Author: Dan Sharp

I want to thank all of you who have shared the Advent journey again this year. As you know, or maybe didn’t (?), we have done “The Year of the Book” at First Presbyterian Church of Orlando since January 2018 and have focused on successive books of the Bible each of the 52 Sundays. At the same time the congregation read through the Bible during the year. Each day of Advent, I took the text from a portion of that day’s reading.

Beginning in January 2019, we are beginning to roll out a ten to fifteen year vision of where our church is going. It is most time consuming as there is a direct correlation as to worship visioning. As a result, for just this year, I will not be writing a Lenten Devotional due to the time involved in the vision casting. I will be back writing an Advent Devotional in 2019. So look for it around the middle of November 2019. If you have any questions, you can contact me.

Here is a bonus from Sam Robson that is a little different!! You’ll love it!

Oh! Happy Day

www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2wKSpYa0vo&list=RDw2wKSpYa0vo&start_radio=1

“Look, I am making everything new!”

Candle Lighter: “I saw a new heaven…”
Response: “…and a new earth.”

Scripture: Revelation 21:1-7

21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

5 And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.”6 And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. 7 All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.

Reader:  The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
The Hebrew Bible opens with the account of creation. At the end of each day God said, “it was good” and on the sixth day, he said it was “very good.”  You may have noticed that at the end of each of the six days it says “it was evening and it was morning.” But, on the seventh day, the Sabbath, neither of those phrases are used. God says nothing in regards to goodness and nothing about evening and morning. Why? In the book of Hebrews we read that the Israelites never entered a sabbath rest because of unbelief. It would seem that God’s people have yet to enter his rest. In a nutshell there is no “good or very good” pronounced by God and there is no “evening and morning” on the seventh day because the Sabbath has not yet ended. John describes in this passage the bringing of a new, holy, perfect heaven and earth made so by the blood of the Lamb. God is returning to his people, as in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve prior to the Fall. The perfect world has been restored. Death, sin, evil are all defeated and gone forever. There will not be another rebellion against God as in the Garden. God makes all things new! And here we have the great words echoing the words of Jesus from the cross, “It is finished! I am Alpha and Omega―the Beginning and the End, in other words, evening and morning. The Day of the Lord is complete, it has ended! Like the relationship between Adam and Eve and the Lord God in the Garden of Eden, God says, “I will be their God and they will be my children.” As believers, we have been washed pure by the blood of the Lamb and experience a perfect transparency with the Lord, even as did Adam in the Garden prior to the Fall. That Tree of Life mentioned in Genesis three appears here again in Revelation twenty-two (v.2,14). This time the tree is a source of food for eternal life. Evil, sin, and death are defeated and forever separated from God’s glorious Kingdom. Those who have been redeemed enjoy eternity in the presence of God. In the meantime, we await his Return. “Come, Lord Jesus!”

Music: “How Did I Make It Over?”   Jubilant Sykes
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ytZ-apCvKA

Prayer:
My Lord, how grateful we are that you have, in your word, shown us with perfect clarity the beginning, middle, and end of creation and where we, as your children, fit in. Sometimes it is overwhelming to try to grasp the depth of your love and the whole of your plan, the perfect creation borne out of love, the fall borne of rebellion, the redemption borne out of mercy, grace, and love, and restoration borne out of  faithfulness and love. Thank you, Father, for your infallible, authoritative, inerrant word that brings truth and light and the Savior. Thank you for what it tells of you and what it shows us about ourselves. Thank you that it is living and speaks to listening ears and hearts that are open. Thank you, God, for your great love and salvation. We look forward with great anticipation to spending eternity in your presence with the host of heaven and all the faithful who have gone before. Glory to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, world without end. Amen!
― Daniel Sharp

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it.”

Candle Lighter: “I saw a great white throne…”
Response: “…and the one sitting on it.”

Scripture: Revelation 20:7-14

7 When the thousand years come to an end, Satan will be let out of his prison. 8 He will go out to deceive the nations—called Gog and Magog—in every corner of the earth. He will gather them together for battle—a mighty army, as numberless as sand along the seashore. 9 And I saw them as they went up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded God’s people and the beloved city. But fire from heaven came down on the attacking armies and consumed them.

10 Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

11 And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. 12 I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. 14 Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death.

Reader: The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
A little bit of context here will help to get a handle on this passage. John has just described how two of Satan’s henchmen, the beast and the false prophet, have been cast into the lake of fire. They had deceived many and inflicted much harm on God’s people. Christ, the triumphant warrior, destroyed them. Following that, Satan was bound in chains and thrown into a bottomless pit for a thousand years. It is at this point that we pick up John’s vision in the above passage. Satan is let loose whereupon he gathers all the rebellious nations of the world to battle the Lord. Satan’s rebellious host is destroyed and cast into the lake of fire permanently as their eternal destination. We then have what is known as “the great white throne judgment,” human beings’ final appearance before God’s throne. This is the terminal judgment for all those who have rejected the message of the gospel, their only hope of salvation. The Book of Life is opened and the dead, (these are not the Christians who have died trusting in Jesus for salvation), these are those who have rejected God’s gift of his Son. They are judged according to what they have done. Unfortunately for them, it is not possible to earn one’s way into heaven by what one has done. It clearly is not a case of “Do the good deeds outweigh the bad?” Everyone who has ever lived, who has rejected Christ, awaits this moment before God the Creator. When it says “death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire,” it refers to the reality of death. This is the death of those who have no hope. Jesus was victorious over death, but not for these people. Their death is eternal separation from God with a horrible end that is eternal. All those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ alone have their names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Their eternal destiny is eternal life in heaven in God’s presence. The human birth of Jesus, celebrated a few days ago, brings all of this into reality. John is not writing a fantasy tale, he is writing truth as an eyewitness. God does have the last “last word.”  Hallelujah!

Music: CHRISTMAS SONGS    Fernando Ortega
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZeIkTNdH8s

Fernando talks about the various songs in his Christmas album. You can youtube each one by title to pick the specific ones you want to hear.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, our king: rejoicing in your victory, we thank you that good is a greater power than evil.

Lord Jesus Christ, our friend: rejoicing in your sharing of our life, we thank you for your constant intercession for us now.

Lord Jesus Christ, our priest: rejoicing in the the new way you have opened up for us on Calvary, we thank you that we can approach the throne of God in full assurance of our faith.

Lord Jesus Christ, our judge: rejoicing in the love you have for all mankind, we thank you that we have no cause to be afraid. The present and the future, and all of eternity belong to you. Save us and strengthen us, and bring us by grace into your kingdom. Almighty and everlasting God, who didst raise thy Son Jesus Christ from the dead and set him upon the glorious throne of thy kingdom giving him a name that is above every name, we worship and adore thee in the fellowship of thy redeemed, ascribing to thee blessing and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever. Amen.
― Prayers for Sunday Services, Scottish, p.98

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“In a single moment it is all gone.”

Candle Lighter: “At last…”
Response: “…God has judged her.”

Scripture: Revelation 18:19b-23

In a single moment it is all gone.”

20 Rejoice over her fate, O heaven

   and people of God and apostles and prophets!

For at last God has judged her

   for your sakes.

For context read all of chapters 17 & 18

Reader:  The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
Chapters seventeen and eighteen paint a picture of worldly success and indulgence in debauchery. A point is made of wealth and luxury as the lifestyle enjoyed by the rebellious. But there is an interesting phrase that occurs three times. “These plagues will overtake her (Babylon, representing the rebellious world) in a single day.” (18:8) Then a little later in speaking again of the city, “In a single moment all the wealth of the city is gone!” (18:17). And finally concluding the section, “In a single moment it is all gone.” (18:20) We’ve all been alive long enough to know that in an instant everything can change. Normally, the change is in some situation here on earth, a birth, a death, a promotion, a marriage. In this passage the “a single moment” is for eternity. Death is the only event we have in this world which enables us to enter eternity. It is our singular “no turning back moment.” Yet much of our world gives little attention in preparing for “the single moment.”  We laugh at death, as though laughing defeats it (Halloween). We avoid thinking or talking about it. When was the last time you had a serious conversation about death?  We downplay the language by having “memorials” rather than “funerals”―too morbid. We most often spare an open casket, or even have a casket present in the memorial service, instead choosing to have lovely pictures of the deceased―avoiding having to look at the reality of death in person. Death is not pretty, but frankly, it is healthy to see death. John gives us the realistic words “In a single moment it is all gone.” The glory of the Savior and redemption is that “the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.” In a single moment, in the twinkling of an eye we shall all be changed…for eternity!

Music:  “Go Tell It on the Mountain”   Mahalia Jackson YOU CAN’T MISS THIS!!!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lq5aEwtvdRI       NOBODY SINGS THEIR SOUL LIKE THIS!

Prayer:
Lord God Almighty, I ask not to be enrolled amongst the earthly great and rich, but to be numbered with the spiritually blessed. Make it my present, supreme, persevering concern to obtain those blessings which are spiritual in their nature, eternal in their continuance, satisfying in their possession. Preserve me from a false estimate of the whole or a part of my character; may I pay regard to my principles as well as my conduct, my motives as well as my actions. Help me never to mistake the excitement of my passions for the renewing of the Holy spirit, never to judge my religion by occasional impressions and impulses, but by my constant and prevailing disposition. May my heart be right with thee, and my life as becometh the gospel. May I maintain a supreme regard to another and better world, and feel and confess myself a stranger and a pilgrim here. Afford me all the direction, defence, support, and consolation my journey hence requires, and grant me a mind stayed upon thee. Give me large abundance of the supply of the Spirit of Jesus, that I may be prepared for every duty, love thee in all my mercies, submit to thee in every trial, trust thee when walking in darkness, have peace in thee amidst life’s changes. Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief and uncertainties. I pray this through Jesus Christ, my Lord and Master. Amen.
― The Valley of Vision, p.65

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“This great choir sang a wonderful new song.”

Candle Lighter: “Fear God…”
Response: “…Give glory to him.”

Scripture: Revelation 14:1-7

14 Then I saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him were 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of mighty ocean waves or the rolling of loud thunder. It was like the sound of many harpists playing together.

3 This great choir sang a wonderful new song in front of the throne of God and before the four living beings and the twenty-four elders. No one could learn this song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 They have kept themselves as pure as virgins, following the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been purchased from among the people on the earth as a special offering to God and to the Lamb. 5 They have told no lies; they are without blame.

6 And I saw another angel flying through the sky, carrying the eternal Good News to proclaim to the people who belong to this world—to every nation, tribe, language, and people. 7 “Fear God,” he shouted. “Give glory to him. For the time has come when he will sit as judge. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all the springs of water.”

Reader: The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
This pericope is a beautiful picture of what lies ahead and also answers some common questions regarding heaven and the world to come. I also want to make some observations. The Bible has many references to numbers throughout all of Scripture. We begin with the seven days of creation, not four, not eleven, but seven. Why seven? There were twelve sons of Jacob, twelve disciples, and so on. And here in Revelation we have the 144,000. It is important to approach the biblical perspective of numbers and not impose a western mindset on an oriental understanding. Some numbers are clearly exact numbers. E.g. 153 fish.(John 21:11) Other numbers are viewed more symbolically as here in Revelation. “Multiples of ten are a symbolic way to say many. One thousand is regarded as the foundational large number; 12,000 is the foundational large religious number; and 144,000 is the supreme religious number that represents the complete people of God.”* It is important not to lose the theological significance of what is happening. The Lamb of God is joined by innumerable believers forming a great choir singing a wonderful new song, music never before heard making a massive, glorious sound. We’ve all heard enormous thunder rolls. Imagine giving pitch and never before conceived harmony to the sound! This is the choir of the redeemed. I’ve often said much of what we do on earth will not be done in heaven. No more confessing of sin; we won’t sin in a perfect holy environment―never been there! No one gets cancer―no sickness there. No funerals for loved ones―no more death. No politics―King Jesus rules in love and righteousness!  But singing worship will most certainly be a part of heaven. Our great, glorious, matchless, just, loving, God has made all of this possible. Share this great news wherever you go…and keep singing as you practice for the heavenly choir…and you will have a great voice in heaven!

*The New Living Translation Study Bible, Symbolic Numbers, p.2173, Gerald Borchert

Music: “The Trumpet Shall Sound”    Philippe Sly: Bass-Baritone,   Julian Wachner: Conductor
Trinity Wall Street Baroque Orchestra
www.youtube.com/watch?v=13DpmWPV9IU

Fantastic singer. Note how Handel musically paints the picture of “we shall all be changed.”  The trumpeter plays an authentic trumpet from Handel’s era. Not like anything you normally see. Handel has attempted to give the music the theological weight of the Scripture. This is worth your time! (9 minutes)

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, we are so often busy in our worlds, consumed by the pressures of the day, that we lose sight of the bigger, more grand, eternal picture. Thank you for infusions of beauty, truth, and reverence which all too frequently go unrecognized in our world. Forgive us for the times we ignore them, are too busy, or not interested because giving beauty or truth or reverence our precious time would take too long. Deliver us, good Lord, from consuming the trivial contemporary and dieting on the eternal significant. Save us from shallow notes and light-weight words. Make us a people who sing new songs of significance, of wonder, of reverence, and joy. May we never settle for earth when heaven is at stake and end up missing both heaven and earth. Amen.
― Daniel Sharp

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“It has come at last.”

Candle Lighter: “Rejoice, O heavens!...”
Response: “…and you who live in the heavens, rejoice!”

Scripture: Revelation  12:10-12

10 Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens,

“It has come at last—

   salvation and power

and the Kingdom of our God,

   and the authority of his Christ.

For the accuser of our brothers and sisters

   has been thrown down to earth—

the one who accuses them

   before our God day and night.

11 And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb

   and by their testimony.

And they did not love their lives so much

   that they were afraid to die.

12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens!

   And you who live in the heavens, rejoice!

