Prepare the way of the Lord,

make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Isaiah 40: 3b

Elkton United Methodist Church

Advent Devotional

2017

Advent is a time of hopeful anticipation.

Take time every day to spend a moment in

God’s word through the messages presented in

these devotions.

And recall the words conveyed to

Zechariah

Joseph

And

Mary

And every one of us………..

“Fear Not”

Sunday, December 3, 2017

First Sunday in Advent

Read Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19

“Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.” Psalm 80:3

“The Many Shining Faces”

Dad was an avid amateur photographer in his college years. Having joined the Photography Club at West Chester where he learned the techniques of taking and developing pictures, he collected and saved dozens of his own photos. Many of them survive today among the family, framed and hanging, reminders of whence we came.

He taught me much of what he knew about the art and science of photography, from my first Brownie camera to the Argus C3 he allowed me to use as I grew older. One of the first and most basic lessons was the positioning of the picture’s subject relative to the Sun or other light source: Sun behind the photographer to capture the brightest and most revealing image of the subject, especially the face.

Faces are fundamentally important to us humans. They are the key to recognizing other people, differentiating one from another. They allow us to judge another’s age, and even their state of mind. They permit eye contact, the most basic of human connections. No wonder then, that the Old Testament contains many references to the inability to see God’s face. The consequence of the Israelites’ rebellion against God is even referred to as God “hiding” his face from them (Ezekiel 39:23). But in Verse 29, God promises to show his face “when I pour my Spirit upon the house of Israel.”

Advent is the time when we prepare to celebrate God’s showing us his shining face in a way we could see clearly through our human lens. God’s face came directly into our field of vision through the arrival of Jesus Christ on earth. From that point forward, we’ve been able to see God’s face full of love and promise, with His assurance that He will never look away again. We see it in the face of Jesus.

At this time of expectation and preparation, let us focus on Christ’s call for us to show others the hope, the promise and the joy found in giving ourselves to him. When we believe, others will see it in our own shining faces. They will see the light of the world reflected in our eyes.

What better time than now is there to illuminate the unparalleled love brought to our world by Christ, through every interaction we have with others! Pray that we may show that love in our faces to everyone we meet this Advent season and beyond.

Prayer: God, we are so grateful that you let your face shine toward us through your son, our savior. Help us to see your love and mercy every day during Advent, so that we can show your love to others in our own faces. We pray in the name of our light of the world, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

~Tim Webb

Monday, December 4, 2017

GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN

Read Micah 4: 1-5

“Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house

of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk

in His paths.” NKJV (selected verses)

As I read the text of Micah 4, I was reminded of the familiar Christmas hymn, Go Tell It on the Mountain”. The original context of Micah was judgment against Judah and final restoration. Micah is the prophet of a downtrodden people. Corrupt rulers, false prophets, and oppression was the order of the day, but Micah was a voice of hope for the restoration of the kingdom. To us it is a call to rise above the noise and turmoil of our everyday existence, seek the higher ground and tell the world that a Savior is born, hope lives and the kingdom of God will prevail. The song says that Jesus was born in a lowly manger among oppressed people and a culture that neglected the covenant that their fore bearers had made with God. I firmly believe that the Scriptures are as contemporary as this morning’s newspaper. How much has our culture been degraded by the clinched fist rather than the open hand. How much do we make war instead of waging peace. We live in a valley were we do not listen to or communicate gracefully or face to face with our neighbors. We dare to judge who is worthy of our love and friendship. Micah calls us today: “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord”. We do not have to go to the Rockies or the Berkshires; we can by the witness of our lives, tell it on the mountain that a Savior is born. Hope instead of despair can be the path that leads us to the day when swords shall be transformed into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks. Instead of walking in the name of the gods of greed, strife, and prejudice, let us walk to the mountain top and tell the world in 2017, that Jesus Christ is born.

Prayer: God of hope, we close out this year with the news full every day of turmoil and strife at home and around the world. It is easy for us to become immune to the pain all around us and we do not hear the call to do our part to bring healing and peace. Help us in our individual ways to take up the cause of Jesus to discipleship and to be peace makers where we are. Let this Advent be a time of new beginnings and renewed hope as we loudly proclaim the birth of our Savior. In the name of the child of Bethlehem. Amen.

~Rev. George N. Leathrum

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Micah 4:6-13

"In that day," declares the LORD, "I will gather the lame; I will assemble the exiles and those I have brought to grief. I will make the lame my remnant, those driven away a strong nation. The LORD will rule over them in Mount Zion from that day and forever. As for you, watchtower of the flock, stronghold of Daughter Zion, the former dominion will be restored to you; kingship will come to Daughter Jerusalem." Why do you now cry aloud- have you no king? Has your ruler perished, that pain seizes you like that of a woman in labor? Writhe in agony, Daughter Zion, like a woman in labor, for now you must leave the city to camp in the open field. You will go to Babylon; there you will be rescued. There the LORD will redeem you out of the hand of your enemies. But now many nations are gathered against you. They say, "Let her be defiled, let our eyes gloat over Zion!" But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD; they do not understand his plan, that he has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor. "Rise and thresh, Daughter Zion, for I will give you horns of iron; I will give you hooves of bronze, and you will break to pieces many nations." You will devote their ill-gotten gains to the LORD, their wealth to the LORD of all the earth.

Revelation 18:1-10

After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. With a mighty voice he shouted: "'Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!' She has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal. For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries." Then I heard another voice from heaven say: "'Come out of her, my people,' so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; 5for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes. Give back to her as she has given; pay her back double for what she has done. Pour her a double portion from her own cup. Give her as much torment and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself. In her heart she boasts, 'I sit enthroned as queen. I am not a widow; I will never mourn.' Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the LORD God who judges her. "When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her. Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry: "'Woe! Woe to you, great city, you mighty city of Babylon! In one hour your doom has come!'

Psalm 79:1-4

O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple, they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble. They have left the dead bodies of your servants as food for the birds of the sky, the flesh of your own people for the animals of the wild. They have poured out blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury the dead. We are objects of contempt to our neighbors, of scorn and derision to those around us.

