St. Johns News

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’S hand double for all her sins.
Isaiah 40:1,2

Not Just Water

Daily Devotion – December 16, 2023

Devotion based on Isaiah 40:1,2


See series: Devotions

The POW labor camp wore him down day after day. How long would the warfare continue? How long before he returned home? Would his hard service ever end?

And then the day finally came. What comfort to hear the war had ended! What comfort to hear that he was heading home! What comfort to be in the embrace of his family again!

Sin took the world prisoner, including our own heart and soul. How much must we do to make up for our wrongs? How hard must we labor to make things right?

We could elevate the peaks of our pride by convincing ourselves that our best efforts will get us through. We could trust in the advancements of humanity to eventually smooth out the world’s problems. We could face the harsh meaninglessness of life and live for the thrill of each day until we sink into the depths and want it all to end.

Don’t follow those paths. Yes, our lives dry up like grass and even our greatest glories are like flowers that wither in the wind. But one thing does last. One thing remains sure and certain: “The word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8).

God’s says that your sin has been paid for. That’s why God’s son, Jesus, came into this world. He became flesh and blood to pay the price we cannot pay. His blood is holy, for Jesus never sinned. His blood is precious, for it is the blood of God. And that is the price he paid for you: his holy, precious blood.

What comfort! No matter what you face in this life, cling to the word of God and his tender words of comfort. He has paid the ultimate price for you and me. The glory our God has prepared for us far outweighs our present suffering. He is the Shepherd who carries us in his arms to take us home. What comfort!

Prayer:
O Lord Jesus, prepare my heart to rejoice in the comfort your word brings. Amen.

He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.
Isaiah 40:11

Your Shepherd

Daily Devotion – December 15, 2023

Devotion based on Isaiah 40:11


See series: Devotions

In a little over a week, we will gather in churches or around the tree and peer into a feeding trough to see a King. But he won’t look much like a king. He will look like a baby, an ordinary baby.

The one described in our Bible verse today doesn’t look much like a king either. He’s described as a shepherd. But not a shepherd heroically fighting off wild animals. A shepherd cradling lambs in his arms. A shepherd gently leading ewes and lambs to food, water, and shelter.

It might seem strange to us, but it wasn’t uncommon in many cultures in the Ancient Near East for a king to be compared to a shepherd. No one fits that description better than the one whom the Bible calls the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the one whom the Bible also calls the Good Shepherd, who lays down his life for the sheep.

We rejoice that Jesus came as our mighty King to do battle for us. We rejoice that he rules over all things for the good of his people. But, as we prepare to meet him when he returns, we also rejoice that he is the gentle Shepherd we need.

Jesus cares for us completely. He sees our needs and meets every one of them. He came not only to conquer our enemies but to lead and love us and feed and guide us. When we stray, he reaches out to rescue us. When our souls are hungry for peace and hope, he fills us with his promises.

And when Jesus comes again, he will carry us in his arms to our eternal home. He will “lead us to springs of living water.” He will “wipe away every tear from our eyes.” He will bless us with everything we need for eternity. Let’s prepare to meet him!

Prayer: (Christian Worship: Hymnal – 804)
Who so happy as I am, even now the Shepherd’s lamb? And when my short life is ended, by his angel host attended, he shall fold me to his breast, there within his arms to rest. Amen.

You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, “Here is your God!”
Isaiah 40:9

Spread the News

Daily Devotion – December 14, 2023

Devotion based on Isaiah 40:9


See series: Devotions

Imagine the president coming to town and nobody noticing. Imagine him standing to speak without any introduction. It is unthinkable. Even when the president enters the chamber in the United States Capitol for his annual “State of the Union” address, where everyone in the room has probably had a personal conversation with him, someone still stands up to announce, “Ladies and Gentlemen, the President of the United States!”

In many civilizations, past and present, the king’s coming is announced by trumpets and a herald shouting, “Make way for the king.” The coming of someone so important should be announced loud and clear—especially if he comes with good news like the defeat of an enemy in battle.

That’s what today’s Bible passage encourages us to do. After all, our King, Jesus, defeated our enemies when he came to this earth. He lived, died, and rose again in a battle against the devil and all of the brokenness that sin brings into the world. His rising from the dead was proof that King Jesus won the battle.

He conquered every enemy for us. That’s good news! We have the victory. Even death can’t overcome us. Eternal life and heaven are ours! That’s news to celebrate, share, shout from the mountaintops!

Just as ancient civilizations celebrated the king’s return from victory in battle, just as modern civilizations celebrated their teams’ coming home with the championship, so we want to celebrate our King’s coming. And we can’t wait to tell others the news.

As you celebrate Jesus’ first coming and prepare to meet him when he returns, find someone to share the news with. A King has come to rescue them. And he’s coming again. Spread the news!

Prayer:
King Jesus, thank you for those who shared the news of your coming with me. Help me spread the good news too. Amen.

“All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”
Isaiah 40:6-8

Prepare to Meet Him

Daily Devotion – December 13, 2023

Devotion based on Isaiah 40:6-8


See series: Devotions

How’s your lawn right now? For some of you, your grass has grown dormant and won’t be green again for several months. For others, the heat of summer has cooled to allow grass to grow again, but when the hot desert sun returns, that grass will wither and die again.

