The Advent Podcast from Apostles By-the-Sea

The Birth of Christ Luke 2:1-20 - Read by John Ellis, Jr. 1 In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to their own towns to be registered. 4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. 5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before 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; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,     and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. Reflection Considering all of the difficulties of this past year, it is particularly refreshing to read Luke's account of the birth of Christ and hear the heavenly host declare a message of good news and great joy. The Messiah has come, and with him the fulfilled promise of eternal peace with God, as well as the ability to live at peace with one another. True peace is ours when God is with us. In the early part of his ministry, John Wesley sailed to America with a group of Moravians, and during a violent storm at sea, Wesley was dismayed to find that he did not possess the same peace in the face of death as the Moravians.  Not long after, Wesley experienced a heart-warming experience of true conversion that resulted in peace because he knew that God was with him. Wesley never forgot this fact, and at the end of his life, surrounded by friends, he held the hands of those who loved him and declared, “Best of all, God is with us.” Today, we conclude our Advent devotional and podcast with the declaration of the heavenly host: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”  Peace has come at last!  And best of all, God is with us! Alleluia! Our King and Savior is drawing near! O come, let us adore him!

Mary and Elizabeth Luke 1:39-56 - Read by Harris Willman ​39 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44 For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.” 46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.     Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,     and holy is his name. 50 His mercy is for those who fear him     from generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with his arm;     he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. 52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,     and lifted up the lowly; 53 he has filled the hungry with good things,     and sent the rich away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel,     in remembrance of his mercy, 55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,     to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” 56 And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home. Reflection I once had a professor of New Testament studies who likened the beginning of Luke's gospel to a musical because, as he said, “people are continually entering the scene and breaking forth in song.” In today's reading it is Mary who sings, and in her song she declares that God “has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” Mary places the coming of Christ within the context of the covenant to Abraham. It is a “big picture” view that shows the amazing covenant faithfulness of God to his people in the sending of his Son. Even more amazing is what the progress of Luke's story reveals. Others who were not originally included in the promise, namely the Gentiles, will come to share in this hope and will benefit from the vindication described here. Our assurance is this: Since God remembers his covenant to Israel, we can rest assured that he will remember his promises to us. God's faithfulness to one promise reinforces his faithfulness to the other.  We, as heirs to the promises of God, who always keeps his word, can rejoice that salvation at last has come. Our King and Savior is drawing near! O come, let us adore him!

The Birth of Jesus Foretold Luke 1:26-38 - Read by James Alfred 26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 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. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 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. 36 And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 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. Reflection ​Of all the ways to be greeted, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you!” has got to be at the top of the list.  This is the greeting the angel Gabriel gave to Mary, and then to calm her fears and confusion, Gabriel told her not to be afraid because she had found favor with God. The word “favor” can also be translated as “grace.” Mary was a particular recipient of God's amazing grace, and while a very special honor was given to Mary to bear the Christ child, all who put their trust in Christ are his favored ones and recipients of his amazing grace. And because Christ, the one called Emmanuel (meaning, God with us) has come, we also share in his presence. “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” Those same words ring true for every born-again child of God, for by his grace the Lord is with us and we also are highly favored, indeed. Our King and Savior is drawing near! O come, let us adore him!

The People are Reunited with God's Law, but Then They Rebel Nehemiah 8:1-12, Malachi 3 - Read by Kathy Haygood ​1 All the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel. 2 Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. 3 He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. 4 The scribe Ezra stood on a wooden platform that had been made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand. 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. 7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the law, while the people remained in their places. 8 So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.   9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” 11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.   1See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap; 3 he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. 4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years. 5 Then I will draw near to you for judgment; I will be swift to bear witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired workers in their wages, the widow and the orphan, against those who thrust aside the alien, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts. 6 For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, have not perished. 7 Ever since the days of your ancestors you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, “How shall we return?” 8 Will anyone rob God? Yet you are robbing me! But you say, “How are we robbing you?” In your tithes and offerings! 9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me—the whole nation of you! 10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and thus put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing. 11 I will rebuke the locust for you, so that it will not destroy the produce of your soil; and your vine in the field shall not be barren, says the Lord of hosts. 12 Then all nations will count you happy, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts. 13 You have spoken harsh words against me, says the Lord. Yet you say, “How have we spoken against you?” 14 You have said, “It is vain to serve God. What do we profit by keeping his command or by going about as mourners before the Lord of hosts? 15 Now we count the arrogant happy; evildoers not only prosper, but when they put God to the test they escape.” 16 Then those who revered the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord took note and listened, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who revered the Lord and thought on his name. 17 They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, my special possession on the day when I act, and I will spare them as parents spare their children who serve them. 18 Then once more you shall see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.   Reflection The context of our passage from Nehemiah is the reading of the Book of the Law to all the people. Initially, the people received it with tears, but were quickly directed not to weep, rather to celebrate. It became a festive time. However, as our reading from Malachi shows, it didn't last; the people soon forgot, just as they had forgotten many times before. Malachi's message is a difficult one, but it's not without hope. Beginning in verse 16 we read that some people did remember, and they revered God.  As they spoke to one another, God “took note and listened,” and then “a book of remembrance was written before him of those who revered the Lord and thought on his name.”  God's response was: “They shall be mine… my special possession on the day when I act.” Advent is a time to remember and celebrate that we are Christ's “special possession.” As such, we wait with confidence for his inevitable return, and we celebrate with great joy.  I find it compelling that the celebration described by Nehemiah included the loving act of sending food to those for whom nothing was prepared.  What a beautiful way to celebrate Advent, remembering how God's care for his “special possession” overflowed in generosity for those less fortunate. This season, let us remember our neighbors in need and do the same. Our King and Savior is drawing near! O come, let us adore him!

Jonah and the Whale Jonah 1-3 - Read by Meredith Tumlin 1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before me.” 3 But Jonah set out to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid his fare and went on board, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord. 4 But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and such a mighty storm came upon the sea that the ship threatened to break up. 5 Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried to his god. They threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten it for them. Jonah, meanwhile, had gone down into the hold of the ship and had lain down, and was fast asleep. 6 The captain came and said to him, “What are you doing sound asleep? Get up, call on your god! Perhaps the god will spare us a thought so that we do not perish.” 7 The sailors said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, so that we may know on whose account this calamity has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 Then they said to him, “Tell us why this calamity has come upon us. What is your occupation? Where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?” 9 “I am a Hebrew,” he replied. “I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” 10 Then the men were even more afraid, and said to him, “What is this that you have done!” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them so. 11 Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?” For the sea was growing more and more tempestuous. 12 He said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you; for I know it is because of me that this great storm has come upon you.” 13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring the ship back to land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more stormy against them. 14 Then they cried out to the Lord, “Please, O Lord, we pray, do not let us perish on account of this man's life. Do not make us guilty of innocent blood; for you, O Lord, have done as it pleased you.” 15 So they picked Jonah up and threw him into the sea; and the sea ceased from its raging. 16 Then the men feared the Lord even more, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows. 17  But the Lord provided a large fish to swallow up Jonah; and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.   1 Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, 2 saying, “I called to the Lord out of my distress,     and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried,     and you heard my voice. 3 You cast me into the deep,     into the heart of the seas,     and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows     passed over me. 4 Then I said, ‘I am driven away     from your sight; how shall I look again     upon your holy temple?' 5 The waters closed in over me;     the deep surrounded me; weeds were wrapped around my head 6     at the roots of the mountains. I went down to the land     whose bars closed upon me forever; yet you brought up my life from the Pit,     O Lord my God. 7 As my life was ebbing away,     I remembered the Lord; and my prayer came to you,     into your holy temple. 8 Those who worship vain idols     forsake their true loyalty. 9 But I with the voice of thanksgiving     will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay.     Deliverance belongs to the Lord!” 10 Then the Lord spoke to the fish, and it spewed Jonah out upon the dry land.   1 The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying, 2 “Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.” 3 So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days' walk across. 4 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's walk. And he cried out, “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” 5 And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth. 6 When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7 Then he had a proclamation made in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: No human being or animal, no herd or flock, shall taste anything. They shall not feed, nor shall they drink water. 8 Human beings and animals shall be covered with sackcloth, and they shall cry mightily to God. All shall turn from their evil ways and from the violence that is in their hands. 9 Who knows? God may relent and change his mind; he may turn from his fierce anger, so that we do not perish.” 10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.   Reflection Our reading today includes most of the familiar story of Jonah. The reading ends at chapter 3 and that might cause us to wonder what ultimately happened to Jonah. The question is never answered, however, even in the final chapter of the book. The main reason for this is that the focus of the story is really on God, not Jonah. The story shows us how God is merciful and faithful to his promises. God saw the repentance of the Ninevites and turned away from his anger so that they would not perish. God's merciful and loving action to deliver the perishing should have a familiar ring to it; John 3:16 tells us that God “gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” We don't know what ultimately happened to Jonah, but we do know that the loving, merciful God sent his Son to rescue the perishing, and because he is the faithful, promise-keeping God, we can be assured that he will return just as he promised. Our King and Savior is drawing near! O come, let us adore him!