I don’t know about all of you but I read these three scripture readings and sadly it sounds a lot like the world we live in today. With the recent events involving senseless acts of violence like Vegas, Texas, New York, California and then closer to home, the Edgewood shooting and just last month the killing of a Baltimore Police officer just to name a few. All this just since September! Go back six months to a few years ago and without even researching I can think of terror events in Spain, London, Germany, Orlando, and the one that will never be erased from my mind Sandy Hook. I hug my kids a little tighter, I kiss them more and tell them I love them every chance I get and especially before they leave for school for the day. Then I pray. I pray for their safety, for them to have nothing to fear. I pray for our country, I pray for God to protect myself, my family and my loved ones. Then I secretly or not so secretly long for the time when Jesus comes back and brings back order to our broken fallen world and brings us to Heaven to forever be at peace and rest safely in his loving arms. Until then I try to spread kindness, love my family, my neighbors, my friends, my church friends and family, strangers, everyone and anyone!

The world needs more Love, Kindness and Peace!

This is my solemn prayer this Advent Season!

~Celeste Disciullo

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

A Promised Ruler From Bethlehem

Micah 5:1-5a

Marshal your troops now, 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 be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor bears a son, and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites. 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 our peace when the Assyrians invade our land and march through our fortresses.

Since we retired early in 2016, Mary Ann and I have traveled as much as our time and budget will allow. We often find ourselves in brief conversations with strangers exchanging some very basic information. “Where are you staying in town? Where are you from?” When I tell them, “Elkton, Maryland,” I often get a blank expression in return. I either tell them that we live about an hour from Baltimore or Philadelphia along I-95 and that usually works. [In some hard cases I just tell them, “You know where Karen Bunnell lives and preaches? That’s where we live.” It’s surprising how often that works!] Although Elkton has become the center of our universe these last 41 years, the wanderers and jetsetters of the world have not yet discovered our fair burg.

Imagine if someone made a bold prediction that out of Elkton there will come a new ruler who will unite the nation, provide for our security and lead us toward greatness to reach the end of the earth. “Yeah, right,” I can hear your reply. Would that cause the world to know about us? Maybe not just by someone’s prophesy, but certainly if that prediction were to be fulfilled as we have come to see the Bethlehem promise unfold. Now THAT would put Elkton on everyone’s maps!

At the time of the birth of Jesus, it is estimated that 70-100 people may have called Bethlehem their home. Indeed, Bethlehem was a sleepy little crossroad of the time. It was the ancestral home of King David, though, and that helped the scholars of the time link this passage to the other prophesies of Isaiah that Jesus would follow in the family line of David.

If we put Bible history and the world’s view of Elkton aside, today’s passage has another message, I think. If we think of ourselves as small or insignificant in the grand scheme of the world’s population, we might overlook the power we have to influence that world and the actions of people around us. If we first try to be a person of integrity and a friend to others, we will leave little “spiritual fingerprints” on the world around us. If we are then strengthened to serve in a larger ministry to others, or to work alongside others in service or community engagement, our influence can grow, all to the glory of God.

Prayer: Father, as I await the celebration of the birth of Jesus, I know that I am but one person in a very large world. I wonder what one person can do to make any sort of difference in that world. I ask for your help first to be an honest and caring friend to those closest to me. I further ask for your help to find opportunities to reach out in service to others I encounter. Though I am small and at time isolated, I know you can use me to advance your kingdom. With the help of your Son, Jesus, Amen.

~Mike Schmook

Thursday, December 7, 2017

Advent Meditation

"Come on, let's go back to GOD. He hurt us, but he'll heal us. He hit us hard, but he'll put us ight again. In a couple of days we'll feel better. By the third day he'll have made us brand-new, Alive and on our feet, fit to face him. We're ready to study GOD, eager for God-knowledge. As sure as

dawn breaks, so sure is his daily arrival. He comes as rain comes, as spring rain refreshing the ground." "What am I to do with you, Ephraim? What do I make of you, Judah? Your declarations of love last no longer than morning mist and predawn dew. That's why I use prophets to shake

you to attention, why my words cut you to the quick: To wake you up to my judgment blazing like light. I'm after love that lasts, not more religion. I want you to know GOD, not go to more prayer

meetings.~ Hosea 6:1-6 (MSG)

The first question we have as we look at these six verses from the Prophet Hosea is what do they have for us as we begin the Season of Advent? A good question, you and I can say to each other. Well, it will help to note that verses 1-3 are spoken by Israel and verses 4-6 are spoken by God.

The first three verses of Hosea 6 at first glance appear to be a sincere appeal on the part of the people to God for their return and deliverance. However, the sentiment of Hosea 6:4 makes it difficult, if not impossible, to understand it that way. As a heartfelt return to God, the appeal falls short in that there is no evidence or promise of repentance. Their repentance is only superficial; it will not last any longer than the morning mist or early dew, which quickly disappears.

The Lord is not interested in their false repentance; neither is He interested in their insincere sacrifices and offerings. What the Lord desires is mercy—that is, faithful love—love that is shown both to Him and to other people. Repentance is an active turning from a past life of sin and yielding ourselves to the will of the Lord.

Jesus quoted the Old Testament words, ‘I will have mercy, and not sacrifice’, Hos. 6:6, to support the action which He had taken against the Pharisees. True righteousness is not just being religious and attending to temple ritual and sacrifices; it has a new life quality to it. They were there for worship every Sunday morning and Bible study every Wednesday night. They were serving on committees and singing in the choir—but their hearts were far from God. Over and over in the prophecy of Hosea, we hear the heartbeat of God, saying, “I want your love.”

As we begin our journey through the Season of Advent again, let us examine our hearts and “let us prepare him room.” May we be sincere and forthright in our worship and our living?

Prayer: O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray; Cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today. We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell; Oh, come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel! Amen.

~Rev. Ray F. Graham

Friday, December 8, 2017

The Call of Jeremiah

The word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” “Alas,

Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command

you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord. Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to

destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” ~ Jeremiah 1:4-10

Jeremiah was called by God to deliver a message to God's people. It is a blessing to be called by God, right? Who would not want to be called? God tells you what to say and where to go and you just do it. Simple, right? Except for the part where Jeremiah is imprisoned for angering King Jehoiakim. He was imprisoned not just once but several times. It got better when Zedekiah was king. He was not imprisoned then, he just feared for his life. No biggie. OK, so maybe being called by God is not all it is cracked up to be. Never mind, God, pass over me, find someone else. My life is fine just the way it is. That is pretty much what Jeremiah said to God when he was called. To be accurate, he said he was too young, and did not know how to speak. Are we all called by God or only a few? Some are called to truly be prophets. Those are few and far between, but we do all received God's commands to do or not do things. The Bible is full of instructions and admonitions from God to us. Sometimes God puts something on our hearts. God can be pretty persistent about what he wants us to do. Unlike Jeremiah, I cannot claim that I am too young. :) Too busy is more like my excuse. I'm busy, God, very busy. Jeremiah proclaims the following message from God: Ch 7: 5-7 "If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in the place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your forefathers for ever and ever. " I feel like God has put these words of Jeremiah on my heart. What has he put on your heart? What is He asking you to do or not do? Will you find an excuse? Or will you plunge in with both feet, come what may? Prayer: Lord God Almighty, parent of us all, lover of our souls, seeker of our obedience, help us to be the children you would have us be. Help us to boldly follow your commandments, to follow the example of Jesus, and thus to grow your Kingdom on earth. Give us the strength and courage and conviction, always to do your will. Amen. ~Heidi Gaultney

