Life This Side of Heaven

At twelve years of age, here was Jesus at the Temple, hearing and asking questions. But here also was Jesus, the teacher, amazing everyone with His understanding and answers. Jesus was in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover with Mary and Joseph. The day would come when Jesus, the very Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, would return to Jerusalem to be sacrificed for our salvation.

A seal is a symbol of ownership. It was used on property and letters to bear witness to their validity and legal standing. God Himself, who has called you to faith by the Gospel, has marked you with a remarkable seal which gives real comfort and assurance. You are His.

When the Wise Men came to worship Jesus, it wasn't the "Silent Night" calm of the stable. And as You and I begin this new year, it may already be filled with straining challenges and difficult circumstances. By God's grace, His Word still leads us to Christ.

Do remember getting into trouble when you were a kid? Were you called in for a scolding? The best thing you could do was to look down at your shoes. God's blessing in Numbers assures us that, through faith, we can look up from our shoes and see the forgiving face that is looking upon us.

What is God doing right now? That may seem like an unusual question. He daily forgives our sins. He hears our prayers and He answers them according to His will. He upholds and sustains the world He created, and so much more. But God is also at work in a unique way that we may not always recognize.

Throughout Advent, the season leading up to Christmas, we heard just some of the many promises God spoke through the prophets concerning the coming of our Savior. And now, we hear the familiar refrain in Scripture, "And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet." We have a God who keeps all His promises.

For you and me, one week after Christmas brings us to the beginning of a new calendar year. For Jesus, one week after Christmas brought Him to the day He was circumcised and given His name. By His grace, these two events tie together nicely.

I know what the score of the Super Bowl will be in 2020 before the game begins. And that's not all. God's Word gives us the certainty of knowing some marvelous things as well.

There's a real temptation to want to leave the Christmas story with Jesus in the manger - a moment frozen in time. But the importance of our Savior's incarnation doesn't end at the stable.

Tomorrow in church the candles will be lit and the tree will be sparkling. Christmas is such a wonderful festival that we set aside twelve days to celebrate it. There's so much good news that it's not a day – it's a season!

Have you returned any gifts yet? The temptation of our culture – now that Christmas Day has passed – is to pack baby Jesus off, and the Good News of the season, and exchange it all for the latest toy that catches our attention. But John wants you to know that God's great Gift is a keeper.

Happy Boxing Day! Has anyone shared this greeting with you today?

He's here! Today, you and I hear the happiest news that could ever ring in our ears! Merry Christmas!

Have you opened your Christmas gifts yet? How did you react when you saw them? How do you react to Isaiah's news this day, "To us a Child is born, to us a Son is given"?

Would you like peace and happiness for Christmas? Are you sure? Or, are you afraid of being disappointed?

Here's a great song to hear on the radio during these days leading up to Christmas. God also puts a Christmas song in our heart as we look forward to our eternal home with Him.

It's easy to overlook the marvel of a baby hearing its parents for the first time in a quiet nursery. It's just as easy to overlook how blessed we are to hear the amazing word that our Savior has come. However, it's more than sweet...it's remarkable!

It's Theme Thursday. Some say that Christmas these days is focused too much on presents, presents, presents. As we've seen, with a little tweaking, we can change that phrase to better resemble what the season is all about. We've been blessed to look at 1)God's present, and 2)how He presents it. Today, we rejoice in 3)His presence!

It's fun to go out and see the all Christmas decorations. Some towns even have contests and special categories by which to judge them. Jesus asked the people who came out to see John, "What did you go out into the desert to see?" And He gave them three categories by which they might have judged him.

The apostle Paul says, "Rejoice in the Lord always." But what if you don't feel like you want to rejoice? What if your spouse died this year and this is the first Christmas time without them? What if you have experienced the loss of a child or the death of a friend? You may even feel like skipping church entirely this year. Please don't. Our Savior's birth gives you even more reason to find a good...

Do you remember how, when you were little, you were the first one out of bed on Christmas morning? James wants to rouse you and me with the same joy as we wait patiently for that day of His second coming. In fact, it's because of our Savior's first coming that we can look forward to it in real joy - and in patient anticipation.

"I'm not feeling the Christmas spirit this year." Have you heard someone say that this year? Have you said it yourself? St. Paul invites us to step back and then puts his finger on what will truly make the difference.

Should a Christmas tree have decorations with many different colors or should they be monochromatic? Here's a discussion that's sure to create a fun debate ... but it can also be handy reminder of what God has done for us in the Christmas gift to us of His Son.

There are all different way to present a gift. You can wrap it in colorful paper or foil or put it in a stylish gift bag. But see at how God presents the precious gift of His Son, our Savior.

John the Baptist must have made for quite a sight. It's certainly not an image you might expect to find on a Christmas card. But his message is a good one to hear as we get ready to celebrate our Savior's birth.