Today's Reading: Isaiah 2:1-5 

Daily Lectionary:Isaiah 2:1-22; 1 Peter 1:13-25

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” (Isaiah 2:3)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It’s that time of the year, the Church Year, that is. It’s that time to reflect upon the Advent, the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Advent is that strange time of the Church Year when it’s a bit somber and joyful and hopeful at the same time.

When you go back to the time of Isaiah, the people were not the greatest. Isaiah begins his book by saying, “Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the LORD, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged.” (Isaiah 1:4) That’s not how anyone should want to be referred to, especially the children of God. But that’s who they were - a sinful nation. These people desperately needed God, but they had forsaken Him. But this goes beyond them, it goes back to Adam and Eve.

Adam and Eve had the privilege of being with God, the way that God had intended. Due to the craftiness of the serpent, sin found its way into the Garden and everything fell apart. When everything fell apart, so did the people. They turned to their own ways, sinful ways. They forgot about God. They forsook God. God became irrelevant. Though the people forgot about God, God did not forget about them. 

Eventually, God’s people saw their need for God and proclaimed their desire to go to the house of the God of Jacob. Their intent: that he may teach them and they would talk in his paths.

That’s where our Lord’s Advent comes into play. God comes in human flesh for the forsaken. God comes in human flesh for the sin-corrupt people, His people. God comes in human flesh for you. 

One has to ask the question of why God would do this if His people had forsaken Him. He does this because He has created them, and has created you. He does this because they have sinned because you have sinned. He does this so they may be “ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.” (1 Peter 1:18-19)

Where God’s people decide to go up to God, God decides to come to them, to keep a promise made long before them. Jesus is coming; He is coming for them and He is coming for you, that you may be His redeemed children. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Lord Jesus Christ, as we prepare for Your coming Advent, prepare our hearts to receive You, that You may teach us Your ways and that we may walk in Your paths to life everlasting; who reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

-Pastor Jared Tucher serves the dual-parish of St. John – Farmer’s Retreat in Dillsboro and St. Paul, Cross Plains, Indiana.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Harrison Goodman.

Study Christ's words on the cross to see how you can show more Christlike grace in your life. Perfect for group or individual study, each chapter has a Q&A at the end, and the back of the book includes a leader guide. Available now from Concordia Publishing House.