Today’s Reading: Luke 1:39-56, 2:1-7

In August of 1996, after three miscarriages, I received a promise from the Lord that I would have a baby “a year from now”. Time passed between the promise and the pregnancy. I had a choice to believe God’s promise or to spend time worrying if God’s promise would come true.

I wonder what it was like for Elizabeth to be past childbearing years when she received her promise. How much time passed between the message from the angel and her first signs of pregnancy? I wonder if she questioned God’s promise, or if she had a staying peace for what her future held.

During his time of silence, Zechariah had plenty of time to consider what the angel had said. He had time to look over the Scriptures and remind himself of all God had promised to the people of Israel. He could take his new piece of the puzzle and fit it into the big picture.

Luke 1:24 says that Elizabeth went into seclusion for five months after she became pregnant. There is no evidence that this was an Old Testament custom or command, therefore many theologians believe that Elizabeth took time to have a spiritual retreat of sorts to beautifully honor God for answering her prayer. Mary also responded beautifully to a similar message she received from the angel — the promise that she would have a baby even though she was a virgin.

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.”

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. – Luke 1:35-38

A few days after the angel appeared to Mary, she traveled to visit Elizabeth. At the sound of Mary’s voice, the child within Elizabeth leaped and Mary was filled with the Holy Spirit. Only a few days had passed since the angel had come to Mary. Had she told anyone yet of what the angel had spoken? Did her family know? Did Joseph know? Now here she is, probably still trying to soak it all in, greeted by Elizabeth, who seems to already know the big news. This greeting was most likely more than Mary had even wished for. Mary was not going to be scolded or questioned or accused. Instead, Elizabeth greeted her with a blessing for Mary and for her baby.

“You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said” (Luke 1:45). Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke what I believe Mary needed to hear – what God Himself was saying to her through Elizabeth.

So here’s a question for you – Do you believe? Is your faith strong enough to believe that God is going to do what He says He will do? Are you willing to trust Him while you wait?

Lord, will you give us the faith to trust you between the problem and the promise? In the same way, give us the strength to wait patiently for you between the promise and the fulfillment of the promise. Help us to see that you are working all things out in your perfect timing for your perfect plan. May our soul sing of your goodness while reflecting our response to your generous mercy, just like Mary’s song:

“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,
and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
For the Mighty One is holy,
and he has done great things for me.
He shows mercy from generation to generation
to all who fear him.
His mighty arm has done tremendous things!
He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
He has brought down princes from their thrones
and exalted the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away with empty hands.
He has helped his servant Israel
and remembered to be merciful.
For he made this promise to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his children forever.” – Luke 1:46-55

Mary clung to the promise given to her throughout her pregnancy. Joseph responded in obedience to the instructions the Lord gave him through the angel. And God was faithful to provide for them, just as He said He would.

At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire…All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them. – Luke 2:1-7

Today’s Reading: Luke 1:1-25, 57-66

HAVE YOU EVER ARGUED WITH GOD?

Have you ever asked God for something but, when He gave it to you, you chose to ask more questions instead of going first to praise and thanksgiving? Have you ever heard God’s promise but lacked the faith to believe that He was really speaking to you, or that He was really saying what you had been waiting to hear?

This is the story of the Jewish priest, Zechariah. He and his wife, Elizabeth, were righteous in God’s eyes as they served Him obediently. They were both very old and had never been able to conceive.

One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. – Luke 1:8-9

There were 24 orders of priests (1 Chronicles 24) and then a large number of priests in each order. On this day, his order was on duty and they cast lots to see who would have the honor of entering the sanctuary of the Lord and burning incense. It was possible that a priest may never be chosen or that this would be a once in a lifetime opportunity for a priest. Today, the lot fell to Zechariah.

While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.”

Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.”

Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.” – Luke 1:11-20

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN SILENCED BY GOD?

Because of their age, Zechariah struggled to believe this amazing message delivered by Gabriel. Instead of praising God, he argued and asked more questions, so God silenced him. Zechariah lacked the faith to believe the angel was really saying what he had been longing to hear for so many years.

