December 22, 2024 -- Pr. Kevin Kritzer -- "Coming Soon: Peace!" -- Luke 1: 6-80; 3:1-18

76 “You, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High. You will go ahead of the Lord to prepare his way. 77 You will make his people know that they can be saved through the forgiveness of their sins. 78 A new day will dawn on us from above because our God is loving and merciful. 79 He will give light to those who live in the dark and in death’s shadow. He will guide us into the way of peace.” 80 The child John grew and became spiritually strong. He lived in the desert until the day he appeared to the people of Israel. --- (Ch.3) It was the fifteenth year in the reign of the Emperor Tiberius. Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea. Herod ruled Galilee, and his brother Philip ruled Iturea and Trachonitis. Lysanias was the ruler of Abilene. 2 It was at the time when Annas and Caiaphas were chief priests that God spoke to John, son of Zechariah, in the desert. 3 John traveled throughout the region around the Jordan River. He told people about a baptism of repentance [a] for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As the prophet Isaiah wrote in his book, “A voice cries out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way for the Lord! Make his paths straight! 5 Every valley will be filled. Every mountain and hill will be leveled. The crooked ways will be made straight. The rough roads will be made smooth. 6 All people will see the salvation that God gives.’ ” 7 Crowds of people were coming to be baptized by John. He would say to them, “You poisonous snakes! Who showed you how to flee from God’s coming anger? 8 Do those things that prove that you have turned to God and have changed the way you think and act. Don’t say, ‘Abraham is our ancestor.’ I guarantee that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones. 9 The ax is now ready to cut the roots of the trees. Any tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire.” 10 The crowds asked him, “What should we do?” 11 He answered them, “Whoever has two shirts should share with the person who doesn’t have any. Whoever has food should share it too.” 12 Some tax collectors came to be baptized. They asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” 13 He told them, “Don’t collect more money than you are ordered to collect.” 14 Some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” He told them, “Be satisfied with your pay, and never use threats or blackmail to get money from anyone.” 15 People’s hopes were rising as they all wondered whether John was the Messiah. 16 John replied to all of them, “I baptize you with water. But the one who is more powerful than I is coming. I am not worthy to untie his sandal straps. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing [b] shovel is in his hand to clean up his threshing floor.[c] He will gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn the husks in a fire that can never be put out.” 18 With many other encouraging words, he told the Good News to the people. --GW

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December 15, 2024 -- Pr. Kyle Blake -- "Coming Soon: Forgiveness!" -- Luke 1: 57-76

57 When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very kind to her, and they shared her joy. 59 When the child was eight days old, they went ⌞to the temple⌟ to circumcise him. They were going to name him Zechariah after his father. 60 But his mother spoke up, “Absolutely not! His name will be John.” 61 Their friends said to her, “But you don’t have any relatives with that name.”

62 So they motioned to the baby’s father to see what he wanted to name the child. 63 Zechariah asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” Everyone was amazed. 64 Suddenly, Zechariah was able to speak, and he began to praise God. 65 All their neighbors were filled with awe. Throughout the mountain region of Judea, people talked about everything that had happened. 66 Everyone who heard about it seriously thought it over and asked, “What does the future hold for this child?” It was clear that the Lord was with him. 67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, 68 “Praise the Lord God of Israel! He has come to take care of his people and to set them free. 69 He has raised up a mighty Savior for us in the family of his servant David. 70 He made this promise through his holy prophets long ago. 71 He promised to save us from our enemies and from the power of all who hate us. 72 He has shown his mercy to our ancestors and remembered his holy promise, 73 the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham. 74 He promised to rescue us from our enemies’ power so that we could serve him without fear 75 by being holy and honorable as long as we live. 76 “You, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High. You will go ahead of the Lord to prepare his way.

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December 8, 2024 -- Pr. Kevin Kritzer -- "Coming Soon: Mercy!" -- Luke 1: 46-55

46 Mary said, “My soul praises the Lord’s greatness! 47 My spirit finds its joy in God, my Savior, 48 because he has looked favorably on me, his humble servant. “From now on, all people will call me blessed 49 because the Almighty has done great things to me. His name is holy. 50 For those who fear him, his mercy lasts throughout every generation. 51 “He displayed his mighty power. He scattered those who think too highly of themselves. 52 He pulled strong rulers from their thrones. He honored humble people. 53 He fed hungry people with good food. He sent rich people away with nothing. 54 “He remembered to help his servant Israel forever. 55 This is the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and his descendants. -GW

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December 1, 2024 -- Pr. Kevin Kritzer -- "Coming Soon: Joy!" -- Luke 1:24-45

24 Later, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and didn’t go out in public for five months. She said, 25 “The Lord has done this for me now. He has removed my public disgrace.” 26 Six months after Elizabeth had become pregnant, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a city in Galilee. 27 The angel went to a virgin promised in marriage to a descendant of David named Joseph. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 When the angel entered her home, he greeted her and said, “You are favored by the Lord! The Lord is with you.” 29 She was startled by what the angel said and tried to figure out what this greeting meant. 30 The angel told her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary. You have found favor  with God. 31 You will become pregnant, give birth to a son, and name him Jesus. 32 He will be a great man and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 Your son will be king of Jacob’s people forever, and his kingdom will never end.” 34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this be? I’m a virgin.” 35 The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come to you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy child developing inside you will be called the Son of God. 36 “Elizabeth, your relative, is six months pregnant with a son in her old age. People said she couldn’t have a child. 37 But nothing is impossible for God.” 38 Mary answered, “I am the Lord’s servant. Let everything you’ve said happen to me.” Then the angel left her. 39 Soon afterward, Mary hurried to a city in the mountain region of Judah. 40 She entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard the greeting, she felt the baby kick. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 She said in a loud voice, “You are the most blessed of all women, and blessed is the child that you will have. 43 I feel blessed that the mother of my Lord is visiting me. 44 As soon as I heard your greeting, I felt the baby jump for joy. 45 You are blessed for believing that the Lord would keep his promise to you.” --GW

