Merry Christmas!

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Isaiah 9:6-7 NKJV
 

from all of us at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Skanee, MI

 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Romans 15:14-21 NIV Make It Your Ambition To Proclaim the Good News

Romans 15:14-21 NIV
I woke up this morning, mistakenly, thinking that it was Christmas morning. You see, I have a few services to attend today and for me, Christmas day is the day to celebrate Christ's birth. It just seems natural to me to celebrate his birth on Christmas Day. I've never quite adjusted to these early Christmas Eve Services. Something about them just doesn't seem quite right. For one; those who are traveling on Christmas Eve often don't get the opportunity to worship if there are no Christmas Day services. Being the wife of a retired Marine, I, remember many Christmas Eve's traveling and missing out on many Christmas Worship Services because there were none on Christmas Day. Secondly, I've always had the fear that Christmas has become so secularized that people would rather not spend the actual holiday as a Holy Day; but, more in line with the expectations of the world. I've kind of thought that maybe Jesus was taking a backseat on Christmas day.

I, personally, feel like I'm slacking by not sharing the Good News on Christmas Day. For years, I insisted on both an eve and a day service. However, due to lack of attendance; (the organist, usher, and me showed up), I finally acquiesced. Now, I go out and try to visit all of our shut-ins on Christmas Day, so that I am still able to proclaim:

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Isaiah 9:6,7

 

I also insisted that we put in a midnight service to replace the service that had been deleted the following morning. We celebrate Christ's birth at Zion, not only at 6 pm on Christmas Eve; but, also at 11 pm. I have a notion that 11 pm might be closer to the time of Christ's actual birth and the service tends to last into the first minutes of Christmas morning.

Despite my personal preferences, it most probably does not really matter when we actually gather to commemorate Christ's birth. We should all be gathering often not only to commemorate his birth, but his life, his death, his resurrection, and his ascension into the Kingdom that he has prepared for us. In every season and in every place, we should, as St. Paul did, make it our ambition to proclaim the Good News so that those who have never heard will hear and understand. Jesus the Christ was born and lived and died and lives again for you! Enter into his peace.

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. As for me, I will celebrate Christ's birth in community today and tomorrow with those who cannot be with us in community this evening. I hope those of you who will gather as community to worship today, will consider doing the same. Merry Christmas!

Romans 1:18-32 You Know the Truth; Quit Ignoring It!

Romans 1:18-32 NIV
Those who know the truth and ignore it tend to make be just a bit crazy. They get into trouble because they have ignored the truth of God. They get into trouble for following after and spending their time and money worshipping false gods. They not only do this themselves; but they also approve and teach others to reject and/or ignore God to everyone's detriment. They get into trouble and they wonder why.

The why is because they follow trouble. They worship it. Chaos and drama are a way of life. For those who want peace; there is a way. God has given us a way. Quit ignoring Him. Stop rejecting the Prince of Peace, for peace can be found only in living in relationship with Jesus the Christ, who is our peace. You want trouble to go away; then depart from doing what is evil and glorify God. Evil begets evil. Steer clear!

You know the truth. You know the way. You know how to live life. Willful sin is not the way. Willfully ignoring and rejecting the truth of God is not the way. Jesus is the way and the truth and the life. Quit suppressing the truth and embrace it; that you, too, might have abundant life.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Luke 24:50-53 Ascend

Luke 24:50-53 NIV
We come to the end of the Gospel of St. Luke. The Good News culminates with Jesus blessing his followers and ascending into heaven in full view of the disciples. What did they do after Jesus disappears from their sight? They rejoiced. They worshipped him. They went to the temple praising God. What a fit way to respond to the end of yet another chapter in the story. What a marvelous way to respond to the end of yet another leg of their journey. But, even as one leg of the journey may be over, another begins. Every journey has it's ups and downs. The disciples will encounter much persecution as they continue their journey following in the footsteps of Jesus; proclaiming the Good News. But, they will be prepared. They know that God has a good plan and a good purpose. After all, they have seen the resurrected Jesus rise into the Kingdom of God. He has taken his place as King of Kings, the Prince of Peace, and we can all know that this Prince of Peace is with us, no matter what happens, even to the end of the age. In this we rejoice and give thanks to God.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Daniel 12 - When Is Not The Priority; The Kingdom Is

"The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, “It will be for a time, times and half a time. When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed.” (Dan 12:7 NIV)

Who can know the time of the end? Multitudes have worked on the prophetic numbers here and elsewhere in scripture. It's been nothing more than mere guess work. The date can not be known. “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." (Mark 13:32) So why do so many people spend so many hours trying to figure it out? For me, it's kind of like politics in the church. We have greater things to be about. Namely, we are to proclaim the good news of eternal life in the Kingdom of God, through Jesus Christ, our LORD.

“At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever." (Dan 12:1-3)

“As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.” (Dan 12:13)

Not everyone will hear the message; but, that does not excuse us from telling the good news so that all who hear might believe and receive their inheritance in the Kingdom of God. In short: the mission field is way too big to spend time arguing with our brothers and sisters over secular politics or to be sitting around counting the days. “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few." (Matt 9:37)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Daniel 10 - Princes in Heavenly Realms

Who are these princes that this scripture speaks of? It appears that they are angels and the trouble that is occurring is occurring or at least instigated in the heavenly realms. Daniel has been fasting for three weeks (21 days) and on the twenty-fourth day he receives a vision of a really awesome looking man, dressed in linen. This man tells him, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia." (Dan 10:12-13 NIV)

Michael, it would seem, is the archangel, Michael. He is the angel who is reputed to lead God's armies against the forces of evil. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Eph 6:12)

There are times, when we just really need to back up and understand that it is not our neighbor who is the enemy, but that it is the great adversary who is attacking. And... understand, too, that the adversary is not just attacking you, but attacking your neighbor as well, through you. Stand your ground, stand on the Word of God, that the schemes of the princes who do not find favor in God's sight may be thwarted. Pray unceasingly for help, for yourself as well as for your neighbor, that the enemy will have no hold over us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

1 Chronicles 17 - Thanks For The Journey!

"Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?" (17:16)  From shepherd to prince, what a journey!  And... to top it all off, God is making some pretty decent promises about what the future has in store for David's son, as well.  Now that would be comforting... to know that your children's future is secure and that they will live in covenant with the LORD.

Every now and then, often, but maybe not often enough, I, too, look back at my life and wonder, "Why me?  Who am I, LORD, that you would guide me to the place you have brought me to, today?"  It is amazing to look back and know that God was with you every step of the way, every single day.  David's life was not easy, nor was it perfect.  Most of ours has not been, either.  But, I can look back and say, "No matter where I have been, no matter what I have done, you, O LORD, have had a plan for me and you have guided me in the way that you would have me go.  Thanks be to God for His mercy is great and His love endures forever!"