When Zechariah’s week of service in the Temple was over, he returned home. Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. “How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.” – Luke 1:23-25

When it was time, Elizabeth gave birth to a son and declared his name would be John. When those around her argued that she needed to choose a family name, Zechariah wrote the words, “His name is John.” Instantly his voice came back and Zechariah began praising God! (Luke 1:57-64)

I wonder if God considers silencing us. At times he asks us to be silent in order to spend more time listening for His voice; He asks us to silence the noise so that we can hear His gentle whisper. Perhaps God desires for us to receive His words without comment, sarcasm, questions, cynicism or doubt.

In 1818, another priest sat frustrated by the damage mice had done to the church organ. What would they do that night when the congregation arrived for Christmas mass if there was no organ to play? Joseph Mohr took a poem he had written, asked his friend to put it to music, and he played the guitar while leading his church in this song — a song we find ourselves singing every Christmas Eve:

Silent night, holy night!
All is calm, all is bright.
Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child.
Holy infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight.
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia,
Christ the Savior is born!
Christ the Savior is born

Silent night, holy night!
Son of God love’s pure light.
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus Lord, at Thy birth

Lord, we wait before you today in silence. Our desire is to hear from you, so we ask that you help us block out the distractions in order to hear your voice; help us to silence the chaos and focus on you and the celebration of your birth. Father God, we ask for an increase in faith so that we can believe your promises to be true and trust that your plan is always the perfect plan. Amen.

Today’s Reading: John 1:1-18

Jesus, a descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, came from the lineage of Solomon, son of King David. Matthew made known where Jesus came from, but John made known that Jesus existed long before Abraham. Consider the significance of who Jesus is and the impact His life has on ours today.

Jesus. My Savior, my Redeemer, my LIFE.
Jesus. My Counselor, my Comforter, my LIGHT.
Jesus. My King, my Best Friend, my LOVE.

LIFE, LIGHT and LOVE – three powerful words that describe our Lord and Savior. We are able to experience these three gifts because of the presence of Christ in our life, the presence of the Word.

In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He existed in the beginning with God.
God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.
The Word gave LIFE to everything that was created, and his life brought LIGHT to everyone.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. – John 1:1-5

JESUS, THE WORD, GIVES US LIFE.

He was there in the beginning when life was created. In fact, all life was created through Him because he is the One who gave life to everything that was created. We would not be here, we would not experience physical life, if it were not for Jesus — the Word. But we would also not experience a rebirth or a second gift of life if it were not for him. We experience new life in God when we accept what Jesus did for us on the cross. When we see the part we played in his death and believe that he rose from the dead, we accept that Jesus is the pathway to life. We experience a new life because of the One who gave life to everything. Jesus, the One who gave us life, is the way to life (John 14:6).

The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn – not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. – John 1:9-13

JESUS, THE WORD, GIVES US LIGHT.

Just as God spoke light into existence at creation, Jesus brought light when he came into the very world he created. Jesus – the true light – came into a world that had been darkened by sin in order to cast his light into the world he created. We come to know the God who created us through the Son who died for us, and then have the blessing of His Spirit that lives in us. Jesus, the One who gave us light, is the light (John 8:12).

No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us. – John 1:18

I am so thankful that the light of Jesus led me to an understanding of God’s plan for my life. His light shines in the darkness so that we can see beyond the sinful options of this world and see the difference He can make in our lives. The same God who created light in the beginning, when all was dark, is the God who sent the Word to become the light of the world. His light shines brightly in the lives of those around us, giving us hope for our own salvation.

For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. – 2 Corinthians 4:6

In what ways can we choose to walk in the light today? There is so much darkness around us — darkness on the daily news, darkness in politics, darkness in social media, darkness in the hearts of our friends and neighbors. With this darkness comes loneliness, grief, hopelessness, and pain. The One who created light has a plan to be the light in our lives for those who are hurting. This changes the way we see our day. Is this just another day, or is this the opportunity to let His holiness shine in our lives, bringing hope to everyone we come in contact with.

JESUS, THE WORD, GIVES US LOVE.

So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing LOVE and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. – John 1:14

When He entered the world of darkness, he gave us blessing after blessing from the abundance of His love. Before this time, God’s people had experienced the love of their Creator who had faithfully cared for them, but it was through the gift of His Son that God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came down so close they could see it!