Saturday, December 9, 2017

“‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you

from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my

Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. ~Ezekiel 36:24-28

(NIV)

“Peace on Earth and Goodwill towards men.” Those words from the Gospel of Luke that we know so well during this time of Advent, seem to be something we need more than ever in our world. We live in a world that appears to focus so much on war, violence, and man treating his fellow man badly. Where is God in all of this chaos? People cry out and lose faith, but is God to blame for what is in the hearts of men?

The prophet Ezekiel lived in a time when the people cried out to have a nation for themselves to call home. They wanted a place to provide for their needs and to have peace. The verses above from Ezekiel tell the people to have faith and to know that God will provide. God will provide them the land of their ancestors. God will cleanse. God will give people hearts of flesh and not stone. God will give them the Holy Spirit to live in them. God will oversee the people’s needs. The people just need to have faith and know that God is there. Those people are no different than we are today.

God has always been there and will always be there for us forevermore. God will keep his promises to us and hear our prayers now just as in Ezekiel’s time. As we anticipate the birth of Christ at this time of year, let us not lose sight of those promises even in this world filled with false idols and turmoil. Enjoy this season of Advent and all the promise that comes with it. We miss our friends in Elkton and wish everyone a very blessed Advent season!

Thought for the Day:

How have I had a heart of stone and how can I have a heart of flesh instead through Jesus Christ?

Prayer Focus: Nations in turmoil.

Prayer: O Precious Lord, cleanse me with your living water in order that I may follow your ways instead of the ways of the world. Encourage me to not worship false idols but to stay steady on the path that leads to life. At this time of year, Gracious God, help me to focus on my fellow man and truly be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ to this hurting and broken world. You are my light and my God. May I also be a beacon to others. All of this in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen. ~Michael and Megan Petkewec

Sunday, December 10, 2017

Read Mark 1:1-8

This is the good news about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It began just as God had said in the book written by Isaiah the prophet: “I am sending my messenger to get the way ready for you. In the desert someone is shouting, ‘Get the road ready for the Lord! Make a straight path for him.’” So John the Baptist showed up in the desert and told everyone, “Turn back to God and be baptized! Then your sins will be forgiven.” From all Judea and Jerusalem crowds of people went to John. They told how sorry they were for their sins, and he baptized them in the Jordan River. John wore clothes made of camel’s hair. He had a leather strap around his waist and ate grasshoppers and wild honey. John also told the people, “Someone more powerful is going to come. And I am not good enough even to stoop down and untie his sandals. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!”

One Sunday in late August, Rev. Bunnell challenged us at the end of her sermon to ask ourselves “who is Jesus to me?”, to write down our answers, and – if so inclined – to share our thoughts with her by phone, in person, or by email. I had very, very good intentions … I thought about her question, had a very profound answer (in my opinion), but never followed through in writing it down or sharing it with her. Karen’s sermon was still fresh in my mind when visiting my parents in early September. So I asked my 86 year old father, a retired U.S. Navy Chaplain, the question “who is Jesus to you?” My dad thought for a minute and then answered: “Jesus is the great disturber.”

If I were to describe someone as the “great disturber” it wouldn’t be Jesus, it would be John the Baptist. And after reading today’s Scripture lesson, can’t you picture John with his clothes made from camel’s hair, chomping on grasshoppers and honey, and wildly waving his arms, shouting “repent” to anyone who would listen? Wouldn’t John’s declaration that “someone more powerful is going to come” make you feel a tad uncomfortable – disturbed? Now that’s the description of the great disturber. Not Jesus. The Jesus I’ve known as my friend since I was a child – the Jesus I describe as “light”. The Jesus we are preparing to receive once again on Christmas – Jesus the Gift … the Prince of Peace … Emmanuel. No, that Jesus isn’t the great disturber.

But isn’t he?

Jesus disrupted and disturbed the lives of two fishermen, Peter and Andrew, when he offered them the opportunity to follow him and he would “make you fish for people” (Matt. 4:19). Jesus challenged and disturbed his followers to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19). I’ve witnessed people in our midst whose lives were changed – and disrupted - by responding to calls to ordained ministry, to traveling to Kentucky and Costa Rica on mission trips, to serving the homeless population, to mentoring children, to feeding the hungry. Or within my own family, learning how my father was called to leave the pastorate in East Texas during the height of the Vietnam War to become a Chaplain so he could minister to the men and women in the military.

John prepared the way. But Jesus? Well, he calls us each and every day, nudging us out of our comfort zones, disturbing our lives as we respond to needs great and small all around us.

Prayer: God of Light, thank you for sending your son Jesus to stir our hearts, to disturb our lives, to bring us salvation. And thank you for the people you send our way to challenge our thinking and strengthen our faith. May we be ever mindful of your presence, mercy, and grace. Amen.

~Krista Gilmore (a very proud daughter!)

Monday, December 11, 2017

Read Psalm 27: 1-3

The Lord is my light and salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear;

though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

As I reviewed the choices of verses for today’s devotional, these verses from Psalms stood out for two reasons. Psalms is one of my favorite books of the Bible and it is right after Veterans Day. I am always so grateful for our military who have served or are serving our country. We are so fortunate to live in in this great land. Veterans Day always makes me a little wistful too as it makes me think of my Father, Stewart N. Logan who served in the Navy during World War II.

Despite watching many war movies with my Dad, I never talked to him much about this time of his life and I don’t think that many men or women really did talk about their war experiences. It was something they had to do and wanted to do but they did not want to relive the horrors of war and what they had seen. I think that many of these young men and women were able to do what they did because they felt it was their patriotic duty but I tend to think that their belief in God and Jesus, their prayers, and prayers sent from their loved ones pulled them through and gave them strength even in the worst of situations.

