A frequent theme in the Bible is that we humans are weak. Our sin makes us weak; the ease with which the devil can lead us away from God’s will demonstrates that we are weak; our inability to control the events in our lives further proves that we are weak.

Another frequent theme in the Bible is “the all-surpassing power” of God who has saved us! By Jesus’ death and resurrection, we are set free from the guilt of our sins; death has been destroyed by Jesus! We live in the constant certainty of eternal life. We live in the assurance that our guilt is washed away in the blood of Christ and God is not angry with us – not even a little bit!

Paul wrote about these themes in the verses above. We are “jars of clay.” We appear incredibly fragile and unsuitable to be used for anything glorious. And yet, we see the depth of God’s love in ourselves. The troubles – not even death – do not and cannot win! Jesus has claimed you to be a vessel that displays his love for humanity. His forgiveness fills you.

For the rest of your days on earth you will continue to be a “jar of clay.” And for the rest of eternity, you will loved by God and he will fill you with life. Live in the peace of knowing how you are because of God’s grace.

2 Corinthians 4:7–12 (NIV) "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you."

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"Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went." Acts 8:4 (NIV)

The above verse follows the account in Acts 7 in which Stephen was killed for his testimony about Jesus. The other believers faced persecution and so they “scattered” from Jerusalem.

Notably, they “preached the word wherever they went.” Persecution did not damper their faith. In fact, God used the hatred and persecution they faced in Jerusalem to spread the gospel to new people.

This mission work was accomplished, not through the Apostles or other trained workers. God used the lay people.

Nothing has changed. God still uses lay people – you – to spread the gospel. You can speak about what you know. You know the peace and joy that comes from the forgiveness of sins that you have through faith in Jesus. You know the certainty that death has been defeated by Jesus’ resurrection. This means that you will live in heaven! You can tell people about this life-changing perspective that you have. You don’t have to stand on a street corner (or in the pulpit). You can talk in private conversations wherever God’s leads you.

God’s distribution plan for the gospel has always involved all of his people. Like the earliest Christians, be ready to speak about your Savior wherever you go.

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Today is “National Sanctity of Life Day.” While much could be written about the sin of abortion, take a few moments to think about the verse from Isaiah:
"Woe to those who call evil good
and good evil,
who put darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter.
Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
and clever in their own sight." Isaiah 5:20–21 (NIV)

At its heart, abortion comes from those who do not see evil for what it is. They twist the truth or allow human wisdom to reign over God’s Word. God has graciously revealed the truth to you through the work of the Holy Spirit in your life. You know the truth because God has created faith in your heart. Be on guard against excuses for sin that “make sense” to you. Our hearts, while enlightened by God’s Word, are not immune from temptation. While abortion may be easy for us to see as an evil that is contrary to God’s will, other sins can take root in our hearts – sins that “make sense” to us. Cling to Jesus and listen to his Word for strength.

And as you have opportunity, speak out against the evil of abortion. The innocent, who cannot speak for themselves, need someone to speak. There may be moments when that voice will be yours.

Pray. God has promised to hear his people – that means you. Among the countless concerns you can bring to God in prayer, continue to pray for God to curb all wickedness in our society – including abortion.

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“This is my body given for you. . . . This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:19-20). Don’t let your eye miss what only your faith can see in the Lord’s Supper: Jesus is giving you a blessing! Martin Luther reminds us that the Lord’s Supper is a work of God, not us.
No greater shame and disgrace can be heaped on the most venerable Sacrament than merely to consider it a good work; for a good work is something I can do to another, and it must be an act I perform. But the Sacrament is not my work but God’s work, with which I merely let myself be served and from which I receive a blessing. (What Luther Says, p. 808)

Receive the Lord’s Supper in true faith that God keeps his promises. Because we take the Lord’s Supper regularly, it can become routine. Or because we may not feel anything miraculous, it can seem ordinary. But because God is at work in the Lord’s Supper, nothing could be further from the truth. We get a foretaste of heaven. We commune with the true God. As God works in the Sacrament, let your heart be thrilled to receive his blessings!

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If you’re like every other human being, you don’t like to be told that you are wrong. Our sinful nature despises the thought of being corrected. But for us who know Jesus Christ, we are eager to do what is right. We are willing to be told that we are wrong because we do not want to continue down a path of sin. In Psalm 141:5 (NIV) we read: "Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness; let him rebuke me—it is oil on my head. My head will not refuse it."

The Psalmist was willing to accept correction because he knew it would benefit him. Your sinful nature will never like being corrected, but we are not controlled by the sinful nature anymore. We belong to Christ Jesus. As a child of God who is eager to do good, accept correction in a spirit of gratitude. You are being led back to the right path. That is something that a Christian will never refuse.