From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. – John 1:16-17

What a gift we were given when the Word took on flesh! As we study the life of Jesus, we come to a better understanding of who God is. The sacrifice of Jesus gives us perspective of just how much God loves us. His love for us is revealed in the gift of His Son. Jesus, the One who taught us how to love, displayed his love on the cross (1 John 4:10).

Life, light and love — we will experience all three of these today but it is our choice whether or not we acknowledge the presence of these gifts in our life. Today I can choose to recognize God’s blessings in my life that overflow from the abundance of His unfailing love and faithfulness, or I can focus on the loud cries of the darkness that try hard to extinguish these gifts of life, light and love.

Jesus, we recognize you this morning as the Giver of Life. We thank you for each day you give us to experience life with our family and friends, and we praise you for the opportunity to experience new life through our relationship with you. You are the way to life, you are the truth that guides our life, and you are the source of life itself. We give you all the praise this morning as we recognize your gift of life and commit to keeping our eyes focused on you. Help us to show joy and cast hope into the lives of others. May the words of our mouths and the brightness of our hearts help someone else see YOU today. Jesus, we choose to walk in your light and shine for others, just as you are shining for us. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 27:11-66; 28:1-20

We are three days from Christmas. All hearts are focused on the manger as we celebrate the birth of the Christ Child. Yet this year God has us finishing the book of Matthew, which focuses on the cross instead of the cradle.

Jesus, born in a manger on a silent night, as compared to Jesus, standing before the Roman Governor accused of blasphemy. “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus respectfully answered, “You have said it.” The wisemen had come to worship him, but the religious leaders had come to accuse him. The babe rested silently in the manger; Jesus stood silently before Pilate.

When Pilate gave the religious leaders and all who had gathered the choice to set Jesus free or pardon the criminal Barabbas, as was the custom during the Passover, the people chose Barabbas. They shouted over and over again for Pilate to crucify Jesus of Nazareth.

Pilate saw that he wasn’t getting anywhere and that a riot was developing. So he sent for a bowl of water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. The responsibility is yours!”

And all the people yelled back, “We will take responsibility for his death—we and our children!”

So Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified. – Matthew 27:24-26

God sent His Son into the world for the sake of redemption, but the people rejected Jesus as their King. They showed no mercy to the One who had displayed mercy to all who were brought to him for healing. He had raised many among them from the dead, yet they cried out for Jesus to be sentenced to death. Jesus, Creator, Healer, Savior.

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.
He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,
for through him God created everything
in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see
and the things we can’t see—
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.
Everything was created through him and for him.
He existed before anything else,
and he holds all creation together.
Christ is also the head of the church,
which is his body.
He is the beginning,
supreme over all who rise from the dead.
So he is first in everything.
For God in all his fullness
was pleased to live in Christ,
and through him God reconciled
everything to himself.
He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth
by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.

This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. – Colossians 1:15-22

None of us deserve what Jesus did for us on the cross; none of us are worthy of the sacrifice he made for our sins. Yet he paid the ransom to cover our debts, and now he commissions us for the work that has eternal value.

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:18-20

God, thank you for the sacrifice you made by sending your Son to be born of a virgin. Lord, thank you for dying on a cross so that we who were once far away from God could be reconciled. We kneel before you this Christmas in awe of your birth and grateful for your resurrection. Open our eyes and increase our understanding of who you are, what you have done, and where you are calling us to serve. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 26:31-35,57-75; 27:1-10

On the way, Jesus told them, “Tonight all of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say,
‘God will strike the Shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
But after I have been raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there.”

Peter declared, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I will never desert you.”

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.”

“No!” Peter insisted. “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!” And all the other disciples vowed the same. – Matthew 26:31-35

PETER DECLARED HIS LOYALTY.

Peter’s response was so genuine. I truly believe he had no intention of denying he was one of Jesus’ closest friends. He loved him dearly. When he said he would die for Jesus, I believe he meant it. So what happened between this declaration of loyalty and the denial? What caused Peter to behave differently than he predicted he would?