But terror will come on the earth and the sea,

   for the devil has come down to you in great anger,

   knowing that he has little time.”

Reader:  The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
This portion of today’s larger reading (chapters 12 and 13) is filled with involved symbolism requiring considerable commentary to be fair. In the setting, Christian believers are under severe persecution from Nero and Domitian, who followed Nero. The first nine verses of chapter twelve describe the war between the devil, whose wishes are carried out by Nero et al, and God’s people. In verse thirteen and following, the battle between God’s people and the evil of Satan’s hosts continues. The section we have pulled out for today’s reading is an aside of encouragement for followers of Christ.

The source of the affirming voice is from heaven. God is always aware of the situation of his people and provides words of hope and perspective. Seeing life (and death) from God’s vantage point is essential. In the words from heaven, “It has come at last―”. What is the “it?” Salvation, power, and the Kingdom of God and the authority of Christ. The devil, the accuser of us all, has been thrown down to earth. The devil has been defeated. In effect, God has said, “Enough!” As sovereign, God always has the last word. In that we rejoice! It is interesting that in verse eleven, John writes “they have defeated him (devil) by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. Think of it. Because believers have appropriated the blood of Jesus to cover them and by their witness to that effect, the devil is beaten, his power destroyed. A key factor in all of this is the followers of Jesus are not afraid of death because they see it from God’s perspective. They are untouchable by Satan. The devil is enraged in his permanent defeat and endeavors to create as much chaos on earth as possible in his limited time before he is cast into hell for all eternity. Your job and mine is to remain faithful in fulfilling our days on this earth. And God has given us the Holy Spirit to do just that!

Music: “Gloria in excelsis Deo”   The English Concert Trevor Pinnock
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQx2TWgxX14

Prayer:
O Omnipresent One, beneath whose all-seeing eye our mortal lives are passed, grant that in all my deeds and purposes today I may behave with true courtesy and honor. Let me be just and true in all my dealings. Let no mean or low thought have a moment’s place in my mind. Let my motives be transparent to all. Let my word by my bond. Let me take no unchivalrous advantage of anybody. Let me be generous in my judgment of others. Let me be disinterested in my opinions. Let me be loyal to my friends and magnanimous to my opponents. Let me face adversity with courage. Let me not ask or expect too much for myself.  O Thou whose love to man was proven in the passion and death of Jesus Christ our Lord, let the power of His cross be with me today. Let me love as He loved. Let my obedience be unto death. In leaning upon His cross, let me not refuse my own; yet in bearing mine, let me bear it by the strength of His.
― John Baillie, A Diary of Private Prayer, p.49

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“He will reign forever and ever.”

Candle Lighter: “The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord…” Response: “…and of his Christ.”

Scripture: Revelation  11:15-18

15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices shouting in heaven:

“The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ,

   and he will reign forever and ever.”

16 The twenty-four elders sitting on their thrones before God fell with their faces to the ground and worshiped him. 17 And they said,

“We give thanks to you, Lord God, the Almighty,

   the one who is and who always was,

for now you have assumed your great power

   and have begun to reign.

18 The nations were filled with wrath,

   but now the time of your wrath has come.

It is time to judge the dead

   and reward your servants the prophets,

   as well as your holy people,

and all who fear your name,

   from the least to the greatest.

It is time to destroy

   all who have caused destruction on the earth.”

Reader: The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
Have you noticed how much and how often voices and beings in heaven are involved in John’s vision? In II Peter 3:9 Peter writes that the “Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. But the day of the Lord will come…” This particular section of Revelation deals with the day of the Lord and the ending of God’s patience, which is not infinite. The blast of a trumpet was used as a signal for various things, in this case, of impending judgment for all who have rejected and refused God’s offer of redemption. The hosts in heaven shout the beginning of “the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ.” The “was, and is, and is to come” has arrived! The “is to come” is now! The reign of Jesus Christ over his Kingdom has begun. The twenty-four elders represent all the people of God worshiping the Almighty. With the coming of the Kingdom comes also the final judgment of those who have rebelled against God and his children. It is also time to reward the faithful who have suffered for their faith. As we begin this new year, there is the feeling that things will continue as they always have and that the description of this passage is remote and just an idea in the far distant future, almost as if it will never really happen. But, God said it will. George Frideric Handel wrote one of the most famous pieces of music in the world using some of the text you just read. Notice right before the text says, “King of kings and Lord of lords” we have the iconic sixteenth notes from the trumpet―the trumpet blast of the angel described in verse fifteen. As you listen, note how the text, aside from the “Hallelujahs,” develops. The day is coming when we will be present for all that is described. It could be this year!

Music: “Hallelujah Chorus”    BBC George Handel  Trevor Pinnock The English Concert
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5Xjz6ZuVk0

Prayer:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, help us to live each day of this year as if it will be our last on this earth, you alone know what lies ahead and when this world, as we know it, will come to an end and the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ will begin an endless reign forever and ever. Hallelujah! Amen.
― Daniel Sharp

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“Salvation comes from our God.”

Candle Lighter: “I saw a vast crowd, too great to count,...”
Response: “…from every nation and tribe and people and language.”

Scripture: Revelation 7:9-16

9 After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. 10 And they were shouting with a great roar,

“Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne

   and from the Lamb!”

11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings. And they fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God. 12 They sang,

“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom

   and thanksgiving and honor

and power and strength belong to our God

   forever and ever! Amen.”

13 Then one of the twenty-four elders asked me, “Who are these who are clothed in white? Where did they come from?”

14 And I said to him, “Sir, you are the one who knows.”

Then he said to me, “These are the ones who died in the great tribulation. They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white.

15 “That is why they stand in front of God’s throne

   and serve him day and night in his Temple.

And he who sits on the throne

   will give them shelter.

16 They will never again be hungry or thirsty;

   they will never be scorched by the heat of the sun.

Reader: The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
John’s vision is filled with fantastic images and descriptions of a world we cannot see. Into this world are some  actions to which we can relate. Yet, there are some more specific things we can draw from the passages. You note the vast array of human beings who have not lost their individual, national, family, or language identities. They find unity in Christ while maintaining each of their uniquenesses. In a portion of culture which strives for a united global culture where nations and the uniquenesses of the people is downplayed, the Scripture seems to stand in stark contrast. Pentecost is another example of the same idea. Unity among people is found in Christ, not in all trying to develop a generic identity. They spoke many languages with a single message. The unity was in the message, not the languages. Secondly, I noticed they were all wearing white robes, the robes of priests, indicating their fitness to serve as priests in God’s sight. The white robes and the  waving of palm branches are reminiscent of victory. On Palm Sunday the crowds, waving palm branches, the symbol of victory, shouted “Hosanna,” meaning “God save us.” Here is the heavenly completion of that “earthly shadow.” The white robes also indicate purity of character, after all, there is no sin in heaven. Worshipers are perfect in the presence of God because of the Lamb. We’re reminded of the passage in Isaiah, “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” (Is.1:18) White is the color of rest as well as joy. It is as though the Bride of Christ is in bridal robes awaiting the marriage supper of the Lamb. In all this discussion about “white robes,” make no mistake, they are white because they have been washed in the blood of the Lamb. Next we see of the angelic heavenly host singing of seven glorious qualities of our great God. (Remember what we said about the significance of the number seven a few days ago.)  The heavenly host sang at the entrance of the Savior into the world and here again they sing rejoicing in the completed work. What a glorious picture of what lies ahead!

Music: “Mary’s Little Boy Child”  Andy Williams (This an oldie by one of the smoothest voices you will hear! A very nice setting of this classic. Some of you younger people won’t know who Andy Williams was!)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OscFkho1RI8

Prayer:
Heavenly and eternal Father, Source of all being, from whom I spring, unto whom I shall return,―Thine I shall ever be. Thou wilt call me unto Thyself when my hour comes, Blessed shall I then be if I can say, “I have fought a good fight.” I fear not death, O Father of life; for death is not eternal sleep; it is the transition to a new life, a moment of glorious transformation, an ascension towards Thee. How could that be an evil that cometh from Thy hand, when Thou art the All-good! Lord of life and earth, I am in Thy hand; do unto me as Thou deemest fit; for what Thou dost is well done. When Thou didst call me from nothing into life, Thou didst will my happiness; when Thou callest me away from life, will my happiness be less Thy care? No, no Thou art love, and whosoever dwells in love, dwells in Thee, O Lord, and Thou in him―Amen.
― Heinrich Tschokke   1771-1848, Prayers Ancient and Modern

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“Worthy is the Lamb.”

Candle Lighter: “I looked again,...”
Response: “…and I heard the voices of thousands.”

Scripture: Revelation 5:1-14

5 Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the one who was sitting on the throne. There was writing on the inside and the outside of the scroll, and it was sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel, who shouted with a loud voice: “Who is worthy to break the seals on this scroll and open it?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll and read it.

4 Then I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll and read it. 5 But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

6 Then I saw a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered, but it was now standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the sevenfold Spirit of God that is sent out into every part of the earth. 7 He stepped forward and took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne. 8 And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. 9 And they sang a new song with these words:

“You are worthy to take the scroll

   and break its seals and open it.

For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God

   from every tribe and language and people and nation.

10 And you have caused them to become

   a Kingdom of priests for our God.

   And they will reign on the earth.”

11 Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders. 12 And they sang in a mighty chorus:

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered—

   to receive power and riches

and wisdom and strength

   and honor and glory and blessing.”

13 And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang:

“Blessing and honor and glory and power

   belong to the one sitting on the throne

   and to the Lamb forever and ever.”

14 And the four living beings said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped the Lamb.

Reader:  The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
If you were hoping for a definitive perspective on the interpretation of this book, you need look elsewhere! That material would be beyond the scope and time we have here. What I do want us to look at, though, is the general thrust of what is being described by John. There is the scroll in the right hand, the position of authority, which contains the details of God’s plans. It is sealed and needs a worthy person to break the seals so the plans can be completed. The Lamb, Jesus, was the only one in the entire universe with the divine authority to step forward and take the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne. He was the central figure who completed God’s purposes in his death on the cross. Notice how often the Lamb’s suffering is cited in this section. Earthly history and heavenly reality are united in Christ. The twenty-four elders gathered around the throne sang the gospel story, the story which had brought redemption to people from every tribe, language, and nation. (What strikes me is that apparently the people retained the uniqueness of their heritage even into heaven. The creative wonder of God’s varied creation continues on into the next world.) Added to the song of worship of the Lamb were the voices of angels without number, in other words all of heaven,  singing “Worthy is the Lamb.” The number seven is the number of perfection, of completeness, in Jewish thought. So then, it is not surprising that there are seven excellencies attributed to the Lamb. The Lamb is worshiped and counted worthy of receiving power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing. You’ll also note the earlier description of the Lamb with seven horns (which refer to complete power), seven eyes (which refer to complete knowledge), and seven spirits (which represent the sevenfold Spirit of God.) And then finally as the chapter concludes, every created being in heaven, all those on earth, and even those under the earth and sea (this could be referring to the dead or evil beings), join in offering worship to the Lamb. In the latter case if may be referring to mandatory response. Paul reminds us in Philippians that “every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” This may be the fulfillment of Paul’s words. The concluding word of “Amen!” confirms “so be it!” This glorious description is the fulfillment of the earthly journey that began that starry night in Bethlehem.

Music: “Worthy Is the Lamb”  from Messiah Atlanta Symphony and Chorus Robert Shaw
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eY_4iGel14&t=37s  DO NOT MISS THIS. This piece is, in my mind, the greatest musical setting of the text we’ve been writing about.

Prayer:
Lord God, most of the time my prayers are about things I’m concerned about or people for whom I’m praying. I find it very easy to pray thinking mostly of my world and asking you to intercede for it. But this time I want to pray a little differently. How am I to say you are worthy? I have a very small grasp of your worthiness. It almost seems arrogant for me to say such. But all I can say is that you are of greatest worth to me. Without you, I have no hope at all. Therefore, you are of greatest worth to me. All power in existence belongs to you and I greatly and happily rejoice in that truth. All riches are yours. Everything belongs to you and I greatly and happily rejoice in that truth. All wisdom resides in you and I take great comfort and peace and happily rejoice in that truth. All strength is yours and I am relieved and I greatly and happily rejoice in that truth, knowing you will never tire of anything in all of eternity. You don’t wear out even when I am completely exhausted. You are honored above all and I’m glad. I delight in your receiving glory. I have intrinsic joy in saying glory to you in the highest and blessing on you. All of these words fall short of what is in my heart. Like John, there are no words invented to express my adoration. Holy Spirit speak on my behalf where language fails.

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.
― Daniel Sharp

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come.”

Candle Lighter: “All glory to him who loves us...”
Response: “…and has freed us from our sins.”

Scripture: Revelation 1:4-8

4 This letter is from John to the seven churches in the province of Asia.[a]

Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come; from the sevenfold Spirit before his throne; 5 and from Jesus Christ. He is the faithful witness to these things, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world.

All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us. 6 He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

7 Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven.

   And everyone will see him—

   even those who pierced him.

And all the nations of the world

   will mourn for him.

Yes! Amen!

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.”