Daniel in the Lion's Den Daniel 6 - Read by Summer, Anna Charles, and James Ellis ​1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred twenty satraps, stationed throughout the whole kingdom, 2 and over them three presidents, including Daniel; to these the satraps gave account, so that the king might suffer no loss. 3 Soon Daniel distinguished himself above all the other presidents and satraps because an excellent spirit was in him, and the king planned to appoint him over the whole kingdom. 4 So the presidents and the satraps tried to find grounds for complaint against Daniel in connection with the kingdom. But they could find no grounds for complaint or any corruption, because he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption could be found in him. 5 The men said, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.”   6 So the presidents and satraps conspired and came to the king and said to him, “O King Darius, live forever! 7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an interdict, that whoever prays to anyone, divine or human, for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into a den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish the interdict and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.” 9 Therefore King Darius signed the document and interdict.   10 Although Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he continued to go to his house, which had windows in its upper room open toward Jerusalem, and to get down on his knees three times a day to pray to his God and praise him, just as he had done previously. 11 The conspirators came and found Daniel praying and seeking mercy before his God. 12 Then they approached the king and said concerning the interdict, “O king! Did you not sign an interdict, that anyone who prays to anyone, divine or human, within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be thrown into a den of lions?” The king answered, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.” 13 Then they responded to the king, “Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the interdict you have signed, but he is saying his prayers three times a day.”   14 When the king heard the charge, he was very much distressed. He was determined to save Daniel, and until the sun went down he made every effort to rescue him. 15 Then the conspirators came to the king and said to him, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no interdict or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.” 16 Then the king gave the command, and Daniel was brought and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you faithfully serve, deliver you!” 17 A stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, so that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. 18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no food was brought to him, and sleep fled from him.   19 Then, at break of day, the king got up and hurried to the den of lions. 20 When he came near the den where Daniel was, he cried out anxiously to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God whom you faithfully serve been able to deliver you from the lions?” 21 Daniel then said to the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths so that they would not hurt me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no wrong.” 23 Then the king was exceedingly glad and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.  ​ Reflection Several of the books of the Old Testament are attributed to the prophets - those who God used to speak messages of warning, truth, repentance, direction and encouragement to his people.  Typically, God's messages came through prophets, or sometimes angels, but on a few occasions God used some very unexpected messengers, and King Darius was one of those messengers. Darius was a pagan, but when he saw the faith of Daniel and witnessed how God protected him from the lions, he was convinced that the God of Daniel was THE God. As such, Darius issued a royal decree to all people and nations to “tremble and fear before the God of Daniel,” because , “he is the living God, enduring forever. His kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion has no end. He delivers and rescues.”  Advent is a perfect time to tell others about Jesus, our living God, who delivers and rescues sinners.  Tell them the good news that he has come to save, and is coming back again to claim his own.  God speaks through all kinds of people. He spoke through King Darius, and he can speak a message of good news through you. Our King and Savior is drawing near! O come, let us adore him!

Messianic Prophecies Isaiah 9:1-7 - Read by David Wallace ​1  But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. 2  The people who walked in darkness     have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness--     on them light has shined. 3 You have multiplied the nation,     you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you     as with joy at the harvest,     as people exult when dividing plunder. 4 For the yoke of their burden,     and the bar across their shoulders,     the rod of their oppressor,     you have broken as on the day of Midian. 5 For all the boots of the tramping warriors     and all the garments rolled in blood     shall be burned as fuel for the fire. 6 For a child has been born for us,     a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders;     and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,     Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His authority shall grow continually,     and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom.     He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness     from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. Reflection When Isaiah prophesied about the coming of the “Wonderful Counselor” he was urging Israel to remember their Messiah was indeed coming to establish his Kingdom, and he wrote during a period of history that was nothing less than tumultuous. The Assyrians were taking the people into captivity, but Isaiah's prophecy of the birth of this special child gave Israel the hope they so desperately needed: The child to be born would fulfill the covenant God made with David that Israel would never lack a king to sit on the throne. The child Isaiah refers to is, of course, Jesus and the complete fulfillment of the prophecy will happen at his return. The last year has been very tumultuous for most of us with the COVID-19 pandemic, social and political unrest, wildfires and hurricanes. The world still needs hope, and this passage from Isaiah tells us that hope rests in the Messiah, who is “Wonderful Counselor”.  He always knows what we are going through and what we need. As our Wonderful Counselor we can trust him to hear our concerns and guide us in the right direction, and we can be certain he has our best interests at heart because he loves us (1 John 4:19). Our King and Savior is drawing near! O come, let us adore him!

Naaman and the Girl 2 Kings 5 - Read by Bill Tumlin ​1 Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man and in high favor with his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man, though a mighty warrior, suffered from leprosy. 2 Now the Arameans on one of their raids had taken a young girl captive from the land of Israel, and she served Naaman's wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “If only my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” 4 So Naaman went in and told his lord just what the girl from the land of Israel had said. 5 And the king of Aram said, “Go then, and I will send along a letter to the king of Israel.” He went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of garments. 6 He brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, “When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you my servant Naaman, that you may cure him of his leprosy.” 7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to give death or life, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Just look and see how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me.”   8 But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the king, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me, that he may learn that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots, and halted at the entrance of Elisha's house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean.” 11 But Naaman became angry and went away, saying, “I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy! 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?” He turned and went away in a rage. 13 But his servants approached and said to him, “Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, ‘Wash, and be clean'?” 14 So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean. Reflection Naaman was commander of the army of Aram, a place we now call Syria. At the time of this story Joram, king of Israel, considered the Arameans to be a threat - in fact, our story tells us that the slave girl was captured by the Arameans during one of their raids. Naaman is clearly a key character in this story, but today, let us consider another important character, the unnamed and often overlooked slave girl. Slaves were not in a position to offer advice, but this slave girl showed real courage to speak boldly to her mistress. She may have even risked her life by suggesting that help for Naaman should come from a prophet from Israel, rather than Aram. Even more admirable than the slave girl's display of courage is her concern for the well-being of her captor, which is a model of how Jesus told us to pray – even for our enemies. This kind of prayer brings restoration and healing, and reminds us that when Christ returns, we, like the flesh of Naaman, will be completely restored and healed. Our King and Savior is drawing near! O come, let us adore him!

David and Goliath 1 Samuel 17 - Read by Heather Starkey 1 Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle; they were gathered at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. 2 Saul and the Israelites gathered and encamped in the valley of Elah, and formed ranks against the Philistines. 3 The Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with a valley between them. 4 And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5 He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. 6 He had greaves of bronze on his legs and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders. 7 The shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron; and his shield-bearer went before him. 8 He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.” 10 And the Philistine said, “Today I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man, that we may fight together.” 11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.   12 Now David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, named Jesse, who had eight sons. In the days of Saul the man was already old and advanced in years. 13 The three eldest sons of Jesse had followed Saul to the battle; the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 14 David was the youngest; the three eldest followed Saul, 15 but David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem. 16 For forty days the Philistine came forward and took his stand, morning and evening.   17 Jesse said to his son David, “Take for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp to your brothers; 18 also take these ten cheeses to the commander of their thousand. See how your brothers fare, and bring some token from them.” 19 Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. 20 David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, took the provisions, and went as Jesse had commanded him. He came to the encampment as the army was going forth to the battle line, shouting the war cry. 21 Israel and the Philistines drew up for battle, army against army. 22 David left the things in charge of the keeper of the baggage, ran to the ranks, and went and greeted his brothers. 23 As he talked with them, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines, and spoke the same words as before. And David heard him.   24 All the Israelites, when they saw the man, fled from him and were very much afraid. 25 The Israelites said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel. The king will greatly enrich the man who kills him, and will give him his daughter and make his family free in Israel.” 26 David said to the men who stood by him, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine, and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” 27 The people answered him in the same way, “So shall it be done for the man who kills him.” 28 His eldest brother Eliab heard him talking to the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David. He said, “Why have you come down? With whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption and the evil of your heart; for you have come down just to see the battle.” 29 David said, “What have I done now? It was only a question.” 30 He turned away from him toward another and spoke in the same way; and the people answered him again as before.   31 When the words that David spoke were heard, they repeated them before Saul; and he sent for him. 32 David said to Saul, “Let no one's heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” 33 Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth.” 34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father; and whenever a lion or a bear came, and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after it and struck it down, rescuing the lamb from its mouth; and if it turned against me, I would catch it by the jaw, strike it down, and kill it. 36 Your servant has killed both lions and bears; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 David said, “The Lord, who saved me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will save me from the hand of this Philistine.” So Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you!”   38 Saul clothed David with his armor; he put a bronze helmet on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail. 39 David strapped Saul's sword over the armor, and he tried in vain to walk, for he was not used to them. Then David said to Saul, “I cannot walk with these; for I am not used to them.” So David removed them. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand, and chose five smooth stones from the wadi, and put them in his shepherd's bag, in the pouch; his sling was in his hand, and he drew near to the Philistine.   41 The Philistine came on and drew near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. 42 When the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was only a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. 43 The Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the field.” 45 But David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword and spear and javelin; but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This very day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head; and I will give the dead bodies of the Philistine army this very day to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not save by sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord's and he will give you into our hand.”   48 When the Philistine drew nearer to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 David put his hand in his bag, took out a stone, slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead; the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground. 50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, striking down the Philistine and killing him; there was no sword in David's hand. 51 Then David ran and stood over the Philistine; he grasped his sword, drew it out of its sheath, and killed him; then he cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. 52 The troops of Israel and Judah rose up with a shout and pursued the Philistines as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron, so that the wounded Philistines fell on the way from Shaaraim as far as Gath and Ekron. 53 The Israelites came back from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their camp. 54 David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armor in his tent. 55 When Saul saw David go out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is this young man?” Abner said, “As your soul lives, O king, I do not know.” 56 The king said, “Inquire whose son the stripling is.” 57 On David's return from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul, with the head of the Philistine in his hand. 58 Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” And David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.” ​ Reflection Today's reading is a story of an unexpected event. It seems clear that Goliath did not expect David to be victorious in their battle. Saul also may have had his doubts about David's victory, and it seems that even David's family didn't expect him to fight Goliath, let alone win. In a similar way, the gospel writers' accounts of the life of Jesus indicate that his own family, his disciples, and most of the religious leaders had difficulty picturing him as the victorious king of the universe. Jesus didn't match their expectations. Several years ago I was visiting the Church of the Virgin Mary the Victorious in Prague and there, featured prominently in the church, was a statue of the baby Jesus crowned and clothed in royal robes. It was a depiction of Jesus' kingly reign even from the time of his birth. As the Advent hymn puts it: “born a child and yet a king.”  Who would have expected the Savior and King to come as a baby? Expectation of Christ's return is an integral part of Advent, but let's not set our expectation on some date far in the future, rather let's prepare ourselves now and pray that God might hasten the day of Christ's return…even today! Our King and Savior is drawing near! O come, let us adore him!

