December 25: Luke 2:8-20

In their homework, our kids occasionally bring home worksheets about sentence types. They label sentences like “What a great movie!” as exclamations. “Where is the cat?” is interrogative. Imperatives give commands. But the most common sentence type is the declarative. A declaration—a statement of what is.

In Luke 2 a group of shepherds finds their peaceful evening suddenly disrupted by an unexpected declaration. When the angel of the Lord appears among them, they’re understandably frightened. But the angel’s declaration is one of Good News: a Savior, a new king in the line of David, has been born in the city of David. The Anointed One has come. And oh yeah, this Messiah is a baby they can find in a feeding trough. A strange declaration, perhaps, but nonetheless a statement of what is. The shepherds find exactly what the angel declared, as Luke tells it, and “they reported the message they had heard about this child” (v. 17). They make their own declaration, their fear now replaced by wonder and amazement.

Having spent the season of Advent in preparation, cultivating a spirit of longing and expectancy, the arrival of Christmas beckons us to join the angel and the shepherds in declaration. It beckons us to say what is: the Savior has come, the baby laid in a feeding trough who will bring glory to God in heaven and peace to humanity on earth. And with the shepherds we are invited to think back in wonder, “glorifying and praising God for all that they had seen and heard, just as they had been told” (v. 20).

Brent & Amanda Newsom

December 24: Titus 2:11-14

Christmas Eve. To be in a constant state of pending animation, as if the entire day is on hold for something greater. People gather, delicate dishes are prepared, and joyful music streams from homes across town, but the suspense holds in a promise that the next day will dawn with abundant satisfaction and charm.

Is that not a similar metaphor for the promises of Titus in this passage? We gather, we prepare, and we wait – promised salvation from the grace of God. A recurring Christmas Eve.

The holidays pull us into a paradox. The teachings of Titus are clear and concise: use sound judgment, live a Godly life, and deny those things that pull us away from salvation.  Typically, during December we strive to create experiences for our children or pull together holiday spectaculars for family and friends in the form of light displays and delicious food. But, in all the preparation, have we prepared ourselves? Perhaps it is today’s challenge to take a few minutes to meditate on self-preparation and how we can be open to the opportunities the holiday season can bring.

We are to be humbled by the grace of God and in that grace, we are to see the necessity of striving for a righteous and upright life. Pulling from the ideal of an upright life, Titus then extols being “zealous for good works.” A charge to ‘be the good,’ in the world. Moving forward into Christmas morning and beyond, may we look for ways we can provide positive energy, add value, and impact lives for the glory of God. In all ways, endeavor to create space for good.

As I write this, Stevie Wonder is singing and maybe that is my hope this Christmas Eve: that one day I will rest in the knowledge that I found the ‘good’, made space for hope and love, lived a Godly life and can say, “signed, sealed, delivered, I’m Yours.”

December 23: Luke 1:46-55

Every Christmas season I make a deal with myself that basically boils down to some catch phrase like, “Fewer presents and more presence.” I will slow down. I will refrain from excessive gift giving. I will focus my attention and that of my family on what really matters—the  celebration of Christ’s arrival. And yet, without fail, I fall into the same old pattern:  Hustle. Bustle. Decorate. Plan. Buy. Wrap. Coordinate. Move the elf. Repeat.

When Jesus came, He did not just take on the form of a servant in the likeness of men (Phil. 2:7). He took it even further and grew in the womb of a young, poor, unmarried girl. There He goes again, before He was even here. Seeing, valuing, choosing, and even blessing those the world might dismiss. The young. The poor. The unmarried. The marginalized. And instead of distress or panic, Mary’s first inclination was to magnify the Lord and rejoice.