Reader: The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
If you’ve been reading through the Bible this past year, we finally come to the book of  Revelation. This book of John’s is one of the more bewildering books in the Bible. (John Calvin wrote commentaries on every book of the Bible but this one, maybe not feeling he sufficiently understood it.) It is most important to keep it in its context. Psalms is poetry and addresses our emotions. Acts is history and tells us of the movement of the Holy Spirit in developing the church. The Gospels are narrative and tell us the words and identity of Jesus. Romans addresses the intellect and expounds theology. Revelation, on the other hand, in its prophecy, appeals to our imaginations. Here John is trying to describe a vision he sees for which our language is inadequate. Our section opens with a phrase common to many New Testament writings, “grace and peace to you.” Have you ever asked yourself why those words in that order? Perhaps it is that God’s grace comes first and then his peace follows. You could not have peace without God’s grace. If I am not experiencing God’s peace today, perhaps I have not opened myself to God’s extending grace. The following phrase, “the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come” is a clear statement of our eternal Savior, reminiscent of God’s statement to Moses on Sinai “I AM, Who I AM.” That phrase has always given me confidence and peace that in the end, which may be after I leave this earth, God is in complete control. Things will not go off the rails. Notice, we have the presence of the Trinity here with the central focus being on Jesus, the victor over sin and death and the sovereign ruler of all the kings of the world. We are reminded again of the significance of the shed blood of Jesus. The Father has everything under control. It is easy to give power to God, when I’m thinking that God has always been and will always be. It can free my tendency to grab hold. This passage is so freeing. God loves us and freed us from our sins. What a wonderful message to end the year! John restates what he said earlier quoting a passage from the Old Testament, “I AM the Alpha and the Omega―the beginning and the end.” Notice how many times in this short pericope we have references to “was, is, is to come.” John was writing to people under severe persecution. In their (and our) chaotic world, John’s words give us a clear, the true perspective, the Almighty will return and rule with love and justice.

Music: “Angels We Have Heard on High”  Mormon Tabernacle Choir
www.youtube.com/watch?v=UArceTs1-G8

Prayer:
Our gracious Father in heaven, we are already thinking of Christmas as a “was,” we’re looking at today as an “is,” and this coming year as an “is to come.” Our attention span is so short, shallow, and simple and we move on to what’s next. But we’ve just read words to slow us down, words that take time, are profound, and ever expansive beyond our imagination. Help us Lord Jesus, to better grasp the significance of this day in your biggest picture. May the significance of your birth sink into our hearts more deeply than ever before. May we learn to linger with you over words and ideas and imaginations your writers of Scripture have given us. Thank you for the wonder and mystery of You and help us to not run away from it and be in a hurry to move on to something else. Grant the we could see more clearly where we are between Alpha and Omega. By the Holy Spirit, help us to see you. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
― Daniel Sharp

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“All glory to him alone who is God.”

Candle Lighter: “All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time...”
Response: “…and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.”

Scripture: Jude

3 Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people. 4 I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

5 So I want to remind you, though you already know these things, that Jesus first rescued the nation of Israel from Egypt, but later he destroyed those who did not remain faithful. 6 And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged. God has kept them securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great day of judgment. 7 And don’t forget Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, which were filled with immorality and every kind of sexual perversion. Those cities were destroyed by fire and serve as a warning of the eternal fire of God’s judgment.

Reader: The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
A couple of observations to keep in mind, Jude was another son of Mary and Joseph. Second, during Jesus’ in growing up and prior to the resurrection, his own brothers did not believe in him (which we mentioned the other day). After the resurrection, however,  they did believe in him and became prominent leaders in the early Church, particularly James and Jude (also called Judas Mk.6:3). Neither James nor Jude refer to themselves as an earthly brother of Jesus, but rather as a slave or servant of Jesus Christ. They point to the spiritual relationship with their half-brother. Central in this short epistle is Jude’s concern over the entrance of false teachers into the church. The lie being perpetrated was “accept God’s grace and live anyway you want, you’re covered.” Jude makes clear that it was and pre-incarnate Jesus who rescued Israel from Egypt. The tragedy was, that though God had rescued his people in miraculous ways, they failed to trust, and, as a result, died in the desert. Jude follows his account with that of rebellious angels and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Whether it was God’s chosen people rejecting His leading, angels being cast from the heavenly realm for rejecting God’s boundaries, or the completely vile pagan culture of Sodom and Gomorrah, false teaching was embraced by each resulting in eternal death and separation from God. In the afterglow of Christmas there are often “feature documentaries” on who is the real Jesus. Most often they are filled with erroneous false teaching and pseudo sources. False teachers abound in our day. The authority of Scripture is under attack. Too often it is treated in the same way the false teachers in Jude’s day addressed the theology. In our day it appears in this way: this is the way I want to live my life; this is what I believe; the way I interpret the Bible, (if I care at all what the Bible says) endorses my life-style and decisions. In Jude’s powerful words, “They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them.” (v.19) Jude concludes his letter urging all believers to show mercy and share the truth.

Music:  “On Christmas Night All Christians Sing”   King’s College Cambridge
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqsnfgVQuyk

Prayer:
Now unto Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding great joy, to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and for evermore. Amen.
― Jude 24-25

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“Whoever has the Son has life.”

Candle Lighter: “He has given us eternal life,…”
Response: “…and this life is in his Son.”

Scripture: I John 5:6-13

6 And Jesus Christ was revealed as God’s Son by his baptism in water and by shedding his blood on the cross—not by water only, but by water and blood. And the Spirit, who is truth, confirms it with his testimony. 7 So we have these three witnesses— 8 the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and all three agree. 9 Since we believe human testimony, surely we can believe the greater testimony that comes from God. And God has testified about his Son. 10 All who believe in the Son of God know in their hearts that this testimony is true. Those who don’t believe this are actually calling God a liar because they don’t believe what God has testified about his Son.

11 And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.

13 I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.

Reader: The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
We live in an age where people want proof as to the truth of something. When a person makes a statement, there must be corroborating evidence that validates the claim. There must be independent witnesses verifying the truthfulness of the fact. In Deuteronomy 17:6, Moses states that there must be two or three witnesses to verify any charge or claim. That is the biblical model. A charge or claim may not be upheld if there is only one witness or no witnesses. Since our attention has been focused on the birth of the Son of God and all that that means, the deity of Jesus is central. In the first decades following the resurrection, and even during Jesus’ own time on earth, there was the recurring question, “Is Jesus truly God?” How do we know besides what he says about himself? In the above passage, the three witnesses as to the claim of Christ, were his baptism in water, his shed blood, and the Holy Spirit. How were these “witnesses?” John also writes that the testimony is from God. Where does that play out? You’ll recall at Jesus’ baptism a voice came from heaven saying,”You are my dearly beloved Son, and you bring me great joy.” (Lk.3:22) God the Father validated the authenticity of his Son. In the same event John writes that he saw the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descend and settle on Jesus at the baptism (John 1:32-34). At the crucifixion of Jesus and the shedding of His blood for the sins of the world, God the Father again validated the efficaciousness of the sacrifice by tearing the curtain in the Temple from top to bottom. And so, in accordance with Old Testament law and jurisprudence practice, the identity of Jesus is firmly established. John goes on to write to reject these witnesses is to call God a liar. Nevertheless, there are many today that reject eyewitness testimony, even the testimony of God himself! The sad thing is, I have a neighbor who rejects God and tells me Christianity is all fantasy. I’d appreciate prayers for him to be willing to see the truth. The best part follows in the last section. God gives us his word regarding eternal life for all who put their trust in his Son. In a world of uncertainty as this year draws to a close, every follower of Christ can know the certainty of eternal life. May you be a witness of the truth this day as you go about your business.

Music: ““O Magnum Mysterium”    Morten Lauridsen commentary (do NOT miss this)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi51yTIQJXc   Composer talks about how he composed this piece

“O Magnum Mysterium”     Los Angeles Master Chorale,   Paul Salamunovich
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lO5MheI0A8o

O magnum mysterium,
et admirabile sacramentum,
ut animalia viderent Dominum natum,
jacentem in praesepio!
Beata Virgo, cujus viscera
meruerunt portare
Dominum Christum.
Alleluia.

English translation…
O great mystery,
and wonderful sacrament,
that animals should see the new-born Lord,
lying in a manger!
Blessed is the Virgin whose womb
was worthy to bear
Christ the Lord.
Alleluia!

Prayer:
Jesus Christ, our Lord, our God and Savior, Holy Spirit our Teacher and Witness, and God, our Father in heaven, how was it that common animals witnessed the birth of your Holy Son who was placed in their feeding trough while humble shepherds were your first human visitors? The beauty, the wonder, the mystery, the awe-filled setting is not what anyone would have guessed. But then, your ways are not our ways. Your ways are much more interesting and beautiful. There is something so attractive about the humility and simplicity of your entrance into this world. It is so clear that you love all of your creation, not just the people! Your angels sang for a small band of herdsmen upon your arrival the first time. Apparently your angels will be singing and blowing the trumpet when you return. What a glorious day that will be. Lord Jesus, thank you for coming to earth and for loving us. We love you with all our heart. In Your name we pray, amen.
― Daniel Sharp

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“We are God’s children.”

Candle Lighter: “See how very much our Father loves us...”
Response: “…for he calls us his children.”

Scripture: I John 3:1-3

3 See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. 2 Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. 3 And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.

Reader: The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
There was a line in yesterday’s closing prayer which captures perfectly a phrase we used a couple of days ago,“the Great Exchange.” These few words of the prayer express so perfectly and succinctly the mission of Christ.  “[Jesus] comes to bring God to man and man to God.” High Priest, Bridge, Incarnation. Because God has come to man in human form, man can retain his humanity in approaching a holy God through the only holy human being, Jesus Christ. Because Jesus became a child, it became possible for humans to become the “children of God.” It is essential that Jesus be fully human or the possibility of a relationship between human being and the Creator God is not even possible. For the most part, the divinity of Christ escapes the mind of the non-believer. This person has no concept of the reality of another world. The idea of human beings connecting and communing with a holy God is a fantasy, a theoretical idea, an unprovable concept to them. Hence, Christmas is a happy celebration on the order of Thanksgiving in the states, or some other national holiday. But the celebration of Christmas is not simply the remembering of an historical event long ago like we might celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. Christmas is a reciprocal event. Throughout the world, we have children who don’t know to whom they belong. They are orphans in search of a Father. We have a world and culture searching for meaning. Searching by trying to redefine what a marriage is or means; searching through having all kinds of gender classifications, searching for a political identity, searching for meaning through various justice issues, searching for truth by creating “their own realities,” searching for spirituality through various religious encounters. Without overstating, the birth of Jesus brings all those searchings to an end. “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” (Westminster Shorter Catechism) The Creator has made humans to enter and be in communion with the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. How often have you heard said of a son, “He looks just like his father.” Jesus’ own words were, “He who has seen me has seen the Father.” Our identity is found in Christ and in nowhere else. He is the starting place in my finding out who I am. Our prayer today is that as his adopted children, we orphans would look more and more like our Father. After all, we are now related by blood, the blood of our adopted big brother.

Music: “The Wexford Carol”  Alison Kraus and Yo Yo Ma
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxDZjg_Igoc

Prayer:
Three in one, one in three, God of my salvation, heavenly Father, blessed One, eternal Spirit, I adore thee as one Being, one Essence, one God in three distinct Persons, for bringing sinners to thy knowledge and to thy kingdom. O Father, thou hast loved me and sent Jesus to redeem me; O Jesus, thou hast loved me and assumed my nature, shed thine own blood to wash away my sins, wrought righteousness to cover my unworthiness; O Holy Spirit, thou hast loved me and entered my heart, implanted there eternal life, revealed to me the glories of Jesus. Three Persons and one God, I bless and praise thee, for love so unmerited, so unspeakable, so wondrous, so mighty to save the lost and raise them to glory. O Father, I thank thee that in fullness of grace thou hast given me to Jesus, to be his sheep, jewel, portion; O Jesus, I thank thee that in fullness of grace thou hast accepted, espoused, bound me; O Holy Spirit, I thank thee that in fullness of grace thou hast exhibited Jesus as my salvation, implanted faith within me, subdued my stubborn heart, made me one with him forever.  Let me live and pray as one baptized into the threefold Name. Amen.
― The Valley of Vision, p.3

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“Jesus is the Word of life.”

Candle Lighter: “We proclaim to you...”
Response: “…the one who existed from the beginning.”

Scripture: I John 1:1-10

1 We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. 2 This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.

5 This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. 6 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. 7 But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.

Additional Reading: Luke 2:1-20

2 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

3 And all went to be taxed, everyone into his own city.

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, 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, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

Reader: The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
The pairing of these two pericopes is profound. The I John passage sounds a great deal like the opening of John’s gospel, which is not surprising since scholars generally affirm that the Apostle John, “the one whom Jesus loved,” wrote both of them. Luke included “the Christmas story” in his account concerning the life of Jesus. Scholars believe his primary source was Mary, the mother of Jesus. What you have is John’s declaring the One who has existed from the beginning is the Word of life. Like Peter, he appeals to his first hand, primary source, of eyewitness evidence as to the authenticity of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, the giver of eternal life. John continues with references to God and light, reminiscent of Genesis 1, where the light came to bring order to chaos and darkness at the dawn of creation. In the epistle, the light is again associated with creation again bringing order to chaos and darkness, but not an earthly creation but the spiritual creation of fellowship with the God and other believers via the cleansing blood of Jesus. The Lukan passage narrates the thread of the creation of fellowship with God from a different perspective. In this case, the Light has entered the world in the form of a flesh and blood human baby. The general creation has now become specific as God’s grand plan comes into full play, that of restoring a broken, dark world. Heaven rejoices as the angels sing a great song of rejoicing. Rejoice this day! The Light of the world has come and is coming again!

Music:  “Many Moods of Christmas” Suite 1  Atlanta Symphony and Chorus Robert Shaw
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpLZOyprik4

“Many Moods of Christmas” all four Suites of Christmas Music about an hour in length.      Atlanta Symphony and Chorus and  Robert Shaw
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfETrmnZK5w&t=2246s

Prayer:
Almighty God, we give thee thanks for the mighty yearning of the human heart for the coming of a Savior, and the constant promise of thy Word that He was to come. In our own souls we repeat the humble sighs and panting aspirations of ancient men and ages, and own that our souls are in darkness and infirmity without faith in Him who comes to bring God to man and man to God. We bless thee for the tribute that we can pay to Him from our very sense of need and dependence, and that our own hearts can so answer from their wilderness, the cry, “Prepare ye the way of the Lord.” In us, the rough places are to be made smooth, the crooked straight, the mountains of pride brought low, and the valleys of despondency lifted up. O God, prepare Thou the way in us now, and may we welcome anew Thy Holy Child. Hosanna! Blessed be He who cometh in the name of the Lord. Amen
― Rev. Samuel Osgood, 1862, Prayers Ancient and Modern

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“We were not making up clever stories.”