David Chosen to be King 1 Samuel 16:1-13 - Read by Laura Brown 1The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” 2 Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” And the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.' 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you.” 4 Samuel did what the Lord commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, “Do you come peaceably?” 5 He said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.   6 When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord's anointed is now before the Lord.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 10 Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” 11 Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.” 12 He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah. Reflection As a boy, I was a member of the Boy Scouts of America. The highest honor in Scouting is the Eagle Scout, and every Eagle Scout is awarded a medal with the Scout motto. It is a simple motto of just two words: Be Prepared.  When Scouting founder Robert Baden-Powell established the motto in 1907 his idea was that Scouts should prepare themselves to become productive citizens and strong leaders and to bring joy to other people. He wanted each Scout to be ready in mind and body and spirit to meet whatever challenges await him.  The Bible is full of stories that tell us to “be prepared” for the arrival of our king, Jesus, and Advent is a time when we prepare our hearts for his return.  Our passage today from 1 Samuel 16 shows that God chose David, not because of his appearance, attractive though it was, but because of what was in his heart. Verse 7 reminds us, “the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”  David was a man after God's own heart. This Advent season, as we wait for the coming of Christ, let every heart prepare him room, and like David, be found as a person after God's own heart. Our King and Savior is drawing near! O come, let us adore him!

Joshua, the Warrior Leader Joshua 1 - Read by Jane Perry 1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' assistant, saying, 2 “My servant Moses is dead. Now proceed to cross the Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the Israelites. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, as I promised to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and the Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, to the Great Sea in the west shall be your territory. 5 No one shall be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous; for you shall put this people in possession of the land that I swore to their ancestors to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to act in accordance with all the law that my servant Moses commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, so that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall be successful. 9 I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”   10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, 11 “Pass through the camp, and command the people: ‘Prepare your provisions; for in three days you are to cross over the Jordan, to go in to take possession of the land that the Lord your God gives you to possess.'”   12 To the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh Joshua said, 13 “Remember the word that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, ‘The Lord your God is providing you a place of rest, and will give you this land.' 14 Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land that Moses gave you beyond the Jordan. But all the warriors among you shall cross over armed before your kindred and shall help them, 15 until the Lord gives rest to your kindred as well as to you, and they too take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving them. Then you shall return to your own land and take possession of it, the land that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you beyond the Jordan to the east.” ​ 16 They answered Joshua: “All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you, as he was with Moses! 18 Whoever rebels against your orders and disobeys your words, whatever you command, shall be put to death. Only be strong and courageous.” Reflection Four times in our reading today the command “be strong and courageous” is given. Simply being commanded to be strong and courageous, however,  doesn't automatically make it so. So, how are we to think about this command, especially when we know we're often lacking, or at least wavering, in strength and courage? The key to understanding the command is to see the context in which it is given. Every time the command to “be strong and courageous” is used, it is accompanied by the acknowledgement that “God is with you.” Strength and courage come not from ourselves, but from God, who is with us. That is important to remember at all times, but here in Advent we also remember that the name given to Jesus, Emmanuel, means “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). Christian, as you wait for Christ's return, be strong and courageous, because God is with you! Our King and Savior is drawing near! O come, let us adore him!

Manna From Heaven Exodus 16 - Read by Jeff Webb 1 The whole congregation of the Israelites set out from Elim; and Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. 2 The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3 The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” 4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. 5 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days.” 6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaining against the Lord. For what are we, that you complain against us?” 8 And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the Lord has heard the complaining that you utter against him—what are we? Your complaining is not against us but against the Lord.”   9 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, ‘Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.'” 10 And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. 11 The Lord spoke to Moses and said, 12 “I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.'”   13 In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14 When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather as much of it as each of you needs, an omer to a person according to the number of persons, all providing for those in their own tents.'” 17 The Israelites did so, some gathering more, some less. 18 But when they measured it with an omer, those who gathered much had nothing over, and those who gathered little had no shortage; they gathered as much as each of them needed. 19 And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over until morning.” 20 But they did not listen to Moses; some left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and became foul. And Moses was angry with them. 21 Morning by morning they gathered it, as much as each needed; but when the sun grew hot, it melted.   22 On the sixth day they gathered twice as much food, two omers apiece. When all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, 23 he said to them, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy sabbath to the Lord; bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil, and all that is left over put aside to be kept until morning.'” 24 So they put it aside until morning, as Moses commanded them; and it did not become foul, and there were no worms in it. 25 Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. 26 Six days you shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is a sabbath, there will be none.”   27 On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, and they found none. 28 The Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and instructions? 29 See! The Lord has given you the sabbath, therefore on the sixth day he gives you food for two days; each of you stay where you are; do not leave your place on the seventh day.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.   31 The house of Israel called it manna; it was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. 32 Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Let an omer of it be kept throughout your generations, in order that they may see the food with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.'” 33 And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar, and put an omer of manna in it, and place it before the Lord, to be kept throughout your generations.” 34 As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the covenant, for safekeeping. 35 The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a habitable land; they ate manna, until they came to the border of the land of Canaan. 36 An omer is a tenth of an ephah. Reflection God never fails to provide what we need. During Israel's wandering in the wilderness, God lovingly satisfied the physical hunger of the Israelites. He did it every day, without fail, for 14,600 consecutive days (40 years).  Deuteronomy 8:3 explains that God let the Israelites hunger and then fed them with manna that he might make them know that one does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.  In other words, hunger was the reminder of the need to rely on God for all things, and the giving of manna was the indicator that God would fulfill the need. God did indeed fulfill that need, but the people soon forgot, just like they forgot soon after Jesus fed the 5000 in the wilderness. We're often forgetful too, so every Sunday we recall that Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”  Advent is a time to remember that Jesus, the Bread of Life, the true and better manna, has come and will come again.  Come, Lord Jesus, may it be soon! Our King and Savior is drawing near! O come, let us adore him!

The Red Sea Exodus 14:5-31 - Read by William Marbaker 5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the minds of Pharaoh and his officials were changed toward the people, and they said, “What have we done, letting Israel leave our service?” 6 So he had his chariot made ready, and took his army with him; 7 he took six hundred picked chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. 8 The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt and he pursued the Israelites, who were going out boldly. 9 The Egyptians pursued them, all Pharaoh's horses and chariots, his chariot drivers and his army; they overtook them camped by the sea, by Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon. 10 As Pharaoh drew near, the Israelites looked back, and there were the Egyptians advancing on them. In great fear the Israelites cried out to the Lord. 11 They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us, bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Is this not the very thing we told you in Egypt, ‘Let us alone and let us serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” 13 But Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the Lord will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you shall never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to keep still.”   15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry out to me? Tell the Israelites to go forward. 16 But you lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the Israelites may go into the sea on dry ground. 17 Then I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and so I will gain glory for myself over Pharaoh and all his army, his chariots, and his chariot drivers. 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gained glory for myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his chariot drivers.”   19 The angel of God who was going before the Israelite army moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and took its place behind them. 20 It came between the army of Egypt and the army of Israel. And so the cloud was there with the darkness, and it lit up the night; one did not come near the other all night.   21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land; and the waters were divided. 22 The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. 23 The Egyptians pursued, and went into the sea after them, all of Pharaoh's horses, chariots, and chariot drivers. 24 At the morning watch the Lord in the pillar of fire and cloud looked down upon the Egyptian army, and threw the Egyptian army into panic. 25 He clogged their chariot wheels so that they turned with difficulty. The Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the Israelites, for the Lord is fighting for them against Egypt.”   26 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, so that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and chariot drivers.” 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at dawn the sea returned to its normal depth. As the Egyptians fled before it, the Lord tossed the Egyptians into the sea. 28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the chariot drivers, the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea; not one of them remained. 29 But the Israelites walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.   30 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Israel saw the great work that the Lord did against the Egyptians. So the people feared the Lord and believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses. Reflection Today's reading recounts how God made possible the seemingly impossible escape from the powerful Egyptian army through the middle of the Red Sea.  Yet, God didn't do this by giving the Israelites incredible strength to overpower the Egyptians, instead God told the people to simply “stand firm, and see the deliverance that the Lord will accomplish for you today.”  This demonstration of God's power resulted in the deliverance of the Israelites as well as the conversion of many people who now believed in the Lord (verse 31). At this point in our Advent season we're two weeks away from Christmas, and there can be a tendency to work so hard at making the “perfect” family Christmas that we lose focus of the meaning of the season. Take time each day to just stand and recall the deliverance that the Lord has accomplished for you through Jesus.  And then let the power of God be demonstrated through you so that others may see and believe. Our King and Savior is drawing near! O come, let us adore him!

Moses Exodus 6:1-13- Read by Sissy Rickets 1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh: Indeed, by a mighty hand he will let them go; by a mighty hand he will drive them out of his land.” 2 God also spoke to Moses and said to him: “I am the Lord. 3 I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name ‘The Lord' I did not make myself known to them. 4 I also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they resided as aliens. 5 I have also heard the groaning of the Israelites whom the Egyptians are holding as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant. 6 Say therefore to the Israelites, ‘I am the Lord, and I will free you from the burdens of the Egyptians and deliver you from slavery to them. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. 7 I will take you as my people, and I will be your God. You shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has freed you from the burdens of the Egyptians. 8 I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; I will give it to you for a possession. I am the Lord.'” 9 Moses told this to the Israelites; but they would not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and their cruel slavery.   10 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, 11 “Go and tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go out of his land.” 12 But Moses spoke to the Lord, “The Israelites have not listened to me; how then shall Pharaoh listen to me, poor speaker that I am?” 13 Thus the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, and gave them orders regarding the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt, charging them to free the Israelites from the land of Egypt. Reflection The phrase “home for the holidays” brings pleasant thoughts for many people; it's such a comfort to have a place to call “home.” Today we read about the start of Israel's journey to their new home, which begins with a message of freedom. After years of bondage in Egypt the Israelites hear these wonderful words of promise from God: “I will free you…deliver you…redeem you” (verse 6). The promise of freedom was then followed with the promise of a new home: “I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; I will give it to you for a possession” (verse 8). Both of the promises to Israel are given to us as well. The promise of freedom has been already fulfilled in Christ who freed, delivered, rescued us from the grip of sin, and the promise of a new home will be fulfilled when Christ returns. Our new home is going to be even better than what was promised to Israel because it will be an eternal, imperishable home in the loving presence of God. Look expectantly for it as we wait for its fulfillment when Christ returns. What a joyful homecoming that will be! Our King and Savior is drawing near! O come, let us adore him!

