Advent Reflections: The Image of the Stump and Branch

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. Isaiah 11:1

While many North American Christian churches don't make much out of images and pictures, the season of Advent is actually filled with them.  Sure, we get our share of words that don't really have any kind of picture with them (joy, peace, hope and the like), but we also get a good number of pictures like this one from Isaiah.  The stump of Jesse having a single shoot that will spring forth from it and bear fruit.

There are a number of things about this image worthy of our reflection. First, I simply want to encourage you to picture this in your mind.  Perhaps it evokes something from your past, where you have seen a stump of a tree with a branch growing up out of it. Picture it in your mind.  Think about what you are seeing there.

Perhaps in your image you see the stump. It's cut off, relatively close to the ground.  It could be newly cut down or perhaps is weathered and aged. Yet, no matter how you picture it, you cannot deny one thing: it has been cut down.  No longer is a living, vibrant tree found there.  The promise and hope of life is gone. All that is left is a sad reminder of what used to stand there, strong, tall and powerful.

Yet, even from this dead stump, there still exists the hope of life.  That's what the shoot indicates.  It is fresh.  Perhaps in your image you see newly formed leaves, budding with a vibrant green filled with life. Life emerges where death had been found. That life grows, reaching upward and becoming strong and vibrant, finally getting to the point where it bears fruit once again.

That is the image that God gave to His people through Isaiah. There are several interesting things with this reading, as well. First is the use of the name Jesse.  While the promise of an everlasting ruler had been given to David, here Isaiah mentions David's father as the stump.  It's a reminder that God isn't impressed with our greatness, but with humility.  Jesse pales in comparison to his son David, and yet, the stump bears Jesse's name.

Another thing is that this word spoken by Isaiah came while there was still a descendant of David sitting on the throne in Jerusalem.  Isaiah lived in the time to see the northern kingdom of Israel conquered and marched off into exile, but he was not around at the time when the Babylonian army conquered Judah and Jerusalem. Isaiah spoke God's Word, that the kingly line would be cut off, appearing dead.  Yet, even death would not deter God from fulfilling His promise.  A shoot would arise from that stump, and that shoot would grow to become a branch that would bear fruit.

As you reflect on this image, what do you find in your life that God may be saying needs to be cut off and die?  What new life is God working to raise up from the death of that?  As you reflect, may you also be reminded that God's Spirit is at work to bear that fruit in your life.

Advent Reflections: Peace

This time of year, the word peace makes its way around, especially in Christian circles.  We hear of Jesus being the promised "Prince of Peace", who came to bring "peace on earth, good will to men". In the hectic nature of this season, peace is also something that we find ourselves longing after.  With the pressures of gifts, of work, of family, and perhaps travel, we long for peace.  Even going to the store, hearing the ringing of the Salvation Army bells adding their trill to the cacophony of noise can make us long for peace and quiet.

Yet, do we truly know what we are asking for when we ask for peace?  Do we truly understand the peace that Jesus came to bring into this world?  I would dare say not.  On one occasion, Jesus made the statement, "Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword." And that may strike us profoundly to hear Jesus, of all people, saying that. 

How would you define peace if you were asked?  Most of us might tend to lean toward the absence of conflict.  People are getting along.  When you hear people talk about peace on earth, that's usually what they mean.  The nations aren't actively seeking to hurt each other.  There aren't wars going on.  People are tolerating each other.  And we then bring that same meaning into what we believe Jesus came to bring.  An absence of conflict.  "We all just get along".

I would say that Jesus says that statement because that's not the kind of peace that He had come to bring.  Sure, the absence of conflict would be a mark of a perfect world, but then, Jesus didn't come and eradicate sin in this world.  He came to deal with its end result and repercussions.  He didn't come to remove conflict, but to deal with the thing that is at the heart of conflict.  He came to bring restoration to things to be the way that they were intended to be from the creation.  And the beginning point for that restoration would be to pay the price of guilt.

It sounds almost like a Christian cliche to say it, but Jesus came to make things right between the creation and God first and foremost, so that then, when the new creation comes into its being, we can be welcomed into it.  If things haven't been made right ahead of time, then the new creation would be empty and, therefore, pointless.  The peace Jesus came to bring is not merely the absence of conflict, but the removal of everything separating God from His creation.  It is much deeper and more profound than we could possibly imagine.

So as you reflect on peace this Advent season, I encourage you to consider obstacles that may be present in the relationships you share with others.  In the reflection of your Christian faith, how can you work to remove those obstacles and grow the peace that can more fully exist in those relationships?  That's the living out of this Christian peace in our lives here and now.