I recently watched the movie Hacksaw Ridge about a young man, Desmond Doss, who joined the Army but would not carry a gun. He became a medic who saved many lives in the taking of this area of the Pacific during World War II. He knew that God and Jesus were with him as he carried many wounded men to safety….and each time he saved a man’s life he prayed out loud, “Lord, please help me get one more.”

These verses also made me think about David as this is the Psalm of David but also the birth and life of Jesus. I think about Mary and Joseph and how they must have prayed. I can imagine they were fearful of the future and what it would hold for them and their newborn baby. They faced so much hardship. Mary told Joseph she was pregnant and Joseph still married her and became the earthly Father of Jesus. He made the decision to travel to Bethlehem with Mary which must have been very difficult and when they got there, they could not find a place to stay and Jesus was born in a stable. The shepherds followed the Star to find Jesus. The Wise Men also followed the Star and with God’s help made the decision to return to their lands by a different route and not to tell the King. All of them trusted the Lord. He was the light of their salvation. They were not afraid. The Lord was their strength.

I think also of Jesus as he grew up. Jesus had so much to fear but he feared not because God was with him always. I can imagine him and his disciples saying to themselves as more and more followers joined them, “Lord please help me get one more.

And just like Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the Shepherds, the Wise Men, and the Disciples, we will all face hardships but like all of the brave military women and men who have served or are serving so valiantly, we need to be soldiers for God and Jesus Christ. We should use our voices to spread the word of Jesus through “Our Prayers, Our Presence, Our Gifts, Our Service, and Our Witness”. Just as David was confident in God, we should be confident in God and Jesus as our strength and should not be afraid.

This is such a glorious season bringing everyone the promise of joy and hope and love. We know that with this we can cope with any adversity.

Prayer: Dearest God, thank you for sending your Son, Jesus Christ, to the people of the world. We know the suffering he will endure to give us salvation. We, Your People, know you and Jesus are our strength in life. Please let us always know that you are there for us and will always be our strength. Let us know that we should not be afraid or fearful because we are your children. Let our hearts and our minds be open to all that we can do to bring your message to the world. “Lord, please help me get one more.” AMEN

Written in memory of my Father, Stewart N. Logan, US Navy (August 4, 1918 – January 15, 1988)

~Linda Carey

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Read Acts 11:1-18

I am writing this at 11:11 am on 11/11/17; a special time to honor those who have served our country. Many people who have gone before us have helped ensure the freedoms that we enjoy in this great land of ours. Freedom of religion is one of those blessings that we should never take for granted. The same is true for the freedoms we enjoy in our journey through life as Christians; many people have helped make them possible. The story in Acts 11 is the accounting of how brave people with God’s guidance opened the doors of salvation for you and me, the Gentiles.

These eighteen verses in Acts recount how God, in a single neatly wrapped package, managed to change the engrained beliefs of centuries. Something that would have taken humans many agonizing years of arguing and debate and fighting to resolve was done in a few short episodes. Amazingly, everyone involved was transformed completely. No doubts remained. Wow!

God had everything neatly planned. Each person in the story, a total of 11 people and one angel, had to answer God’s call and do what they needed to do for the plan to work. They all did their part and the Holy Spirit accomplished God’s purpose in the hearts of many people; Peter, the man’s entire household, the other apostles and the Jews in Jerusalem. From that point, the whole world was offered salvation in Christ’s name.

We can learn a lot from this story in case God chooses us for a world changing activity or for a smaller mission to change one life. Peter’s story starts simply and powerfully. He was praying. God has given us the gift of prayer and we use it far too seldom. It is the privilege of going straight to God with our thoughts and cares and questions, and more amazingly, to directly receive an answer from God. In Peter’s case his answer came in the form of a vision. God has lots of other ways to answer prayer, each one suited to the person and the situation. Just like Peter, we need to pray and be open to God’s answer.

The lowering of the sheet full of unclean animals and the directive for Peter to kill and eat some of those unclean animals was a brilliant allegory on God’s part. The prohibition against eating unclean food had been ingrained in the Jews for many generations. God had instituted those prohibitions, and now He was showing that He could rescind them.

The Gentiles had been regarded by the Jews as unclean people for many generations. Those deep-rooted prejudices were part of being a Jew. Jews were different and were God’s chosen people. Now, inexplicably, the Holy Spirit’s directive to go to the house of a Gentile was turning Peter’s world upside down. Peter went as God commanded, and spoke to them about Jesus. The Holy Spirit came over them and the man and all his household were saved.

In a few short hours God had set in motion an important part of His plan for the salvation of the world. This may be what Jesus was talking about when he told the apostles that they would do even greater things than he had done. Peter recalled Jesus’ words “you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit”.

Of course, when the Jews in Jerusalem heard what had happened, they were critical of Peter’s actions. They flew in the face of so many long held beliefs. But you have to give those people credit; they at least listened to Peter’s improbable story. Sometimes we fail to listen to the stories of other people who have had an encounter with God. We are poorer for it.

Peter summed up his story with the words: “If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?” The people who criticized Peter were completely changed. They were changed by Peter’s story and glorified God and recognized the truth that the Gentiles had now been given a path to eternal life. We, too, should glorify God for the grace that he has bestowed upon us.

Prayer: Dear God, we are awed by the way you move in the world and we are grateful for those who have listened to your voice and who have helped us understand your ways. Please help us to listen for your guidance in our lives and for the courage and strength to do your will, even when it makes us uncomfortable. In Jesus name, Amen.

~Larry Gaultney

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Read: Luke 1:5-17

“And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous- to make ready a

people prepared for the Lord.” Luke 1:17

As Christians we often find ourselves praying for something in particular over and over, often wondering when or even if God will answer the request. Although many of us are familiar with the scripture “Nothing is impossible with God” (Luke 1:37), it is also easy to forget those important words when we are not so patiently waiting for answers to our prayers. It is because of our great belief and faith that we repeat such prayer requests knowing that God hears them, but just as often we give up on ever receiving an answer because so much time goes by seemingly without even a hint that the request will be granted. It is often in hindsight we then reflect that the prayer was answered more perfectly than it ever could have been imagined.

I imagine that Zechariah and Elizabeth felt this way for years. Zechariah and Elizabeth were well known as a devout, God fearing couple, and they longed to have a child. After years of consistent prayer and patience, they most likely gave up on ever becoming parents mostly due to their old age. So imagine Zechariah’s shock and fear when the angel appeared and foretold of his son, John’s birth! Not only did their dream of becoming parents become a reality, God was gifting their son with a very important role. The Jews at the time were not only divided into many sects, they were disobedient and lost. So God chose to answer Zechariah and Elizabeth’s prayer with not just a child, but a son “filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born (v.15).” God destined this child to pave the way for healing and unify families so that their hearts and minds would be ready to receive the Messiah, the Son of Man who ultimately would save them all. Now I call that an extraordinary answer to prayer!