Joseph Genesis 37 - Read by Gray Wallace ​1 Jacob settled in the land where his father had lived as an alien, the land of Canaan. 2 This is the story of the family of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers; he was a helper to the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he had made him a long robe with sleeves. 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him. 5 Once Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. 6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream that I dreamed. 7 There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright; then your sheaves gathered around it, and bowed down to my sheaf.” 8 His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Are you indeed to have dominion over us?” So they hated him even more because of his dreams and his words. 9 He had another dream, and told it to his brothers, saying, “Look, I have had another dream: the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him, and said to him, “What kind of dream is this that you have had? Shall we indeed come, I and your mother and your brothers, and bow to the ground before you?” 11 So his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind. 12 Now his brothers went to pasture their father's flock near Shechem. 13 And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” He answered, “Here I am.” 14 So he said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock; and bring word back to me.”  So Joseph went after his brothers, and found them at Dothan. 18 They saw him from a distance, and before he came near to them, they conspired to kill him. 19 They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. 20 Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; then we shall say that a wild animal has devoured him, and we shall see what will become of his dreams.” 21 But when Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.” 22 Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but lay no hand on him”—that he might rescue him out of their hand and restore him to his father. 23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the long robe with sleeves that he wore; 24 and they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it. 25 Then they sat down to eat; and looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels carrying gum, balm, and resin, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. 26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers agreed. 28 When some Midianite traders passed by, they drew Joseph up, lifting him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt. Reflection Our reading today shows us something of the foolishness of Joseph's brothers. When they say “Come now, let us kill him…and we shall see what will become of his dreams.” they are not just trying to kill the dreamer, but also the dream. Yet, it's not just a dream they're attempting to kill, but the revealing of God's plans through Joseph. The brothers are foolishly attempting to oppose the plans of God! Furthermore, the brothers' foolish plans show that they cared very little about the effect this murderous plot would have on their father Jacob. When Jacob heard the news and thought Joseph to be dead, he was so distraught that he believed he would go to his grave mourning for his dead son. But Joseph didn't die, in fact he became a great power in Egypt. As such, Joseph had the power to punish his brothers for their wickedness, yet he forgave them, realizing that their actions were part of God's good plan for himself, and for Israel. Most of us have at one time been hurt by the actions of another person. When we're hurt, it's difficult to see how there can be any good in the circumstance, and we might even be inclined to retaliate, but Jesus told us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:22).  During Advent we not only wait for Christ's return, but prepare our hearts as we wait, and one way we can prepare ourselves is to pray for those who have hurt us, and remember that we are to forgive one another, as God in Christ forgave us (Eph. 4:32). Our King and Savior is drawing near! O come, let us adore him!

Jacob and Esau Genesis 27 - Read by Deborah Rhine ​1 When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called his elder son Esau and said to him, “My son”; and he answered, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “See, I am old; I do not know the day of my death. 3 Now then, take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field, and hunt game for me. 4 Then prepare for me savory food, such as I like, and bring it to me to eat, so that I may bless you before I die.” 5 Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to hunt for game and bring it, 6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “I heard your father say to your brother Esau, 7 ‘Bring me game, and prepare for me savory food to eat, that I may bless you before the Lord before I die.' 8 Now therefore, my son, obey my word as I command you. 9 Go to the flock, and get me two choice kids, so that I may prepare from them savory food for your father, such as he likes; 10 and you shall take it to your father to eat, so that he may bless you before he dies.” 11 But Jacob said to his mother Rebekah, “Look, my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am a man of smooth skin. 12 Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him, and bring a curse on myself and not a blessing.” 13 His mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my word, and go, get them for me.” 14 So he went and got them and brought them to his mother; and his mother prepared savory food, such as his father loved. 15 Then Rebekah took the best garments of her elder son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them on her younger son Jacob; 16 and she put the skins of the kids on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. 17 Then she handed the savory food, and the bread that she had prepared, to her son Jacob. 18 So he went in to his father, and said, “My father”; and he said, “Here I am; who are you, my son?” 19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me; now sit up and eat of my game, so that you may bless me.” 20 But Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” He answered, “Because the Lord your God granted me success.” 21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come near, that I may feel you, my son, to know whether you are really my son Esau or not.” 22 So Jacob went up to his father Isaac, who felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” 23 He did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau's hands; so he blessed him. 24 He said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He answered, “I am.” 25 Then he said, “Bring it to me, that I may eat of my son's game and bless you.” So he brought it to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank. 26 Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near and kiss me, my son.” 27 So he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his garments, and blessed him, and said, “Ah, the smell of my son     is like the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed. 28 May God give you of the dew of heaven,     and of the fatness of the earth,     and plenty of grain and wine. 29 Let peoples serve you,     and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers,     and may your mother's sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you,     and blessed be everyone who blesses you!” 30 As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, when Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of his father Isaac, his brother Esau came in from his hunting. 31 He also prepared savory food, and brought it to his father. And he said to his father, “Let my father sit up and eat of his son's game, so that you may bless me.” 32 His father Isaac said to him, “Who are you?” He answered, “I am your firstborn son, Esau.” 33 Then Isaac trembled violently, and said, “Who was it then that hunted game and brought it to me, and I ate it all before you came, and I have blessed him?—yes, and blessed he shall be!” 34 When Esau heard his father's words, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, “Bless me, me also, father!” 35 But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully, and he has taken away your blessing.” 36 Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright; and look, now he has taken away my blessing.” Then he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” 37 Isaac answered Esau, “I have already made him your lord, and I have given him all his brothers as servants, and with grain and wine I have sustained him. What then can I do for you, my son?” 38 Esau said to his father, “Have you only one blessing, father? Bless me, me also, father!” And Esau lifted up his voice and wept. 39 Then his father Isaac answered him: “See, away from the fatness of the earth shall your home be,     and away from the dew of heaven on high. 40 By your sword you shall live,     and you shall serve your brother; but when you break loose,     you shall break his yoke from your neck.” 41 Now Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob.” 42 But the words of her elder son Esau were told to Rebekah; so she sent and called her younger son Jacob and said to him, “Your brother Esau is consoling himself by planning to kill you. 43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; flee at once to my brother Laban in Haran, 44 and stay with him a while, until your brother's fury turns away— 45 until your brother's anger against you turns away, and he forgets what you have done to him; then I will send, and bring you back from there. Why should I lose both of you in one day?” Reflection Jacob's life was full of struggles. He struggled with his father in law, Laban (Genesis 31), he struggled with God (Genesis 32), and here in Genesis 27, we read about the struggle with his brother Esau, which began while they were still in their mother's womb (Genesis 25:22). Esau was furious about Jacob's deception and vowed to kill him, so Jacob fled and avoided Esau for the next 20 years. Eventually Jacob humbled himself, made up his mind to end the feud, and with fear and caution he set out to meet Esau face to face. As Esau approached, Jacob, now humbled, bowed down seven times before his brother. And then Genesis 33:4 tells us that “Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.”  Jacob's life was marked with many struggles, as well as numerous blessings, but it was his reconciliation with Esau that secured the most important blessing of all: peace. Peace comes through reconciliation, and Jesus who won the struggle over sin and death, has reconciled us to God and secured our peace. He is the Prince of Peace. Our King and Savior is drawing near! O come, let us adore him!

The Birth of Isaac Genesis 21:1-6 - Read by Allison Langley 1 The Lord dealt with Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as he had promised. 2 Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the time of which God had spoken to him. 3 Abraham gave the name Isaac to his son whom Sarah bore him. 4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 6 Now Sarah said, “God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me.” ​ Reflection ​When I was a boy, my family did not decorate the Christmas tree until Christmas Eve; in fact, my parents did all the decorating after my sister and I had gone to bed, so Christmas morning was a surprise and joy!  Some things are definitely worth waiting for. In today's reading we see that Abraham waited 25 years to hear the joyous news that he and Sarah would have a son. Here in this child was the tangible evidence that God's promise to him to be the “father of a great nation” had begun. Abraham and Sarah not only shared in the joy of God's promise fulfilled, but also the immediate joy of having a child of their own. With the birth of Isaac, Sarah exclaimed: “God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me.”  The name, Isaac, in Hebrew means “he laughs” or “will laugh”. In Advent we remember that Jesus will come again to usher in a time of peace, but also joy! In this Advent season, let yourself imagine the laughter and joy that will accompany that happy reunion when Jesus returns in glory. Our King and Savior is drawing near! O come, let us adore him!

The Call of Abraham Genesis 12:1-9, 15:1-5 - Read by Shelley Tumlin 1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” 4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 5 Abram took his wife Sarai and his brother's son Lot, and all the possessions that they had gathered, and the persons whom they had acquired in Haran; and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they had come to the land of Canaan, 6 Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 Then the Lord appeared to Abram, and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. 8 From there he moved on to the hill country on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the Lord and invoked the name of the Lord. 9 And Abram journeyed on by stages toward the Negeb.   1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” 2 But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir.” 4 But the word of the Lord came to him, “This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir.” 5 He brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” ​ ​ Reflection ​Our reading today tells us that Abraham was called to leave his country and his people to settle in a place yet unknown. But that's not all Abraham was called to do; he was also called to wait. He had to wait for God to tell him which city to travel to next. He had to wait on God to make him a blessing to all nations. And as part of this blessing, Abraham had to wait for God give him an heir and fulfill the promise that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in heaven. Waiting can be so difficult! In an era of next-day shipments, fast-food restaurants and instant messaging, we're likely to have far less patience than Abraham. For most of 2020 we've been waiting – waiting for an end to the COVID-19 pandemic, waiting to pull off our face masks, to shake hands, to hug one another, to gather together in the same room to worship and fellowship, and to sing together at top of our lungs.  Now, here we are in Advent, another time of waiting, but it's less like waiting in line at the grocery store and more like the hopeful anticipation of a pregnant mother waiting for the birth of her child. And that's where the Advent readings ultimately take us, to the birth of a child - the Christ Child. Today, our Advent reading tells of the promise of another significant birth of a child, that of Abraham and Sarah's son Isaac. But Abraham and Sarah had to wait, and in that waiting God was teaching them to trust in him. Advent is a time when we should show our trust in God by embracing “the waiting” with the same kind of hopeful anticipation as Abraham and Sarah, knowing that Jesus Christ, the long-awaited son, will return just as he promised. Our King and Savior is drawing near! O come, let us adore him!

