Amos delivered a hard word from God to the northern kingdom of Israel.  It was a message of judgement and of dark days to come.  His prophetic book ends with today's passage - a joyous message of restoration.  This message of restoration didn't void God's previous Word of judgement but it did provide hope for a day beyond the darkness.  The good news of Christ Jesus is not a sugar-coated alternative presentation of reality but is instead, as we read in John 1:5, "the light shining in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."  Do you feel like you are in darkness?  Please hear the Word of God as reported in Isaiah 9:2, "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. For those living in the land of the shadow of death, the light has dawned."

Matthew 3:13–17, "Jesus Goes to Where We Are" 

If we’re honest – and that’s an endangered activity in this age – we live in a broken, messed-up, and hurting world.  The painful truth is that for the most part we often feel like we’re living broken, messed-up, and hurting lives.  When you were young and dreaming about your adult life, did it look like this?  Do you have regrets?  Do you wish that you could start over?  When Jesus stepped into the Jordan with John, he joined a bunch of people who were confessing their sins and hoping that somehow God would show them mercy.  They were standing there with their regrets, their shame, and their fears – and the very God of the very God waded right in beside them.  God is not repulsed by our brokenness, but in Jesus wades right into the muck and filth of our daily lives.  Could you use a reminder? 

An awful despot named Herod tried to eliminate Jesus by slaughtering all of the children in Bethlehem who were two years old and under.  Why couldn't he have dropped dead before charging his soldiers with this heinous command?  How could the soldiers carry it out?  Why does God allow such unrestrained evil to occur?

Our weekly Prayer Online Service.

Luke 2:22-40 "Waiting Upon the Lord"

Two elderly people who clung to God's promises despite having to wait a long time, experienced the joy of promises fulfilled as Jesus was brought to the Temple.  Are we perhaps tempted to give up too quickly?

The night is Joseph.

It has been my experience that the good news of Jesus Christ is rarely received outside of meaningful relationships.  Unfortunately, many Christians do not share their faith in Christ Jesus with their family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers because they feel unqualified to do so, thinking that they don't know enough Bible or their lives aren't perfect.  This would be a problem if we were called to share "us" with our neighbor, but we aren't.  We are called to point others to our Savior - not to us - and what we consider to be disqualifications are the very weaknesses that our Lord uses in bringing forth from us an authentic witness to Him.  John the Baptist teaches us that the role of an evangelist is to point people to Jesus and allow ourselves to fade into the background.  What could be less threatening than that?

Mary visit to Elizabeth.

The Christ Who is Jesus concerned Himself with People not Power.  It was difficult for John the Baptist to understand how an unjust ruler could remain in power when the Christ had come.  In his first arrival Jesus was reconciling the world back to his Father through his innocent suffering and death.  When he returns, the fullness of his reign will be seen by all and his kingdom enjoyed forever by those whom he has reconciled.  Just as he said, everyone who believes in him will live forever with him in his Kingdom.