Advent Reflection: Joy

Over the past few days, the work joy has been on my mind considerably.  Part of this is the fact that I will be preaching in chapel this coming Wednesday and am choosing to focus on joy and rejoicing, two matters which show up in the assigned Bible readings for the day.  It also came up in the Bible study I attended this morning.  It's something that I am privileged to see quite often in the faces of my wife and children, and I hope they see if frequently on my face as well.

Joy is one of those words that is a bit challenging to define well.  It's not exactly happiness, since you can have joy even at times of sadness (think of the funeral where you know the deceased is with Lord and Savior, but is still missed). It's not a sense of well-being necessarily, since joy can be found even in pain and suffering.  You notice that I'm saying that joy isn't a lot of things.  Sometimes we have to define a word by emphasizing the things that it is not.

Joy is a sense that things are well and will turn out well.  For us, that means that joy is something that is ultimately out of our hands.  Our power and might will rarely be the thing that causes something to turn out well.  Sure, we might have an appropriate word to say at that given moment that improves the situation, but we also don't control how people receive that word. We might be able to do something that brings a bit of happiness into the situation, but that may not change the situation appreciably.

That's where I suggest that our Christian idea of joy actually hits the mark quite well.  Only God has shown the ability to work with all things, even to the point of utilizing sinful thoughts, words, and behaviors to further His purposes.  Only God can bring joy to the situation, which is why Paul's list of the fruit of the Spirit in his letter to the Galatians points us appropriately toward Him.  The fruit of the Spirit is love, JOY, peace, and so on.

Joy lies in knowing and believing that God is the One working to bring all things to good.  Though the immediate circumstances may not be joyful or even good for our well-being, we find joy that God can and has overcome these in Christ Jesus.  His joy is in redeeming us, and because we are redeemed, we know we are safe in His hands.  That is what brings joy, even in sadness, even in distress.  That joy is something that truly is only a gift from God by His Spirit.

My prayer is that you see much joy this Advent season, but also in all seasons of your life.  Jesus is your Redeemer and has redeemed you through His blood.  Thanks be to God.

Reflections for Advent

At the congregation where my family and I worship, we have a regular booklet to guide our devotional thoughts during the week.  It's a great resource to have, especially as it keeps our thoughts in view of the message we hear at the assembly of the saints on Sunday.  We are encouraged daily with a Scripture reading, as well as guiding thought for the day.  And as is appropriate for Advent, quite often these reflections are on some promise that God makes to us.

Taking time to reflect on God's Word is not easy for us in the Western world.  We have been raised and taught that we are to be busy, active, and focused on all sorts of things.  When at work, we are taught to focus on our work.  We rarely take time to slow down, to stop, to think things through.  I remember hearing from a number of pastors over the years that many in the congregations they served would view their personal study time as something to be questioned.  Why?  Because the pastor wasn't "doing something".  His personal time of devotion and growing was seen as a waste because there was no activity to it.

It's difficult for us to slow down, to think, to reflect.  In fact, I would dare say that we are bad at it, and don't want to develop that discipline within ourselves.  Just imagine if you were sitting on your couch, or in your chair at work, quietly quoting a Psalm to yourself, letting the Spirit guide your thoughts, for about 4-5 minutes.  How focused on the Psalm would you be?  I would imagine that you would have all kinds of thoughts intrude and distract you from it.  On top of that, what if someone saw you doing this.  Would they think you were taking a nap?  Bored?  Needing more to do?

Quiet reflection time is precious.  If you ever get a chance to read all the way through Psalm 119 (all 176 verses), one theme you will see is that of reflecting and meditating on God's Word and Law. How do we do that, though?  What is gained by doing so?  Well, we do it by taking a verse or two, reading them (sometimes even multiple times), and then considering the areas of our lives where these speak. We let the Spirit guide us to see where we may be doing this, or to correct us when we aren't doing it well.  We may uncover sin issues that need to be confessed and dealt with.  And as a side benefit, we also start to develop discipline in our thinking, which benefits us outside of our reflection times.

For this Advent season, I simply want to encourage you to consider taking 2-5 minutes daily for a reflection on a Scripture reading of some sort.  Make it short, so you can remember it (or maybe even memorize it). Then let that Word work on you, your heart, your soul. If you find that you are not focused, take a deep breath and start again.  Don't be frustrated with yourself over your lack of ability, especially if you haven't developed this discipline before.  Start small, and work your way up.  Maybe start with two minutes, with the goal of four or five by the end of the season.  And let God's promise fill you as you reflect and develop this discipline.

It's Advent! Hurry up and Wait!

