel, the tragedy of war and corruption has permeated society through every age. Each new invention or discovery, created to improve life, is soon adapted to become an instrument of destruction. Innocent people are victims of war’s atrocities and prime young men and women are sacrificed on the battlefield, whether the conflict strives to combat evil or is the source of evil.

Corrupt leaders seeking power run over their own people and their countries are laid waste in devastation. Each generation since ancient times has known has known the the heartbreak and misery of War.

What comfort and hope these words of Isaiah must give  to all of us , wearied by years of warfare.

“All the boots of tramping warriors and all the garments rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire,” when Christ comes to judge the world and usher in the Peaceable Kingdom when war shall be no more! The messiah will be a righteous ruler and justice will prevail in the kingdom of God. “For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Prayer: Help us to strive for peace on earth – in our families, our churches, our communities, and the world, as we await that day, O Lord, when all signs of warfare and destruction are destroyed.  Amen.

LIGHT AND HOPE

Read Isaiah 9:1-4

Key verse: The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.  Isa. 9:2

High atop a mountain in Haiti, I experienced total darkness for the first time in my life. I must admit I felt a tremor of fear –what might be lurking among the  grapefruit trees as we approached the Guest House? Suddenly, the bright light of a gasoline lantern, which Pere Albert held aloft, illuminated the area , and we walked confidently the rest of the way.

Darkness symbolizes fear, uncertainty, hopelessness… Taken into captivity to a strange land, the people of Israel walked in darkness. Isaiah’s words of prophecy that God’s Light would shine, gave hope in their darkness. His prophecy was partially fulfilled by the Incarnation. God sent his Son, Jesus Christ to live among the people. Jesus, the Light of the World, would reveal the Father through his ministry of love and service. His victory over death removed the fear of deat and gave hope to those who chosed to follow Christ.

The complete fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy will come with Christ’s Second Coming to judge the nations and establish for eternity the Kingdom of God.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for your promise to be our Light and guide through this life. Give us hope as we seek to follow your Light.  Amen