Candle Lighter: “And there were shepherds in the fields...”
Response: “…keeping watch over their flocks by night.”

Scripture: II Peter 1:16-21

16 For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes 17 when he received honor and glory from God the Father. The voice from the majestic glory of God said to him, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” 18 We ourselves heard that voice from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.

19 Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, 21 or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.

Reader:  The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
The certainty and reality of the Christmas story is central upon which everything else rides. If it is fiction, the whole world has been fooled. The people Peter was writing to were being subjected to false teachers and a blending of Christianity with other belief systems. It was a “Christianity plus…” challenging the faith. It is not uncommon for us today to have false religions embracing the Bible plus an additional “holy book.” Peter challenged the people to remain true to the gospel, period. Notice his very strong eyewitness account. 1) We are not making up clever stories. 2) We saw Jesus’ majestic splendor at the Mount of Transfiguration. 3) We heard God speak with our own ears! 4) 5) We were physically with Jesus. 6) Peter quoted the words God said. Again, notice the verbs: saw, heard. Peter’s first hand eyewitness experience gives him and us great certainty as to the reality, significance, and meaning of his encounter with the Son of God. But notice Peter appeals to more than his experience with Jesus. He admonishes them to pay close attention to all the prophets wrote concerning the beginning and ending of all things. Just like he denied making up clever stories, in the same manner of authenticity, the prophets likewise did not make things up, but wrote under the influence and direction given by the Holy Spirit as they communicated the very thoughts and words of God. So when you read the Christmas story tonight, remember Peter’s words, you are reading the very words of God as given to Luke under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. You will be hearing God speak out loud, just as certain as Peter heard God speak on the Mount of Transfiguration.

Music: “Silent Night”  arr. Stephen Paulus  The Singers
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mbWgb7V1cI

Prayer:
Father, long ago you sent your angels through the midnight of the sleeping world to tell the shepherds Christ was born in Bethlehem: come to our dark world, and stir our hearts to hear again their message of your love in Christ. Aided by your Spirit, may we grow in faith and understanding of your purposes and so be moved to wonder and to praise. O God Most High, on this night of joyful and expectant wonder, we tread again the path to Bethlehem and to the child whose birth was heralded by prophets, proclaimed by angels, and welcomed by shepherds. Open our eyes to see in him your loving purposes, and stir up within us the spirit of adoring praise. Almighty God, in the quietness of this hour, touch our understanding with thy Holy Spirit, that we may know again in true reality the wonder of thy love in Jesus Christ; and though there was no room for him in Bethlehem’s inn, help us to make more room for him in our common life, that our lives may show his love, and our hearts receive his peace, for the sake of the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
― Prayers for Sunday Services. P.73 (Scottish)

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“Christ has gone to heaven.”

Candle Lighter: “if someone asks about your hope as a believer,…”
Response: “…always be ready to explain it.”

Scripture: I Peter 3:15-23

15 …you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. 16 But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. 17 Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!

18 Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.

19 So he went and preached to the spirits in prison— 20 those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood. 21 And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

22 Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept his authority.

Reader: The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
There are several threads of thought in this short section. One of the opportunities we have in a culture that celebrates a completely secular Christmas holiday is to be aware when we have the chance to engage someone in a conversation about the meaning and significance of the birth of Jesus, the focal point of Christmas. There is this wonderful line you just read, always be ready to explain it. How would you explain Christmas to someone who asked you what you think about Christmas? What is a little surprising is that it is brash Peter who writes “do this in a gentle and respectful way.” (Apparently the Holy Spirit did some reworking on Peter!) Look for opportunities these days to do just that. Peter anticipates you may receive some harassment for explaining Christmas and he then connects the “suffering” aspect to Jesus’ own suffering. In one short sentence he summarizes the whole purpose of Christmas: “He died for sinners to bring us safely home to God.” That’s it in a nutshell. Jesus came to die to make it possible for people to dwell eternally with God in heaven. There is much, much more to life than our time on this earth.

Verses nineteen to twenty-one are one of the more difficult and mysterious portions of Scripture. It’s a little more complicated than we have space for here. Suffice it to say, these verses do not allow for a “second chance” nor do they endeavor to prove the existence of a purgatory. Both of those ideas would be inconsistent with the rest of Scripture. (Email me here at church if you are curious for a longer discussion.) The last verse of our reading today describes Jesus’ completed earthly mission in restoring creation and then his return to heaven, assuming his rightful place at the right hand of the Father. We might read this last verse and move on without much thought. Jesus did not always have a human flesh and blood body. As a part of the Triune God, he has never not existed. But there was a moment in human time when he took on human flesh and was born of a woman. He left the heavenly realm to dwell in Israel thirty some years. During his time on earth upon occasion he was ministered to by angels from heaven (E.g. his temptation Mt.4:11, Garden of Gethsemane Lk.22:43). Jesus’ return to heaven in his physical body to resume his place at the right hand of the Father brought great joy to the angelic host. One of the challenges all of us have, in the midst of Christmas celebrating, is to grasp the reality of what is happening in a world we cannot yet see, and live in relation to that world while we continue to live in this one. Jesus’ humbling of himself to live and die in our world is the ultimate measure of his love for you and for me.

Music: Dec.23 “The First Noel”   Atlanta Master Chorale -a glorious setting!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2p4OwOu8mA

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, forgive me for the many times I think of you only in relation to myself. I think of you in terms of what I want to see happen; what I think you should do; what I need from you―forgiveness, grace, mercy, wisdom, strength, courage, patience. I’ve thought very little of what your love and humility led you to do. You were in a perfect, holy, sinless, joyful world in perfect communion with the Father and the Holy Spirit in need of nothing. Yet you willingly left heaven to take on all the limitations of human beings. I have no framework to process what you did except to say I love you and joyfully bow at your feet in worship and adoration. Your love is mystery beyond my comprehension! This I pray to one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, world without end. Amen.
― Daniel Sharp

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“There is wonderful joy ahead.”

Candle Lighter: “You love him...”
Response: “…even though you have never seen him.”

Scripture: I Peter 1:3-11

3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, 4 and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. 5 And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.

6 So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. 7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

8 You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. 9 The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.

10 This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you. 11 They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward.

Reader: The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
The Peter writing this book is a very different one from the one who denied the Lord. At Pentecost, Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and everything changed. In this short epistle, he is writing to believers who were living in a world where the culture scorned their faith, criticized their morality, and mocked their hope. They were regarded as a strange, superstitious people with an odd religion who refused to go along with the cultural norms of the day. They were often persecuted in economic and hostile ways even to the point of being pulled into court on trumped up charges because they would not adopt the values of the prevailing culture. The truth is, godly values convict manmade worldly values which in turn bring conviction and hatred for those who hold to God’s truth. It is their own heart which brings conviction resulting in lashing out. Does that sound familiar? But the one writing this epistle had seen Jesus and interacted with him. Peter addresses you and me in the above passage. Verses eight and nine are particularly encouraging. “You love him (Jesus) though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him…The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.” Think about it. We are trusting our very lives into the hands of someone we’ve never seen. From an earthly  standpoint, that could seem foolhardy. But for a believer in Christ, it makes all the glorious sense in the world. The Holy Spirit attests to the reality of the Savior. This unseen Jesus is coming back. Have you noticed how often Paul, Titus, Timothy, and now Peter all refer to the return of the Lord in their correspondences? They want us to get the picture! Once again the implications of the birth of Jesus fulfilled lead right into the world we live today and …the end is still to come! Come Lord Jesus!

Music: Noel   (African Spiritual)   Concordia College Choir
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nF1-rfV3dAc

Prayer:
We thank Thee, O God, for the return of the wondrous spell of this Christmas season that brings its own sweet joy into our jaded and troubled hearts. Forbid it, Lord, that we should celebrate without understanding what we celebrate, or, like our counterparts so long ago, fail to see the star or to hear the song of glorious promise. As our hearts yield to the spirit of Christmas, may we discover that it is Thy Holy Spirit who comes―not sentiment, but a power―to remind us of the only way by which there may be peace on the earth and good will among men. May we not spend Christmas, but keep it, that we may be kept in its hope, through Him who emptied Himself in coming to us that we might be filled with peace and joy in returning to God. Amen.
― Peter Marshall, US Senate Chaplain, December 19, 1947

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“Be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return.”

Candle Lighter: “Take courage,...”
Response: “…for the coming of the Lord is near.”

Scripture: James 5:7-8

7 Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. 8 You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.

Reader:  The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
When I was a little boy, my piano teacher, Mrs. Byrnes, gave me an advent calendar which had little doors that you opened each day beginning on December 1st. The first year I had it, I could hardly wait for the next day to come to see what was behind the little door! Waiting was so hard. It seemed like Christmas Day would never get here. The next year I kind of cheated…well, not actually. You see the little doors didn’t go quite as shut and if I peaked in from the side and looked through the crack, I could get a glimpse of what might be behind the door and some I could remember from the year before. I never actually touched anything, so I figured it wasn’t exactly cheating! No matter how you cut it, waiting for anything is hard. As I look in the Scriptures, there were many, many people who often had to wait, and many times it was for years. Jesus’ brother encourages the Jewish Christians, who are under difficult persecution from the world in which they live, to be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Here we are some 2,000 years later still waiting. But from the time of the covenant God made with Abraham, it was 2,000 years until the promised Messiah arrived. That was a long wait in earthly time, but not in Godly time! A day is as a thousand years. As a farmer, I can identify with James’ comments about waiting for rains. In fact, in my prayer book, I have down praying for rains at the right time for the crops. And it is true we eagerly await the harvest, which was completed last week as I write this, to see how the crops did. The good thing is that while farmers do the hard work in the field, it ultimately is up to the Lord on how this year’s crops do. (This was a good year! Thank you, Lord!) At the core of waiting is faith and trust. The return of the Lord is in his hands. In that, we can rest. Take courage in the meantime. The present circumstances will pass. Like peeking through the crack in my advent calendar doors to see what was coming next, the prophets of the Bible gave us clues as to what was coming next. That glorious Christmas Day did arrive, and I got to open both stable doors and there he was! Jesus in the manger! The waiting was over. At some point in the future, the doors of heaven will open and there he will be, not in a manger, but on a throne, as Jesus, King of kings and the Lord of lords. The waiting will be over! Hallelujah!

Music: “Hallelujah Chorus”     Atlanta Symphony Chorus   Robert Shaw
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtWkNxn3duA

Prayer: An Evening Prayer
Almighty God, in this hour of quiet I seek communion with Thee. From the fret and fever of the day’s business, from the world’s discordant noises, from the praise and blame of people, from the confused thoughts and vain imaginations of my own heart, I would now turn aside and seek the quietness of Thy presence. All day long have I toiled and striven; but now, in stillness of heart and in the clear light of Thine eternity, I would ponder the pattern my life has been weaving.  May there fall upon me now, O God, a great sense of Thy power and Thy glory, so that I may see all earthly things in their true measure. Grant to me patience. Let me not be ignorant of this great thing, that one day is with Thee as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. I am content, O Father, to leave my life in Thy hands, believing that the very hairs upon my head are numbered by Thee. I am content to give over my will to Thy control, believing that I can find in Thee a righteousness that I could never have won for myself. I am content to leave all my dear ones to Thy care, believing that Thy love for them is greater than my own. I am content to leave in Thy hands the causes of truth and of justice, and the coming of Thy Kingdom in the hearts of men, believing that my ardour for them is but a feeble shadow of Thy purpose. To Thee O God, be glory forever.
― A Diary of Private Prayer, John Baillie, p.27, altered DS

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“Do not waver.”

Candle Lighter: “If you need wisdom...”
Response: “…ask our generous God.”

Scripture: James 1:1-8

1 This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I am writing to the “twelve tribes”—Jewish believers scattered abroad.

Greetings!

2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.

Reader: The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
Admittedly, this devotional is a tough one to write. We’re committed to drawing the material from the daily readings in FPCO’s “Year of the Book” as we read the entire Bible during the course of the year. We began reading the second week of January 2018 so we are coming to the end of the Bible in a couple of weeks. Today’s portion comes from the book of James, whose focus in on Christian ethics. Having said this,

you’ll recall Mary and Joseph had other children after the birth of Jesus. There were four more boys and several girls in their family.  Apparently Joseph had died by this time. I do wonder what it would have been like to have Jesus as an older brother growing up! He never did anything wrong! Think about it! James knew big brother Jesus from the time he was born. Jesus’ siblings did not believe in him as they grew up, even into adulthood. In fact, they thought he “lost it” and wanted him to come home and assume his responsibilities as the oldest son. (read John 7:3-5 and Mark 3:31-35) After the resurrection they came to believe in him. James, the writer of this book that bears his name, became a leader in the church at Jerusalem. He was eventually killed by the Jewish leaders. This book is one of the earliest in the New Testament being written in the late 40’s AD, maybe fifteen years or so after the resurrection. He was writing to Jewish Christians who were already being discriminated against economically and abused for their faith in Christ. One of the many things we could point out, is James’ challenge to believers to be undivided in their loyalty to the Lord. They were not to be double-minded. Like these early Christians, we live in a world which has compromised the truth. Could we be singularly focused these last few days before Christmas on the significance of the birth of the Savior? Can we reflect such without being a wet blanket on the joy of the season? Is there a way to help those around us grasp the wonder of what God has done? God chose to give birth to us by giving birth to his Son. “And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.” (1:18). Let’s commit to tell the great thing God has done beginning with his arrival that night so long ago, the night the cry of a baby pierced the universe and eternity was transformed for all of creation.

