December 7, 2022 – Devotions to Prepare Us For Christ’s Coming

“Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered hand.  They watched him to see whether he would cure him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Come forward.”  Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent.  He looked around at them with anger; he was grieved at their hardness of heart and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.  The Pharisees went out and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.” Mark 3:1-6

I find it interesting that the Pharisees are waiting in the synagogue to “see” if Jesus will heal the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath.  It is amazing to me that the “people of the law” were so mired in it, that when the miraculous occurs, when this wonderful event happens in their presence, all they can do is worry about whether this healing breaks the commandment of honoring the Sabbath.  Personally, if I watched a faith healer restore a withered hand, I would not have been prepared for such a miracle, let alone to complain that it went against religious laws.  

We know the Lord will continually astound and amaze us so that we will give glory to G-d.  When the miraculous happens right in front of our eyes, do we let the details of our daily lives keep us from seeing how great this G-d of ours really is?  The miraculous acts of G-d should not scare us – they should prepare us for the joys to come and to take the time to offer prayer, praise and thanksgiving.

Let us pray: Dear G-d, this world wants to prove every experience through science. You are not beholden to the laws of science, though in many ways you work through such laws. You also are not beholden to religious laws and rules. Help me to do as you ask: to prepare the way of the Lord through word and deed. Amen.

Pastor Dave

December 8, 2022 – Devotions to Prepare Us For Christ’s Coming

 “Moses lifted up the snake in the desert.  It is the same with the Son of Man. He must be lifted up too.  Then everyone who believes in him can have eternal life.”  Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him would not be lost but have eternal life.  God sent his Son into the world. He did not send him to judge the world guilty, but to save the world through him.” John 3:14-17 

Charlie Brown and Linus are walking down the sidewalk and Linus asks Charlie, “Have you heard of the ‘Beat Generation’ Charlie Brown?”  Charlie replies, “Oh, Yes.”  And Charlie continues, “I’m a charter member.”  John 3:16 and 17 reminds us that although we might also feel like the world is beating us down, we have a G-d who loves us so much that G-d felt humanity was worth doing something completely unique – G-d became like us to save us from ourselves.  And he was lifted upon a cross so that, in seeing and believing, we might prepare for the greatest gift we have ever seen, that being life – life eternal. 

The world may still beat us down. We will still struggle just as much as we succeed. We will still experience pain. And while the Advent and Christmas seasons give us reason to experience the joy of these seasons, they are also a time where we prepare to endure the struggling and the pain – because those life experiences will persist long after Christmas has passed us by. But nothing can separate us from the love of G-d that comes through the cross of Jesus. Nothing could prepare us for such a great gift.

Let us pray: Dear G-d, you became human through Jesus Christ so that we can see that we have a G-d who suffers when we suffer. Help me remember that You, G-d lift us all up to new life – not just for a few months, but for eternity. Amen.

Pastor Dave

December 5, 2022 – Devotions to Prepare Us For Christ’s Coming

“The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: This month shall mark for you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year for you. Tell the whole congregation of Israel that on the tenth of this month they are to take a lamb for each family, a lamb for each household.  If a household is too small for a whole lamb, it shall join its closest neighbor in obtaining one; the lamb shall be divided in proportion to the number of people who eat of it. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a year-old male; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then the whole assembled congregation of Israel shall slaughter it at twilight. They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.  They shall eat the lamb that same night; they shall eat it roasted over the fire with unleavened bread and bitter herbs Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted over the fire, with its head, legs, and inner organs.  You shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly. It is the Passover of the Lord.  For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both human beings and animals; on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord.” Exodus 12:1-12

Why are those who are hungry, thirsty, naked and in need seemingly anonymous in our community? How do they remain so hidden from us – or why do we seem to pass over them as we live our lives? Are there ways we can feed, clothe, care for, and visit these people in need in new and exciting ways? We have so many good ministries in our church, yet we cannot become complacent in the calling to serve the needy. How can we expand our ministries to those who are under-served?  How can we expand our understanding of who is our neighbor? 

Moses was forced to look beyond his own situation, happy as he was living his life as a shepherd and trying to remain anonymous. But G-d needed him to expand his understanding of himself and to expand his idea of how he was to serve G-d no matter how unprepared he felt. Moses was forced to understand that his “family” was more than just those whom he knew – his “family” was an entire people in need. 

Let us pray: Dear G-d, as your people we should always try to understand who it is we are passing over – to whom we should be offering ministries and how we can serve others.  Amen.

Pastor Dave

December 6, 2022 – Devotions to Prepare Us For Christ’s Coming

“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.”  Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’” Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world.  And the devil said to him, “To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please.  If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.”  Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’”   Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you, and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’”  Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”  When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.” Luke 4:1-13

In Bavarian Alpine Folklore, the Krampus is a horned, “half-goat, half-demon”, figure who, during the Christmas season, punishes children who have misbehaved, in contrast with Saint Nicholas, who rewards the well-behaved children with gifts. The origin of the figure is unclear; some folklorists and anthropologists have considered him to be a Devil figure. 

The whole purpose of an “Anti-St. Nicholas” figure is to scare children into behaving all year long. Of course, there is nothing more empowering as a parent than to scare your children into thinking a “half-goat half-devil man will steal them away at Christmas if they have been rotten”.  It is tempting, but not very Christian. 

For forty days, Jesus was tempted by the devil.  Temptation is a universal human experience. For Jesus to be tempted gives evidence to his humanity, gives evidence that Jesus was tested just as we are tested every day. What truly gives us hope and should strengthen our will to sustain temptation is the amazing fact that Jesus was able to avoid sinning in the face of such temptation. 

Time generally wears a person down, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Jesus could not have been prepared to remain in the wilderness with the Devil, but the longer he was there the more that his own will would have been tested. What gives us hope is that we worship the one who, in being human just like us, has given us a model for withstanding temptation, and the instructions for how to prepare: through G-d’s word and love.

Let us pray: Dear Lord, even in the most difficult of trials and tribulations we can receive strength and hope knowing that Jesus was fully human, like us, and knew what it meant to be tempted, like us.  And Jesus will be the one to take all of that sin upon himself and win for us eternal life. Amen.

Pastor Dave