Isn’t that so often true? We humans often pray for things that we desire to have happen in our lives, but we model our prayers after our own conceived ideas of how things should be and often WHEN these things should happen. It most cases we expect immediate answers, but, if not, then in what we deem a reasonable amount of time. God does not always give according to our wishes, however. He abundantly gives beyond our human expectations according to the riches of his grace. I imagine that Zechariah and Elizabeth’s original prayers were for a son to carry on their family name, but God had even bigger plans. It is suggested that Elizabeth was well into her 80’s when she learned she would become the mother to John the Baptist, the forerunner to the Messiah! God knew all along that this devout couple would be parents according to his plan and his timeline. Can’t we all learn from this scripture? Continue to pray, without ceasing. Know that God hears every word. Wait with faithful hearts. God’s will prevails.

Prayer: Dear Lord, remind us to be faithful and patient in our prayers knowing that your plan for us is always perfect. Amen.

~Bethany Buckley

Thursday, December 14, 2017

“Home Is Where the Heart Is”

“When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” Psalm 126: 1-3

This Psalm describes the feeling of the Judeans when they returned from captivity in Babylon. When Jerusalem was captured by the Babylonians, the people were carried off to Babylon. Many families and friends were carried off, some stayed together but many were separated. But all were carried from the homes they knew and the life that they had known and enjoyed. Nothing was familiar and they were truly strangers in a strange land. Perhaps most importantly they were separated from God and worship as they knew it. Their captors prevented them from worshiping and honoring God in the ways they knew. They were prevented from following the traditions and laws they had known and followed all their lives. Home was truly where their hearts were centered but they were not there.

As we approach the Christmas season, the importance of our homes, families, friends, familiar places, and the traditions practiced for many years becomes a major part of our thoughts and our lives. Truly the home is where heart is. In my growing up, this season was very, very important to my family and to me. I had five siblings, my parents, and my grandparents living across the road where we lived on the top of Coaltown Hill surrounded by patches of woods. My mother’s family lived sixty miles away in Ohio but there was always a gift exchange and get together with them before Christmas. The memories of past Christmases takes me back to my original home and restores the importance of those memories to my heart. And all of these memories reminds me how important my faith is and how important God is in my life. They remind me that God is all around me and is a part of everything I see and everything I do. All of these early Home experiences helped me to develop my faith and my dependence on God as my heavenly Father. But like everyone else at this time of year, it is easy for me to get distracted by all the celebrations of the season that do not include the real reason for Christmas: God’s promise kept by sending us Jesus as our teacher and savior. I believe that God meant our lives to be a combination of the things of this world but never forgetting Him and the importance of having Him in our lives.

The lesson of Psalm 126 is that we need to remember and be thankful for our homes that are so much more than just a building. Our homes are our family and friends, all of our familiar surroundings, our traditions and practices, and most importantly our faith in God who blesses us with so many wonderful gifts and our ability to talk with him and experience him in our lives every minute of every day.

Prayer: Dear and most wonderful God in Heaven, thank you for the blessing of our homes and all that they include. Thank you for placing our homes in our hearts to provide us with comfort and to remind us of all your blessings and that you are always there. Amen.

~Joe Tanner

Friday, December 15, 2017

Philippians 3:12 -16

“Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal: but I press on to make it

my own, because Christ Jesus had made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made

it my own, but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies

ahead. I press on toward the goal for the prize of heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of

us then who are mature be of the same mind; and if you think differently about anything, this too

God will reveal to you. Only let us hold fast to what we have attained.”

Beloved! We in Christ are the Beloved! In this letter from Paul to the people of Philippi, he is calling

us to live like Jesus Christ because we are the Beloved. Paul makes it perfectly clear that living like

Jesus Christ in the world won’t be easy, there will be suffering and persecution. Paul knows about

persecution because while he is writing this letter he is imprisoned due to his proclamations of the

Gospel. But this doesn’t deter him because he knows he is a Beloved child of God and he is not

alone, God is with him.

Reading these scriptures made me think of the state of the world today. There is so much negativity

being displayed. There is so much judgment, division, and hate. We see so many out for

themselves, so many that don’t seem to care about others. We see a lack of understanding of

differences and a lack of empathy for our fellow man. It can be a scary and dark place. And we even

may begin to think that we can’t make a difference. But remember we are the children of Jesus

Christ and we stand with God.

So during this holiday season, lets all try to be the light of Jesus Christ in the world. Let’s rise to

support our fellow man, let’s embrace our differences, and show the caring of God’s love through

our words and actions! Because we are the children of Jesus Christ, the Beloved!

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, Please be with us during this holiday season and going forward. Lead

us to be your Light in this world. Guide us to show your love to the world. Be with us Lord so we can

shine your love, as the Beloved children of God. In your name we pray! Amen!

~Jeanette Perkins

Saturday, December 16, 2017

Matthew 21:28-32

"What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.' "'I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and

went. "Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go. "Which of the two did what his father wanted?" "The first," they answered.

Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not

repent and believe him.

We are called by God. After we are called we must continue to listen because we know his truth. This truth needs to cut us to our core, give us purpose to humbly serve, and give us strength to persevere and thrive. The truth is God’s love conquers all, purifies all sin, gives us the ability to be whole and wholly his. This parable speaks to judgement and sets the record straight. It is not about what path we took, but what path we continue to take after we realize who Christ is and what he has done for us. It is not enough to know all the right answers and pretend to be God’s. What is important is the complete transformation, surrendering, and continuation of our walk with him.

This is a very humbling parable that Jesus has challenged us with. Where do we find truth, realness, honesty, transparency, sincerity, and selfless unconditional love for one another stemming from God’s love for us that lives in us? We have a choice in all decisions to either choose God’s way or our own. Our challenge is to choose activities that help to foster knowing God better so that our gut reaction is to love. What habits are we creating this season that helps us to focus on him, let go of this world, and cling to his word? Letting go of judgement of others and even ourselves is a great place to start, but where do we go from here? Prayer is powerful, relationship building, and pure. Love is action and is the fruit of the spirit working on us. So, what are we doing to show God’s love to others? How are we continuing our walk with Christ? Our reminder is to not say yes and then walk away. Our calling is to say yes and welcome his love to fulfill our purposes he has set out for us. Let’s not waste our walk. The journey comes with scenic views of heaven!