Music: “O Magnum Mysterium”    Ola Gjeilo Sofia Vokalensemble, Sergej Bolkhovets, violin
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Femr6-OMEM       This is as beautiful and awe inspiring as any music you will hear this Christmas! Translation below:

O great mystery,
and wonderful sacrament,
that animals should see the new-born Lord,
lying in a manger!
Blessed is the Virgin whose womb
was worthy to bear
Christ the Lord.
Alleluia!

Prayer:
God of wonder, all too often we are lost in words, words explaining, words describing, words reflecting, words defending, words complaining, words expressing, words, words, words. We’ve lost beauty, lost wonder, lost awe, lost reverence, lost mystery. Thank you for music that expresses your glory, for music that enables us to leave the common place and enter a different world, for music that inspires awe and mystery, for music that expresses reverence, for music that put simply, is beautiful. Thank you, Jesus, that we can enjoy the wonder of sound and music, your invention. We rejoice in the glory of what you’ve made. With this music we offer our praise to you this wondrous season. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
― Daniel Sharp

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

Candle Lighter: “For this world is not our permanent home...”
Response: “…we are looking forward to a home yet to come.”

Scripture: Hebrews 13:8-16

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 9 So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your strength comes from God’s grace, not from rules about food, which don’t help those who follow them.

10 We have an altar from which the priests in the Tabernacle have no right to eat.11 Under the old system, the high priest brought the blood of animals into the Holy Place as a sacrifice for sin, and the bodies of the animals were burned outside the camp. 12 So also Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates to make his people holy by means of his own blood. 13 So let us go out to him, outside the camp, and bear the disgrace he bore. 14 For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.

15 Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. 16 And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.

Reader: The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
As we mentioned the other day, the people receiving this epistle were undergoing stress both within the believing community and from the outside world as well. The writer is encouraging truth in the midst of strange new ideas. This passage is remarkably current in today’s culture as gender identity, marriage, human sexuality, justice issues, truth, and reality are all undergoing “reinterpretation.” Then we read, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” How does this relate to the above discussions. The gospel does not change. Jesus is (not was) the same yesterday. The “yesterday” speaks of Jesus as the Father’s agent of creation. He is the one who created male and female, only two species. Today Jesus sits at the Father’s right hand interceding on behalf of his followers. His work is concerned with all the present day issues. In the time yet to be, he will rule the universe. He does not change. His truth is absolute and does not change regardless of human interpretation. As Creator, Jesus interprets humanity. Humanity does not interpret Jesus. Human beings come and go, he is forever. His word is authoritative. It is God’s grace that sustains us. In contrast, at the time of the writing of Hebrews, one of the “new ideas” from Jewish leaders was that certain kinds of fellowship meals were understood as providing God’s grace. Participants were encouraged to focus again on the altar in Jerusalem, going back to the Old Covenant. So the author reminds his readers that just as sacrifices under the old system were burned outside the camp, so Jesus was crucified outside the city gates. Further, people were made holy by the shedding of Jesus’ own blood. It was the one final complete sacrifice, the supreme Day of Atonement. The challenge to the people then and to us,  comes in withstanding ridicule and bearing the suffering for Jesus’ sake, remembering that this world is not our permanent home. In C.S. Lewis’ wonderful words, “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.” This pericope is concluded with the phrase “sacrifice of praise.” He goes on to describe this “sacrifice” as one of offering praise to God in our worship and living a life of obedience and of sharing with those in need. Note there is both the vertical relationship to God always stated first and then the horizontal relationships to those around us, reminding us of the two great commandments given by Jesus: Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. All of the above is the ramification of the newborn baby boy wrapped up in the arms of his mother, Mary, as she placed him in a manger.

Music: “Jesus, What a Wonderful Child”   Pacific Youth Choir
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHTfYJSpWT0

Prayer:
O Lord Jesus Christ, in whom is truth and life, let Thy presence abide in us, that seeking Thy truth we may find Thee, and sharing Thy life, may dwell together in perfect fellowship, and may be found faithful servants of Thee, to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory and praise, now and forever. Amen.

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“But now, once for all time…”

Candle Lighter: “He entered into heaven itself…”
Response: “…to appear now before God on our behalf.”

Scripture: Hebrews 9:24-28

24 For Christ did not enter into a holy place made with human hands, which was only a copy of the true one in heaven. He entered into heaven itself to appear now before God on our behalf. 25 And he did not enter heaven to offer himself again and again, like the high priest here on earth who enters the Most Holy Place year after year with the blood of an animal. 26 If that had been necessary, Christ would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice.

27 And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment,28 so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.

Reader: The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
As we draw closer and closer to celebrating the day of Jesus’ birth, I would like us to consider the above passage in a contrasting context. “For Christ did enter into an unholy place marked with human rebellion, which was the authentic fallen world. He entered this world to appear now before man on God’s behalf. He did enter earth to offer himself one time and one time only entering the Most Holy Place, not with the blood of sacrificed animals, but with his own perfect blood. His sacrifice and shed blood has removed all of the sin since the world began. The truth is, we all die once and then comes judgment. In the same way, Christ died once which resulted in the sins of many people being forgiven permanently. He returned to heaven and he’s coming back to complete the redemption journey for all those waiting for him.” Sometimes the Nativity of Christ is referred to as the “Great Exchange.” The universal story is that of humans reaching to the heavens for a god. Pagan religions “fed” the gods through sacrifices, sometimes infant sacrifice, killing babies. (Can you imagine killing your own babies?) Human efforts have never reached nor can they ever reach a Holy God. In God’s great love, he came to us out of a heavenly context to make it possible for us to commune with God. Had Jesus not come to this world in which we live, there would have been no way to ultimately solve our sin problem. The Old Testament way was a shadow, a copy, a light sketch of the heavenly model. God was interested in bringing all who would come, into the heavenly realm, to be in his presence, to freely commune in a holy, pure, perfect environment. Only through the shed blood of Jesus Christ covering our sin is it possible. But that is exactly what God did on our behalf. All our sins have been dealt with, even those we have yet to commit! We rest in the Savior as we await his return. His first arrival in Bethlehem was rather quiet as most of the world missed it, except for the angel’s visit to the shepherds. His next arrival on earth will apparently be hard to miss!

Music:  “And the Glory”  from Messiah Atlanta Symphony Chorus
www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3raTXZ_hPk

Prayer:
O God, praise waiteth for thee, and to render it is my noblest exercise; this is thy due from all thy creatures, for all thy works display thy attributes and fulfil thy designs; the sea, dry land, winter cold, summer heat, morning light, evening shade are full of thee, and thou givest me them richly to enjoy. Thou art King of kings and Lord of lords; at thy pleasure empires rise and fall; all thy works praise thee and thy saints bless thee. Let me be numbered with thy holy ones, resemble them in character and condition, sit with them at Jesus’ feet. May my religion be always firmly rooted in thy Word, my understanding divinely informed, my affections holy and heavenly, my motives simple and pure, and my heart never wrong with thee. Deliver me from the natural darkness of my own mind, from the corruption of my heart, from the temptations to which I am exposed, from the daily snares that attend me. I am in constant danger while I am in this life; let thy watchful eye ever be upon me for my defence. Save me from the power of my worldly and spiritual enemies and from all painful evils to which I have exposed myself. Until the day of life dawns above let there be unrestrained fellowship with Jesus; until fruition comes may I enjoy the earnest of my inheritance, and the first fruits of the Spirit; until I finish my course with joy may I pursue it with diligence, in every part display the resources of the Christian and adorn the doctrine of thee my God in all things.  Amen.
― The Valley of Vision, p.14

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever.”

Candle Lighter: “He is the kind of high priest we need…”
Response: “…because he is holy and blameless.”

Scripture: Hebrews 7:23 -8:6

23 There were many priests under the old system, for death prevented them from remaining in office. 24 But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. 25 Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.

26 He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven. 27 Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the people’s sins. 28 The law appointed high priests who were limited by human weakness. But after the law was given, God appointed his Son with an oath, and his Son has been made the perfect High Priest forever.

8 Here is the main point: We have a High Priest who sat down in the place of honor beside the throne of the majestic God in heaven. 2 There he ministers in the heavenly Tabernacle, the true place of worship that was built by the Lord and not by human hands.

3 And since every high priest is required to offer gifts and sacrifices, our High Priest must make an offering, too. 4 If he were here on earth, he would not even be a priest, since there already are priests who offer the gifts required by the law. 5 They serve in a system of worship that is only a copy, a shadow of the real one in heaven. For when Moses was getting ready to build the Tabernacle, God gave him this warning: “Be sure that you make everything according to the pattern I have shown you here on the mountain.”

6 But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises.

(I would encourage you to read all of chapter 7 and 8 to gain a better context.)

Reader: The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
I’d like to stay with this idea of Jesus as our High Priest a little longer…as that is our passage in Hebrews! Most of us are familiar with the “priesthood of believers,” one of the significant concepts and realities to come out of the Reformation. But let’s back up a bit. A quick review. Priests had to be from the tribe of Levi. They had to be from the family of Aaron. The High Priest was appointed by God, not by lot. They served their entire lifetime. Their first sacrifice was for their own sins and then for the sins of their family, and then for the sins of the people. Sacrifices were offered daily, morning and evening. The Hebrew Bible had three separate primary offices: prophet, priest, and king. Three different roles; three different people. In Psalm 110:4 the psalmist prophesied concerning the Messiah, “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.” Back in Genesis we have the account of Abraham offering a tithe to Melchizedek, a non-Jew, who was both priest and king of Jerusalem. This passage in Hebrews makes clear that Jesus is an eternal High Priest on the order of Melchizedek. Jesus was appointed by God, but he was from the tribe of Judah not Levi nor Aaron’s lineage. Yet, Jesus fulfilled the role perfectly. He was sinless, so he did not have to offer sacrifices repeatedly every morning and evening. He fulfilled all three roles as Prophet (fulfilled all O.T. prophecy), Priest (eternal in the order of Melchizedek-for all peoples, not just Jews), and King (from the line of king David) forever. He was completely human to represent all peoples, nations, and tribes, and he was completely divine, bringing perfect holiness to the sacrifice. Rather than a priest who dare not sit down in the Tabernacle or Temple―a shadowy copy of the heavenly sanctuary― Jesus sat down at the right hand of the Father in the heavenly sanctuary, (one built by God, not by humans), indicating the sacrificial system was fulfilled completely. It is in this situation that Jesus mediates before the Father on our behalf. His mediation began in a stable in a little village just outside Jerusalem, Israel. And his intercession continues in a world we cannot currently see even as you read this. The day is coming when we shall see him face to face, our Prophet, Priest, and King. For some of us, it may be this coming year. Advent reminds us to watch and wait. In the meantime, talk to your High Priest often. He understands completely everything you are dealing with today. “Christ the babe was born for you.”

Music: “Infant Lowly, Infant Holy”    University of Utah Chamber Choir
www.youtube.com/watch?v=plKS6HHEeq4

Prayer:
Everlasting Creator―Father, I have destroyed myself, my nature is defiled, the powers of my soul are degraded; I am vile, miserable, strengthless, but my hope is in thee. If ever I am saved, it will be by goodness undeserved and astonishing, not by mercy alone but by abundant mercy, not by grace but by exceeding riches of grace; and such thou hast revealed, promised, exemplified in thoughts of peace not of evil. Thou hast devised means to rescue me from sin’s perdition, to restore me to happiness, honor, safety. I bless thee for the everlasting covenant, for the appointment of a Mediator. I rejoice that he failed not, nor was discouraged, but accomplished the work thou gavest him to do; and said on the cross, ‘It is finished.’ I exult in the thought that thy justice is satisfied, thy truth established, thy law magnified, and a foundation is laid for my hope. I look to a present and personal interest in Christ and say, surely he has borne my griefs, and carried my sorrows, won my peace, healed my soul. Justified by his blood I am saved by his life, glorying in his cross I bow to his sceptre, having his Spirit I possess his mind. Lord, grant that my faith in you may not be occasional and partial, but universal, influential, effective, and may I always continue in thy words as well as thy works, so that I may reach my end in peace. Amen.
― The Valley of Vision, p.40

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“He learned obedience from the things he suffered.”

Candle Lighter: “Jesus became the source of eternal salvation…”
Response: “…for all those who obey him.”

Scripture: Hebrews 5:1-10

5 Every high priest is a man chosen to represent other people in their dealings with God. He presents their gifts to God and offers sacrifices for their sins. 2 And he is able to deal gently with ignorant and wayward people because he himself is subject to the same weaknesses. 3 That is why he must offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as theirs.

4 And no one can become a high priest simply because he wants such an honor. He must be called by God for this work, just as Aaron was. 5 That is why Christ did not honor himself by assuming he could become High Priest. No, he was chosen by God, who said to him,

“You are my Son.

   Today I have become your Father.”

6 And in another passage God said to him,

“You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”

7 While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. 8 Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. 9 In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him. 10 And God designated him to be a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.

Reader: The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
This particular portion of the epistle, draws our attention to one of the primary roles of Jesus today. Think for a moment on where we would be in relation to the God if Jesus had not been born. We would apparently still need to be offering sacrifices in expressing our relationship to God, and an earthly priest would function as our human bridge to God. The early verses of this chapter point to the necessity of the high priest offering sacrifices for his own sins as well as the people’s sins. Hence, sacrifices would have to be offered again and again, as they were in the previous 2,000 plus years prior to Christ. What is also clear is that the high priest was appointed by God, not by human desire or vote. The glory of the latter part of this pericope is that God the Father appointed the Son of God to serve as our High Priest. He serves in a unique role in that he is fully human and sinless; fully God and perfectly holy. He is the perfect bridge, the perfect High Priest, chosen and perfectly qualified by God the Father. When the baby entered the world that quiet night in the village of Bethlehem, a cry pierced the universe that altered history and time forever. Our eternal High Priest, our bridge to the Father had arrived. He’s interceding on your behalf as you read this.

