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But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. Galatians 4:4-7

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Most people love Christmas! It’s the time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s full of cookies and candy canes, treats and traditions, music and magic. Christmas means family. And most importantly, Christmas means Jesus.

But here’s the thing—you only fully understand what that truly means when you think what Christmas without Jesus looks like. How would that change the phrase “Christmas means family”?

People love Christmas because it gives them something to look forward to. It’s fun! It makes them feel happy. But we also know life isn’t perfect. There are lots of times we see sin and sadness in the world. Christmas reminds us that we don’t just need fun—we need to belong to God’s family.

Through Jesus, you belong to God’s family!

Jesus didn’t come just to make a few weeks of Christmas cheer. He came to save people from sin and death. He bought you for his family. And in God’s family, you can talk to your heavenly Father anytime—asking for help, peace, and love.

So, when you are afraid of what’s going on in the world, when you feel burdened by your sins, you can call out “Abba, Father”—and your heavenly Father will hear your cry for help because you are his child!

Christmas means you belong to God’s family. As part of this family, you get to wear Christmas clothes! Mom and Dad make sure you have nice clothes to wear for a service. Did they tell you to keep them clean for a nice picture? Christmas gives you something even better: Jesus gives you holy white robes of heaven! That means you get to live as someone who belongs to God’s family.

Christmas means Jesus. And because of Jesus, Christmas means family—God’s family.

Abba, Father, thank you for sending your Son, Jesus, that through him you call us your children. In the joy of belonging to your family, may we continue to keep our “Christmas clothes” clean by living lives according to your will. Amen.

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I will tell of the kindnesses of the LORD, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the LORD has done for us—yes, the many good things he has done for Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses. He said, “Surely they are my people, children who will be true to me”; and so he became their Savior. In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old. Isaiah 63:7-9

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Think about when you come back to school after Christmas break. What’s the first thing everybody does? They tell stories! Stories about presents, fun trips . . . stories about cousins who stayed WAY too long.

We like telling the good parts of our break. We don’t usually say things like, “I fought with my brother,” or “I spilled hot chocolate everywhere.” We like to talk about the happy things!

The prophet Isaiah reminds us that we can do the same thing when we talk about Jesus—we can tell the good news about him!

Here’s the best part: God says to you, “Surely you are my people.” That means, “You belong to me. I love you. I won’t leave you.” So whether the rest of your break is super fun, kind of boring, or a little tough, Jesus is with you. He carries you. He will not let you go. You can trust that because he has also told you that the baby in the manger is your Savior.

And THAT is something worth telling others!

Dear Lord, thank you for telling us in your Word all the wonderful things you have done for us. May we always remember these truths, that we would tell your praises and mercies to those who need to hear them. Amen.

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In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. John 1:1-2 (EHV)

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

A long time ago, at the very beginning of everything, God used his Word to create the whole world—everything we see and even things we cannot see. Over 2,000 years ago, this same Word became a baby and lived among us in Bethlehem. That is what we celebrate at Christmas—Jesus—“the Word”—comes to be with us!

But it wasn’t just about Jesus being born. He came on a special mission—to save us. Everything he did, and even some things he didn’t do, were all part of this mission. His goal? To make us children of God and to bring us close to him.

When we look at nativity scenes, manger sets, or Christmas pictures, we remember baby Jesus—“the Word”—and think about all he has done for us. Because of him, we can be friends with God, have our sins forgiven, and live holy lives. We become part of God’s family through faith—that means believing Jesus is our Savior.

Because we are God’s children, we can pray, “Our Father in heaven”, and know that God loves us, cares for us, and is with us every single day. He gives us what we need and keeps us close to him through his Word. One day, because of Jesus, we will be with him forever in heaven!

All around the world, people are celebrating this amazing Christmas truth: God’s love for us in Jesus. And we get to celebrate it too!

Merry Christmas to you and your family! Christ—“the Word”—is born! And that’s the best news ever! Amen.

Jesus, you are the Word made flesh who came down to heaven to become one of us. You became our salvation so that we could become children of God. May we rejoice in the Christmas message now and forever. Amen.

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For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people. It trains us to reject ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope, that is, the glorious appearance of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He gave himself for us, to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people who are his own chosen people, eager to do good works. Titus 2:11-14 (EHV)

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

During the school year, we get some breaks—like Christmas break, Easter break, and summer break. Breaks are a time to take a rest from the usual schedule and enjoy something different. Learning is important, but so is rest, fun, and spending time with family and friends.

When a break starts, what will you do with that free time? Sometimes, there are plans already. Other times, we have to decide how to use our free time. If we don’t think about it, we might end up doing nothing and feel like we wasted our break.

