St. Johns News

But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law.
Galatians 4:4,5

The Reason for the Season

People started celebrating Christmas two months ago, and most are tired of it by now. The tree is down, the lights are stored away, and they are back to work. Even though they know the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” they don’t realize that those twelve days start on Christmas day, and we are only on day nine today!

Maybe without all the distractions of celebration, the time has come to concentrate on the reason for the season. People realize that we celebrated the birth of Jesus. Did they realize that the birth was at exactly the right time? It happened at precisely the time God had planned it when he first promised it.

The Savior, Jesus, was the Son of God, begotten from the Father from eternity. That eternal God took on flesh and was actually born as an actual human being. Even though his Father was God, his mother was an actual woman, and he was true man.

That meant that he was under God’s law. He was required to keep it; and he managed to do that perfectly. Then he took the punishment for breaking the law, which was death and hell, and because he did not deserve that punishment, he was able to credit his perfect life to us. He paid the price of shedding his blood, innocently suffering, and dying. Now we have forgiveness as a result. We are redeemed.

Those extraordinary events make Christmas worth celebrating every year. Let the celebration continue!

Prayer: (Christian Worship: Hymnal – 366)
Jesus, guard and guide your members, fill them with your boundless grace,
Hear their prayers in ev’ry place.
Fan to life faith’s glowing embers; grant all Christians far and near,
Holy peace, a glad new year. Amen.

I will tell of the kindnesses of the Lord, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the Lord has done for us.
Isaiah 63:7

Look Back to Gain Confidence for the Future

On New Year’s Eve, did you look backward or forward?

You may have been tempted not to look back. The past year may have been filled with unkept resolutions, unfinished business, and disappointing results. Looking back might have led to bad feelings, even guilt. Looking forward might have offered the promise of new beginnings, even a fresh start.

But looking backward to what the Lord has done for you is a good idea. When you look at the Lord, you see promises kept, business tended to, and excellent results every time. In the Lord Jesus Christ, you have forgiveness for everything that might cause guilt. You have the promise that even when things didn’t look great, the Lord was working things out for your good.

Now you can look forward in the new year to a blessed life—a life that is lived to the glory of God. That means looking out for your neighbor’s needs since the Lord has met all your needs. That means a quiet confidence that the Lord will carry you through even the hardest things.

When the future looks bleak or daunting, look back to the kindnesses of the Lord in your life. Praise the Lord for his marvelous deeds, and be confident that the same Lord will be with you in the new year.

Prayer: (Christian Worship: Hymnal – 367)
Then gracious God, in years to come,
We pray your hand may guide us,
And, onward through our journey home,
Your mercy walk beside us
Until at last our ransomed life
Is safe from peril, toil, and strife
When heav’n itself shall hide us. Amen.

“Get up,” [the Lord] said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
Matthew 2:13

Divine Direction

We’ve all heard accounts of people who got stuck in traffic and ended up missing their flight, only to find out later that the flight they were scheduled to be on crashed, leaving few, if any, survivors. And what was it that kept those people out of harm’s way—”Dumb luck” or “God’s direction?”

Even though Joseph, Mary, and Jesus were happy living in Bethlehem, Joseph took Jesus and Mary and left Bethlehem for Egypt. And Joseph did this before Herod came and murdered all the boy babies in Bethlehem two years of age and younger. Again, what was it that kept this family (Jesus’ family) safe—”Dumb luck” or “God’s direction?”

We know it was God’s direction because the Bible tells us that God informed Joseph about what King Herod was going to do, and he instructed Joseph to take his family to Egypt to escape. Although this trip would be difficult, it was part of God’s plan to protect his Son so he could save the world from its sins.

When God’s plan doesn’t match up with ours, let’s remember to give thanks that our heavenly Father lovingly directs every circumstance in our lives with our eternal well-being in mind. Then we’ll be able to look forward to that wonderful something God is accomplishing through his plan.

May God’s promise to guide and direct our lives according to his will and for our good grant a Happy New Year to us all!

Prayer:
Dear Lord, thank you for being so wise and loving that you often avert many of the problems that could so easily come into my life. When you change the things I’ve planned to be in line with yours, let me rejoice in your divine direction. Amen.

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
Hebrews 1:1-3

Finally

We have all been there before. Whether as a child waiting for that special Christmas gift; a mother or father waiting to meet their baby for the first time; or a seasoned worker longing for the day of retirement. Waiting is hard. Especially when the thing you are waiting for is going to be so amazing.

