Scripture: John 1:1-14 Hebrews 1:1-6, What child is this who is laid to rest on Mary's lap? The Gospel of John and the book of Hebrews gives us a cosmic answer. We are told this little child is the Word, and we learn that from the beginning of all things, this Word was with God and was God. Through this Word, all things were made, including you and me, and in this Word is light and life. Picture it, the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, in this little child. Hail the incarnate deity. While Mary holds Him in her lap, he controls the universe. Why did He come, this Word, through whom all things were made? Why did he come, this light that pierces the darkness? The cosmic answer is not what we might expect. He has come for war! In this war, that began back in Genesis, Jesus has the last word. "Your sins are forgiven" he says. Our Lord is risen, and we shall rise too. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under His feet. Look now at this Christmas a little more deeply, look through t

Scripture: Luke 2, When Christ was born the whole city of Jerusalem should have crawled on their hands and knees out to Bethlehem to see him. God came down from heaven to earth and the whole earth should bend their knee in adoration. Every living creature should have been ready to examine themselves and ask: "Am I ready to meet my maker?" The fullness of time arrived in Bethlehem the day the Lord was born. The pivotal event in the history of the universe happened! The fulfillment of all the hopes of all the years, that all of creation has been groaning for, came to pass that night in Bethlehem. The offspring of the woman entered the world to crush the head of the serpent. May we stand at attention, so to speak, for our Lord comes down to us to prepare our hearts and minds with repentance and faith in order to meet our Maker. Let all ignorance be lifted so that we may hear the "good news of great joy" that shall be for all people. The One who is able to save you and raise you from the wa

Scripture: Luke 1:26-38, The angel told a virgin that she would become pregnant while remaining a virgin. This seemingly impossible news to Mary is especially good news for us, especially in these bitter days of skepticism and cynicism. Christmas is a thunderbolt that shatters modern man's arrogance and pride, certainty regarding what is, and what is not. Christmas ought to shatter our skepticism and cynicism too. When God calls us to faith, he creates a light in darkness, He sends good news forth and where there was only death and eternal death, there is life and eternal life. No matter what our circumstances, we should simply say to God, "Dear Father, Your will be done," or as Mary says, "Let it be unto me as you have said." The things God works in the cold hard reality of this world are better than any myth or fairy tale. With God, the impossible happens every day and will continue to happen. The dead will rise, the world will be made new and the people of God will be gathered into one eternal fami

Scripture: Ephesians 3:8-12, We remember December 7 to commemorate the day Saint Ambrose of Milan was consecrated bishop. Ambrose was trained in law and literature, not theology. He had not been baptized, and before his consecration as bishop of Milan, he conceded to the crowd's request, against his will, to be baptized. After his consecration, he didn't want the job and ran away, hiding in a friend's house. But God used Ambrose to keep the church focused on the full deity of Christ during a long tenure of church leadership.

Scripture: John 1:6-8, 19-28, John the Baptist pointed those he baptized to Jesus, the Lamb of God. Following the Lamb of God just might lead you to a "cross" of your own. That's what Jesus said, but thanks be to God there's a resurrection on the other side of that cross, His resurrection and yours. As believers, we are the sheep of the Almighty Lamb of God. Our pastors are nothing more than a voice crying in the wilderness doing what John the Baptist did, pointing you to Jesus, who tells you the most important words you can ever hear, "your sins are forgiven by My life, death and resurrection".

Scripture: Revelation 12:1-11 Luke 1:46-55, Mary is an icon of the holy church, the symbol of all believers, for she believed the Word of God --- the God who humbles the exalted and exalts the humble, who heals the sick, who gives sight to the blind, who causes the lame to walk, who raises the dead, who reverses the curse. The God who took a lowly hand maiden and made her into a heavenly queen is what Revelation 12 is depicting. The humble teenage girl, who believed the Word and bore the shame of being pregnant apart from Joseph. Mary, the mother of God. Not bad for a small town Jewish girl born in first-century Judea. May we be found faithful and join with her now and for all eternity, our souls magnifying the Lord and our spirits rejoicing in God our Savior.

Scripture: Mark 1:1-8, God creates through water. God recreates through water. God saves through water. So it is no surprise that the heart and center of the Old Testament finds God creating and recreating and saving through the waters of the Red Sea. For there, in those waters, God recreated his people from a nation of slaves to a nation of priests. Through baptism God washes you of every sin and every stain. In baptism He saves you, he pours out his Holy Spirit upon you. He makes you a new creature and a new creation. God gives you newness of life. The catechism says, "for now we are only half pure and holy", so the Holy Spirit continues His work in us through His Word. God daily forgives us until we reach the life to come. In that time there will be no more forgiveness but only perfectly pure and holy people. May God grant this to us all.

Happy feast day the feast day of St Nicholas of Myra! That's right, good old Saint Nicholas' Feast Day, it's on the church calendar. He's the patron saint the patron saint of children. He lived, even before Christmas became what it is today. The real thing Nicholas wasn't a Santa Claus taking attention away from Jesus he was a preacher drawing people's attention to Jesus. He wasn't one making a list and checking it twice to see who's been naughty and who's been nice. He knew that all people, bishops included, were both sinners and saints at the same time and all desperately in need of Christ's forgiveness and mercy. He gave gifts to others not to earn any favor with God but because God had been so good to him. That taught him, and us, to be charitable as well. Saint Nicholas lives forever because, just like you, he was baptized and he believed in Jesus, true God and true man, of one substance with the Father, who was born, who died and who rose for us all.

Scripture: Isaiah 64:1-9, In our text today, Isaiah does some reminiscing as he thinks back to the good old days when God would rescue his people in very dramatic ways. Isaiah was feeling like it was time for God to come down, break into His creation and flex his muscles again. We are like Isaiah as we see attacks on Christ and His Body, the Church, coming from all directions. We are tempted to move, but there's really no place to move to. Oh, we want the heavens to open like they did in the good old days and set some fires, boil some water, shake rock-solid mountains, establish justice, crush the evil doers and show them who's boss -- the Lord of Heaven and Earth. Rattle some cages God, it's time. But our Lord Jesus is coming again! You have nothing to fear, for he has forgiven you all your sins. Let us look forward to that day, a day and time even better than all the "good old days" Isaiah wished for.

Scripture: Matthew 25:31-46, All humanity will be judged on the Last Day by Jesus, not by their works on earth, but upon whether or not they believe in Christ as the Son of God and their Savior. This incredible event, as described by Christ himself, will place all humanity in one of two categories. To the Sheep on his right, he will say not a single word of condemnation. They are judged by the Gospel and their works are cleansed by His blood, so their works are only good. To the Goats on his left, Jesus will say not a single word of praise. They have rejected the gospel of mercy, and so they are judged by the strictness of the Law. The Goats are declared to be evil and will be eternally damned. Listen as Pastor Rhode unpacks the meaning of this important parable of Jesus.