Noah and the Flood Genesis 8-9 - Read by Linda Collins ​1 But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and all the domestic animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided; 2 the fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, the rain from the heavens was restrained, 3 and the waters gradually receded from the earth. At the end of one hundred fifty days the waters had abated; 4 and in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. 5 The waters continued to abate until the tenth month; in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains appeared.6 At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made 7 and sent out the raven; and it went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth. 8 Then he sent out the dove from him, to see if the waters had subsided from the face of the ground; 9 but the dove found no place to set its foot, and it returned to him to the ark, for the waters were still on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took it and brought it into the ark with him. 10 He waited another seven days, and again he sent out the dove from the ark; 11 and the dove came back to him in the evening, and there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf; so Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth. 12 Then he waited another seven days, and sent out the dove; and it did not return to him any more. 13 In the six hundred first year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and saw that the face of the ground was drying. 14 In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry. 15 Then God said to Noah, 16 “Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons' wives with you. 17 Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh—birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth—so that they may abound on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.” 18 So Noah went out with his sons and his wife and his sons' wives. 19 And every animal, every creeping thing, and every bird, everything that moves on the earth, went out of the ark by families. 20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And when the Lord smelled the pleasing odor, the Lord said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of humankind, for the inclination of the human heart is evil from youth; nor will I ever again destroy every living creature as I have done. 22 As long as the earth endures,     seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night,     shall not cease.” 1 God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. 2 The fear and dread of you shall rest on every animal of the earth, and on every bird of the air, on everything that creeps on the ground, and on all the fish of the sea; into your hand they are delivered. 3 Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you; and just as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. 4 Only, you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. 5 For your own lifeblood I will surely require a reckoning: from every animal I will require it and from human beings, each one for the blood of another, I will require a reckoning for human life. 6 Whoever sheds the blood of a human,     by a human shall that person's blood be shed; for in his own image     God made humankind. 7 And you, be fruitful and multiply, abound on the earth and multiply in it.” 8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, 9 “As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, 10 and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. 11 I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12 God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: 13 I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” 17 God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.” Reflection ​When sin had filled the earth and grieved the heart of God, he sent the flood waters which destroyed all people, except Noah and his family. As mentioned in yesterday's reflection, God's primary motive in the flood was not destruction, but salvation; he saved Noah and his family by keeping them safe in the ark. And when the flood waters had subsided, God made a covenant with Noah and all living creatures that there would never again be a flood to destroy the earth. The covenant was signified with a rainbow, a sign of hope. The Advent season is also a time of hope, a new beginning, a fresh start. As we reflect on the difficulties and struggles of the past year, we must remember that God's faithfulness never fails. He never forgets. He remembered Noah and his family and saved them in the ark. Even after the Great Flood, when sin again increased on the earth, God remembered his people and sent not an ark, but own son to save us from sin. The story of Noah and the flood reminds us that God is always faithful to his promise, and because of that, we can have full confidence that Christ will return, as he has promised. Alleluia! Come, Lord Jesus! Our King and Savior is drawing near! O come, let us adore him!

Noah and the Ark Genesis 6:12 - 7:24 - Read by Carol Garner-Houston ​12 And God saw that the earth was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted its ways upon the earth. 13 And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence because of them; now I am going to destroy them along with the earth. 14 Make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. 15 This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. 16 Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above; and put the door of the ark in its side; make it with lower, second, and third decks. 17 For my part, I am going to bring a flood of waters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you; and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you. 19 And of every living thing, of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. 20 Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground according to its kind, two of every kind shall come in to you, to keep them alive. 21 Also take with you every kind of food that is eaten, and store it up; and it shall serve as food for you and for them.” 22 Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him. 7 Then the Lord said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you alone are righteous before me in this generation. 2 Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and its mate; and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and its mate; 3 and seven pairs of the birds of the air also, male and female, to keep their kind alive on the face of all the earth. 4 For in seven days I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights; and every living thing that I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground.” 5 And Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him. 6 Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters came on the earth. 7 And Noah with his sons and his wife and his sons' wives went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood. 8 Of clean animals, and of animals that are not clean, and of birds, and of everything that creeps on the ground, 9 two and two, male and female, went into the ark with Noah, as God had commanded Noah. 10 And after seven days the waters of the flood came on the earth. 11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. 12 The rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights. 13 On the very same day Noah with his sons, Shem and Ham and Japheth, and Noah's wife and the three wives of his sons entered the ark, 14 they and every wild animal of every kind, and all domestic animals of every kind, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every bird of every kind—every bird, every winged creature. 15 They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life. 16 And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him; and the Lord shut him in. 17 The flood continued forty days on the earth; and the waters increased, and bore up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. 18 The waters swelled and increased greatly on the earth; and the ark floated on the face of the waters. 19 The waters swelled so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered; 20 the waters swelled above the mountains, covering them fifteen cubits deep. 21 And all flesh died that moved on the earth, birds, domestic animals, wild animals, all swarming creatures that swarm on the earth, and all human beings; 22 everything on dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died. 23 He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, human beings and animals and creeping things and birds of the air; they were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those that were with him in the ark. 24 And the waters swelled on the earth for one hundred fifty days. Reflection For many people the account of the Great Flood is difficult to understand. When we read that God destroys all of humanity except one family we're left to wonder how this action reflects the goodness of God.  One of the keys to understanding the story is to note what comes before the flood. The verses immediately preceding today's reading tell us that, “The Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually” (6:5). Furthermore, this wickedness “grieved him to his heart” (6:6).  When we read these passages we should imagine the pain it caused God.  In His sorrow and grief God sent the floodwaters as a merciful intervention to restrain humanity's ever-increasing evil. But we also need to take notice that God's primary motive in the flood was not destruction, rather salvation. God lovingly provided a way of salvation for Noah and his family – a pattern we see again as God provides the way of salvation from sin through Jesus.  Advent is a glorious celebration of this hope, represented by the arrival of Jesus who has come on a mission of salvation. Our King and Savior is drawing near! O come, let us adore him!   © 2020 Apostles By-the-Sea     

The Fall Genesis 3 - Read by Laura Jones ​1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden'?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.'” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die; 5 for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves. 8 They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 He said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.” 11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate.” 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent tricked me, and I ate.” 14 The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,     cursed are you among all animals     and among all wild creatures; upon your belly you shall go,     and dust you shall eat     all the days of your life. 15 I will put enmity between you and the woman,     and between your offspring and hers; he will strike your head,     and you will strike his heel.” 16 To the woman he said, “I will greatly increase your pangs in childbearing;     in pain you shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband,     and he shall rule over you.” 17 And to the man he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife,     and have eaten of the tree about which I commanded you,     ‘You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you;     in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you;     and you shall eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your face     you shall eat bread until you return to the ground,     for out of it you were taken; you are dust,     and to dust you shall return.” 20 The man named his wife Eve, because she was the mother of all living. 21 And the Lord God made garments of skins for the man and for his wife, and clothed them. 22 Then the Lord God said, “See, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— 23 therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken. 24 He drove out the man; and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim, and a sword flaming and turning to guard the way to the tree of life. Reflection Some of history's greatest minds have tried, without success, to fully explain the mystery of how a good creation could become infected with sin. What we know for sure is that God is in full control of all things and is able to use that which is sinful or evil for his good purposes. The story of Adam and Eve illustrates this in an interesting way – a curse that becomes a blessing. God didn't let the sin of Adam and Eve spiral downward until they joined in league with Satan. Instead, God pronounced a curse which declared enmity between Satan and humankind. In separating Adam and Eve from Satan, God kept them (therefore, us) His side, not Satan's. The curse also said that the serpent would bruise the heel of the offspring of the woman, but that he (the offspring) would bruise the head of the serpent. Symbolically, this speaks of the Satan's involvement in the crucifixion, and the blessing of Christ's victory over Satan at the resurrection. Let's not forget that there's a blessing of victory still to come; it is the victory over sin, suffering, disease (including pandemics) and even death itself. This victory will happen when Christ returns again, and for this we eagerly wait. ​ Our King and Savior is drawing near! O come, let us adore him!

Episode 2 - The Second Day of Advent Adam and Eve Genesis 2 - Read by Harry Jones 2 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. 2 And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation. 4 These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created. Another Account of the Creation In the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, 5 when no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no herb of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no one to till the ground; 6 but a stream would rise from the earth, and water the whole face of the ground— 7 then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being. 8 And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 Out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 10 A river flows out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it divides and becomes four branches. 11 The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one that flows around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; 12 and the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. 13 The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one that flows around the whole land of Cush. 14 The name of the third river is Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates. 15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.” 18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.” 19 So out of the ground the Lord God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner. 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones     and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman,     for out of Man this one was taken.” 24 Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh. 25 And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed.   Reflection The marriage of a man and woman is a beautiful thing and today's reading is the account of the very first marriage, that of Adam and Eve, performed by God himself. This marriage foreshadows another: that of Christ with his Church. When you see the mutual respect and care God instituted for human marriage you can be comforted in the knowledge that Christ cares all the more for his bride, the Church.  As Christians, we're united with Christ, therefore there is nothing that can separate us; not war, not civil authorities, not sickness, not even death can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39). Today, Christians experience a spiritual union with Christ, but one day he'll come again, in person, and we'll be united with him in a physical presence forever. This is the hope of our waiting, our Advent.   Our King and Savior is drawing near! O come, let us adore him!