Can you imagine what it must have been like to wait for the Messiah? For thousands of years God’s people lived life based on promises. “He is coming, but not yet. He is going to be life changing. Just keep watching!” It must have been extremely difficult to live in a world of sin and pain in that state of waiting. But do you see what the writer of Hebrews is saying to you and me? We don’t have to live in wait. He has come.

The fact that Jesus Christ came into the world means that the glorious gift has come. He stands right before us and so we don’t have to wait to experience the joy he brings. He no longer says, “wait.” He says, “look.” Jesus, our gift, means we daily get to enjoy Jesus by our side sharing forgiveness, love, and comfort. What a joy to remember every day—he finally came!

Prayer:
Jesus, our Savior, thank you for renewing in me a daily appreciation for your coming into the world. You are our greatest gift, for which I thank you now and forever. Amen.

He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made . . . We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father.
John 1:2,3,14

A Savior Born to Dwell Among Us Bringing Glory

A well-loved Christmas hymn echoes the words that angels sang the night Jesus was born: “Gloria in Excelsis Deo!”—Latin for “Glory to God in the highest.” What a glorious sight that must have been. Shepherds caring for their sheep that night suddenly were surrounded by angels who announced that a child was born in Bethlehem. And the glory of the Lord shone around them—a brilliant light confirming that these were no ordinary messengers.

But the glory wasn’t theirs. They didn’t deserve the praise. “Glory to God!” they sang. But what was so glorious? An almost helpless babe lay in a crude makeshift cradle in a little town off the beaten path. A few lowly shepherds heard the news and went to see him. There was no glow coming from his bed, no angels visibly standing by, no evidence that anything remarkable was happening.

But that’s how the glory of God comes to us—hidden in the humble and lowly, concealed in the ordinary and unexpected. Don’t let looks deceive you. The Savior born to dwell among us brings glory. Heaven came to earth in that humble baby. The one through whom everything was created became one with his creation. The only Son of God became a man so that sinful humans would be forgiven and counted as children and heirs of God.

We see God’s glory most clearly, not in bright lights or jaw-dropping miracles, but in love that went to impossible lengths to serve and save us. Love that left the perfect joy of heaven to come to earth to free us and forgive us. We see God’s glory in that child—our Savior. In the Bible’s message, we see that glory by faith. One day, we will see God’s unveiled glory with our own eyes.

In this new year, may God open our eyes to see his glory more clearly through his Word every day.

Prayer:
Glory to God in the highest! In your hidden glory on earth, help me to see the perfect glory you have prepared for me in heaven. Amen.

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him . . . [He] came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:10,11,14

A Savior Born to Dwell Among Us Bringing Grace

Think of the people to whom you gave Christmas gifts this year. Now think of those from whom you received Christmas gifts. Maybe they include family, friends, co-workers, classmates, neighbors, a significant other. How many gifts were exchanged with complete strangers? Probably not many. What about those whom you would consider your enemies?

A gift given to someone who is completely undeserving, without any qualifications, expectations, or conditions, is called grace. And there is no story more full of grace than the story of Jesus.

At the beginning of time, God created human beings and gave them everything they could ever need. Deceived by the devil, they were discontent and wanted more. They rebelled against God and didn’t want him or his rules. Ever since, human beings have looked for ways to push God out of our lives. We want to be our own gods, seeking God’s blessings on our terms, living by rules that line up with our own self-serving interests and pleasures.

And yet God wanted to give us a gift—the greatest gift anyone could imagine—his own Son. A Savior. And how did people receive him? Many rejected him. Few rejoiced at his coming. Some tried to kill him, and they succeeded. The Son of God, who came to dwell among them as their Savior, was killed.

But God’s grace was at work. Jesus’ death was not the nail in the coffin that ended any hope of being loved by God. It was that which removed every nail from our coffin, so that sin and death can’t hold us, but we will rise to live with God forever.

Christmas is the story of God’s pure grace. In unconditional love, God came to save selfish sinners—you and me and all people—who didn’t deserve anything from him. He came to rescue those who hated him. Jesus is proof that we are loved unconditionally.

Prayer:
Of the Father’s love begotten, Jesus, you came in love to rescue me when I didn’t deserve it. Move me to receive your grace with rejoicing. Amen.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. . . The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.
John 1:5,9

A Savior Born to Dwell Among Us Bringing Light

In many parts of the world, candles and strings of lights illuminate homes inside and out in the weeks before Christmas. In the northern hemisphere, where the daylight hours are short this time of year, those lights can make the days feel a little bit longer. One little light makes a difference.