We have now entered the season of the Church year we call Advent.  This is part of the Christian tradition to which I belong.  It marks the beginning of the year for us faith-wise.  It's significant because it reminds us of the years/decades/centuries where God's people waited for God to send the promised Messiah.  So during this season, we hear the promises that God made, and we see how God patiently waited until the time was just right.

I don't know about you, but waiting isn't exactly the easiest thing in the world to do.  The thing is, I am actually a fairly patient person a good portion of the time.  However, it is far too often that I get impatient.  I want things done and don't want to have to wait until I have the time, or until others get the idea and do it.  My impatience drives my life far too often.

Yet, God waited.  And waited.  And waited.  Fulfillment of a promise rarely happens immediately.  If it did, there would be no need for the promise.  The reason we have to make a promise in the first place is because it's not happening right now, right away.  It will happen, but until it does, waiting is called for.  Patience is called for.

In some ways, our current society life reflects this.  It's the time when many are buying gifts, putting up trees, and wrapping up presents for the tree and the stockings.  Yet, we wait until the time to open them. If you have kids, you get to teach patience (and believe me, they don't want to wait!). Even for you, you might be driven to distraction by the unknown thing(s) sitting in a brightly wrapped package, just beckoning to you.  Yet, we wait.

The season of Advent is a season of waiting.  God's promise will be fulfilled, which began with the sending of His Son, who would be born of a human woman and become a human being. Even then, though, redemption would wait.  It would be thirty or so years before the action of redemption occurred.  Even then, waiting was called for, as the tomb and grave seemed too much to defeat.  But the promise was fulfilled as the giver of life came back to life, to give new life to all who believe it was done for them.

So wait.  Take a few deep breaths when you find yourself impatient.  Relax, close your eyes, count slowly to ten, and then remember.  Waiting is a challenge, but God is growing you in that challenge.  

A Season of Excessive Obligation

"For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?"  Matthew 5:46-47

Let's all admit it.  There is one part of this Advent season, leading up to Christmas, that so many of us genuinely dislike.  I will call it the Sense of Obligation.  Here is what it looks like.  You get your Christmas cards all printed out and in the mail.  Suddenly the next day, you get a card in the mail from someone to whom you didn't send a card.  What do you do?  For many of us, we feel this sense of obligation to send them a card.  After all, we can't have it seeming that we mean more to them than they mean to us, right?

Sure, this is something we deal with throughout the year, but this time of year it seems to hit particularly strongly.  If you get a gift from someone, don't you almost feel obligated to get them on in return?  (And think, the concept of a gift is that it is something given without any sense of return on the part of the person receiving it.  So if you are giving a gift with the expectation that you will get one in return, you aren't really giving a gift.  You are giving an obligation, a debt, that you are expecting to be repaid.)  During this season, though, with the giving of many gifts and the catching up of the year, it seems to hit particularly powerfully.

As you read the verses above from Jesus' sermon on the mount, you kind of get a sense of what He thought of these kinds of obligation.  He just doesn't seem to be that fond of them.  After all, it doesn't show any kind of compassion toward others, since they don't really need what you are giving them.  It's easy to love those who love you.  But what about those who give you trouble, or who are thorns in your side?  It's easy to greet the people who are friendly to you, but what about that person that shuns you, or the kind of person that you may be afraid of, or that you are suspicious of?  That truly starts to intrude into the realm of grace, which should show us something, since grace does make us uneasy in just how stringless it really is.

Just imagine adding a line like this to your card next year.  "If you are getting this, and you didn't have us on your list, please do not feel obligated to send something back.  We are simply wanting to share our life with you, and are glad that you are part of it, even if you may not share that same sense of connectedness."  True, this sense of obligation is so ingrained in us that the person receiving it probably would still feel obligated to send something back, but it gets back to the whole "freely sharing" of oneself, which is really what Christmas is all about, Jesus freely giving of Himself to make us right with God.

Are you ready?

Prepare the way!  Preyare the way of the Lord!  The voice cries out, "In the wilderness, prepare a way!"  Throughout Advent, that theme resounds.  God is coming.  God's Servant is coming.  God will come and render justice to the nations, and to all people, for their wrong.  God is coming to make the wrongs right, and to turn injustice into justice.  God is coming.  Prepare the way!

God gave His people a lot in order to prepare them for when He would come crashing into this world.  But for a moment, consider this.  How many people were there, waiting to welcome Jesus, God's servant, at His birth?  None.  No one, it seemed, was ready.  Okay, so you might say that the shepherds were there, but why did they make their way to the manger?  Because God's messengers announced the birth and told them to go to Bethlehem to see Jesus.  Without that, they would have contentedly watched their sheep that night, oblivious to the significance of that infant and His birth.