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“Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom”
Psalm 90:12 (NIV)

As we begin a new year, it is good to recall Moses’ words (Moses wrote Psalm 90). We need to “number our days aright.” First, let’s remember that the number of days we will spend on earth is infinity fewer than the eternal days in heaven. The Children of Israel’s Exodus from Egypt was a journey to the Promised Land. The harsh desert in which they lived for forty years was not the destination; the “land flowing with milk and honey” was. Heaven is our real home, prepared for us by Jesus Christ!

But let’s also remember that the days we have in this life are gifts from God to be used in service to him. Don’t waste your days here letting sin be your master. Jesus has freed you from sin so that you can enjoy loving and serving like he did. Sure, you’re busy — everyone is — but don’t let busyness keep you from people who really matter. Sometimes there just isn’t enough time to do everything, so number your days aright and chose what is best and most important. Someone once said, “The enemy of the best is the good.” Focus on what the best opportunities God gives you to serve him! Use the time God has given you in ways that please him. You will not be disappointed.

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...We celebrate the birth of our Savior. Because he came, we are saved! The following section is from a sermon Martin Luther preached on Christmas Day. He reminds us that Jesus is our Savior, not only on the cross and at his resurrection, but also in his birth.

"The real reason why a man is saved is that Christ and the believing heart are so united that what each possesses becomes the common property of both. But what does each possess? Christ has a pure, innocent, holy birth. Man has an impure, sinful cursed birth, as David says: 'Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.' There is no remedy for this sinful birth expect through the pure birth of Christ. See, in this way Christ takes from us unto Himself our birth and sinks it into His birth and give us His birth, so that we become pure and new in it, as though it were our own. Every Christian may rejoice and glory in this birth of Christ as though he, too, like Christ, had been bodily born of Mary. Whoever does not believe this, or doubts it, is no Christian." -What Luther Says, p. 197

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As she contemplated the coming of her son, Jesus, Mary’s words recorded in Luke 2 give us insight into her faith and serve as a model for us.

“My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.”
Luke 1:46–52 (NIV)

“He” is the most common pronoun in Mary’s song. Her faith rested on God’s actions. Her hope was in what God had done and would do. She saw God’s gracious hand doing “great things” for her. She saw him helping the lowly and poor because she knew that spiritual blessings far outweighed earthly blessings.

True faith always mirrors Mary’s faith. Our focus isn’t on what we have done, but on God’s actions. He came to the world to save us. He died and rose to take away our sins. As Christmas gets closer let your faith rest on the glorious, life-changing action of your Savior. In him is the life you seek — a life of knowing the true God and serving him with your gifts.

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During Advent we hear the preaching of John the Baptist, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” In repentance, we prepare to meet our Savior — both to celebrate his birth and also on the Last Day. So what is repentance? Martin Luther writes this about repentance: "Beware of placing confidence in your contrition or of ascribing the forgiveness of sins to your own sorrow. For God does not favorably regard you because of contrition or sorrow, but because of faith with which you have believed his threats and promises and which worked sorrow in you. Therefore, we owe whatever good there may be in our penitence not to the conscientious enumeration of sins but to the truth of God and to our faith." (What Luther Says, p. 1213)

True repentance is more than just being sorry for sins. Even unbelievers are often sorry for what they have done. Believers add to their sorrow faith in Jesus as the one who takes away all sins.

John the Baptist tells us the action that will result in the lives of those who repent, “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” Repentance is a change of heart as we believe in God and respond with a change of actions as a fruit of faith. Martin Luther writes this about the changed heart of the repentant: "To probe and ponder how bad you have been is not enough if you do not ponder and probe much more how good you desire to become." (What Luther Says, p. 1214)

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To the secular world, December is all about Christmas. In the Church, we have a season called Advent. Advent isn’t Christmas. Advent is a time to think about Jesus’ coming (Advent means coming) to us. Of course, part of Advent is about Jesus’ coming at Christmas. But during Advent we also recall that Jesus will come again on the Last Day in glory and power to raise the dead and take believers to heaven. During Advent we also are reminded that Jesus comes to us in the present through Word and Sacrament to touch our hearts with a message of eternal love.

Christmas is on our minds, so we sing some Christmas songs in our worship services and put up Christmas decorations. But the themes of Advent are different than Christmas. The significance of Advent is more than just a warmup for Christmas. In Advent we celebrate that Jesus has come, will come, and is coming. That certainly makes this a joyous season!

Isaiah 9:6 (NIV)
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

John 6:63 (NIV)
“The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.”

1 Thessalonians 4:16 (NIV)
"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God."

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