Welcome to the Advent Podcast from Apostles By-the-Sea Anglican Church!   The First Sunday of Advent Creation Six Days of Creation and the Sabbath Genesis 1:1-2:3 - Read by Quinn Straub 1 In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, 2 the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. 6 And God said, “Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” 7 So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. 8 God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day. 9 And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. 10 God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. 11 Then God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” And it was so. 12 The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, the third day. 14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. 16 God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. 17 God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, 18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day. 20 And God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.” 21 So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23 And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day. 24 And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.” And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good. 26 Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” 27 So God created humankind in his image,     in the image of God he created them;     male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” 29 God said, “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31 God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. 2 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. 2 And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation.   Reflection As we begin our readings for this Advent season, we start at the most logical place – the beginning! By that, I don't just mean the beginning of the bible, but the beginning of all things. Our reading today tells us how God created the world. And over and over he says it is good! And he fills it with good things. And then he fills it with us. But as we will see in the coming days, it wasn't long before we fell into sin and began to turn away from God. And what God created good was broken by our disobedience. After a year filled with fires and hurricanes and riots and the pandemic, we can surely feel the brokenness of the world. It reminds me of that song we sing in Church by Andrew Peterson that says: Do you feel the world is broken? We do. Do you feel the shadows deepen? We do. But do you know that all the dark won't stop the light from getting through? We do! Do you wish that we could see it all made new? We do! Do you feel that longing in your heart today for God to come and make all things new? As we begin this journey through the season of Advent, we join with the whole Church throughout the world in longing and anticipation as we look for the coming of Christ our Savior.   Our King and Savior is drawing near! O come, let us adore him!

Beloved in Christ, in this Holy Night, let it be our care and delight to hear again the message of the Angels, and in heart and mind to go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, and the Babe lying in a manger. Let us read and mark in Holy Scripture the tale of the loving purposes of God from the first days of our disobedience unto the glorious Redemption brought to us by this holy Child; and let us make this place glad with our carols of praise.   1. O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem; come and behold him, born the King of angels; O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord! 2. God from God, Light from Light eternal, lo! he abhors not the Virgin's womb; only begotten Son of the Father; (Refrain) 3. See how the shepherds, summoned to his cradle, leaving their flocks, draw nigh to gaze; we too will thither bend our joyful footsteps; (Refrain) 4. Child, for us sinners poor and in the manger, we would embrace thee, with love and awe; who would not love thee, loving us so dearly? (Refrain) 5. Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation; sing, all ye citizens of heaven above; glory to God, glory in the highest; (Refrain) 6. Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning, Jesus, to thee be glory given; Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing; (Refrain)

Tuesday, December 24, 2019   Matthew 1:18-25 18 Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. 20 But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,    and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” 24 When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, 25 but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.   Reflection: The Gospel of Matthew records how the angel of the Lord to announced to Joseph that Mary “will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (1:21). Furthermore, the angel explained how Jesus' birth fulfilled what was promised to the prophet Isaiah (Is. 7:14) that “the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God with us.” In this surprising and wonderful truth, we learn that the son will not be any ordinary baby boy, but will in fact be God himself. God kept his promises, and did so in the most extraordinary and abundant way. God himself has come! He is not a god at a distance, he is God with us.   Collect for Christmas Eve: O God, you have caused this holy night to shine with the brightness of the true Light: Grant that we, who have known the mystery of that Light on earth, may also enjoy him perfectly in heaven; where with you and the Holy Spirit he lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting.  Amen.    

Monday, December 23, 2019   Luke 1:46-55 46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.     Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,     and holy is his name. 50 His mercy is for those who fear him     from generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with his arm;     he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. 52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,     and lifted up the lowly; 53 he has filled the hungry with good things,     and sent the rich away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel,     in remembrance of his mercy, 55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,     to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”   Reflection: Mary's song is one that is sung from the heart, from the depths of her being. Mary lifts up the Lord God as she gives thanks for who God is, and praises him for what he has done. What God has done in the birth of Jesus is personal with Mary, but its implications reach back into history. In his mercy, God remembers his covenantal promises to his servant Israel. Jesus' birth was the historical fulfillment of God's promises, a birth that happened through a beautiful woman of character, Mary, who was uniquely blessed of God. In many ways, Mary is a model of faith in God, one who believed what the Lord said and rejoiced in God her Savior (Luke 1:47). Like Mary, we are called to live so that in word and deed, every part of our being would rejoice as we magnify the promise-keeping God who saves.  

Week 4: God Keeps His Promises   Sunday, December 22, 2019   Readings: Isaiah 7:10-16 Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 Romans 1:1-7 Matthew 1:18-25   Reflection on this week's readings: On the fourth Sunday of Advent, we celebrate God's faithfulness in sending His Son, and we remember God's faithfulness as we look forward to Christ's second coming. Sunday's readings focus on the coming of the Messiah who fulfills God's covenant with David, brings salvation for all people, and ushers in the eternal reign of God on earth. God promises that he will make for David a great name, give his people eternal rest from enemies, and give him an everlasting kingdom (Isaiah 7:9). These promises are fulfilled in the coming of Jesus, who was “declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead” (Romans 1:2). The good news is that God has been faithful to his promise in sending Jesus Christ, and in the Gospel reading we see this promise fulfilled: “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” (Matthew 1:23, from Isaiah 7:14). God keeps his promises!   Collect for the Fourth Week of Advent: Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Saturday, December 21, 2019   Luke 1:26-38 26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 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. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 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. 36 And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 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.   Reflection: I love the way Mary is “convinced” that God is about to fulfill his promise to Israel of the Messiah: “Mary, you're a virgin, yet you're going to have a baby… and the father is going to be God... and you've found favor in his sight… and you're hearing this message from an angel. Oh, and if that's not enough, your cousin Elizabeth recently conceived a child, even in her old age.” “Mary, I just thought you should know this in case you had any doubt that God would keep his promise.” We know that it did happen, just as God had promised. The Gospels give us the account of how God kept his word of promise that he gave to Mary, as well as the fulfillment of those prophecies given thousands of years ago. God's promises weren't just for Mary, or the people of Israel, or Christians in the first century. God's promises were, and are, for us today. They're for you. Our response to God's fulfilled promise should be like that of Mary, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Our greatest joys are found when we live according to the word of God. He can turn around broken lives, make peace where there is strife, and bring joy from sorrow. Mary experienced it firsthand and so can we.

Friday, December 20, 2019   Isaiah 9:1-7 1 But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. 2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness - on them light has shined. 3 You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder. 4 For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. 5 For all the boots of the tramping warriors and all the garments rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire. 6 For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.   Reflection: Today we begin to “peek ahead” to some of the readings that characterize the fourth week of Advent and we rejoice in God's fulfillment of his promise to deliver his people and save them from their sins. On this side of the Resurrection we can look back and see how Jesus fulfilled this promise at his birth, but it wasn't so clear to the people of Isaiah's time. In fact, centuries after Isaiah, Jesus' followers weren't quite clear on the timing of his second advent. After Jesus' death and resurrection many of his followers assumed and longed for an immediate fulfillment of God's promise. We are not so different; we often want God to fulfill his promises now, in this life, or maybe even this hour. Yet sometimes he waits, just as Jesus is also waiting to return. Patience is still required on our part, but as we wait, we can rejoice in the reminder from Isaiah that there is already some fulfillment of God's promises in Christ, because he is: -Wonderful Counselor, who leads the way when we don't know where to go. (John 10:3-4) -Almighty God, in whom we can trust when we feel powerless, because all things are possible with Him. (Mark 10:27) -Everlasting Father, in whose everlasting arms we can rest when we feel weary. (Deuteronomy 33:27) -Prince of Peace: Who gives us "peace at all times in every way" (2 Thessalonians 3:16).

Thursday, December 19, 2019   Zephaniah 3:14-20 14 Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! 15 The Lord has taken away the judgments against you, he has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more. 16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak. 17 The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing 18 as on a day of festival. I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it. 19 I will deal with all your oppressors at that time. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. 20 At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the Lord.   Reflection: If you know Zephaniah, you know he's one of the gloomiest, doomiest of the Old Testament prophets. However, today's reading is full of joy - from the joyous singing of Israel, to God's rejoicing over his people in gladness. The reason for all of this joy is that, through Zephaniah, God promises to restore the people after their judgment in exile. In one sense, Zephaniah's prophecy of restoration was fulfilled when Jesus was born. Notice the phrases in verse 15, “The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst,” and verse 17, “The Lord, your God, is in your midst.” Zephaniah is speaking of Emmanuel, which means “God with us”. The final fulfillment of Zephaniah's prophecy of restoration will happen at the second coming of our Lord. On that day, Jesus will be the “warrior who gives victory”, especially victory over sin, and restores our relationship with God. As Christians, we look forward to this future joy of restoration, and we can rejoice now because of what will happen later. So, let all of God's people sing aloud with joy!    

Wednesday, December 18, 2019   Revelation 4:1-8 1 After this I looked, and there in heaven a door stood open! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the spirit, and there in heaven stood a throne, with one seated on the throne! 3 And the one seated there looks like jasper and carnelian, and around the throne is a rainbow that looks like an emerald. 4 Around the throne are twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones are twenty-four elders, dressed in white robes, with golden crowns on their heads. 5 Coming from the throne are flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and in front of the throne burn seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God; 6 and in front of the throne there is something like a sea of glass, like crystal. Around the throne, and on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: 7 the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with a face like a human face, and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle. 8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and inside. Day and night without ceasing they sing, “Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God the Almighty,    who was and is and is to come.”   Reflection: The imagery of John's vision in Revelation is vivid yet unusual, and it might be easy to get so focused on this amazing and wonderful vision that we miss the detail that the four living creatures are singing a song. This is not a song of lament, but a song of joy to the Lord who is holy. The threefold repetition of “holy, holy, holy” (which indicates a perfection of holiness) mirrors the threefold joy of the Past (Christ “was”, the Present (Christ “is”), and the Future (Christ “is yet to come”). We don't have to wait until Christ returns to sing this song, but when he does return, we'll join our voices with the whole host of heaven in the most amazing chorus ever heard, singing “holy, holy, holy”!  