In the early 90s my youth group choir performed the musical Celebrate Life! both at church and on our summer mission trip. Now, I’m no singer but I was convinced I was going to sing the solo in the Song of Mary because of how much her words resonated with me. They still do:

“Sing, o sing, my soul
The greatness of the Lord
Rejoice, my spirit
Rejoice in God my Savior
So tenderly has He regarded me
So wondrously has He exalted me
All generations shall call me blessed
For His name, His name is Holy
He is the mighty one
His mercy is ever sure” * 

Spoiler alert: I did not sing the Song of Mary in either performance and quite honestly, we were all the better for it. The Magnificat, found in these verses and in the song lyrics above, draws me back to the reality of the season of advent. Reminded of Mary and her response to the first advent, I know I can do better this Christmas season. Slow. Reflect. Wonder. Magnify. Rejoice. Prepare. Declare. God is with us!

Courtney Lewellen:  *Celebrate Life! (1972, Lifeway Worship. Music by Buryl Red, book and lyrics by Ragan Courtney)

December 22: Psalm 80:1-7

I grew up in a traditional Lutheran church.  It’s a denomination that sticks to a rigorous order of worship, using creeds and prayers that are known by heart and are recited with almost chant-like cadence.  The service is therapeutic in its predictability and tradition.  Growing up in that environment gives me a lens of reverence for God, a quiet awe and a tendency to approach Him timidly.  My prayers and supplications to Him are most often from the standpoint of “Lord, in Your mercy.  Hear our prayer.”  With that framework in mind, you can imagine the discomfort I felt in reading Psalm 80:1-7.  The passage is so bold and makes such demands of God.  How could anyone approach Him as such?  Hear us!  Awaken Your might!  Restore us!  And again, Restore us! What a bold way to address God. This isn’t a meek request – this is a confident demand, a strong declaration.  And it’s not disrespectful.  It is evidence of a faith in God’s abilities.  It is knowledge that He is all-powerful. 

There is strength and faith in a declaration.  There is power in it.  There is assurance in it.  Restore me!  It acknowledges that I need restoration while at the same time it shows my faith that it can be done.  How would my relationship change if I prayed so directly?  If I declared His abilities? I think the result would be a closer relationship.  I think it would move focus from myself and place it on God.  I’m challenged to step out of my comfort zone, out of my natural state, and call on God to hear me, restore me, and make His face shine upon me.  I know He can and will because of His promise fulfilled in Christ.  I will continue to enjoy the traditions of my childhood church, but you might hear me singing a little louder and speaking the Apostle’s Creed with a little more confidence and power.

Nikki Watters

December 21: 2nd Samuel 7:23-29

For most people the desire to “belong” is one that leads to both wholesome and questionable choices. In high school, I had an uncomfortable pair of combat boots from an army surplus store. Not because they looked good or served much purpose but because a group of people that I wanted to be associated with wore them. There were some in this group that made decisions and choices that I, thankfully, was able to avoid. But I still wanted to belong.

This power of belonging is rooted in our very existence and continued survival, both in high school and the other wilds of the world. As a Marriage and Family Therapist, I spend much of my clinical work helping people work through the disconnections they’ve experienced and finding ways to reconnect in healthier ways. My work says that all of our experiences in life are either made better or worse by the connections and belonging we feel.

To read this portion of David’s prayer is to feel the power and weight of belonging to God. As I read through this scripture, I was drawn to that feeling of belonging and was reminded of the desires of our hearts to be connected, both to one another but ultimately to God. Now, anyone who has read the story of the Israelites and King David knows that belonging to God does not either inhibit suffering or prevent pain. The groaning and weight of sin is felt by all humanity. But the hope is this:  We belong to God. We are not alone. The Servant was sent. The House was built. We are invited in because we belong.

Canaan Crane

December 20: Galatians 4:1-7

In these verses Paul is outlining two different forms of relationship with God:  the law system and the faith system.  In verses 1-3 he is describing the law-based system with its rules and guidelines.  This is an arrangement in which we are to follow the law, thus staying in right relationship with God.  The problem is we are incapable of adhering to the law.  Paul notes this back in chapter 3:10 when he references Deuteronomy 27:26 by saying “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the law.”