Jesus was led to the home of Caiaphas, the high priest, and all of the teachers of religious law and elders gathered around him. The disciples had scattered but Peter followed from a distance, slipping into the high priest’s courtyard to see what was happening to Jesus.

The leading priests and high council had been searching for someone who would testify against Jesus, and they had found two men who took a statement Jesus had made and used it out of context. “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the Temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’” (Matthew 26:61). The high priest demanded that Jesus explain himself, but he remained silent. Then the high priest demanded, in the name of God, that Jesus tell them if he was the Messiah, the Son of God.

Jesus replied, “You have said it. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, “Blasphemy! Why do we need other witnesses? You have all heard his blasphemy. What is your verdict?”

“Guilty!” they shouted. “He deserves to die!”

Then they began to spit in Jesus’ face and beat him with their fists. And some slapped him, jeering, “Prophesy to us, you Messiah! Who hit you that time?” – Matthew 26:64-68

I imagine Peter could hear what was happening from the courtyard; he could hear the outrage of the accusations, the verdict of guilt, and the sound of each blow to Jesus’ body. He was probably in disbelief that this was really happening. I imagine his heart was pounding and his mind racing. It was too much to take in. Peter was human and he was probably experiencing all the emotions we would if the person we loved most in the world was being assaulted and condemned to die. His grief was interrupted by the sound of a young girl asking him a question. He was not prepared to answer her; he allowed fear to take over as he did the exact thing Jesus said he would.

A servant girl came over and said to him, “You were one of those with Jesus the Galilean.”
But Peter denied it in front of everyone. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said. – Matthew 26:69b-70

Time passed before another servant girl approached Peter. This time she spoke to those around her, declaring that Peter had been with Jesus of Nazareth. They were by the gate at this point, which tells us Peter had put some distance between himself and what was happening inside. Perhaps there was something inside of him that wanted to run, yet something within him that compelled him to stay.

PETER WAS PUTTING DISTANCE BETWEEN HIMSELF AND JESUS.

Peter denied knowing Jesus again. Time passed. Another bystander walked over to Peter, insisting that Peter was one of Jesus’ followers. His Galilean accent had given him away. This time Peter answered strongly.

Peter swore, “A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know the man!” And immediately the rooster crowed.
Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And he went away, weeping bitterly. – Matthew 26:74-75

It was done. He had betrayed his closest friend and it could not be undone. He walked away — away from the pressure of the accusations and away from the Jesus he had proclaimed he would die for. Judas was feeling a similar remorse, because the next morning he took the 30 pieces of silver back to the leading priests and elders in hopes of undoing the mess he had made. He declared that Jesus was innocent, but it was too late. He threw down the coins, went out and hung himself (27:5).

The weight of our sin can cause us to behave in ways we never thought we would. The recognition that we have been unfaithful to God can change the trajectory of our life. But please know today, my friend, that we serve a God of mercy who longs to restore you to a right relationship with Him. He loves you so much that He sent His only Son to die on a cross for you. His love for you is so great that He is willing to clothe you in His righteousness in order to draw you into His presence. Bring all your fear and regret to the Lord, and experience His forgiveness. His grace is abundant and His arms are open wide in invitation. Don’t run away; don’t punish yourself. Allow the One who is worthy to make something beautiful out of your story this Christmas.

PETER ALLOWED GOD TO REDEEM HIS STORY.

Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!” Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all. – Acts 2:38-41

Today’s Reading: Matthew 22:15-46; 26:1-30,36-56

But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”

Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” – Matthew 22:34-40

The leaders of the church were trying to trap Jesus, and yet he gave them an answer that could have changed their lives. To focus on our own love for God and the degree to which we are living that love out with all of our heart, soul, and mind — this is what God commands of us. When we truly love God, our love for Him shows up in our love for others. Loving others is a great way to live out our love for God! Remember yesterday? When we do for others, we are doing for Jesus; when we neglect to respond to the needs of those around us, we are neglecting Him. The leaders of the church missed the value of what Jesus was saying and instead plotted to capture and kill him (26:3-4). He was speaking of love but they were focused on hate.

Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head.