Wise men, or Magi, you say?  They had to follow a star.  Were they watching the skies because they thought God was about to send His servant, or did they happen to see something new in the heavens and go?  Well, we aren't told the answer to that, but it would seem that the star had more to do with it than the infant Himself.

God's people in Israel?  They sure didn't seem to see it coming.  Shoot, the inhabitants of the town that had been spoken of as the birthplace of the King couldn't even find room for His pregnant mother and her fiance.  Despite the sheer volume of warnings and preparations that God had given, they didn't seem to be ready.

Are you ready?  Okay, now it's a bit of a different question.  After all, Jesus' first coming has already taken place, and we see how those seemingly clear Scripture references look very clear in hindsight.  But what about for His final coming, in power, with judgment in hand?  Are you ready?

The good thing is, you can say yes to that, even if you may not be living every day as though it could be the day of Jesus' reappearance.  Jesus has lived, died, and risen for you.  Though you may not consciously be thinking about Jesus' reappearance every moment, by faith you are prepared.  Yes, it's very likely that His second appearance will still catch us all off guard, just like His first.  When we look back at what all He said about that time, we may wonder how we missed it.  Regardless, you have the assurance that you are ready, because you believe that, what Jesus did, He did for you. 

"Coming In"

At times, Christian vocabulary can be kind of like speaking a different language (coincidentally, half the time it is, as I'll be explaining a bit here).  It's true that, in our day and age, each "section" of life has its own language and jargon.  Whether it's plumbing, technology, computer software, or office equipment, everything has words that are specific to that realm.  It's no different for the Christian Church.

Many traditional churches observe this season called Advent.  For many, they know the season, but I would venture that, if you were to ask them what the meaning of the word is, well, they might look back at you with a bit of a blank look on their face.  But have no fear!  After reading this blog entry, you will be able to share the meaning with them, and perhaps set yourself up to answer a trivia question along these lines somewhere down the line!

Literally, according to its Latin roots, the word "advent" means "coming in".  A very appropriate meaning and name, as the thing we observe in this season is that Jesus was "coming in" to this world in a new way.  Yes, as God, He fills all creation.  But in the birth in the manger in Bethlehem, God did something that had never been done before.  He came in, in a way never before imagined.

During Advent, we see and hear about the ways that God prepared the world for Jesus' "coming in".  That's why we hear so many of the Old Testament promises during this season.  God was setting things up to happen in His time, according to His will and design.  And so, as we go through this season leading up to our celebration of Jesus' first coming, we hear about the promises of Jesus coming in to this world.

So now you know the meaning of a Latin word, used to name this season we are observing.  Truthfully, for traditional churches, there are many elements drawn from either Greek, Hebrew, or Latin.  So next time you are in worship and hear a funny sounding word, go ask the pastor or someone who may be "in the know" what that word means.  Who knows, you just might be expanding your language skills into another language!

Rockin' Around the Advent Wreath

Okay, so perhaps the Advent wreath doesn't seem to carry nearly the same fun as the Christmas tree in the popular song of the season, but it is much more applicable this time of year.  While the general public is now in their mad rush to Christmas with the fury of fervent shopping, many Christians, especially those who observe particular seasons of the year and holy days, focus on something a little different.  Advent, rather than Christmas (a season of its own, which will be arriving soon enough, no worries).

For Christians of this particular liturgical leaning, Advent is very much like new year.  We start our new annual journey to the manger in Bethlehem, where we observe God's greatest gift, His own Son Jesus, given to us to make us new and restore us to Himself.  Just as God prepared for the arrival of Jesus for centuries, we Christians take a brief, four week time of preparation for that great event.  This season kicks off our new year as we anticipate once again how God prepared the way for sending His one and only begotten Son.

So, yes, we probably should be rockin' around the Advent wreath.  As we add to the light of the Advent wreath week by week, we enjoy our festival of lights, preparing our hearts for our yearly celebration of God sending the Light of the world into the world, born as a tiny infant in a stall, with a feeding trough for His first bed.  And as we rock around the Advent wreath, we remember and give thanks that God had prepared all of this well in advance of the events of that night so many years ago.

Happy first Tuesday in Advent, all!

Standing on the Eve of Anticipation

Those of you who closely follow this blog may know that the particular church body tradition that I come from is fairly liturgical.  That is, we follow a somewhat standard "order" to how we do things.  While this is evident in your typical Lutheran worship service, it also is found in how we structure the themes we observe throughout the year. 

This coming Sunday marks a "new year" for our church calendar.  As we begin approaching Christmas, we take the four weeks (or, more specifically, the four Sundays) prior to Christmas to remember that God had promised the sending of Jesus for centuries.  This season is called Advent, as God made known His coming into the world, which happened when Jesus was conceived and then born as an infant.