We relate to God by faith.  In Galatians 3:6 Paul notes that Abraham was counted righteous because of his faith.  In verse 11 Paul recalls Habakkuk 2:4 by stating, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.

This second system—the faith system—is faith in Jesus’ life and death.  Through His death, He corrected the relationship between God and ourselves and granted us freedom from the law.  Since we are free from the law, verses 5 and 6 state that we are children of God and because of that He has sent the Holy Spirit into our hearts.  In chapter 3:2,5, Paul says that it is our faith in Jesus, not following the law, which has allowed us to receive the Holy Spirit.  Now we are free from the law; our faith in Jesus has restored our relationship with God, and our faith has allowed us to receive the Holy Spirit.  No longer are we dependent on our own strength and wisdom.  We have the Holy Spirit to be transformative in our lives.  No longer do we have a broken relationship with God.  Through Jesus we now have a personal relationship with God.  These are the two greatest gifts we will ever receive.

Jason Knight

December 19: Galatians 3:26-29

Lighting the candles of Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace during Advent, we recognize and celebrate these virtues. In conclusion, we light the Christ candle—honoring the Son of God, the ultimate expression of each virtue, and the One who brings light into the world.

  Perhaps we should consider an additional meaning for the Christ candle. The words of Paul in Galatians 3:26-29 tell us that we who are “children of God through faith . . . are all one in Christ Jesus.” Should we not recognize and emphasize our “oneness in Christ” in the spirit of the Christmas season? Should we not consider the Christ candle a Unity candle (a staple at Christian weddings) to emphasize our oneness with and to Christ and fellow Christ-followers?

Paul explains that believers are uniformly attired. We are “clothed . . . with Christ”—united with Him in salvation through His death, resurrection, and righteousness. We are not differentiated by ethnicity or social status or gender—for “there is neither Jew nor Gentile. . . nor slave nor free . . . nor is there male and female.” Through faith in Christ, we are the spiritual children of Abraham “and heirs according to the promise” of God.

Our Unity with Christ and our fellow-believers should be of great importance in our preparation for the Christ event, the arrival of “the light of the world,”

“All those who are one with Jesus Christ are one with one another.”

“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

John Parrish

December 18: Psalm 42

The full Psalm is too long to put in here, but this sums it up—We need God. And God is here for us, even when it doesn’t seem like it. Sometimes, even at special times of the year like this, it can really seem like God’s not there.   BREAKING NEWS!  He is. God is always there for us, whatever time of year it is.  When you really think about it, at Advent, we take time to think about this very thing.  It isn’t just the celebration of Christ's coming. It’s the celebration that He’s already here. Merry Christmas!

Cooper Dunn

December 17: Jude 17-25

Advent is a time of waiting and preparing for the coming of Christ.  These verses in Jude offer guidance as we find ourselves between the first coming of Christ and His second coming.  It is a call to persevere in a time in which people “follow their own ungodly desires.”  But we are to be different, set apart, holy.  We are to rely on the Holy Spirit to guide us and allow Him to work through us in our relationships. 

            Mercy, salvation, and holiness are the marks of the Holy Spirit that are pointed out in this passage.  Specifically, we are called to be merciful to those who doubt, actively work toward sharing the message that saves people from their sins…and we’re supposed to do all this while remaining righteous and holy ourselves. These can seem like daunting tasks at which we are ill-equipped. We usually tend to become defensive of the faith in the midst of doubters.  We want to save ourselves from the dangers of sin and forget to look to the needs of those around us.  The temptations that can corrupt us are appealing and ever-present. 