Prayer:

Lord, as I walk, guide my steps.

As I pray, hold my focus,

As I live, give me your breath.

If I fall, remind me of humbleness.

As I love, shine through me

Amen.

~Bill Graham

Sunday, December 17, 2017

Luke 1:46-55

“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed,

for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name.

His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;

he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones

but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever,

just as he promised our ancestors.”

Mary’s song is a beautiful reminder of who provides us with all of our blessings. What Mary does best, is recognize the Lord for allowing her these blessings. Mary understands the implications of giving birth to Jesus and how people will remember her throughout time. She gives thanks to God for such an opportunity.

Reading through Mary’s song, I began to realize the humility and grace it took for her to recognize God for all of the blessings she will soon have and the opportunity to be a servant. “For he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.” Mary reminds us of how God is always thinking of his people and as we continue to serve him, he will continue to bless us. “From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me – holy is his name.”

As we come close to the end of the holiday season, we have a moment to reflect on the past year with some of our closest friends and family. I know there are many times I forget that God has blessed me with a family filled with support, friends that are also there for me and a specific career path that I am passionate about. When I first read Mary’s song, I did not think it pertained to me or how I viewed my blessings. Throughout this holiday season, I will give thanks to God by remembering the lessons he has taught me and using those skills to help others to thank him for their blessings.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the blessings we have and for Mary to have a song that reminds us of what you had to sacrifice for us. We will use this song as a reminder of what you have given us and what we can do to bring others to you. Amen.

~Wesley White

And the angel said unto her, Fear

not, Mary: for you have found

favor with God. Luke 1: 30

King James 2000

Monday, December 18, 2017

Ephesians 6:10-17

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” ~ Ephesians 6:10

It is a cold, crisp day today, in December, the blessed season of Advent, when we remember and celebrate the coming of the Messiah, the Christ, the Light of the world-this baby Jesus of Nazareth in Galilee…

My heart beats faster and I am filled just now with feelings of unworthiness, flooding my senses; yet a rush of jubilance swells within me…Like the shepherds watching over their flocks by night in the cold, so I am in a field…they saw the light of the star hovering over Bethlehem there in Judea. I sense a light in the distance and want to run toward it, imagining the light that would lead me to the baby God, named Jesus, who came to earth for us, this tiny new-born, precious baby who is wrapped in warmth in the arms of His mother, Mary.

And so I run.

The holy prophets of the Old Testament spoke of this miraculous birth that one day it would “come to pass” according to the Scriptures.

Hundreds of years before this amazing event was to take place, Isaiah proclaimed, “Therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

God with us.

I am running toward Him whom I can gaze upon and be with Him, because He is “God with us,” Immanuel-Jesus, who is with me forever!

I stumble and fall, but am picked up again on my feet, still running toward Him, following His Light…

We know where He was to be born, for the prophet Micah wrote: “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”- Micah 5:2

We arrive there together, the shepherds and I, for Micah told us where He was to be born, and the light guides our way.

There, in a shabby stable He lies, wrapped in swaddling clothes, in a manger, with His father and mother and the animals because there was no room for them at the inn. But like the stable, there is always room for Him in our hearts…

The Jews were not expecting a poor little baby but a king! Like David! But they missed it all, for here was the King, like David, who would one day rule in Jerusalem over all Israel…

From this baby Jesus, and through Him, who would have believed that I can put on His armour and withstand the evil and wickedness of Satan and his demons and the world?

Who would have thought that I can stand in His truth because I have His breastplate of righteousness?

That in Him and by Him I take hold of His shield of faith, blocking away the arrows of the enemy?

And I stand forgiven with the helmet of salvation, my feet standing firm on the Gospel of peace: for I have the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

From a tiny baby? Who would have believed such a thing?

So here I run into “everlasting,” to the Light of the world, the Light of my heart, the Light of my life, my Lord and my God.

When God gave to the world His only begotten Son because of His love, He open the door of eternal salvation and forgiveness of sins. He open the fields that we might run to Him again, this holy Advent season, and follow the Light that began at Bethlehem on a cold winter’s night.

Let us pray:

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we come to You in all humbleness with nothing but ourselves, and we bow down before Thy awesome presence, bringing only our sacrifice of praise and

thanksgiving for the birth of Jesus, Thy Son, Thy only begotten Son, so long ago.

We pray for the wonderment of all things that come from You, and your amazing grace, in love, which has saved us sinners by faith.

We pray, Lord, that in this time of holy Advent, that a candle of light might be lit in our hearts to feel the warmth of His presence and that we, as believers in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior may

likewise shine to all the world and be a becon of hope and a light that shines in the darkness that may lead people everywhere to Jesus, the Light of the world, the Savior.

This we pray in the precious, almighty, everlasting name of Jesus

~Ivan Mehosky

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Read Acts 3: 17-44

“Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophets who have spoken have foretold these days. 25: And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed. 26: When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.” ~ Acts 3:24

A Child’s Blessing

As a teacher, you spend a lot of time with children. Some days it is wonderful and some days they drive you crazy, but they are such a blessing to me. My students overcome a lot of struggles that I sometimes find hard to imagine. Some do not eat much except what they eat at school while others are up all night because there are so many people in one house that it is difficult to sleep. You would not know this by watching them, however. They come in the door every morning smiling and ready to learn. They tell me how much they love school and share stories from their happy lives. They start talking to their friends in Spanish as I sit amazed at their bilingual abilities. You see, despite their “having less,” they feel rich in spirit. God has blessed each and every one of us in different ways, but it all comes down to how we appreciate it.

This year has made me appreciate life in a new way. I wake up every morning ready to try and be a bright spot in my student’s lives, but really they are making my life brighter. They are teaching me to appreciate the many blessings in my life. I have a job I love, food for every meal, a warm home to come home to, and a loving family. After moving, I realized truly how easy it was to take God’s blessings for granted.

One of my students recently told me that she could not do her homework because she had to go to church (on a week night). It made me smile and realize that I should be more like her. Committed to my faith even when I have other things to do. This Christmas season, I am committed to helping others and spreading God’s blessings even if it takes me out of my comfort zone.

Prayer: Dear God, please help us to appreciate our many blessings in this busy time and to show our thanks by helping others and sharing your light.