Those lights can also point us to an important truth about Christmas. The Bible describes the natural condition of mankind as darkness. In the darkness that we call sin, we are helpless and vulnerable. Dangers lurk all around us. We can’t see God or anything that is truly good. We can’t see the path through life that ends up anywhere but death.

But Christmas changed all of that. A Savior was born to dwell among us to bring light into our darkness. He overcame the darkness of sin by his perfect life as the Son of God. He destroyed sin’s hold on our hearts and lives by his innocent death. The message of the Bible opens our eyes to see Jesus as the light that shines on the only path away from death to life that never ends.

When we trust and follow Jesus, we don’t grope around in dangerous darkness. We live in light that gives life and hope and freedom. Just as we need light to survive in this life, we need the light of Jesus to have eternal life.

The skies of Bethlehem lit up the night Jesus was born as angels announced his birth to shepherds. A special star in the sky, led wise men to find him there too. But the greatest light shining was the light lying in a manger, the light that drives out the darkness of sin and death with the promise of perfect life that never ends.

With each Christmas light that pierces the darkness of these December nights, remember Jesus, the Savior, born to dwell among us and bring true light into the world. He is the light that keeps shining long after the Christmas decorations are stored away.

Prayer:
Little Lord Jesus, thank you for bringing true light into our dark world. Let your light shine in my heart always. Amen.

In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind . . . to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
John 1:4,12,13

A Savior Born to Dwell Among Us Bringing Life

The birth of a child is at the center of the Christmas story. In many ways, it looked like any other birth. Because of circumstances, Mary, the child’s mother, had to travel far away from home, and the baby was born in an animal shelter. But the same thing could have happened to other mothers in other towns in Israel at that time.

As ordinary as it seemed, that child born to Mary was no ordinary child. The child who took his first breath that night was the one who breathed life into the first people created and who gives life to you and me.

“In him was life,” the Bible says. That doesn’t just mean that he was alive. It means that life belongs to him. He gives life and gave you life. If you have children or grandchildren, he gave them life too.

But through Jesus, we also receive an even more profound and important kind of life. “To those who believed in his name,” the Bible says, “he gave the right to become children of God.”

Jesus, the Son of God, came to dwell among us in human flesh and blood. He came to be a part of our human family, so that we could be part of the eternal family of God. By living the perfect life that we have failed to live, Jesus earned a place for us in God’s family. That means we have a perfect, eternal home—not in a lowly animal shelter but in the mansions of heaven!

The birth of Jesus is not the only birth in the Christmas story. As the Christmas carol sings, Jesus was “born to give us second birth.” As God leads you to see and trust that baby as your Savior, you are born again as a child of God, set free from guilt, shame, and death. You have new life—eternal life—in Jesus. What a gift!

Prayer:
Jesus, you were born to give me new birth. Help me live as your child. Amen.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God . . . The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:1,14

A Savior Born to Dwell Among Us Bringing Truth

Everyone likes a good story. Christmas is full of good stories. Our family has dozens of children’s Christmas books and several Christmas movies we enjoy reading or watching every year. Stories about moments and memories, sweets and surprises.

But almost all of those stories are fiction. They didn’t really happen. The characters are all made up. The plot lines, even if they are believable, are just the product of someone’s imagination.

The most important Christmas story might sound like another myth or fairy tale, except that the writer of that story made sure to include many verifiable historical details. It is a true story.

The Bible says, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” The Word is the Son of God himself. He became a human being. He was born to dwell among us. We know him as Jesus.

It is his birth that we just celebrated. In the little town of Bethlehem, a woman named Mary had a child. She laid him in a manger, an animals’ feed box, and angels sang about his birth. It is a true story.

That child, Jesus, was “full of grace and truth.” He embodied truth. He didn’t embellish the truth. He didn’t cover up the truth or twist it to serve an agenda. Jesus came to dwell among us to be and live and speak the truth.

The truth of a God who came to save a world consumed by self-serving lies. The truth of a God who loves you more than you can imagine. The truth of a God who made his home on earth, so you have a home with him in heaven.

The world wants to put Bethlehem in the same category as the North Pole, Whoville, and Bedford Falls. But the story of what happened there is true. And it is your story. Jesus came for you. Believe it! Celebrate it!

Prayer:
Jesus, help me believe and celebrate the truth of your birth as my Savior. Amen.