            However, it is not by our own power, our own wisdom, or our own strength that we meet these challenges.  We have the Creator of the universe, the Sustainer of all life, the Savior of the world in and among us.  Therefore, we take part in the Spirit’s work of restoring the brokenness in our world.  We are attentive to the joy as well as the sorrow around us, and we rely solely on the Spirit to “keep [us] from stumbling and to present [us] before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy.”  The Holy Spirit truly is “God with us,” our Emmanuel.  Through that never-ending source of power, wisdom, and comfort we can live fully in the love of God as we journey through this second Advent, awaiting the return of Christ.

Cherith Tucker

December 16: Isaiah 29:22-24

   How do we become prepared for life?  As children our parents taught us many things. They began by teaching us that we were loved as they took care of our physical and emotional needs. As we grew they taught us how to be safe as we explored our world. Other lessons that began early on were about right and wrong and how to show kindness and love to others. For many of us an important aspect of all of this preparation included instruction about God:  God’s love, God’s might, God’s forgiveness, God’s holiness.

When we embraced the teachings of our parents, they probably felt a sense of pride. But when we rejected their instruction those feelings might have turned into shame or embarrassment.

Our prayer today is that we would be the descendants who do not bring shame.  We want to gain understanding and accept instruction.  As we prepare for His coming, we acknowledge God’s holiness and we stand in awe of the God of Israel.

Laura Whitmore

December 15: Psalm 146:5-10

I learned recently, while listening to NPR on my lunchbreak, that the best sign-language interpreters are hearing children with deaf parents. Imagine for a moment growing up as a hearing child in a deaf home. I would assume it’s a rather isolated existence.

The only way for the child to meaningfully communicate with his or her parents would be to learn their signs. These children go on to make the best adult interpreters because from a young age, even five or six, they begin interpreting for and speaking on behalf of their parents. They are the best qualified mediators of the hearing and unhearing worlds.

In this passage from the Psalms we see a reckoning at work: the blind will see; the prisoners will be freed. Scholars call this an “eschatological reversal,” meaning, in the end, all will be made right. We hear that longing within the words of the psalmist.

When we read this Psalm in the light of Christ, we find that it’s about His redemptive work in us. Furthermore, as redeemed people, we have a role and a mandate to help others. We are called to empathize with the parentless child, minister to the one who has recently lost a spouse, and be advocates for the victims of injustice.

There are times, in a broken world, when we must wonder if God is present. It’s in these times that we must remember God incarnate—the Word made flesh, who came to us in the most paradoxical of ways.

In His humanity, Jesus ate; He drank. He laughed; He cried, just as we do. In his divinity, He healed the lame, gave sight to the blind, and opened the ears of the deaf.

In His humanity, our Lord knows betrayal, hunger, exhaustion, temptation, and He certainly knows suffering. Yet, in this simultaneous human and divine existence Christ stands as the unrivaled mediator between God and mankind, bridging once and for all Heaven and Earth.

Corey Fuller

December 14: Luke 3:7-18

            Whenever something big is happening, a question that comes up more often than not is “what can I do?” When a friend is ill, we ask what we can do to ease the burden. When someone has a new baby, we offer any help we can. (Being Oklahomans, the answer to both scenarios is often “bring food.”) We like to have something to do in the anticipation of life events, something to stay busy or feel needed.

            In Luke 3, the crowd assembled asks John what they should do in the waiting of the Messiah. He responds to them depending on their strengths (or perhaps their weaknesses). What do we do in our waiting? We all react differently in this. Some want to get started and finish their work as soon as physically possible, for the satisfaction of being productive. Others thrive on skating as close to the deadline as possible, using the adrenaline to finish the job.

            The crowds spoke to John about the coming of Jesus. Our anticipation is different. In the song “O Holy Night,” the anticipation is “the thrill of hope—the weary world rejoices!” The crowds in the Bible didn’t know what to do or what was coming. The difference for us is that we know Jesus is the answer to “What can we do?”  We can strive, in all ways possible, to be like Him in a weary world. We can anticipate His coming by spreading the good news, and helping others to understand what it is they’ve been waiting for, too.