The disciples were indignant when they saw this. “What a waste!” they said. “It could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.”

But Jesus, aware of this, replied, “Why criticize this woman for doing such a good thing to me? You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me. She has poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.” – Matthew 26:6-13

While eating at the home of a man whom Jesus had healed, a woman whom Jesus had forgiven came in and generously poured out her love for Jesus by anointing him with expensive perfume. But the disciples missed the value of this authentic offering and instead focused on the extravagance of the gift. They had the opportunity to celebrate the love of Jesus but instead allowed themselves to be distracted by the earthly value of the gift.

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests and asked, “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus. – Matthew 26:14-16

Judas’ life was changed the day he became one of the disciples of Jesus, but his heart did not. He had witnessed the love of Jesus in every healing, every story, and every interaction, yet his focus was still on himself and what he wanted. He betrayed the one who had given him so much in order to gain so little of what the world could offer him.

On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, Jesus sent the disciples into the city to prepare the Passover meal. That evening, Jesus joined them at the table. During the meal, he told them that one of them would betray him. One by one they asked Jesus if they were the one. Lastly, Judas asked the question he already knew the answer to.

Judas, the one who would betray him, also asked, “Rabbi, am I the one?”
And Jesus told him, “You have said it.” – Matthew 26:25

After dinner, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Jesus asked his disciples to keep watch and pray while he went on ahead to spend time praying to His Father. Three times he came back to find them sleeping.

Then he came to the disciples and said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But look—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!”

And even as Jesus said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests and elders of the people. The traitor, Judas, had given them a prearranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss.” So Judas came straight to Jesus. “Greetings, Rabbi!” he exclaimed and gave him the kiss.

Jesus said, “My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for.” – Matthew 26:45-50a

Jesus taught us that the greatest commandment is to love God with all of your heart, soul, and mind, and to love your neighbor as yourself. Then he demonstrated what love looks like. To share a meal with the one who is about to betray you is love. To call him friend the moment after he greets you with a kiss of betrayal — that’s what love looks like. To die for the sins of those who have sinned against you is the ultimate demonstration of love.

Jesus, thank you for all that you continue to teach us about love. May we gain a deeper understanding this year of what it means to love God with all our heart, all our soul, and all our mind, and may that love be beautifully demonstrated in our love towards others. That you would call us your friends even after we have sinned against you is a beautiful, undeserved gift. Show us, teach us, lead us, grow us. We long to be filled with who you are so that we no longer get caught up in all that has earthly value. May this Christmas bring us a new level of understanding of what love looks like. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 24:1-51; 25:31-46

As Jesus was leaving the Temple grounds, his disciples pointed out to him the various Temple buildings. But he responded, “Do you see all these buildings? I tell you the truth, they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!”

Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?” – Matthew 24:1-3

WHEN IS JESUS COMING BACK?

It’s a question the disciples asked Jesus then and a question we still hear today. When will the bridegroom return? What signs will reveal that the time has come so that we don’t miss this moment? Jesus described what this world will be like before he comes back, and so we often find ourselves looking around to see if our current world resembles what Jesus described.

“Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.

“Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come. – Matthew 24:9-14

YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT DAY YOUR LORD IS COMING!

“Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left. Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left.

v“So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.” – Matthew 22:40-44

So if we do not know the day or the hour that the bridegroom is returning, what should we do in the meantime? We should prepare ourselves for his return so that we will be ready. We should do what God has called us to do; we should be responsible with the life God has given us, treating those around us with love like Jesus has taught us to do.

“A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. But what if the servant is evil and thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. – Matthew 24:45-51

“But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

“Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’

“Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’

“And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’

“And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.” –
Matthew 25:31-46

Lord, as we celebrate your birth this week, remind us of this scripture. When our heart longs to do something for you in return for all you have done for us, remind us of the many who are in need all around us. Instead of focusing on when you will return, give us a deep ache to make sure that those around us are ready, as we also prepare our own hearts for that day when the bridegroom will return to his bride. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 22:1-14; 23:1-39; 25:1-30

The Pharisees had the opportunity to learn from Jesus and to celebrate the coming of the Messiah. But in their arrogance, they looked for fault in what Jesus did or did not do. Knowing they had become comfortable in their own habits of self-righteousness, he pointed out to them the condition of their hearts. Although they took pride in their spotless perfection, Jesus pointed out to them the obvious stains of their spiritual condition.