~Sarah Buckley

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Mark 9: 9-13

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant. And they asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?” Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected? But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.”

Has anyone ever spoiled a surprise meant for you? If you are one of the lucky ones tasked with maintaining the surprise, it can make normal conversations seem abnormal while trying to avoid giving any hints. Although I have not experienced many ruined surprises, I constantly experience people spoiling recent episodes of a TV show or a new movie out in theaters. I now take extra precautions by keeping away from social media until I am caught up. Although it would only take a few minutes to read a quick synopsis online, there is no comparison to watching a story unfold in the moment.

When reading how Jesus told his followers not to tell anyone about what they just saw on the mountain, I think about the anxiety they must have been experiencing. To any of my former Sunday School teachers reading this devotional, I must apologize for my inability to remember much about the Transfiguration from years ago. Even after reading through the passage several times, it is difficult for me to convey what happened in my own words. Peter, James and John saw this event firsthand, and they still had trouble interpreting what they experienced. It makes sense that Jesus would not want them to share what they saw on the mountain because on a much deeper level, this would spoil his message and his mission. Our focus should be on acknowledging God’s incredible power and those he sent to deliver his message instead of why prophets came in a certain order.

We have a great opportunity during Advent to not just think about the birth of Jesus but also his importance in our lives. He died for our sins so that we can have eternal life. It is one thing to read the quick synopsis of what happened. We can have a much greater experience by growing in our faith and living by his example.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for your unconditional love and grace. Help us to grow closer to you, to be obedient and to be an example to others. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

~Steve Gilmore

Thursday, December 21, 2017

Psalm 89: 1-4

I will sing of the Lord's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.

I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself.

You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant, I will establish your line forever and make your throne firm through all generations.”

In this passage the psalmist writes that he will sing of the Lord's great love forever and will make God's faithfulness known through all generations.

Sadly, the world we live in today can sometimes make us doubt God's faithfulness and love. Everyday it seems, there are more and more acts of violence against innocent people, judgment against different races or lifestyles that people live and just an overwhelming display of mean spirited people who have no regard for the feelings of others.

Because of my faith and the love I have for our Lord, in these troubled times I know that His faithfulness is always with us and I have comfort in knowing that no matter what His love stands firm.

When terrible things happen, God's love comforts us and gives us the strength that we need to move forward and overcome our sadness, anger, jealousy or resentment that is making us sometimes doubt that he has our best interest at heart.

I'd like to think that my relationship with God, outwardly shows to those around me who may not be so hopeful, that He is indeed forever faithful and that His love will stand firm. I' like to think that I lead by example. I've had conversations with friends or acquaintances that have had difficulty realizing that God's love for us is stronger than any other. I've reminded them that God forgives all who accept him as their Lord and Savior. When we confess our sins, that is simply enough for him to give us a clean slate to move forward and be great disciples.

One of my very favorite hymns is “Pass It On”. I love when I look at the bulletin on Sunday mornings at church and see that we will be singing it. Even though one of my talents in not singing, just ask my family, I will always sing of the Lord's great love forever and make his faithfulness known to others.

“That’s how it is with God’s love Once you’ve experienced it

You’ll spread His love to everyone

You’ll want to pass it on”.

~Wendy Eller

For God so loved the world, that he gave his

only begotten Son,

that whosoever believes in him should not

perish,

but have everlasting life.

John 3: 16

King James 2000

Friday, December 22, 2017

Read Hebrews 1: 6-14

Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet. ~Hebrews 1: 13

BACKGROUND

Biblical scholars believe that the book of Hebrews was written before the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. The actual author is not known. It is believed, however, that whoever the author, that person was well schooled in the Old Testament and capable of writing excellent Greek.

THEME

For the verses discussed herein, the major theme addresses the superiority of Christ over the angels. It also emphasizes that Christ will sit at the right hand of the father.

God created the earth and heavens which will one day pass away. Yet the throne of Christ will last forever and the enemies of the throne will be brought to justice. Holy love and righteousness are virtues of Christ, but wickedness is despised.

Under the leadership of Christ, the angels will serve and minister to those who will inherit salvation. According to the book of Hebrews, angels have an important role, but the focus and glory should be given to God.

CONCLUSIONS

For us as Christians, these verses should serve as reassurance that our continued faith in Jesus/Christ and our search for a deeper relationship with him will lead to our salvation. His complete superiority, and what he did for us should be reasons to remain strong in our faith. Is there anything you need to change or start doing so that Jesus will be the priority in your life as he deserves?

Prayer: Jesus our Lord and Savior, give us the commitment and strength to keep you at the center of our lives. Help us not fall victim to the many unhealthy temptations of this world. We pray that our faith can be stronger, and we can grow closer to you so that we can achieve the ultimate goal of being with you in heaven.

~Buddy Camors

Saturday, December 23, 2017

RECOGNIZING THE CHRIST

On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.” Others said, “He is the Christ.” Still others asked, “How can the Christ come from Galilee? Does not the Scripture say that the Christ

will come from David’s family and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?” Thus the people were divided because of Jesus. Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him. Finally the temple

guards went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?” “No one ever spoke the way this man does,” the guards declared. “You mean he has deceived you also?” the

Pharisees retorted. “Has any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.” Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, “Does our law condemn anyone without first hearing him to find out what he is doing?” They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not

come out of Galilee.” ~John 7: 40-52, NIV

Pride, arrogance, ridicule, condemnation, peer pressure—all strong tactics to drown out voices of reason and discovery. That was the attitude of the Pharisees toward those who questioned, who wondered aloud if Jesus of Nazareth might be a Prophet, might even be the Messiah. They even treated Nicodemus with contempt—to humiliate and shut him up.

In their minds it was bad enough that they were losing control of the common people, people who saw that this man, Jesus, was performing miracles no one with eyes and ears could deny. But Nicodemus was one of their own—a well-educated, well- respected, wealthy Pharisee of the highest order. If he questioned their rightness, their authority, their assurance that they alone held the truth in this and every matter, what might be next? Who could stop the slide toward listening to, perhaps following this Jesus, and if they did follow this Galilean, where did that leave them—the rulers of Israel?

It’s tempting to give in to the ruling elite—to believe that, as they confidently attest, they are right and rule through Divine authority—that they are the only ones with understanding of Scripture, that they have the truth, that they speak for God. But, Jesus had made it clear (earlier in the chapter) where He came from, Who backed up His witness, and that He possessed the Holy Spirit—streams of life-giving water. He’d shown the people in actual deed the power and authority He possessed, and yet this group of men who were supposed to be the shepherds of Israel denied what their eyes saw, what their ears heard.