UBC Youth Group

December 13: Ruth 4:13-17

         Almost hidden between Judges and I Samuel in the Old Testament is a wonderful story of Ruth and Boaz.  The story is enclosed by two rather large family trees worthy of a program on “Finding Your  Roots.”  Ozelle and I go to two family reunions a year, one for her Harwell family tree and one for my Violet family.   At both gatherings we do a lot of looking back while adding new branches to growing family trees.  But our trees have far fewer branches and much less significance than the family tree in Ruth 4:18-22 and the two family trees in two of the gospels, Matthew and Luke.

            I have heard and sometimes read many Scriptures during worship services, but I have never heard anyone read Matthew 1:1-16 or Luke 3:23-38 from the pulpit, but these long lists of names are obviously important to these two writers since they are presented as a vital part of the gospel: the good news.  Both lists take us back from the birth of Jesus to his earthly family trees.  In Matthew 1:5 we find Boaz and Ruth forming the branch that ultimately leads us to the star of the tree—Jesus.  In Luke, the story of Jesus begins with his wondrous birth.  Then as Luke begins his story of the ministry of Jesus, he gives his credentials:  his family tree that begins with Joseph.

             In Matthew we go up the family tree to Jesus, the star at the top of the tree.  In Luke we start at the top of our Christmas tree and go down the tree to Adam, “the son of God,” who is the first branch of the tree, created and planted by God.  As you trim your tree this year, remember who is both the foundation and star of Christmas.

Bob Scrutchins

December 12: Ruth 1:6-18

Have you ever been sad at Christmas? Perhaps as a young child you did not receive the present you really wanted. For adults, perhaps you have experienced the loss of a loved one in recent months. For members of University Baptist Church, we might recall the deaths of friends such as Jack Pearson, Jess Partridge, or Betty Condray. The Bible text for today does not deal directly with the Christmas story, but it focuses on three widows. Naomi and her husband had moved to Moab to survive a famine. Their two sons married Moabite women. Sadly, all three husbands passed away. Eventually Naomi decided it was time to return home, and she encouraged her daughters-in-law to remain in their home country.

A key to the rest of the story is Ruth’s pledge to Naomi to stay with her and to follow Naomi’s God (1:16-17). Ruth had discovered what we need to recall in this Advent season: our ultimate hope for the future is God. When Naomi and Ruth arrived at Naomi’s hometown, however, Naomi was still dealing with the terrible losses she had experienced (1:20-21). Many of us know that grief does not disappear quickly. The rest of the story is likely familiar. Ruth worked in the fields of Boaz, they fell in love, she proposed marriage to him (a probable interpretation), and they were married.

So, what does this story of loss and love have to do with Christmas? You might recall that Naomi’s hometown is Bethlehem (1:1,19). Also, the child conceived by Ruth and Boaz was an ancestor of King David (4:17-22). Matthew then included Ruth in his family tree for Jesus (Matthew 1:5). Two grieving women centuries before the first Christmas trusted the same God who sent His one and only Son to be our Savior!

Warren McWilliams

December 11: Matthew 12:33-37

Multiple choice about today’s scripture passage:

____a. Jesus is teaching his disciples a lesson in horticulture.

____b. A person is either good or evil and will pay an eternal price for character.

____c. Matthew, as always interested in fitting Jesus’ life into Jewish history, shows him again in conflict with the Pharisaic legalism.

            I’m no horticulturist, but I’ve bought and planted good trees and not-so-good trees.  Genetics matter in trees, and the best way to harvest good fruit is to plant a good cultivar (and they usually cost more to obtain).

            I’m of the opinion that we are all capable of good or evil deeds—not just born to one or the other.  Jesus says we show our character by our words and actions.  (The inductive argument of Aristotle seems better than the deduction of Plato here.)