Jesus gives us a different kind of freedom. It isn’t freedom from school—it’s freedom from a life controlled by sin. Sin is all the ways we make bad choices, act selfishly, or ignore God. The freedom Jesus gives us isn’t just a “break” before we have to deal with sin again—it’s freedom to live a new life following him.

Jesus has saved us from sin. We are free! But what will we do with this freedom? God calls us to live for him and do good things.

Here’s a way to understand it: an old soap commercial—Dawn soap. The power of Dawn soap isn’t just for dishes. There was an oil spill in the ocean, and many birds got covered in oil and couldn’t move. People came and washed the birds with—you guessed it—Dawn soap and hot water. The commercial shows the birds flying away and free.

In the same way, Jesus cleaned us from sin and guilt. His cross and blood free us to do the things God made us to do! We can:

All of this is possible because Jesus made us clean and pure.

Dear Jesus, thank you for cleaning us from sin and guilt and giving us freedom to live for you. Holy Spirit, help us use our freedom to do good things, love others, and praise you with happy hearts. Thank you for saving us and being with us every day. Amen.

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The LORD spoke to Ahaz again. He said, “Ask for a sign from the LORD your God. Ask for it either in the depths below or in the heights above.” But Ahaz responded, “I will not ask. I will not test the LORD.” So Isaiah said: Listen now, you house of David. Is it not enough for you to test the patience of men? Will you test the patience of my God as well? Therefore the Lord himself will give a sign for all of you. Look! The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and name him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:10-14 (EHV)

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Have you ever seen a Mission Impossible movie with Tom Cruise? There are eight of them! They have crazy stunts—people hanging from planes, jumping between buildings, and doing things that seem totally impossible. But by the end, all the good guys make it through safely, and the day is saved.

A long time ago, over 700 years before Jesus was born, there was a king named Ahaz. Life looked really hard for the people of Judah. They were sad and worried because it seemed like everything was going wrong. But God promised to help them—even when it seemed impossible.

God wanted Ahaz to ask for a sign to show that he would keep his promise, but Ahaz didn’t want to. So God gave a special sign anyway—the promise of the Savior, Jesus! Jesus would be born from a virgin, and his name would be Immanuel, which means “God with us.” That’s amazing, isn’t it? God promised to be with his people, and he kept that promise by sending Jesus.

Jesus did the most impossible mission ever. He was born as a baby in Bethlehem. He lived a perfect life, died on the cross for us, and promised that everyone who believes in him will be with God forever in heaven. That’s the true miracle of Christmas—God with us, Jesus for us, forever!

Dear Jesus, you are Immanuel, “God with us.” What a beautiful name! Thank you for coming to us, even when it seemed impossible. Help us remember that you are always with us and that “with you,” all things are possible. Lift up our spirits in joy this week as we welcome your deliverance. Amen.

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While John was in prison, he heard about the things Christ was doing. He sent two of his disciples to ask him, “Are you the Coming One or should we wait for someone else?” Jesus answered them, “Go, report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the gospel is preached to the poor. Blessed is the one who does not take offense at me.” As these two were leaving, Jesus began to talk to the crowds about John. “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? No, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. So what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you! And he is much more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ Amen I tell you: Among those born of women there has not appeared anyone greater than John the Baptist. Yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. Matthew 11:2-11 (EHV)

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

There’s a famous children’s book called Are You My Mother? Maybe you’ve read it! It’s about a baby bird who hatches while his mom is gone. So, he climbs out of the nest and starts asking all kinds of animals and even machines, “Are you my mother?” But they all say, “No!” Finally, the baby bird gets lifted back into his nest, and his real mother comes home. They are happy together again!

We aren’t baby birds, and John the Baptist wasn’t either. But John was looking for someone—the Coming One, the Savior God promised.

But here’s the strange part: John the Baptist already knew Jesus! He even baptized Jesus. He heard God’s voice say, “This is my Son, whom I love.” He saw the Holy Spirit come down like a dove. So why would John ask Jesus, “Are you the Coming One?”

Maybe John wasn’t doubting, maybe he was just tired of waiting. He was stuck in prison and probably wished Jesus would save him right away. Or maybe John wanted his followers to learn the truth themselves by going to Jesus and asking. Whatever the reason, we know what happened: John sent two of his helpers to Jesus to ask, “Are you the Coming One?”

And Jesus didn’t just say, “Yes.” Instead, he told them to look at what he was doing—making blind people see, deaf people hear, lame people walk and telling the good news to the poor. All those miracles matched the promises in the Bible. So the answer was clear: Jesus IS the Coming One!

John’s job was always to point people to Jesus. He wanted everyone to know the Savior.

We can do that too. Many people still wonder, “Who is Jesus?” With our lives, words, and church family, we can point to Jesus—the One who came to save us, forgive us, and lead us to eternal life.