Much of the world can picture what the prophet describes in these verses. The grass withers, and the flowers fall. Year after year, we see it happen. It marks the passing of time and reminds us that nothing lasts forever.

But that’s not entirely true. The things of this world—the grass, the flowers, even the people—wither and die. But the word of our God endures forever. Of course, that can’t be said of any human being. Our promises are broken. The things we say are forgotten. But not God’s.

When God speaks, he never changes his mind. He never takes it back. The things he says are always true, always relevant, always reliable.

That means when he makes a demand in his law, it stands. But it also means that when he makes a promise, it stands. He promised to send his Son to defeat sin and death; he kept that promise when Jesus came as our Savior. When he promises to separate our sins from us as far as the east is from the west, he keeps that promise. When he promises to hear those who call on him in Jesus’ name, he keeps that promise. When he promises never to leave us or forsake us, he keeps that promise. And when he promises that one day, Jesus will come again to take us to heaven, he will keep that promise, too.

And so, with trusting hearts, we treasure his unfailing word. And with joyful hearts, we prepare to meet Jesus when he comes again.

Prayer:
King Jesus, I rejoice that your Word never fails. Trusting in your Word, help me prepare to meet you when you come. Amen.

“In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.”
Isaiah 40:3,4

Advent is Road Construction Season

Daily Devotion – December 12, 2023

Devotion based on Isaiah 40:3,4


See series: Devotions

In the northern parts of the United States, many road construction projects that filled the highways with orange signs and barrels for the summer months are put on hold this time of year. The effect of cold temperatures on the ground, the workers, and the materials interferes with the ability to successfully complete any major road work.

But the word of God in our Bible passage today tells us that the season of Advent is road construction season. In these words, the prophet describes a scene that was familiar to his readers. When the king traveled around his kingdom, a delegation went ahead of him to prepare the way. But they weren’t coordinating with local law enforcement, clearing the runways for the king’s plane, or hanging colorful banners to welcome the king. They constructed or repaired roads for the king to travel on—even leveling hills, filling in valleys, and straightening curves so that the king’s journey would be swift and smooth, with no obstacles to stand in the way.

During Advent, we prepare to celebrate the coming of Jesus, our King, at Christmas. We also remember that he comes into our hearts through his Word and will come again at the end of time. What obstacles might be getting in the way of his coming into your heart? What is taking time away from your hearing God’s Word and getting to know Jesus better? This time of year, we can get so busy with many things. There is so much to do and so little time to do it. It is good that you are reading or listening to this devotion. Look for more opportunities like this to hear what God says in your home or at a local church.

As you do, God is at work to clear away sin and every other obstacle so that he can come into your heart with his message of peace and hope, forgiveness and mercy, and life that never ends when Jesus, your King, comes again.

Prayer:
King Jesus, clear the way to come into my heart through your Word this Advent season. Amen.

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.
Isaiah 40:1,2

The King Comes to Comfort His People

Daily Devotion – December 11, 2023

Devotion based on Isaiah 40:1,2


See series: Devotions

George Frideric Handel’s Messiah has been thrilling audiences for 281 years. For some, attending a performance of Messiah is as much a part of Christmas as putting up lights, decorating a tree, or exchanging gifts. The music of Messiah stirs our emotions like few other pieces of music can.

And yet, the true greatness of Messiah is in its message drawn directly from the Bible, such as this passage from Isaiah 40, which touches our hearts and strengthens our spirits.

“Comfort, comfort my people,” God says. “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem.” Comfort is what we need when we are grieving, broken, or in despair. Comfort in knowing that we are loved. Comfort in knowing that someone understands what we are going through and knowing there is a way out of our grief, brokenness, and despair.

The original audience for this message was people who had turned away from God to rebellion, disobedience, and sin. Now, they were paying the price. God let them be attacked and defeated by an enemy nation.

Far away from home, they were left with nothing but guilt. But into this emptiness, God spoke comfort and hope. Your sin has been paid for. You are right with God.

How? We want to know because we, too, are guilty of turning away from God. We deserve his punishment. But God promised that a King was coming to pay the price for our sins and guilt. That King, Jesus, proved his love by coming to be one of us. He knows what we are going through. What comfort! And because of him, there’s a way out. He speaks tenderly to us in his Word and says, “I love you. I forgive you. You are mine.” What comfort!

At this point in Handel’s Messiah, the slow, somber music moves higher, breaking through the gloom of despair and striking a note of hope. So, too, our hearts sing because of the comfort our King comes to bring.

Prayer:
King Jesus, come to me and comfort me with your promise of forgiveness and the assurance of your love. Amen.

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
1 John 4:9,10

Love

Daily Devotion – December 10, 2023

Devotion based on 1 John 4:9,10


See series: Devotions

The looks on the faces of my catechism students revealed their confusion. I had said, “You don’t have to like someone to love someone.” You can guess why they were confused even if you weren’t in the room for the conversation. For many people, the word love simply means a stronger form of liking someone or something. I like everything on the menu at my restaurant of choice, but I really love this dish! I like all the players on my favorite team, but I really love the team’s leading all-star!