Tuesday, December 17, 2019   Psalm 47 1 Clap your hands, all you peoples;    shout to God with loud songs of joy. 2 For the Lord, the Most High, is awesome,    a great king over all the earth. 3 He subdued peoples under us,    and nations under our feet. 4 He chose our heritage for us,    the pride of Jacob whom he loves. Selah 5 God has gone up with a shout,    the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. 6 Sing praises to God, sing praises;    sing praises to our King, sing praises. 7 For God is the king of all the earth;    sing praises with a psalm. 8 God is king over the nations;    God sits on his holy throne. 9 The princes of the peoples gather    as the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God;    he is highly exalted.   Reflection: Psalm 47 praises God for his power, his majesty and his wisdom. It also acknowledges both his control of things on earth as well as his concern, love and care for his people. We sometimes sing the first couple of verses of this psalm in worship. It is a song that brings out the joy of the psalmist. And why not? God reigns over all the earth, and gives us everlasting comfort and assurance that he is in full control. We rejoice in what he has done, also what he is yet to do in his Son, Jesus, when he comes again. What a beautiful day that will be when all the nations will “shout to God with loud songs of joy.”

Monday, December 16, 2019   Revelation 3:7-13 7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of the holy one, the true one,    who has the key of David,    who opens and no one will shut,        who shuts and no one opens: 8 “I know your works. Look, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but are lying—I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept my word of patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. 11 I am coming soon; hold fast to what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. 12 If you conquer, I will make you a pillar in the temple of my God; you will never go out of it. I will write on you the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem that comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. 13 Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.   Reflection: On October 10, 2018 Category-5 Hurricane Michael swept through the Florida panhandle. Even at the writing of this devotional, many residents and businesses are still very much involved in restoration and rebuilding. It has been a long and often painful journey. Building materials have been in short supply, as have skilled laborers to perform the repairs. We've learned that the process can't be rushed. We hope, even as we wait, and it gives us a measure of understanding into the patient endurance John writes about in Revelation. It is a hopeful waiting, and a hope that is built on certainty rather than possibility. There is certainty in the promises of God, and all of them find their ‘Yes' in Jesus. As the Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 1:20, “For in him every one of God's promises is “Yes.”. We can be certain that Jesus will return just as he promised. As we wait, let us not forget that he is with us, even now, by the Holy Spirit. Through the difficulties of this life he comforts and helps us to have patient endurance as we wait for the joy of that day when he comes in glory.  

Week 3: Rejoice! Sunday, December 15, 2019 Readings: Isaiah 35:1-10 Psalm 146:5-10 James 5:7-10 Matthew 11:2-11   Reflection on this week's readings: The Scripture readings for the third Sunday in Advent give cause for rejoicing as they reflect on the salvation and restoration Jesus brings. When Jesus returns, the effects of sin's curse will be removed. We see this reversal in Isaiah 35 and Psalm 146, where we read that the dry land will blossom, streams will come forth from the desert, the blind will see, the deaf will hear, the oppressed will see justice, the hungry will be fed, and the downcast will be lifted up. What was prophesied becomes fulfilled, and in Matthew 11 we read Jesus' message to John the Baptist: “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. This is indeed reason for rejoicing, and as the Proper Preface for Advent tells us, when Christ comes again we'll have even more reasons to rejoice.   Proper Preface for Advent: Because you sent your beloved Son to redeem us from sin and death, and to make us heirs in him of everlasting life; that when he shall come again in power and great glory to judge the world, we may without shame or fear rejoice to behold his appearing.   Collect for the Third Week of Advent: Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

Saturday, December 14, 2019   Haggai 2:1-9 1 In the second year of King Darius, in the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the prophet Haggai, saying: 2 Speak now to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, and say, 3 Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Is it not in your sight as nothing? 4 Yet now take courage, O Zerubbabel, says the Lord; take courage, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; take courage, all you people of the land, says the Lord; work, for I am with you, says the Lord of hosts, 5 according to the promise that I made you when you came out of Egypt. My spirit abides among you; do not fear. 6 For thus says the Lord of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land; 7 and I will shake all the nations, so that the treasure of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with splendor, says the Lord of hosts. 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of hosts. 9 The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts; and in this place I will give prosperity, says the Lord of hosts.   Reflection: The prophet Haggai speaks to the people of Israel who have returned from exile in order to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. They waited a long time - over 60 years since the temple's destruction, and there were still some among them who were able to remember the former temple. Unfortunately, this rebuilt temple was only a shadow of the former, and a bit of a disappointment in their eyes. God spoke through the prophet Haggai with a message that directed the people not to the current temple, but to a future temple more glorious than they could ever imagine. Sometimes, we too get caught up in the present and fail to look forward to that certain, glorious future for the children of God – one that will be consummated at Jesus' return. Even now, God is building that future glorious temple. The apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 2:22 that we are being “built together into a dwelling place for God.” As we wait for the coming of Christ, let us joyfully work together to participate in God's kingdom-building program here on earth, in our worship and as we “go in peace to love and to serve the Lord.”

Friday, December 13, 2019:   Matthew 23:27-39 27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside look beautiful, but inside they are full of the bones of the dead and of all kinds of filth. 28 So you also on the outside look righteous to others, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. 29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous, 30 and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' 31 Thus you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your ancestors. 33 You snakes, you brood of vipers! How can you escape being sentenced to hell? 34 Therefore I send you prophets, sages, and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town, 35 so that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. 36 Truly I tell you, all this will come upon this generation. 37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 38 See, your house is left to you, desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.'”   Reflection: As a child, my parents would sometimes say to me, “Do as I say, not as I do.” It was clearly meant and understood to be a corrective command, yet it was generally said with a touch of humor as my parents recognized the inherent hypocrisy of that command. Unfortunately, “Do as I say, not as I do” was emblematic of the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees mentioned in today's reading, and unlike my parents, their hypocrisy had no hint of humor. Too often, we display the same hypocrisy when our actions fail to reflect our words; but the good news is that Christ's love offers us the most wonderful remedy for our hypocrisy: forgiveness, which is ours when we genuinely confess our sins and turn from them. Jesus' message to the scribes and Pharisees could be summed up by another common phrase: “Practice what you preach.” In this season of Advent, let's try to be guided by that same phrase and take time to show others the grace, forgiveness, and love God offers us each day.

Thursday, December 12, 2019   Psalm 37:1-18 1 Do not fret because of the wicked; do not be envious of wrongdoers, 2 for they will soon fade like the grass, and wither like the green herb. 3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; so you will live in the land, and enjoy security. 4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. 6 He will make your vindication shine like the light, and the justice of your cause like the noonday. 7 Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him; do not fret over those who prosper in their way,    over those who carry out evil devices. 8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath. Do not fret—it leads only to evil. 9 For the wicked shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. 10 Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look diligently for their place, they will not be there. 11 But the meek shall inherit the land, and delight themselves in abundant prosperity. 12 The wicked plot against the righteous, and gnash their teeth at them; 13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that their day is coming. 14 The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy,    to kill those who walk uprightly; 15 their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. 16 Better is a little that the righteous person has than the abundance of many wicked. 17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. 18 The Lord knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will abide forever; 19 they are not put to shame in evil times, in the days of famine they have abundance.   Reflection: The Psalms are one of the most beloved books of the bible, partly because they cover the range of human emotions and conditions - not the least of which is the anger we might feel when the wicked seem to get their way. David addresses those concerns and emotions here in Psalm 37. No matter how terrible things might seem, David counsels that we should not seek to wish punishment upon the wicked. God can and will take care of all things, and so we're instructed to wait and trust. But waiting can be hard. If you ever forget that fact, try waiting with a toddler, and you'll be quickly reminded! Waiting, during times of uncertainty, can lead to fretting, which is what the psalm instructs us to refrain from three times (verses 1, 7 and 8). Fretting is a very destructive emotion; it turns our focus away from God and toward ourselves. Advent is a time of waiting. As we wait for our Lord's coming, we may experience injustice from the “wicked”. We should not let these experiences be a reason to fret, rather we should “Be still!” and know that God's justice will always prevail and He will put all things right.

Wednesday, December 11, 2019   Revelation 1:17-2:7 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he placed his right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I was dead, and see, I am alive forever and ever; and I have the keys of Death and of Hades. 19 Now write what you have seen, what is, and what is to take place after this. 20 As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. The Message to Ephesus 1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands: 2 “I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance. I know that you cannot tolerate evildoers; you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them to be false. 3 I also know that you are enduring patiently and bearing up for the sake of my name, and that you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember then from what you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 6 Yet this is to your credit: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. To everyone who conquers, I will give permission to eat from the tree of life that is in the paradise of God.   Reflection: Physical touch was integral to Jesus' healing ministry and the New Testament gives several accounts of how Jesus healed people by touching them. When people with leprosy cried out to be healed, Jesus touched them. When the blind cried out to have their sight restored, he touched them. In today's passage from Revelation we also see the healing touch of Jesus. Overwhelmed in the presence of Jesus, John falls at his feet as though he were dead. Jesus responds to John's fear by reaching out, touching him, and saying, “Do not be afraid.” What a calming touch and words of assurance Jesus provided! This story does more than just provide a picture of what was revealed to John on the island of Patmos. This story assures us that when Jesus comes again in glory, any fear we might experience on that awesome day will be dispelled by the Lord of love and compassion, who will reach out to us, and speak those words of assurance: “Do not be afraid.”

