On the night of Jesus’ birth, the angel said to the shepherds: “I bring you good news of great joy!” News of the Savior’s arrival forever changed the course of human history and is still a source of inexhaustible joy for us each Christmas. It’s no wonder that so many poets and composers have used their artistic talents to set this good news to song. Today’s service gives us an opportunity to hear again the Scripture that describes both God’s promises and their fulfillment in the sending of his Son. It also features selections from Christianity’s rich heritage of gospel-centered Christmas music. It is our great joy to proclaim the good news of Jesus in Scripture and song!

It’s natural to think that the way to prevent disappointment is to set lower expectations. The opposite is true with Christmas. If “the most wonderful time of the year” hasn’t always been so wonderful, the solution is not to expect less. Instead, this is the time of year when God teaches us to look for more. This week we see how God wants us to look for bigger change to result from Christ’s presence in our world. It’s easy to think that the biggest change that needs to happen is in our external circumstances. Jesus, however, wants us to look for him to change what’s going on internally. Whether we are filled with pride or despair, whether our lives are full of obvious sin or plagued by self-righteousness, God wants to work repentance and faith in our hearts. He sends messengers who speak his Word for that very purpose.

It’s natural to think that the way to prevent disappointment is to set lower expectations. The opposite is true with Christmas. If “the most wonderful time of the year” hasn’t always been so wonderful, the solution is not to expect less. Instead, this is the time of year when God teaches us to look for more. This week we see how God wants us to look for a bigger reason for why Jesus came to earth. It’s easy to look to Jesus for help only for specific problems or only on specific occasions. But God taught his people—and wants to teach us—to expect in Jesus a king who saves us. Our natural condition is one of total helplessness and hopelessness. Thankfully, the reason Jesus came is to be our total Savior.

When the leaves wither and fall to the ground each year, so do the seeds that contain the power and promise for new life. In the same way, God uses the things that fail, frustrate, and disappoint us in the present as seed for the eternal future he has planned for us. This week we see how those who are afflicted sow patience and harvest justice. While we may be tempted to get frustrated by the injustice we see in our world, especially when we are on the receiving end of it, Jesus invites us to wait and to watch for his judgment. For now, his mission remains to bring his salvation to as many as possible. At the same time, he assures us that the day is coming when he will right every wrong. We have every reason to commit our cause to his merciful and just hands.

When the leaves wither and fall to the ground each year, so do the seeds that contain the power and promise for new life. In the same way, God uses the things that fail, frustrate, and disappoint us in the present as seed for the eternal future he has planned for us. This week we see how those who are judged sow death and harvest life. No matter how much we might like a world free of judgment, we live in a world full of judgment. That leaves us with two options: either we try to establish innocence on our own here and now or we let our innocence remain hidden with Christ until the last day. Though entrusting our judgment to God’s Son looks and feels like death, it carries the guarantee of resurrection and life. Just as Jesus sowed death and harvested life, so too will all who hear and listen to his voice.

When the leaves wither and fall to the ground each year, so do the seeds that contain the power and promise for new life. In the same way, God uses the things that fail, frustrate, and disappoint us in the present as seed for the eternal future he has planned for us. This week we see how God’s children sow sacrifice and harvest reward. Only those who are solely responsible for taking care of themselves must fearfully cling to their material possessions. Those who know they have a generous Father in heaven are freed to be generous with others. As we give generously and even sacrificially to others, our hearts are pulled away from earthly riches to the eternal reward earned by Christ’s generous sacrifice for us.

When the leaves wither and fall to the ground each year, so do the seeds that contain the power and promise for new life. In the same way, God uses the things that fail, frustrate, and disappoint us in the present as seed for the eternal future he has planned for us. This week we see how God’s saints sow tears and harvest joy. For those who are declared holy through the mercy and merit of Jesus Christ, our great hope is not that God would somehow spare us from tears in this life or prevent all that causes them to flow. Rather, the tears that fall to the ground as we mourn losing those we love will produce a harvest of joy when death is swallowed up in victory. Our joy in eternity will be all the greater for the tears we sow now.

The hardness of metal makes it difficult to bend into any shape we want. Once forged into the proper shape with fire, however, that same hardness is what makes metal so useful and reliable. In the same way, God uses fire to forge our faith into the specific shape he desires. This week we see how God forges our faith in the fire of trials. Jesus promises that our lives as his followers will not always be easy. We will face hardship and opposition. He also promises, however, to use these trials as opportunities for us to confess our faith. The devil’s best attempts to silence the gospel only serve to spread it further that more might come to know Christ’s saving name.

The hardness of metal makes it difficult to bend into any shape we want. Once forged into the proper shape with fire, however, that same hardness is what makes metal so useful and reliable. In the same way, God uses fire to forge our faith into the specific shape he desires. This week we see how God forges our faith in the fire of his Son’s incarnation. In Christ Jesus, we have a God who dwells among us. Just as he walked the earth in flesh and blood during his time on earth, so he promises to remain among us through his Word and Sacraments. He stands at the door, ready and eager to bring us the best of his gifts. Our desire to gather around his Word and Sacraments is shaped by his desire to be near to us.

The hardness of metal makes it difficult to bend into any shape we want. Once forged into the proper shape with fire, however, that same hardness is what makes metal so useful and reliable. In the same way, God uses fire to forge our faith into the specific shape he desires. This week we see how God forges our faith in the fire of holiness. It’s natural for us to want to put our trust in our own efforts and our own performance. When confronted with the absolute holiness of God’s expectations for us, however, such confidence is shown to be unreliable. Once our confidence in our own efforts has melted away, however, God’s Word points us to the Savior who came to be holy in our place. God shapes our faith to be directed only at him.