Music: “Angels We Have Heard on High”    St. Olaf Choir in Norway
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNZ9cthM3CA

Prayer:
My Lord, my Savior, and my Intercessor, whom have I in heaven or on earth but you alone. I am utterly without hope apart from you. I take comfort in praying knowing that you are interceding before the Father on my behalf. It’s real, not imaginary. You pray as I type. Thank you for a love that was so deep you were willing to become one of us. I cannot begin to comprehend that sacrifice alone. Though I cannot grasp even a straw of it, I thank you. Praying, knowing that you understand even thoughts I cannot get into words, gives me comfort and freedom in praying. Knowing that your desire that I become more and more like you is very humbling. Thank you for dying for my sin and all the sin that has ever been committed or will be committed. Again, I cannot begin to fit that into my head, but I am so grateful, for without it, I have no hope. Lord Jesus, you are the center of every hope I have about everything. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Amen.
― Daniel Sharp

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts.”

Candle Lighter: “For this good news…”
Response: “…—that God has prepared this rest.”

Scripture:  Hebrews 4:1-16

4 God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. 2 For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God. 3 For only we who believe can enter his rest. As for the others, God said,

“In my anger I took an oath:

   ‘They will never enter my place of rest,’”

even though this rest has been ready since he made the world. 4 We know it is ready because of the place in the Scriptures where it mentions the seventh day: “On the seventh day God rested from all his work.” 5 But in the other passage God said, “They will never enter my place of rest.”

6 So God’s rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God. 7 So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted:

“Today when you hear his voice,

   don’t harden your hearts.”

8 Now if Joshua had succeeded in giving them this rest, God would not have spoken about another day of rest still to come. 9 So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. 10 For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. 11 So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.

12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.

14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Reader: The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
So we’ve come to another year of advent and we walk our way through it again. Are we simply repeating a religious practice that some Christians observe and others don’t? Is there more significance to advent than remembering the various themes leading up to the celebration of the birth of the Savior? If so, how so? The fourth chapter of Hebrews gives us some insight I believe. You must have noticed the ubiquitous presence of the word “rest.” The writer of Hebrews is urging the believers to press on in this life knowing the certainty of the final rest in the presence of God. He uses the wandering, rebellious Israelites in the desert as a negative example of rejecting God’s word. God rested from his labors on the seventh day, a sabbath rest. His plan is the same for his people. An eternal sabbath rest is in store for the faithful. Following the death of Moses, Joshua was appointed leader of the children of those who left Egypt. You’ll recall every adult over the age of twenty on the night of the first Passover, died during the forty years in the desert wilderness, never reaching the Promised Land due to their rebellious hearts against God. Like Moses, Joshua dealt with their rebellious children. The second generation Israelites entered Canaan, but rejected the Scriptures and adapted and adopted the religion of the people they were to drive out of the land. Consequently, they also failed to enter God’s eternal rest. Likewise, if we fail to heed the sharp two-edged sword of the Scriptures, we will suffer the consequences of rejecting God’s word. There is a theme of persistence here in responding to the word of God. Think of advent as a cork screw in that every year we grow deeper and deeper in our pilgrimage journey on earth. We have not come to a place of rest; we press on. I trust you have a greater grasp this year of what it means and takes to follow Christ than you did last advent. The latter part of this chapter draws our attention to the significance of the  Scriptures shaping our lives. You may have heard the phrase “gospel surgery.” I think these words are a pretty apropos description of what Scripture can and should do in our lives. Our surgeon is our High Priest who is very familiar with our struggles since he endured them during his time on earth. Press on down the road, pilgrim! Cheer up! There will be more surgeries along the way, each one bringing greater and greater health until we reach the final rest and we are completely healed! Hallelujah! Advent is a reminder to keep going. Watch and wait. He’s coming to take us to that final rest.

Music: “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”    arr. Dan Forrest Concordia Choirs
www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-eV29ABPTI

Prayer:
O Lord Jesus, may we not think of Thy coming as a distant event that took place once and has never been repeated. May we know that Thou art still here walking among us, by our sides, whispering over our shoulders, tugging at our sleeves, smiling upon us when we need encouragement and help.
― Peter Marshall, Senate Chaplain

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“The Son became flesh and blood.”

Candle Lighter: “It was necessary for him…”
Response: “…to be made in every respect like us.”

Scripture: Hebrews 2:10-18

10 God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation.

11 So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters. 12 For he said to God,

“I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters.

   I will praise you among your assembled people.”

13 He also said,

“I will put my trust in him,”

   that is, “I and the children God has given me.”

14 Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. 15 Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.

16 We also know that the Son did not come to help angels; he came to help the descendants of Abraham. 17 Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people.18 Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.

Reader: The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
This portion of Scripture is another passage that is so rich on so many levels. We’ll limit ourselves to only a few observations. The next six days we’ll be working our way through the book of Hebrews. Again, a little context will help us grasp some of the deeper meaning. There is evidence that this entire letter was a sermon by an anonymous writer who was very knowledgeable of the Hebrew Bible and assumed his readers were likewise well-versed in the Old Testament. His overall point is to establish that Jesus, the Messiah, is superior to angels, Moses, and everything else in creation and that Jesus alone is the bridge to the Father, the High Priest of our worship. It was very hard for the Jews to accept that God would take on human flesh and be born of a woman. In this section the writer seeks to explain why God had to become human if the sacrificial death was to be efficacious, that is, to accomplish what it was supposed to do from the standpoint, not of man, but of God the Father. So in verse ten the writer plays on the word “son.” In preceding verses he has referred to Jesus as the “son of man,” a term with messianic implication familiar to the book of Daniel. The word above is translated above is “children,” since it is referring to both male and female, though the word in Greek is “sons.” He is establishing that humans are Jesus’ brother and sisters in flesh and blood. God is exactly and humanly like us in every detail. (v.11)  Verse fourteen states this truth very clearly and very bluntly. There is no god or deity in any religion who took on human flesh and was actually a person. To the Jew and those curious as to the nature of Jesus, this was something to process, and it still is today! The rest of the verse and verse fifteen state as clearly as anywhere in the Bible why it was necessary for Jesus to enter the world in a stable in Bethlehem. If Jesus died, only as God with no human connection, it would do humans no good. God doesn’t die but human beings do. The point is to provide a way for humans to live forever with God in God’s world. Satan held the power of death from the Garden of Eden on. Men and women were slaves to that death. By taking human form, as Paul writes in Philippians, Jesus was us! His resurrection broke the devil’s hold on death and provided the way out of this world so to speak. Angels were held in very high view by the Jews as they were messengers from God. Here the writer elevates the view of humans by stating that Jesus didn’t die for the angels but for the “brothers and sisters” of Abraham. There is more to say about the priesthood of Jesus, but that is in coming days! He concludes this little section with an underlining of the humanity of Jesus by referring to the suffering and testing that Jesus endured while here on earth. He is making sure that the readers know that even though Jesus was God in the flesh, he experienced everything we experience and, as a result, is able to help us with our struggles. And all of this grows out of that silent night in Bethlehem!

Music: “Silent Night”  Celtic Women
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kf16EBNTxGI

Prayer:
O Father of Jesus, help me to approach thee with deepest reverence, not with presumption, not with servile fear, but with holy boldness. Thou art beyond the grasp of my understanding, but not beyond that of my love. Thou knowest that I love thee supremely, for thou art supremely adorable, good, perfect. My heart melts at the love of Jesus, by brother, bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh, married to me, dead for me, risen for me; He is mine and I am his, given to me as well as for me. I am never so much mine as when I am his, or so much lost to myself until lost in him; then I find my true manhood. But my love is frost and cold, ice and snow; let his love warm me, lighten my burden, be my heaven. May it be more revealed to me in all its influences that my love to him may be more fervent and glowing; let the mighty tide of his everlasting love cover the rocks of my sin and care; then let my spirit float above those things which had else wrecked my life. Make me fruitful by living to that love, my character becoming more beautiful every day. If traces of Christ’s love-artistry be upon me, may he work on with his divine brush until the complete image be obtained and I be made a perfect copy of him, my master. O Lord Jesus, come to me, O Divine Spirit, rest upon me, O Holy Father, look on me in mercy for the sake of the well-beloved.
― The Valley of Vision, p.25

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“Your love has given me much joy.”

Candle Lighter: “I always thank my God…”
Response: “…when I pray for you.”

Scripture: Philemon 1:1-7

1 This letter is from Paul, a prisoner for preaching the Good News about Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy.

I am writing to Philemon, our beloved co-worker, 2 and to our sister Apphia, and to our fellow soldier Archippus, and to the church that meets in your[a] house.

3 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

4 I always thank my God when I pray for you, Philemon, 5 because I keep hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people. 6 And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ. 7 Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God’s people.

Reader: The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
I read today’s passage in Philemon and thought how am I ever going to relate this to anything about advent or Christmas? In this brief letter, Paul is asking a friend to accept back an “employee,” Onesimus (a slave), who quit on the job…actually, who ran away. During the time of his “one way journey,” Onesimus ran into Paul and became a believer in Jesus Christ! His life was totally transformed, and he became a useful helper during Paul’s time in prison. This letter is written to Paul’s friend, Philemon, who was the master of Onesimus. In some cases a runaway slave was subject to death so this was a very serious matter. Onesimus may even have stolen some money as well. Paul’s clear  words to Philemon are to accept back Onesimus as a “brother in Christ.” In other words, take him back as an equal before God, a radical concept considering the times. Paul offered to repay any stolen money on Onesimus’ behalf. In a nutshell, Christ can transform anyone into a new person. And you are thinking at this point, “Nice, but where is the connection with Christmas?” Thank you for asking! My guess is that many of us will be with extended family at some point over the next few weeks. If your family is like everyone else’s, there are “unique” relatives, some of whom are delightful, and others not so much. Our tendency is often to react to the way people used to be. Approach this year’s gathering  with the mindset that God may have been working on that “uniqueness” in Uncle Fred and molding him more and more into the image of His Son, or drawing him closer and closer to Himself. That’s what Paul was getting at in this little letter. In other words, give God credit for the ability to transform a person into a new creation. After all, I trust that is what God has been doing with your “uniqueness!” Christmas is about setting in motion the transformation of the entirety of creation. What have you noticed about changes in yourself this past year? Where is God working on you? Merry Christmas, Uncle Fred!

Music:  “I Wonder as I Wander  Benjamin Luxon
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZcSw46YP4Q

Prayer:
Gracious God, who never gives up on any of His creation, grant that I might attain that loving heart towards all with whom I come in contact over these next weeks and in the months to follow. Father, you have been gracious and patient with my stubborn heart. I thank you for pursuing me when I have resisted you, fighting the transformation you were working on. May I be the one in my family who encourages joy and honors the love and care you are giving to those “unique” people in my family, including me. Thank you Lord Jesus, for humbling yourself to become one of us and living in Israel so many years ago. That is almost more than we can imagine, but it beautifully demonstrates your love and commitment to your people. We do wonder at your great love which led you to die for us. We love you and thank you for loving us to the point of death on a cross. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
― Daniel Sharp

P.S. And may I be a blessing to Uncle Fred.

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“The grace of God has been revealed”

Candle Lighter: “We should live in this evil world…”
Response: “…with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God.”

Scripture: Titus 2:11-15

11 For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. 12 And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, 13 while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. 14 He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.

15 You must teach these things and encourage the believers to do them. You have the authority to correct them when necessary, so don’t let anyone disregard what you say.

Reader:  The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
Some background will be helpful in grasping some of the dynamics of this pericope. Here we have another of Paul’s letters to fledgling churches. This one is to Titus, a “son in the faith.” Titus’ calling is to serve on the island of Crete, off the coast of Greece. The culture of the Cretans was vulgar and crude, known particularly for lying and moral corruption. They were also great lovers of money and greedy in nature, not a pleasant people! Into this world came the gospel! In the portion of this letter, Paul gives guidance for how a believer should live in the midst of this kind of world. I believe, through the apostle, God gives to us direction as to how we might live in today’s world, not totally unlike the lifestyle of the Cretans. The beginning words start with the grace of God extending to all people. God always is the initiator of grace. What is very clear is that we not separate ourselves from this world. His exact words, “live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day…” What a contrast to the mindset of the world today! Wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God―what a beautiful and attractive way to live. In a Christmas season with Santa’s, newest “gotta have” toys,  gadgets, new Christmas songs, winter solstice celebrations, “winter” concerts, parties, newly released movies, college bowl games, etc…everything to fill the mind with anything but the significance of the birth of the Savior of the world, we have the opportunity to encourage those around us in the truth. The Cretans thrived on lies and corruption of all kinds. In the midst of such, churches grew and ministered among that society and lives were transformed. We’ve been given that same opportunity in our world these days of advent. Perhaps you’ll have an opportunity today to express devotion to God and help point a “Cretan” to the Savior.

Music: “O Holy Night”     Home Free (They were at Bob Carr in Orlando 4 days ago!)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CO6OZIY-lYw

Prayer:
O God of truth and wisdom, I praise thee for the revelation of thyself in the gospel, for thy heart as a dwelling place of pity, for thy thoughts of peace towards me, for thy patience and thy graciousness, for the vastness of thy mercy. Thou hast moved my conscience to know how the guilty can be pardoned, the unholy sanctified, the poor enriched. May I cherish simplicity and godly sincerity of character. Help me to be in reality before thee as in appearance I am before men, to be religious before I profess religion, to leave the world before I enter the church, to set my affections on things above, to shun forbidden follies and vanities, to be a dispenser as well as a partaker of grace, to be prepared to bear evil as well as to do good. O God, make me worthy of this calling, that the name of Jesus may be glorified in me and I in him as I live in the very fallen, broken, and confused world.  Amen.
― The Valley of Vision, p.12, adapted DS

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“Never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord.”

Candle Lighter: “Carry out the ministry…”
Response: “…God has given you.”