Jesus told the truth when He said that they didn’t know Him, didn’t recognize Him. Their hardened hearts and willful blindness showed that they certainly didn’t know His Father. Worse, they tried to intimidate those who believed. But Nicodemus saw Jesus more clearly, and he saw the Pharisees for who and what they were. He knew their hearts, and he’d seen Jesus and His heart in action. Nicodemus knew he couldn’t persuade the other Pharisees with logic—to own what they’d seen and heard, and the pure spirit in which Jesus worked, so he openly questioned their use of their own law—to stop them before they went too far in their fear and anger and spitefulness. He stood up, dared to question them, and they retorted, ridiculing him in their own ignorance.

Jesus had indeed been born in Bethlehem, though he was raised in Nazareth of Galilee. Jesus fulfilled in every detail every promise found in the Old Covenant, every jot and tittle found in the Law. But the Pharisees expected the Messiah to come in a different form. They were so certain they were right, and so fearful of losing their position and control that they didn’t investigate, didn’t question the details available to them or discern the fulfillment of those prophecies.

They had a vision, but it was their vision, not God’s. They weren’t prepared for the orchestration of events that led to His birth in Bethlehem—a census demanded by a Caesar who did not follow Adonai, or to the unexpected fulfillment of the many prophecies they clung to. They were blinded by their own imagined wisdom, their own imagined light.

It’s a lesson for us—don’t judge what we do not know. Don’t hold the reins of entitlement—what we believe is rightfully ours—so tightly that we cannot see what God in His wisdom, forethought, love and creativity beyond our limited imagination has provided. Don’t miss the miracle of Jesus. In two days we’ll celebrate the virgin birth of Jesus—the greatest miracle the world had seen to that point. Little did they know of His death and resurrection to come! Even though all of Israel longed for and anticipated the coming of the Messiah they were not prepared for the form in which he came—a tiny, helpless, temporarily homeless babe in a humble manger.

How sad for them then and how sad for those who miss Him now for the same reasons. Self-righteousness destroys our ability to see, to listen, to hear. Self-righteousness destroys relationships, just as it destroyed the relationship of the Pharisees to Jesus.

Jesus came when He was not expected in His first Advent. Those who recognized Him then realized their need and saw that He was indeed the Christ. Those unable to cast off their restraints and blinders, missed Him as surely as if He’d not come. The same is true today. Either we see Him by faith and believe that His death and resurrection redeemed us, owning the difference between our sinfulness and need of a savior and His ability to save, or we reject both our need and Him as Savior, clinging to self-reliance, certain we exist and thrive in our own strength.

Jesus promised to return, and told us that He’ll come when we’re not expecting Him. His Second Coming promises to be unmistakable—glory, “as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” The question is, will we be ready to receive Him? Are we ready if He comes today?

Prayer: Father, cleanse us from the spirit of self-righteousness. Forgive our willful ignorance born of pride and a determination to be self-reliant. Remind us that Jesus came to save the world, that we who believe are privileged—never entitled—to be grafted in. Create in us clean hearts, and renew a right spirit within us. Thank you, Father, for the miracle of Your Son, for the miracle of His birth that Holy Night, for the miracle of His life and ministry, the miracle of His death and for evidence of His victory—His resurrection. Thank You that you revealed Your love through Him to Mary—a young Jewish girl, to poor and humble shepherds on a hillside, and to wise men in a foreign country, alike—men and women from diverse stations of life with ears to hear and eyes to see. Let us be among them, Father! Help us recognize the workings of Your hand and the goodness of Your plan, even when it unfolds in ways we don’t expect. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, and Messiah, our Savior . . . Amen.

~ Cathy Gohlke

Sunday, December 24, 2017

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin

engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much

perplexed by his words and wondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do

not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb

and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most

High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house

of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. Mary said to the angel, “How can this be,

since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the

Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of

God. And now, your cousin Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth

month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said,

“Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel

departed from her. ~Luke 1:26-38 NRSV

Some of the most beautiful words in all of scripture appear in this passage, as well as in a number of

other places in the Bible, and they are these: “Do not be afraid.” When Mary was overwhelmed by

the appearance of Gabriel and the message he had for her, his response from God was, “Do not be

afraid.”

Those words carried her through a lot. They helped her be at peace with God’s call on her life, so

that she could respond “yes.” No doubt they carried her through the difficult moments after that –

when she had to tell Joseph about her pregnancy, unsure whether he would turn his back on her or

not; when she had to tell her parents, and when she had to face townspeople with their raised

eyebrows and whispered comments.

Those words – “Do not be afraid” – must have sustained her on that journey to Bethlehem late in

her pregnancy, and then as she labored to give birth in a stable.

Surely they carried her through the years of raising her son, with all the normal things that come

with childhood and adolescence. And then most assuredly, she must have clung to those words as

she watched the world turn on Jesus and put him to death on a cross.

“Do not be afraid.” There was no way Mary could ever have carried out God’s special call on her life

without the assurance of God’s presence with her every step of the way. And there’s no way that

we can do it either.

And the good news of the Gospel, on this Christmas Eve, is that we don’t have to. Because on this

night, we celebrate God’s gift to us – his never ending presence in Jesus the Christ.

Because of Jesus, we are never alone. No matter what comes along in life, he is with us. In times of

joy, and in times of sorrow, he is with us. When we hit rough patches and we think we can’t go on,

he is with us to carry us through. We have no need to fear anymore, because God is with us in Jesus

Christ.

So, do not be afraid. On this night, remember that God loved the world so much – loved you so

much – that he sent his only begotten Son to give life – abundant life, real true life, eternal life. That

is the Good News of the Gospel, and that is the best news for you and me!

Prayer: O Lord our God, sometimes life gets scary. Troubles come along, unexpected news comes

our way, and the world sometimes seems to be spinning out of control. At times it’s overwhelming.

Remind us O God, on this holy day, that through the gift of your Son, you are always here with us,

and we have no need to fear. May we, like Mary, open our hearts to you, and trust you every step of

our journey. Thank you Lord for the gift of your son, in whom we find rest and peace. Amen.

~Pastor Karen Bunnell

Monday December 25, 2017

Christmas Day

Luke 2: 8-20

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch

over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and

the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But

the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will

cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a

Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a

sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a

manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the

angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds

said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has

happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was

lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word

concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard

it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured

up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds

returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard

and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Merry Christmas!