THEY WERE CLOTHED IN THEIR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS INSTEAD OF HIS.

“The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son… – Matthew 22:2

Invitations were sent to all the guests and, as was the custom in those days, a second invitation went out to let all of the guests know that the banquet was prepared and they were ready for everyone to arrive. The decorations were up, the food was prepared, and the wedding clothes were laid out but the guests refused to come.

So the king sent his servants out once more, extending grace to those who had so rudely refused his invitation. But some guests were too busy to be bothered and other guests were so bold as to insult and kill the messengers. So the king sent out his army to destroy them and burn down their town.

The king sent his servants back out to the street corners to invite anyone they saw. Everyone was invited to this great wedding feast, whether they had the reputation of being good or bad. The king was extending grace to all who were willing to come and enjoy the banquet he had prepared. As was the custom, wedding clothes were provided and it was an insult not to wear the gift so generously given.

But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?’ But the man had no reply. Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

“For many are called, but few are chosen.” – Matthew 22:11-14

The guests had the opportunity to share a meal with the king, to sit around the table and enjoy the celebration that had been prepared. They did not have to prove their worthiness or their religious status; it did not matter if they had a good or bad reputation. They were being given the opportunity to accept the invitation extended in grace and the gift of the king’s righteousness was offered.

THEY WERE UNPREPARED FOR THE COMING OF THE BRIDEGROOM.

“Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. – Matthew 25:1

Five of the bridesmaids came unprepared and ran out of olive oil for their lamps, while the other five were wise enough to bring extra. As they waited for the bridegroom, they all fell asleep. At midnight they woke to the announcement that the bridegroom was coming. The five foolish bridesmaids did not have enough oil to light their lamps and they left to buy more oil. By the time they returned, the door was closed. Because they weren’t prepared, they missed the moment when the bridegroom had returned. It was too late.

THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT WITH WHICH THEY HAD BEEN ENTRUSTED.

“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone.” – Matthew 25:14

When the master returned, he asked each servant to give an account of how they had used his money while he was gone. The one who had been given five bags of silver reported that he now had ten to give back to the master; the one who had been given two bags of silver now had four.

“The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’” – Matthew 25:23

But the servant who had been given only one bag of silver reported that he had buried the silver. In fear and laziness, he had protected the money rather than using it to multiply the master’s profits. The master was angry and took the money away from the servant, giving it to the one who now had ten.

To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. – Matthew 25:29

Am I properly dressed today? Am I clothed in the kind of real faith that produces spiritual fruit? Have I accepted the gift of His righteousness, fully accepting my inability to earn my place at the table. Producing fruit is not something I can do on my own. I can try to be known for my good works, but my efforts will be like the Pharisees who clean the outside of the cup but are powerless to clean the inside (Matthew 23:25). I can clothe myself in generosity, but my attempts to produce fruit will be like the guests who came to the wedding feast dressed in their own clothes.

Precious Lord, thank you for the gift of salvation and the opportunity to work in your vineyard today. Empty me of my own selfish tendencies, fill me with your Spirit and work through me to produce fruit for you today. God, I come to you today just as I am, submitting who I am in order to be clothed with who you are. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 20:17-19, 21:1-17, 33-46

As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside privately and told them what was going to happen to him. “Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die. Then they will hand him over to the Romans to be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead.” – Matthew 20:17-19

This must have been so hard for the disciples to hear — even harder for them to fully understand. As they continued their approach to Jerusalem, Jesus sent them into a village to borrow a donkey.

This took place to fulfill the prophecy that said,
“Tell the people of Jerusalem,
‘Look, your King is coming to you.
He is humble, riding on a donkey—
riding on a donkey’s colt.’” – Matthew 21:4-5

As they entered Jerusalem, a crowd of people began spreading their garments on the path in front of Jesus. They cut down palm branches, spreading them across the road and waving them as they shouted praise to the Son of David!