            In Matthew’s story of Jewish history moving toward fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy (12:18-21), Jesus is a corrective to the too-rigid, unforgiving rabbis who seek to trap him and negate his influence as teacher and healer.  Jesus tries quietly to avoid confrontation with His critics, but He is finally pushed to a response:  “you brood of vipers!” He calls them, and He points His listeners forward to eternal consequences for words and actions, not backward to the Pharisees’ deuteronomic and levitical rules.

            In Advent we look forward, not back, but we must live in the present.  Today we can plant good trees, speak kind words, do good deeds.  May our prayer be for the coming of a good and fruitful world.  May our actions help to usher it in.

Doug Watson

December 10: Isaiah 41:17-20

What is it you search for? What do you need?

Here in Isaiah, the poor and needy search for water. They are in such need that their tongues are parched, perhaps too dry to even be able to speak their need. But the Lord hears our needs, even when we are unable to speak them. He knows the innermost cry of our hearts and will not forsake us. And He is generous in His supply. For those who thirst, miraculous supplies of water are given. Rivers flow from the barren heights, springs flow in the valleys, and the desert is turned into pools of water. In answer to thirst, He does not merely provide water for a day, but an abundance—water for a lifetime! Likewise, for the weary desert traveler in need of shelter from the relentless sun, He provides a wealth of shade trees where we would not expect them to grow:  cedar, acacia, myrtle, olive, junipers, fir, and cypress—all together!

When we are in grave need, ready to die, God will make the driest wilderness run with rivers and the most barren of desert places produce shelter so that we are supplied. When such miracles happen, those who experience these changes cannot help but recognize that the hand of the Lord has done this. It can be explained no other way! Let us declare the mighty works of the Lord!

For indeed, with the world in dire need, thirsty for truth and lacking shelter from the unrelenting turmoil of our own sin, God in His infinite grace and love gave His son, Christ the Messiah, to save us from the desert of our lives. Christ – the greatest gift to fulfill our greatest need. We who have experienced this saving grace must help others know “that the hand of the Lord has done this.” Let us declare the mighty works of the Lord! Soli Deo Gloria!

Michael Dean

December 9: I Thessalonians 4:9-12

As we prepare for Advent, we tune our hearts to harmonize with God’s grace by

consciously showing one another the same kind of love God has shown us. The scriptures

traditionally associated with Advent speak to human loneliness, but also to the loving answer

God sends into the midst of our estrangement. John cries out alone in the wilderness, but many

come to hear him, and repent

 Mary, bewilderingly, finds herself expecting a child, marked as unfaithful, despoiled,

discarded by those around her; yet Elizabeth welcomes Mary with joy, and together they

envision the new future God might work through her child. Joseph feels the anguish of betrayal

and heartbreak; but in a dream God shows him a different way of responding, and he bravely

defies his community’s judgment, offering his love and trust to Mary. There is no room in the

inn, yet God provides shelter—first among beasts, then accompanied by the poor and outcast,

and finally, visited by those with privilege yet wise enough to know what they are missing and

search for it.

The characters in these stories want nothing more than to lead a quiet life—to mind their

own business, to work with their hands, to be worthy of the respect of others, and not to depend

on anybody. Yet God leads them along a different path---one that disrupts their quiet, strips away

the respect of others, makes them depend abjectly on strangers. And God, above all these

worldly troubles, yet within them and through them, shows each one the durability of love.

            May we prepare our hearts for Advent by re-attuning them to experience and show God’s

love—to work to aid those in need, to show respect to those whom others disrespect, to depend

only on God and to evidence to others God’s great dependability.

John Michael Parrish

December 8: Psalm 72:1-19

Today, on the second Sunday of Advent we light the Bethlehem candle.  The blue reminds us of the king who was born in Bethlehem.  We must prepare to celebrate the royalty of Jesus Christ the King of Kings who was born in Bethlehem and we must live in preparation of His return.

In Psalm 72, Solomon paints a vivid picture of the king he hopes for.  Jesus is that long hoped-for king.  Meditating and reflecting on Solomon’s description helps us to live in appreciation of the coming of the King of Kings and in preparation for His second coming.  Look at how Solomon describes the King and His reign.