Tuesday December 10, 2019   Matthew 22:34-46 34 When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, 35 and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” 37 He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” 41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them this question: 42 “What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.” 43 He said to them, “How is it then that David by the Spirit calls him Lord, saying, 44 ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand,    until I put your enemies under your feet”'? 45 If David thus calls him Lord, how can he be his son?” 46 No one was able to give him an answer, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.   Reflection: In our reading today, the Pharisees ask Jesus to provide the ‘greatest commandment'. We find the same story in Mark 12, but here, Matthew adds something that Mark leaves out. Matthew says that the second commandment is “like” the first. Presented this way the two commandments are really two parts of the same whole. “Love your neighbor” is not a second commandment, but guidance for living out the first. The two are inseparable. We cannot claim that we love God if we have no love for our brothers or sisters. This second week of Advent continues the theme of the first, which calls Christians, as they wait for Christ's second coming, to evaluate their lives on the basis of his first coming. However short or long that wait might be, we have been given the opportunity to demonstrate our love for God and neighbor. Let us do so in abundance, with joy!

Monday, December 9, 2019   Revelation 1:1-8 1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place; he made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of the prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and who keep what is written in it; for the time is near. 4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 Look! He is coming with the clouds;    every eye will see him, even those who pierced him;  and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail. So it is to be. Amen. 8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.   Reflection: The opening verses of chapter one focus our attention on the source of the revelation, the crucified and risen Jesus…and what a description, we're given! He is the one who loves us, who freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom of priests! These opening verses also assure us that God is in firm control of world events. Everything began with Him at Creation, and everything will be consummated in the return of Jesus. This isn't some esoteric theological point, rather it is a truth that gives us confidence that everything is going according to God's plan, and it will be as good in the end as it was in the beginning.

Week 2: The Messiah Is Coming Sunday, December 8, 2019 Readings: Isaiah 11:1-10; Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19; Romans 15:4-13; Matthew 3:1-12   Reflection on this week's readings: The second week of Advent continues on the themes of the first week, where we read of Christ's coming in judgment, but a judgment that is finalized in peace. The themes are depicted in Psalm 72 and Isaiah 11. In addition, Isaiah's description of the messianic king coming forth from the stump of Jesse is a beautiful picture of how God works to bring new life out of death. Today's readings also highlight the inclusion of Gentiles into God's family (Romans 15), and the church's hopeful expectation of the completion of God's promises. This week is also marked by a focus on the prophets, especially John the Baptist, who preaches a baptism of repentance (Matthew 3). The call to repentance is a call to forsake our sins and is expressed in the Collect for the Second week of Advent as we pray for the “grace to heed [the prophets'] warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ”   Collect for the Second Week of Advent: Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Saturday, December 7, 2019 Jude 17-25 17 But you, beloved, must remember the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; 18for they said to you, ‘In the last time there will be scoffers, indulging their own ungodly lusts.' 19It is these worldly people, devoid of the Spirit, who are causing divisions. 20But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; 21keep yourselves in the love of God; look forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 22And have mercy on some who are wavering; 23save others by snatching them out of the fire; and have mercy on still others with fear, hating even the tunic defiled by their bodies. 24 Now to him who is able to keep you from falling, and to make you stand without blemish in the presence of his glory with rejoicing, 25to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time and now and for ever. Amen. Reflection: Today, Jude highlights the second aspect of the first week of Advent, namely our responsibility to live out our faith actively before the world. Followers of Christ are told to “build themselves up” and to “pray in the Holy Spirit” because enacting these practices helps unify Christ's body, the Church. Notice that even as we look forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, we're to have mercy on those who are wavering in their faith. With that in mind, ask yourself where God is leading you to display mercy on those wavering in their faith. As we wait for the coming King, we should do so in a posture of active, loving ministry. It is our calling and even our joy to participate in it.

Friday, December 6, 2019 Jude 1-8 1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, To those who are called, who are beloved in God the Father and kept safe for Jesus Christ: 2 May mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance. 3 Beloved, while eagerly preparing to write to you about the salvation we share, I find it necessary to write and appeal to you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. 4For certain intruders have stolen in among you, people who long ago were designated for this condemnation as ungodly, who pervert the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. 5 Now I desire to remind you, though you are fully informed, that the Lord, who once for all saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6And the angels who did not keep their own position, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains in deepest darkness for the judgment of the great day. Reflection: Jude writes about the coming of the Lord and the judgment on the day of his return. The judgment Jude describes sounds horrible, but the Christian should take notice of the first verse of our reading which shows that the letter is written to those who are called, who are beloved in God the Father, and kept safe for Jesus Christ. As Christians, the judgment Jude describes is one we need not fear. We are kept safe for Jesus Christ, and that means we're kept safe until he returns. And when he does, Jude's benediction for us of mercy, peace and love will be ours in abundance.

Thursday, December 5, 2019 2 Peter 3:11-18 11Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, 12waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? 13But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home. 14 Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; 15and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation. So also our beloved brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given to him, 16speaking of this as he does in all his letters. There are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures. 17You therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned, beware that you are not carried away with the error of the lawless and lose your own stability. 18But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. Reflection: In today's reading Peter picks up on the theme of the first week of Advent, showing both the Lord's coming in judgment, as well as our responsibility to live accordingly. As we await Christ's coming, Peter tells us that we should also be “hastening the coming day of the Lord”. One way that we hasten his coming day is simply to pray for his return. That's what we're doing when we pray “Thy Kingdom Come” in the Lord's Prayer. Another way that we hasten the coming day of the Lord is also found in the Lord's Prayer, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” The petition helps us understand that God's Kingdom comes whenever and wherever God's will is done. This means that we should be obedient to God in Christ. God has granted us the blessing of time and as we wait for the coming of our Lord, we can show our obedience by proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ, and by living out his command to love one another as he loved us.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019 2 Peter 3:1-10 3This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you; in them I am trying to arouse your sincere intention by reminding you 2that you should remember the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets, and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken through your apostles. 3First of all you must understand this, that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and indulging their own lusts 4and saying, ‘Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since our ancestors died, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation!' 5They deliberately ignore this fact, that by the word of God heavens existed long ago and an earth was formed out of water and by means of water, 6through which the world of that time was deluged with water and perished. 7But by the same word the present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire, being kept until the day of judgement and destruction of the godless. 8But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. 9The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. 10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed. Reflection: Peter's words in 2 Peter 3:1-10 address the coming of the Lord.  In Peter's day some people expected that this would happen in their lifetime, and the apparent delay in his coming caused them to be impatient, discouraged, and feeling hopeless.  We too might experience times when we wonder “will he ever come?” or “what is taking so long?”. It may seem to us that God is taking a long time to act, especially in regard to Christ's return, but Peter reminds us that God's timing is not like ours. The beauty of God's timing is that he is patient, not wanting any to perish, and he lovingly gives us time to come to repentance and faith. Christ will hold true to his promise to return, and as we wait, we do well to remember that he has not left us alone. He has given us the presence of the Holy Spirit as our comfort and guide.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019 Matthew 21:12-22 12 Then Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who were selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 13He said to them, ‘It is written, “My house shall be called a house of prayer”;    but you are making it a den of robbers.' 14 The blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he cured them. 15But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the amazing things that he did, and heard the children crying out in the temple, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David', they became angry 16and said to him, ‘Do you hear what these are saying?' Jesus said to them, ‘Yes; have you never read, “Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies    you have prepared praise for yourself”?' 17He left them, went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there. 18 In the morning, when he returned to the city, he was hungry. 19And seeing a fig tree by the side of the road, he went to it and found nothing at all on it but leaves. Then he said to it, ‘May no fruit ever come from you again!' And the fig tree withered at once. 20When the disciples saw it, they were amazed, saying, ‘How did the fig tree wither at once?' 21Jesus answered them, ‘Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, “Be lifted up and thrown into the sea”, it will be done. 22Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.'   Reflection: My house is not a den of robbers, but I have to admit that it's not always as much a house of prayer as I would like. Sometimes I don't pray as I ought to because I let other things take priority, or I get overwhelmed with the multitude of people and things to pray for and I shut down. Sometimes I try to pray with my head more than my heart and I over-complicate my prayers. However, prayer can be beautifully simple, and as Jesus reminds us in today's reading, it can be as beautifully simple as that which comes from the mouths of infants and nursing babes. Jesus tells us that we should pray with faith - the kind of faith that can move mountains. As we anticipate the coming of our Lord, let our time of waiting be marked by faithful, mountain-moving, prayer.

Monday, December 2, 2019   Matthew 21:1-11 1When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, just say this, ‘The Lord needs them.' And he will send them immediately.” 4 This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying, 5 “Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you,     humble, and mounted on a donkey,         and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” 6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; 7 they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David!     Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” 10 When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” 11 The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”   Reflection: It might seem strange to have a Palm Sunday reading appear here in Advent, yet there is a definite connection between the two. On Palm Sunday the prophecy of Zechariah is fulfilled as Jesus enters Jerusalem riding on a donkey. “Look, your king is coming to you” is surely an Advent theme, and the account of the crowds welcoming Jesus into Jerusalem with shouts of “hosanna!” (which, in Hebrew, means “save us!”) is indeed appropriate for Advent. Our King is coming! That's not just old news, but continues to be good news. Christ our Advent king will come again, on the Last Day, to raise us up, to take us home, and to give us eternal life.

Week 1: Waiting for Christ's Return   Sunday, December 1, 2019 Readings: Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44   Reflection on this week's readings: The first Sunday of Advent sets the tone for the season by looking forward to the second coming of Jesus Christ. That expectation begins in the Old Testament and Psalm readings which show that the Messiah comes in peace-making judgment. This dual purpose is depicted most beautifully in Isaiah 2 where the Lord comes in judgment, yet also ushers in a time of peace: “He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore”. (Isaiah 2:4) God is not the only one who is actively working in this time between the first and second advent. The New Testament and Gospel readings call Christians to be actively watching and waiting for Christ's return, while also evaluating their lives on the basis of Christ's first coming. We are reminded to “stay awake” (Matt 24:42-44) and also called to “cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light” (Rom 13:12). This call is expressed in the collect for the week.   Collect for the First Week of Advent: Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.