The entire city of Jerusalem was in an uproar as he entered. “Who is this?” they asked. And the crowds replied, “It’s Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” – Matthew 21:10-11

Jesus continued through Jerusalem until he arrived at the Temple. With authority, he knocked over the tables of those who were trying to make a profit off of those who were coming to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices. People brought their blind and lame into the Temple and Jesus healed them. The children shouted, “Praise God for the Son of David.” The teachers of religious law saw that people were being healed, but their focus was on the praise Jesus was receiving rather than the power he was displaying.

They asked Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?”

“Yes,” Jesus replied. “Haven’t you ever read the Scriptures? For they say, ‘You have taught children and infants to give you praise.’” Then he returned to Bethany, where he stayed overnight. – Matthew 21:16-17

The next day, Jesus came back to the Temple and was soon surrounded by the leading priests and elders. They demanded he tell them by what authority he was doing all these things. He responded by telling them that corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes would enter God’s Kingdom before they would. Then he told them this story:

“A certain landowner planted a vineyard, built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country. At the time of the grape harvest, he sent his servants to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers grabbed his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. So the landowner sent a larger group of his servants to collect for him, but the results were the same.

“Finally, the owner sent his son, thinking, ‘Surely they will respect my son.’

“But when the tenant farmers saw his son coming, they said to one another, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Come on, let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’ So they grabbed him, dragged him out of the vineyard, and murdered him.

“When the owner of the vineyard returns,” Jesus asked, “what do you think he will do to those farmers?”

The religious leaders replied, “He will put the wicked men to a horrible death and lease the vineyard to others who will give him his share of the crop after each harvest.”

Then Jesus asked them, “Didn’t you ever read this in the Scriptures?
‘The stone that the builders rejected
has now become the cornerstone.
This is the Lord’s doing,
and it is wonderful to see.’

I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit. Anyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on.”

When the leading priests and Pharisees heard this parable, they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers. They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, who considered Jesus to be a prophet. – Matthew 21:33b-46

The servants were sent to collect the landowner’s money. They had the authority to require the payment, but the tenants beat one, killed one, and stoned another. The landowner’s son came to collect the required payment. He had the authority to demand it, yet they chose to murder him instead of giving him what was required of them. The “owner of the vineyard” had sent His Son into the world and the leaders of the church demanded by what authority he was healing, teaching, casting out demons, cleaning out the Temple, forgiving sins, and receiving the praise of the people. They had the opportunity to worship the Messiah, but instead plotted against him.

Lord, may we respond as the people who prepared the way for you by laying out their garments, waving palm branches, and shouting your praise. May we recognize your deity as the children did in the Temple that day, celebrating the wonderful things you are doing in the lives of those around us. May we bow to your authority, giving you all that you are asking for and allowing you to be the King of our lives. Show us today what we have wrongfully taken ownership of that only belongs to you. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Matthew 19:1-12; 21:18-32

WHERE IS THE FRUIT?

Jesus went to the fig tree looking for fruit and there was none.

In the morning, as Jesus was returning to Jerusalem, he was hungry, and he noticed a fig tree beside the road. He went over to see if there were any figs, but there were only leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” And immediately the fig tree withered up. – Matthew 21:18-19

Jesus went to the Temple looking for fruit and there was none.

Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!” – Matthew 21:12-13

Jesus looked for fruit while considering the issue of divorce and there was none.

Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife for just any reason?”

“Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’” And he said, “‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.” – Matthew 19:3-6

WHAT IS WORSE? To say you will NOT bear fruit but then bear fruit, or to say that you WILL bear fruit but then NOT bear fruit?

“But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway. Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go.

“Which of the two obeyed his father?” – Matthew 21:28-31a

Jesus has purchased our salvation and prepared the way for us to bear fruit. He expects us to do what he has called us to do – to bear fruit. If we do not make use of this salvation and bear fruit as he intended, what will his response be?

“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.” – Matthew 7:15-20

Producing fruit is not something I can do on my own. “Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?” I have to allow God to make me into a good tree in order to produce good fruit. I go to God, just as I am, submitting who I am in order to be clothed with who He is. Here I am, Lord. Make me into the fruit-bearing tree you created me to be! Amen.