That means that, for many Christians including our tradition, that we stand on the eve of anticipation.  Our new year in God is about to begin.  Our focus will be on the way that God prepared for the sending of His Son.  God long spoke through those called prophets, who not only faithfully spoke God's Word to the people of their time, but in doing so, often spoke that word which would tell of the coming of Jesus.  And now, God speaks to us through those same prophets, but now has added the strong voice of His very own Son.

So, Christians, happy new year!  As we get ready for Advent, may this new church year bring God's hope flowing abundantly into your life as He pours a new life into you through His Spirit.

Advent Worship for December 17

Here is the order of worship we will be following for our midweek Advent reflection.

HYMN: LSB 338; Come Thou Long Expected Jesus

INVOCATION

Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the  Son and of the Holy Spirit.

People:            Amen.

OPENING SENTENCES Colossians 1:15–20; John 14:6–9, alt.

Pastor: [Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

People:            For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him.

Pastor: And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

People:            And He is the Head of the Body, the Church.

Pastor: He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,

People:            that in everything He might be preeminent.

Pastor: For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

People:            and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross.

Pastor: Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.” Philip said to Him,

People:            “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”

Pastor: “Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father.”

PSALM Psalm 103:1–18; antiphon: v.13

Pastor: As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear Him.

Pastor: Bless the Lord, O my soul,

People:            and all that is within me, bless His holy name!

Pastor: Bless the Lord, O my soul,

People:            and forget not all His benefits,

Pastor: who forgives all your iniquity,

People:            who heals all your diseases,

Pastor: who redeems your life from the pit,

People:            who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

Pastor: who satisfies you with good

People:            so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Pastor: The Lord works righteousness and justice

People:            for all who are oppressed.

Pastor: He made known His ways to Moses,

People:            His acts to the people of Israel.

Pastor: The Lord is merciful and gracious,

People:            slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

Pastor: He will not always chide,

People:            nor will He keep His anger forever.

Pastor: He does not deal with us according to our sins,

People:            nor repay us according to our iniquities.

Pastor: For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

People:            so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him;

Pastor: as far as the east is from the west,

People:            so far does He remove our transgressions from us.

Pastor: As a father shows compassion to his children,

People:            so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear Him.

Pastor: For He knows our frame;

People:            He remembers that we are dust.

Pastor: As for man, his days are like grass;

People:            he flourishes like a flower of the field;

Pastor: for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,

People:            and its place knows it no more.

Pastor: But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him,

People:            and His righteousness to children’s children,

Pastor: to those who keep His covenant

People:            and remember to do His commandments.

All:       Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear Him.

BIBLE READING Jeremiah 31:31-40

Lector:  This is the Word of the Lord.

People:            Thanks be to God.

CATECHISM The Third Article of the Apostles’ Creed

Pastor: I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.  Amen.  What does this mean?

People:            I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.

IN the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.

In this Christian church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers.

On the last day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ.

This is most certainly true.

SERIES HYMN: LSB 342; What Hope! An Eden Prophesied

SERMON

OFFERING

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

LORD’S PRAYER (Matthew 6:9–13)

People:            Our Father who art in heaven,

hallowed be Thy name,

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done on earth

as it is in heaven;

give us this day our daily bread;

and forgive us our trespasses

as we forgive those

who trespass against us;

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For Thine is the kingdom

and the power and the glory

forever and ever. Amen.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Pastor: Lord Jesus, Lamb of God, when You walked this earth as one of us, You revealed our heavenly Father’s true nature;

People:            so now graciously open our hearts and minds by Your Holy Spirit that in our life and conduct we may show that we abide within the love streaming from the Father’s heart.

Pastor: Hear our prayer, Lord Jesus, Lamb of God,

People:            and show us the Father’s heart.

LUTHER’S EVENING PRAYER

Pastor: Let us pray.

People:            I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have graciously kept me this day; and I pray that You would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.

Pastor: Hear our prayer, Lord Jesus, Word of God Incarnate,

People:            and show us the Father, our Creator.

BENEDICTION

Pastor: The blessing of almighty God—the Father,  Son, and Holy Spirit—be upon you now and forever.

People:            Amen.

HYMN: LSB 336; Lo! He Comes With Clouds Descending

DISMISSAL

Pastor: Go in peace as you serve the Lord.

People:            Thanks be to God.

[The following copyright notice must appear on each reproduction.]

Creative Worship for the Lutheran Parish, Series B, Part 1. Copyright © 2014 Concordia Publishing House.

All rights reserved. Used by permission.