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November 24, 2024 -- Pr. Nader Hanna -- "Christ Jesus Our One King" -- John 18:33-37

33 Pilate went back into the palace, called for Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” 34 Jesus replied, “Did you think of that yourself, or did others tell you about me?” 35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own people and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom doesn’t belong to this world. If my kingdom belonged to this world, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. My kingdom doesn’t have its origin on earth.” 37 Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus replied, “You’re correct in saying that I’m a king. I have been born and have come into the world for this reason: to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to me.” --GW

Further Readings:

Revelation 1:4-8

Daniel 7:9-10; 13-14

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November 17, 2024 -- Vicar John Alwood -- "The Original Thanksgiving" -- Psalm 16

(16) Protect me, O God, because I take refuge in you. 2 I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord. Without you, I have nothing good.” 3 Those who lead holy lives on earth are the noble ones who fill me with joy. 4 Those who quickly chase after other gods multiply their sorrows. I will not pour out their sacrificial offerings of blood or use my lips to speak their names. 5 The Lord is my inheritance and my cup. You are the one who determines my destiny. 6 Your boundary lines mark out pleasant places for me. Indeed, my inheritance is something beautiful. 7 I will praise the Lord, who advises me. My conscience warns me at night. 8 I always keep the Lord in front of me. When he is by my side, I cannot be moved. 9 That is why my heart is glad and my soul rejoices. My body rests securely 10 because you do not abandon my soul to the grave or allow your holy one to decay. 11 You make the path of life known to me. Complete joy is in your presence. Pleasures are by your side forever. --GW

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November 10, 2024 -- Pr. Kyle Blake -- "You Won The Election!" -- Psalm 146

(146) Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! 2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. 3 Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. 4 When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish. 5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, 6 who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever; 7 who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free; 8 the Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous. 9 The Lord watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin. 10 The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the Lord! -ESV

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November 3, 2024 -- Pr. Kevin Kritzer -- "His 'R Us" -- 1 John 3:1-2

(3) Consider this: The Father has given us his love. He loves us so much that we are actually called God’s dear children. And that’s what we are. For this reason the world doesn’t recognize us, and it didn’t recognize him either. 2 Dear friends, now we are God’s children. What we will be isn’t completely clear yet. We do know that when Christ appears we will be like him because we will see him as he is. --GW

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October 27, 2024 -- Pr. Kevin Kritzer -- "Not to brag, but..." -- Romans 3:19-28

19 We know that whatever the Scriptures say applies to everyone under their influence, and no one can say a thing. The whole world is brought under the judgment of God. 20 Not one person can have God’s approval by any effort to follow the laws in the Scriptures. These laws show what sin is. 21 Now, the way to receive God’s approval has been made plain in a way other than the laws in the Scriptures. Moses’ Teachings and the Prophets tell us this. 22 Everyone who believes has God’s approval through faith in Jesus Christ. There is no difference between people. 23 Because all people have sinned, they have fallen short of God’s glory. 24 They receive God’s approval freely by an act of his kindness [a] through the price Christ Jesus paid to set us free from sin. 25 God showed that Christ is the throne of mercy where God’s approval is given through faith in Christ’s blood. In his patience God waited to deal with sins committed in the past. 26 He waited so that he could display his approval at the present time. This shows that he is a God of justice, a God who approves of people who believe in Jesus. 27 So, do we have anything to brag about? Bragging has been eliminated. On what basis was it eliminated? On the basis of our own efforts? No, indeed! Rather, it is eliminated on the basis of faith. 28 We conclude that a person has God’s approval by faith, not by his own efforts. -GW

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October 20, 2024 -- Vicar John Alwood -- "Sent for (the) Rest" -- Hebrews 4: 1-16

(4) God’s promise that we may enter his place of rest still stands. We are afraid that some of you think you won’t enter his place of rest. 2 We have heard the same Good News that your ancestors heard. But the message didn’t help those who heard it in the past because they didn’t believe. 3 We who believe are entering that place of rest. As God said, “So I angrily took a solemn oath that they would never enter my place of rest.” God said this even though he had finished his work when he created the world. 4 Somewhere in Scripture God has said this about the seventh day: “On the seventh day God rested from all his work.” 5 God also said in the same passage, “They will never enter my place of rest.” 6 However, some people enter that place of rest. Those who heard the Good News in the past did not enter God’s place of rest because they did not obey God. 7 So God set another day. That day is today. Many years after ⌞your ancestors failed to enter that place of rest⌟ God spoke about it through David in the passage already quoted: “If you hear God speak today, don’t be stubborn.” 8 If Joshua had given the people rest, God would not have spoken about another day. 9 Therefore, a time of eternal rest exists for God’s people. 10 Those who entered his place of rest also rest from their work as God did from his. 11 So we must make every effort to enter that place of rest. Then no one will be lost by following the example of those who refused to obey. 12 God’s word is living and active. It is sharper than any two-edged sword and cuts as deep as the place where soul and spirit meet, the place where joints and marrow meet. God’s word judges a person’s thoughts and intentions. 13 No creature can hide from God. Everything is uncovered and exposed for him to see. We must answer to him. 14 We need to hold on to our declaration of faith: We have a superior chief priest who has gone through the heavens. That person is Jesus, the Son of God. 15 We have a chief priest who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses. He was tempted in every way that we are, but he didn’t sin. 16 So we can go confidently to the throne of God’s kindness [a] to receive mercy and find kindness, which will help us at the right time.

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