The biblical concept of love is much stronger than that. Biblical love put into practice will speak and act in a way that serves in the best interest of our neighbors. We get a sense of what that looks like from excerpts of John the Baptist’s firm and fiery Advent preaching. When people heeded his call to repentance and asked what they should do, part of his answer was vocation-specific ways of showing love to one’s neighbor (see Luke 3:10-14).

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, love is often in short supply. The busyness of the season—pageants and practices, concerts and rehearsals, parties and presents and preparations—overwhelms our schedule. But have these pre-Christmas externals also moved more important priorities further down our list? Does our patience with others grow thin? Is our time in God’s house and in his Word suffocated by the hustle and bustle that overtake our December days? Does our love for God and our neighbor become noticeably weak at a time when we are about to celebrate his great love for us set into motion?

No wonder Advent presents us with John the Baptist’s bold call to repent! The Lord and his prophet have our best interest in mind. That is why God’s Word calls us to repent of anything and everything that compromises our love for him and for one another. That is also why Jesus Christ came into this world as the one who perfectly loved the Father’s plan of salvation and perfectly loved us to death, even death on a cross.

The love we have received from our Savior is powerful. It changes hearts from pride to repentance, from unbelief to faith, from selfishness to generous and grateful love for God and neighbor. He who first loved us fills us with a love that finds new and sincere ways to reflect his saving love to the souls that cross our paths each day from now to Christmas and until his triumphant return.

Prayer:
Forgive us, Lord, for our loveless deeds, words, and attitudes. Renew us with the good news of your Son’s advent that we may love you with our whole heart and reflect your loving grace to our friends and neighbors. Amen.

This Advent devotion is brought to you by Forward in Christ magazine. For an enhanced version of this devotion including a flipbook and video or to read other devotions in this series, visit forwardinchrist.net/advent-2023.

Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you! As when fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make your name known to your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you!
Isaiah 64:1,2

God Does Awesome Things

Daily Devotion – December 9, 2023

Devotion based on Isaiah 64:1,2


See series: Devotions

Why is it that people flock to the circus? Why do magicians attract a crowd? It’s because people are fascinated by amazing things. While traveling this fall with my family, one of the gate attendants pulled a scarf out of his sleeve and when he stuffed it into his fist it “disappeared.” My ten and eight-year-old boys were amazed and started telling everyone around them.

There are certainly times when people wish that God would display some of his awesome power. “Please God, stop the wars in the world. God, why did you allow that horrible accident to happen? Couldn’t you have stopped that from taking place?” People plead with God, hoping that if they pull the right prayer strings, they can control God and prompt a few miracles to suit their own needs.

But what really are our needs? Do we need that raise? Do we need more clothing and the latest phone with all the apps? The Bible makes it abundantly clear that God will meet our physical needs (not necessarily our wants), but more so, we learn that our greatest need is for a Savior from our sins.

Some 2,000 years ago, God did something amazing. He did rend the heavens open and sent his one and only Son down and gave him the name Jesus. As if that wasn’t enough, Jesus suffered and died on the cross in our place for all our sins. And, because God’s wrath over all sin was satisfied, Jesus rose from the dead. Calling all this “amazing” is an understatement. Indeed, God does awesome things!

Each day, you and I can live knowing full well that our amazing God has forgiven our sins, loves us, and cares for us. When someone does something this amazing for us, it makes us want to tell everyone around us!

Prayer:
Lord God, thank you for your amazing grace to me and all people. Help me appreciate your grace and share the story of your amazing grace and love through Jesus Christ the Savior of all. Amen.

“Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
Mark 11:10

The King Shall Come To Save Us

Daily Devotion – December 8, 2023

Devotion based on Mark 11:10


See series: Devotions

When the ancient Israelites saw that all the nations around them had kings to rule over them, they said they wanted their own king. They decided to use the form of government with a king at the top so that someone would have the ultimate responsibility of defending the whole nation against enemies.

The most successful Israelite king was named David. He was well known for defeating Israel’s enemies on all sides. The Lord promised that when the Savior of the whole world would come, he would be a descendant of David.

When that promised Savior arrived on the scene, God told his parents to name him Jesus, which means “the Lord saves.” When Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the people recognized that he was a descendant of David. They yelled a Hebrew word, Hosanna, which means “save us!”

We don’t know what was on those people’s minds when they called out that word, but when we say it ourselves, we are acknowledging that we need saving. Our enemies threaten to overwhelm us in a sea of guilt and shame, but Jesus saves us with his forgiveness and love.

Jesus comes to us in a variety of ways today, in both Word and sacrament. He has the ultimate responsibility of defending us against our enemies. He is our King and comes to save us.

Prayer: (Christian Worship: Hymnal – 412)
All glory, laud, and honor to you, Redeemer, King,
To whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring.
You are the King of Israel and David’s royal Son,
Now in the Lord’s name coming, our King and Blessed One. Amen.