Scripture: II Timothy 1:8-10; 4:1-5

8 So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News. 9 For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. 10 And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News.

4 I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he comes to set up his Kingdom: 2 Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.

3 For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will reject the truth and chase after myths.

5 But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.

Reader: The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
As Paul is writing this letter to Timothy, he is nearing the end of his life. He fervently wants to impress upon his young man the significance and responsibility of following Christ. In the first section you read, that from before the beginning of time extending grace to us through Christ Jesus was in the heart of God. He urges Timothy (and us) to share this good news that the power of death has been broken and immortality in the presence of God is possible for all. Sometimes the truth of these words seem more like words expressing a wonderful idea than actual reality. We are a people so tuned to what we can see and hear in the actions of today, (meetings, appointments, reports, phone calls, etc.), that talk of immortality seems more like fantasy. But in the second portion of today’s reading, Paul underscores truth again with “in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead.” Notice the comma after the word Jesus. Take the descriptive phrase out and you have “In the presence of God and Christ Jesus, preach the word.” Then a series of instructive words follows: be prepared, patiently correct, rebuke, encourage, and teach. We are to do all of these things realizing we are in the presence of God as we are doing them. His presence is not fantasy in spite of the subtle lying voice that whispers otherwise!  With those words in mind, Paul goes on to describe our culture today! How did he know!! At the core of our culture is a rejection of God’s truth. The Scriptures are viewed as a collection of words that need to be interpreted in light of today’s values. Rather than having the Scriptures speak truth to our day, people have opted to decide their own truth. Instead of the Word standing in judgment of us, we stand in judgment of the Word. In the midst of this world, Paul challenges Timothy do the work of telling others the Good News, the ministry God has given him. And again you are saying to yourself, “what does all of this have to do with advent?” Notice again, everything we have said above points to the end of time, the return of the Lord, and being prepared (all advent themes), but also for the importance of telling others the good news of the gospel. It is so important that we not view the nativity as simply “the birthday of Jesus.” There is SO MUCH MORE going on.

Music:  “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence”   by Kin
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWTdLD5w92c

Prayer:
Glory to God in the highest―the creative, living God by whose energy the world is constantly sustained.

Glory to the Son, the Word made flesh, who entered human life as a man and died for us, that we might rise with him to everlasting life.

Glory to God the life-giving Spirit, who makes known the wonder of the Father’s love, even to our hardened hearts.

Glory be to God the Trinity, our inspiration, our fulfilment and our destiny in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
― Prayers for Sunday Services, Scottish, p.36

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“All honor and power to him forever! Amen.”

Candle Lighter: “At just the right time…”
Response: “…Christ will be revealed from heaven.”

Scripture: I Timothy 6:11-16

11 But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses. 13 And I charge you before God, who gives life to all, and before Christ Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you obey this command without wavering. Then no one can find fault with you from now until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. 15 For,

At just the right time Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords. 16 He alone can never die, and he lives in light so brilliant that no human can approach him. No human eye has ever seen him, nor ever will. All honor and power to him forever! Amen.

Reader: The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
Have you noticed how often Paul refers to the Lord’s return? As we wrote all last week, the beginning of advent draws our attention to the Second Coming. In some ways we can be very much like the people Paul was writing to. We hear about the Lord’s return, but in some ways it seems very far off, surely not in our lifetime. This thinking is natural  since it’s been a couple of thousand years since the Lord walked around in Israel. But then, God’s “time” is not like ours. He was 2,000 years in fulfilling part of his promise to Abraham. Our human tendency is to kind of forget about the Parousia and focus on today and tomorrow and what we’ll do next week. Yet Paul urges Timothy to stay alert, live a godly life, and persevere in the course God has planned for him. Do not get pushed off course. Give no one an opportunity to find fault with you. Live a godly testimony so you may not cause those around you to stumble. Jesus before Pilate is our model. Rest assured God is on his own time schedule and at just the right time “Christ will be revealed from heaven!” Can you imagine how the world will respond? Read again the description. “He lives in light so brilliant that no human can approach him. No human eye has ever seen him, nor ever will.” (v.16) Take a moment now and stop and reflect on what you just read. Do not rush on… Our Lord came to earth as a newborn baby boy and through the life, death, resurrection, and ascension returns as the King of kings. And because of his great sacrifice, we can live with him forever. Never let the Christmas story stop with a sweet baby in a manger. He became a child that we might become the children of God…forever.

Music: “Away in a Manger”    Home Free
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCFTK_xoC0U&list=PL29Dg_0jZND9uJlPnT6OC4fID1pg0IZeP&index=4&t=0s

Prayer:
Lord of all being, there is one thing that deserves my greatest care, that calls forth my ardent desires, that is, that I may answer the great end for which I am made―to glorify thee who hast given me being, and to do all the good I can for my fellow men; verily life is not worth having if it be not improved for this noble purpose. Yet, Lord, how little is this the thought of mankind, of my own heart! Most men seem to live for themselves, without much or any regard for thy glory, or for the good of others; they earnestly desire and eagerly pursue the riches, honors, pleasures of this life, as if they supposed that wealth greatness, merriment, could make their immortal souls happy; but, alas, what false delusive dreams are these! Too often they are my own dreams. And how miserable ere long will those be that sleep in them, for all our happiness consists in loving thee, and being holy as thou art holy.  O may I never fall into tempers and vanities, the sensuality and folly of the present world! It is a place of inexpressible sorrow, a vast empty nothingness; time is a moment, a vapour, and all its enjoyments are empty bubbles, fleeting blasts of wind, from which nothing satisfactory can be derived; give me grace always to keep in covenant with thee, and to reject as delusion a great name here or hereafter, together with all sinful pleasures or profits. Help me to know continually that there can be no true happiness, no fulfilling of thy purpose for me, apart from a life lived in and for the Son of thy love. Amen.
―The Valley of Vision, p.13

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“This is the great mystery of our faith.”

Candle Lighter: “Christ was revealed…”
Response: “…in a human body.”

Scripture: I Timothy 3:16

16 Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith:

Christ was revealed in a human body

   and vindicated by the Spirit.

He was seen by angels

   and announced to the nations.

He was believed in throughout the world

   and taken to heaven in glory.

Reader:  The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
Today we turn from the attention on the Second Coming to the wonder of the Incarnation. One of the theological themes of advent is the Incarnation of the Son of God. In this letter to Timothy, Paul is again dealing with the challenge of erroneous teaching. This particular passage may well be one of the hymn texts of the early church. It’s structure is in contrast to the surrounding content. It would appear that several of the passages in the New Testament are actually texts of hymns sung in the early church. Note how compact each phrase is and how much theology is packed into it. It has been said the average person learns as much theology from what he or she sings as they do from the Bible. (Dangerous, but probably true, which is why it is vitally important to note the content of the hymns and worship songs we sing in worship today.) Let’s look at the text. Think of yourself as hearing all of this for the first time whether you are a Jew or a Gentile. Jesus Messiah was revealed having come from God in a human body! This had never happened in all of history. It is a one time only event and it happened thirty to thirty-five years ago. Though he was killed, the Holy Spirit of God vindicated him in his resurrection from the dead. The God-person was killed and brought back to life. His being seen by angels points out his sovereign rule in the heavenly realm. Jesus’ authority is not only over the earth (“and announced to the nations”) but also over all the beings in the heavenly realm. His mission extends to all the world. He ascended to heaven being received in great glory by the heavenly hosts there to await his return in the Father’s timing to establish his eternal kingdom. This passage is a marvelous example of the entire ministry of Jesus being outlined in six short lines from his birth to his Return at the end of the age. If you are not in the habit, study the theology of the carols and songs you sing this advent season. It’s important to sing the truth.

Music: “O Come, All Ye Faithful    arr. David Wilcocks
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cxdlgJUbas  Southwestern Baptist Oratorio Chorus
www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5ONtCZUhZ0   Enya   sung in Latin   -gorgeous!

Prayer:
Good Lord, in this season of singing carols, may we sing that which is true and may we  believe what we sing. We sing of the miraculous―Jesus, you humbled yourself and became a fully human being, as human as we are. We sing of the mysterious—how you revealed yourself in a human body is wondrous and beyond our understanding. We sing of the magnificent heavenly host―beings whose singing to the shepherds that glorious night we can only imagine. We sing of the matchless Good News to all peoples and nations―the Savior of the world has come to bring redemption to his entire created order. There is salvation for all. Our thrice holy God, there is none like you and we bow in prayer and adoration. Receive our prayer through Jesus Christ our Lord, in whose name we pray. Amen.
― Daniel Sharp

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.”

Candle Lighter: “Christ Jesus came into the world…”
Response: “…to save sinners.”

Scripture: I Timothy 1:15-17

15 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. 16 But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. 17 All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen.

I Timothy 2:1-7

2 I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. 2 Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. 5 For,

There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. 6 He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone.

This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time. 7 And I have been chosen as a preacher and apostle to teach the Gentiles this message about faith and truth. I’m not exaggerating—just telling the truth.

Reader: The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
We have mentioned at other times the importance of seeing the Nativity in its true context. It is also significant that our children and grandchildren, in the midst of joy, excitement, and presents, begin to realize why the baby Jesus came to earth. We must connect the Nativity, the Passion, the Ascension, Pentecost, and the Return. Now that might be a bit much for a five year old! But, Paul has reduced the mission of God in Christ to “Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.” A five year old can realize  this baby Jesus came to save them. Paul then reminds us of his horrible past. He consented to murder of Christians. He’s making a strong case that our past is not a liability in becoming a believer in Jesus. In the second passage you read, Paul helps us see the significance of the birth of Jesus with his words “there is only one God and one Mediator who an reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus,” the baby born in a manger in Bethlehem. His life and death (Christmas and Easter) purchase freedom and eternal life for everyone who would believe. Paul’s use of the words “one God and one Mediator” would have registered significantly with the Jewish believers, reminding them of the Shema. (“Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord alone.”) There is one other phrase to comment on. “God gave to the world at just the right time.” We’ve talked about the word kairos, meaning at an opportune time. In the mystery and wonder of God, who is outside of time yet encompasses all of time, he moves, for reasons known only to himself, into his universe appearing on a tiny speck of a planet in one of a hundred billion galaxies at a particular moment in human time, and at just the right time! We must assume, since it was God acting, the perfect time. If this entrance of Jesus Christ into our world was God’s perfect time and plan, we should definitely pay attention and not be totally consumed with tinsel! What’s more, at just the right time, God extends his offer of salvation and redemption to all. When is that right time? As Paul writes elsewhere in II Corinthians, “Now is the day of salvation.” Perhaps today you’ll have opportunity to share this bigger context of Christmas with someone you meet!

Music: “Children Go Where I Send Thee”  Home Free and Kenny Rogers
www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4qNaAlZ1xc&list=PLY-HJUkWgmopM0NiNA8dhWLyCZ6upQE5N&index=3    DO NOT MISS THIS!

Prayer:
Sovereign God, Thy cause, not my own, engages my heart, and I appeal to thee with greatest freedom to set up thy kingdom in every place where Satan reigns; glorify thyself and I shall rejoice, for to bring honor to thy name is my sole desire. I adore thee that thou art God, and long that others should know it, feel it, and rejoice in it. O, that all men might love and praise thee, that thou mightest have all glory from the intelligent world! Let sinners be brought to thee for thy dear name! To the eye of reason everything respecting the conversion of others is as dark as midnight, but thou canst accomplish great things; the cause is thine, and it is to thy glory that men should be saved. Lord, use me as thou wilt, do with me what thou wilt; but, O, promote thy cause, let thy kingdom come, let thy blessed interest be advanced in this world! O do thou bring in great numbers to Jesus! Let me see that glorious day, and give me to grasp for multitudes of souls; let me be willing to die to that end; and while I live let me labor for thee to the utmost of my strength, spending time profitable in this work, both in health and in weakness. It is thy cause and kingdom I long for, not my own. O, answer thou my request! Amen.
― from The Valley of Vision, p.177

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“Remember what I told you.”

Candle Lighter: “Now, dear brothers and sisters,…”
Response: “…let us clarify some things.”

Scripture: II Thessalonians 2:1-12

2 Now, dear brothers and sisters, let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him. 2 Don’t be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don’t believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us. 3 Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed—the one who brings destruction. 4 He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God.

5 Don’t you remember that I told you about all this when I was with you?6 And you know what is holding him back, for he can be revealed only when his time comes. 7 For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret until the one who is holding it back steps out of the way. 8 Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, but the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming.

9 This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. 10 He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. 11 So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. 12 Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth.

Reader: The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
As this first week in advent draws to a close, we conclude with Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians. By now the persecution of believers had increased, more false teachers proclaiming that the Day of the Lord had already come added more confusion, and the problem of people not working because they thought the End was imminent continued. So Paul spelled out with more specificity the circumstances preceding the Lord’s return.  Paul assured the Thessalonians that the Lord had not returned. He urged them to hold fast to the truths they had learned. And as for those who quit working, Paul was blunt; if you don’t work, you don’t eat! The description of the world’s perspective toward God in Paul’s day is not unlike the world’s view of God in our day. I don’t know what is going on in the world today as your read this… since I’m writing it in September. My guess is that it is not peaceful nor are people very concerned with the Lord…and certainly not with His return. In the midst of uncertainty, the overall summary of Paul’s letter is pastoral and encouraging. I don’t know if you ever get upset at all the bold hatred among people or are bothered by the frequent mockery of Christians or biblical values. Paul reminds them to “keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you.” In our case, keeping a strong grip means studying and absorbing the Scriptures, not simply to know content, but to know and converse with the Lord as we await His coming. One of the goals of these daily devotionals during Advent and Lent is for us to develop the practice of spending time each day with the Scriptures that we might encounter the Lord in our reading and meditation. God called us to salvation, gave the Holy Spirit to teach and to guide, and commanded us to share the Good News as we are going about in this world. Look for the Lord’s action in your life as you go through this day.