His reign will be just:

·         Endow the king with your justice, O God

·         May he defend the afflicted among the people

·         May he crush the oppressor

·         He will take pity on the weak and the needy

·         He will rescue them from oppression and violence

His reign will be prosperous:

·         May the mountains bring prosperity to the people

·         May grain abound throughout the land

He will be all powerful:

·         May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring tribute to him

·         May all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him

·         May gold from Sheba be given him

He will be righteous:

·         In his days may the righteous flourish

·         May people ever pray for him

His reign will be eternal and all encompassing:

·         May he endure as long as the sun and the moon

·         May he rule from sea to sea

Two millennia after Christ’s birth in Bethlehem, we see Solomon’s hope fulfilled:  Psalm 72:17 (New International Version)

May his name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun. Then all nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed.

Craig Walker

December 7: John 1:19-28

John the Baptist:  --his Testimony and Confession: "I am not The Christ."

                    --his Mission and Purpose: Baptisms of Repentance.

                   --his Identity and Place: Singular wilderness voice of Call.

The Gospels say little about John the Baptist. What they do seem to say clearly, however, is that though obviously fervent, he was not fanatical; though assuredly incisive, he was not insensitive; though possibly problematic, he was not enigmatic.

John-of-the-Wild speaks today as fervently, incisively, and problematically as ever he did to the Jews, and his counsel to the Roman soldiers is telling, tolling the bell of our all-too-common American experience: "Rob no one by violence or by false accusation, and be content with your wages." (Luke 3:14 RSV).

He took no position to himself, that is, John had the inner witness that the One who was soon--and ready--to appear after him must ever increase, while he must decrease. He knew that he was not the one to be lifted up and consequently draw all men to himself.

However, John the Baptist had a dark moment. From prison, he revealed to us just how powerfully repression can affect an individual's staunchest beliefs. John--that "John" of unparalleled courage and conviction--questioned whether the one whose way that he, John, was preparing, were actually the "One," sending this query through his disciples: "Are you He who is to come, or shall we look for another?" (Matthew 11:3) And the One whose way had indeed been prepared answered with understanding and patience, validating John's ministry with the embrace, "My messenger." (vs.10)

That other man wearing everyday sandals--as would any of that time and place--did come after John. That man was "Light." Like Adam, that Man was an archetype. He, however, would come as the One not ever to fall, not ever to succumb to temptation or to unencumbered self-interest. John's heralded Man was the "Son" of the un-fallen Adam--the Son of "Man"-- being therefore, the "Last Adam" and, at the same time, the "second man," (1 Corinthians 15:45-47) Himself appearing as the origin for new creations...men, women, girls, boys... Himself appearing as the Way for the "third" and "fourth" and "millionth new man."

 Larry Inman

December 6: Acts 13:16-25

What do a remodel, a graduation, a wedding, and a holiday dinner have in common? They are all completed processes! Family and friends who celebrate such events see the finished product, but are often unaware of the time, effort, and sacrifices invested in the process.

In today’s passage, the Apostle Paul reminds his audience of God’s presence and process throughout Israel’s history. God chose Israel. Later, He led them out of Egypt, and guided them through the wilderness. He then provided them with judges and kings. Finally, John the Baptist appeared preaching repentance in preparation for the coming of Jesus.

During their lifetime, Paul and the first Christians experienced what life was like before the coming of Christ, and what life was like after the coming of Christ. This comparison helped them to recognize the significance of the process and the significance of the outcome of the process—Jesus Christ.

As we enter this busy holiday season, let us remember to be grateful for the privilege of experiencing the fullness of Christ. Let us also not forget to acknowledge the time, efforts, and sacrifices made so we can enjoy the final outcome. It is good to be reminded God is always with us, and He works to prepare our individual hearts to be of service for Him.

Kaylene Barbe