Music: “Come, Thou Long-expected Jesus”   Fernando Ortega
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dmO8UPlWoo

Prayer:
Lord God, my Father in heaven and on earth, ours is a very troubled world. People around us ignore You, mock You, defy You, mold You after their own image of You. Sometimes it’s hard to stand up against ridicule and hostility because of our love for You. Help us to hold fast to what we know to be true. Help us to uphold your word in our lives. Grant that we would be bold in speaking the truth into our culture with grace and compassion. We live in a world that has lost its identity. Help us to live as children whose identity is in Christ alone, not in our social status, knowledge, intellect, people group, gender, financial position, or in anything other than You. Grant that we may live lives which reflect the compassion of Jesus. Make us diligent and loving this day until we put our heads on our pillow tonight as we await His glorious return. Amen.
— Daniel Sharp

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“Encourage one another.”

Candle Lighter: “For you are all…”
Response: “…children of the light.”

Scripture: I Thessalonians 5:1-11

5 Now concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters,we don’t really need to write you. 2 For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. 3 When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape.

4 But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. 5 For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. 6 So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clear headed. 7 Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk. 8 But let us who live in the light be clear headed, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.

9 For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. 10 Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever. 11 So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

Reader:  The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
In staying with the advent theme of the Lord’s return and judgment at the end of earthly time, Paul continues with this subject in this last chapter of I Thessalonians. You might be thinking, Paul and the Thessalonians thought the Lord’s return was imminent and so it was on the front of their minds. But, that was a long time ago (in our minds), and so this idea of the Lord’s return seems more like a piece of ancient history. After all, there is so much going on now and people scarcely give the Second Coming a thought, although there are recent movies that touch on this “end of the world” theme. Paul’s advice is to not be fanatical in expectation, (the Harold Camping’s of the world who predict the End to the day!), but also to not be cold, indifferent, or cynical about the Day.  Some of the Thessalonians thought that since the Lord’s return was so near, they no longer even needed to go to work! Paul challenges them and us to live a balanced, calm, and watchful life. The Lord will return unexpectedly and without warning, a truth still in effect. For unbelievers, the Day of the Lord will be catastrophic. People will have a sense of peace and safety as in the days of Noah. Then came the Flood! Paul’s mentioning of night and darkness in the passage refer to willful ignorance and immorality. There is also a final word in this short section as to how believers are to live while awaiting Christ’s Return. Notice there is nothing passive here. We move forward in faith and love being confident of our salvation as we are filled with a certain hope. We need never fear the end for we have been redeemed by the blood of this glorious Baby born in a manger in Bethlehem. Knowing what’s eventually coming, your death or the Lord’s return, live this day wisely and with joy. We know how the story ends! Share it.

Music: Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsXcCdWjsmg&index=2&list=RDen0sv1jeDws

Prayer:
Almighty God, in the wilderness of Jordan you sent a messenger to prepare men’s hearts for the coming of your Son. Help us to hear the good news, to repent and be ready to welcome the Lord our Savior, Jesus Christ.  O Christ our God, who wilt come to judge the world in the manhood which thou didst assume, we pray thee to sanctify us wholly, that in the day of thy coming we may be raised up to live and reign with thee for ever. Almighty Father, whose blessed Son at his first coming brough redemption to his people, and peace to men of good will, grant that, when he comes again in glory to judge the world and to make all things new, we may be found ready to receive him, and enter into his joy, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
—Prayers for Sunday Services, p.70, Scottish

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“We want you to know what will happen.”

Candle Lighter: “Encourage each other…”
Response: “…with these words.”

Scripture: I Thessalonians 4:13-18

13 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.

15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.

Reader:  The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
By now you are wondering, “When are we going to be doing something about Advent or  Christmas?” At least, we are getting some Christmas music! There are some reasons. As we have said previously, advent means “coming.” This season opens with a paradox. Rather than begin with the birth of Jesus and end with His return, advent starts with His return and concludes with the Nativity. And there is an additional “coming” in between that has eternal consequences. Jesus enters the life of everyone who puts their trust in Him for salvation. The book of I Thessalonians has much to say about the Lord’s return. Christ had very recently come into the lives of the people in the church at Thessalonica. There was much false doctrine circulating in those early days, even as there is in our own time. Since Jesus is coming again, the question of what happens to people who have already died was on the minds of these believers. They wanted to know how death and Jesus’ return was to play out. There is an obvious truth here for any who doubt. There is life after death for everyone. Paul encourages the people to have great hope, not to avoid grief in death, but the Christian’s grieving is not like someone with no hope. One of the most powerful lines in this section is in verse fifteen. “We tell you this directly from the Lord.” What follows is as clear as it could be, concluding with “we will be with the Lord forever!” Could there be a more hopeful, glorious, humbling, joyful phrase in any language? You see, the season of Advent is not simply looking forward to the birth of the Savior; it is also framing the birth of everlasting life!

Music: The King Shall Come    The Orchard Enterprises
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQZRRjmIgYQ

Prayer:
O Son of God and Son of Man, Thou wast incarnate, didst suffer, rise, ascend for my sake; Thy departure was not a token of separation but a pledge of return; Thy Word, promises, sacraments, show thy death until thou come again. That day is no horror to me, for thy death has redeemed me, thy Spirit fills me, thy love animates me, thy Word governs me. I have trusted thee and thou hast not betrayed my trust; waited for thee, and not waited in vain. Thou wilt come to raise my body from the dust, and re-unite it to my soul, by a wonderful work of infinite power and love, greater than that which bounds the oceans’ waters, ebb and flows the tides, keep the stars in their courses, and gives life to all creatures. This corruptible shall put on incorruption, this mortal, immortality, this natural body, a spiritual body, this dishonoured body, a glorious body, this weak body, a body of power. I triumph now in thy promises as I shall do in their performance, for the head cannot live if the members are dead; beyond the grave is resurrection, judgment, acquittal, dominion. Every event and circumstance of my life will be dealt with— the sins of my youth, my secret sins, the sins of abusing thee, of disobeying thy Word, the sins of neglecting ministers’ admonitions, the sins of violating my conscience— all will be judged; and after judgment, peace and rest, life and service, employment and enjoyment, for thine elect. O God, keep me in this faith, and ever looking for Christ’s return.
— The Valley of Vision, p.27

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“And now the word of the Lord”

Candle Lighter: “You are looking forward…”
Response: “…to the coming of God’s Son from heaven.”

Scripture:  I Thessalonians 1:8-10

8 And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere, even beyond Macedonia and Achaia, for wherever we go we find people telling us about your faith in God. We don’t need to tell them about it, 9 for they keep talking about the wonderful welcome you gave us and how you turned away from idols to serve the living and true God.10 And they speak of how you are looking forward to the coming of God’s Son from heaven—Jesus, whom God raised from the dead. He is the one who has rescued us from the terrors of the coming judgment.

Reader:  The word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
What do you think most people are concerned with today? What are they thinking about? What will occupy most of your time this Tuesday? It is always a challenge for me to make some time to think about the bigger picture. That is why every day starts out with some time with the Scriptures and talking with the Lord. I find listening to the Lord is harder than talking to the Lord! In this passage, Paul commends the people in the church at Thessalonica for their growing faith. I’d like to make a few observations about some of the words and ideas he mentions. Like those Greeks, our challenge is to turn  from the idols of our culture to serve the “living and true” God. Turning is a repentance word. Turning involves a complete change in pattern or habit. Turning means going the opposite direction. Turning means putting down the phone and having a conversation and looking the other person in the face. But turning is even more; it is, in this case, a complete change in the direction of the will, a re-orientation of life. The word, living, here has to do with being active, it is not just being alive. Truth has to do with genuine as opposed to false. We worship a real God. that might seem like a dumb thing to say, but contrast it to 100 years from now. Which is more real, your cell phone, your house, your job or God? We end this section of Scripture with the central advent theme, the return of the Lord. The return of the Lord is the most frequently mentioned doctrine in the New Testament occurring on the average of once every thirteen verses. We are to watch and wait for this great day. As G.G. Findlay has written, think of wait as a “sustained expectation.” Notice also the “rescued us” is actually has a deeper meaning. Think of it as a continual, timeless present. And that deliverance is from the wrath (terrors) of the coming judgment. There is much to say and much misunderstood about the wrath of God, but we need to stop for today! Let us wait for the Lord’s return today with sustained expectation. He’s coming back!

Music: Joy to the World    George Fox University
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oOwa0CWVVQ

Prayer:
O Lord have mercy upon us when thou comest. Have mercy upon our failure, our failure to reckon with judgment, our easy acceptance of forgiveness, our lack of a sense of urgency, our proneness to make tomorrow the day of repentance and renewal. Almighty God, have mercy upon us, reckon not our offences against us but pardon our transgressions for thy name’s sake. O Lord, keep us awake and alert, watching for your kingdom. Make us strong in faith, so we may welcome your Son when he comes, and joyfully give him praise with you, and the Holy Spirit, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
— Prayers for Sunday Service, p.66

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“Christ is all that matters and he lives in all of us.”

Candle Lighter: “You have been raised…”
Response: “…to new life with Christ.”

Scripture: Colossians 3:1-11

3 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.4 And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. 6 Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. 7 You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. 8 But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 9 Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. 10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. 11 In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.

Reader: These are the words of God as spoken through the Apostle Paul.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
A little context for this short passage may be helpful. This pericope begins with the word “since,”… a clue to look at what came before. There is a phrase in verse twenty of the previous chapter which states “since you have died with Christ…” Paul’s contrasts that statement with “since you have been raised…with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven.” In a season consumed with joyful music, parties, and celebrations, there is a strong pull to focus solely on what is happening right now. We all do it and find it very natural. How does a phrase like “dying with Christ” connect with a Christmas party? They don’t seem remotely related. So how do we connect them?  “Dying with Christ” is not a once and for all thing. We are called daily to die to self, to ambition, and to temptation. The world in which we live has much trouble dying to itself. It is hard to notice other things when consumed with oneself. Paul, who is in prison as he writes this letter, admonishes his readers, (us), to set our sights on the realities of heaven. So how do we do that in walking through this season as we draw closer and closer to the Nativity? In Jesus’ day, Herod was consumed with his own power. The magi, in contrast, were tuned beyond this immediate world in looking for the King of Israel.  When Jesus came to this world as a baby, very few noticed His arrival. The fact that Jesus is in our midst whenever two or three come together now, for example, is a shock to many people and a truth that is met with unbelief. The fourth verse of chapter three, however, assures us this will not be the case when He returns in glory as Paul refers to “when Christ is revealed to the whole world.”  Since we have been buried with Christ in baptism and raised to a new life in Christ, let us live as shepherds and magi, people who recognize Jesus among us…until He comes in full glory with all His angels at the last trumpet! Let us set our sights on heaven, the location of the ultimate celebration of the King of kings.

Music: “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”     Barlow Girl
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzW_PmW-LzE&list=RDMD-jBLZSZNU&index=9

Also www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1glfuYQxdo  Sam Robson and A cappella Ft.Friends

Another wonderful setting that’s a bit different! Beautiful!

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, who lives in us and among us, grant that we would live with an awareness of your presence more often than we do, that we would live in anticipation of your return more often than we do, that we would speak to those around us who live only for this world more often than we do, and that we would talk with and listen to you more often than we do. Grant that we would daily die to self, take up our cross and follow you until the day of your return. O come, O come Emmanuel and ransom this captive world. In the name of our glorious Lord, who became a child that we might become the children of God. Amen.
— Daniel Sharp

© 2018 Dan Sharp – All rights reserved

“For God in all his fullness
   was pleased to live in Christ”

Candle Lighter: “The invisible God…”
Response: “…has become visible!”

Scripture: Colossians 1:15-20

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

Reader: These are the very words of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.

Some thoughts:
As we enter this season, our hearts are tuned during these early days of Advent toward the end of time and the return of the Lord, coming in judgment bringing the consummation of history and establishing His eternal kingdom. We live in a world that gives little thought to the end of life, let alone the end of time. In this most remarkable passage in Paul’s little letter to the people of Colossae, we have an explanation, a creed, if you will, (this may actually have been one of the creeds of the early church), of the role of Jesus in creation, in redemption, in the church. All things have their meaning in Christ! Jesus is the visible image, the icon, of our invisible God. This “visible image” is far more profound than we might imagine. Jesus is such a full and exact picture of God, that He is actually the exact representation of God in human flesh. His words: “He who has seen me, has seen the Father.” (Jn.14:9) In Christ, He humbled Himself in taking the human form to enable humanity to relate on a personal level to the eternal God! Think about it! There is no god in any religion that has done anything like this. Do you realize how many monumental questions are answered in these very few verses? God is intent on communicating to people in ways they can begin to understand. Look again at all the words I have emboldened. The most significant questions humans can ask are all answered in these verses! For example: Has God always existed? Who made the universe? What about angels and other powers; who made them? How do we solve the sin problem, or problem of evil in this world? What’s the purpose of life? Where did the Church come from? What is the Church? Are there worlds or powers beyond what we can see here on earth? Does God care about us? How does He relate to us? What keeps the universe from falling apart? What does God look like? And those questions barely scratch the surface! As we journey through Advent, let us be ever mindful that we are not simply rehearsing facts about our awe-inspiring God, but that we are in communion with the one who “made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of his blood on the cross.”  Take some time now and express your heart to Him.

Music: “What Child Is This?”   Cambridge Singers arr. John Rutter
www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBsdJMtzzBQ

Prayer:
“O God, you have given us the sure promise that Jesus will return to judge the earth. Make us ready, we pray, for his royal coming, that we may consider daily what sort of people we ought to be, and be found faithful servants waiting and working for our Master’s return. Grant in your mercy that many may be won for him before he comes, and make us bold in our witness until that day, whether he comes at midnight, or at dawn, or in the daytime. For his name’s sake. Amen.”
— The Worship Sourcebook, p.431

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