Jesus, you are the Coming One whom God promised. You help us see the truth, walk in faith, and one day you will raise us to live with you forever. Make our faith stronger and help us share the good news with others—at Christmas and all year long. Amen.

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Therefore, brothers, be patient until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the valuable harvest from the ground, patiently waiting for it, until it receives the early and late rain. You be patient too. Strengthen your hearts because the coming of the Lord is near. Do not complain about one another, brothers, so that you will not be judged. Look! The Judge is standing at the doors! Brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord as an example of suffering with patient endurance. James 5:7-10 (EHV)

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

If you have a dog, you know one of the hardest things to teach it is patience. But it can be done! You might’ve seen a video of a dog with a treat on its nose while its owner says, “Wait . . . waaaait . . . waaaaait . . . OKAY!” Then the dog flips the treat into the air and gobbles it up. The dog gets rewarded for waiting!

But patience isn’t just hard for dogs, it’s hard for us too. This time of year, we feel it even more. Christmas presents are wrapped already . . . but you can’t open them yet. You might be super excited for grandparents to visit . . . but you have to wait for them to arrive. You might love Christmas Eve church or Christmas Day worship . . . but you have to wait for the day to get here.

Our Bible reading for today talks about patience. Being patient is a good thing—but it’s only really worth it when the person making the promise is someone you can trust. Sometimes people make promises they can’t keep, and that makes us sad.

But God says, “Be patient until the coming of the Lord.” God promises that one day Jesus will come back in glory, with his angels. He will make a new heaven and a new earth. He promises that everyone who believes in him will live with him forever.

But . . . we have to wait. And it’s not time yet.

So what do we do while we wait?

The prophets in the Bible had to wait too—they waited hundreds of years for Jesus’ first coming! And just like a farmer waits for his crops to grow, we wait for Jesus to return. The world is getting ready, and so are we.

Being patient isn’t easy, but we know something important: God ALWAYS keeps his promises. Not one of his promises has ever failed—and they never will.

So we wait . . . but we wait with excitement, because we know Jesus really is coming again!

Lord Jesus, please help us be patient. You promised to come back and make a brand-new heaven and earth where there is no sin or sadness. Help us believe and trust your promises every day and find strength in daily living. Amen.

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The wilderness and the desert will be glad. The wasteland of the Arabah will rejoice and blossom like a crocus. It will bloom lavishly, and there will be great joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it. It will be excellent like Carmel and Sharon. They will see the glory of the LORD, the majesty of our God. Strengthen the weak hands, and make the shaky knees steady. Do not be afraid. Look! Your God will come with vengeance. With God’s own retribution, he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be unplugged. The crippled will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will sing for joy. Waters will flow in the wilderness, and streams in the wasteland. The burning sand will become a pool, and in the thirsty ground there will be springs of water. There will be grass, reeds, and rushes where the haunts of jackals once lay. A highway will be there, a road that will be called the holy way. The impure will not walk there. It will be reserved for those who walk in that holy way. Isaiah 35:1-8 (EHV)

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Have you ever seen a place that looks super green, like a giant forest? The Smoky Mountains are like that—so many greens it looks like someone used every crayon in the box! If you go to a place like Zion National Park, you’ll see tons of browns and tans—still beautiful, just different.

But then there’s Death Valley. Most of the time, it looks dry, empty, and kind of plain. It’s like the world’s biggest “nothing-to-see-here” desert. But something amazing happens once in a while. When it finally gets enough rain, everything changes. Suddenly, colorful flowers pop up everywhere—yellow, orange, purple, pink—like the desert got a giant surprise party! This is called a “superbloom.”

Sometimes our lives feel a little like that dry desert. We might feel sad, lonely, or worried—like our hearts don’t have much color in them.

But Jesus changes everything. The Bible says he’s our “living water,” which means he refreshes our hearts just like rain refreshes a desert.

In the book of Isaiah, it talks about things Jesus did. He made blind people see, deaf people hear, and people who couldn’t walk get up and move again! But Jesus didn’t just fix bodies. He made a way for us to get to heaven—a special road for God’s people called the “holy way.”

We weren’t always on that road. We were stuck in our “sin desert,” with no way out. But God didn’t leave us there. The Holy Spirit used God’s Word and baptism to plant faith inside us—like tiny seeds that bloom into beautiful flowers.

Because of Jesus, we can walk with God now—and someday we’ll go to heaven, a place where sadness runs away and joy and happiness chase us down!

May God help our faith grow and bloom forever. Amen.

Jesus, thank you for being our living water. You make our hearts come alive—like a big, beautiful superbloom. Help us remember that all our joy and faith come from you. Thank you for saving us and redeeming us. Amen.

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In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Matthew 3:1-2

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

He wore really strange clothes made out of camel’s hair. It must have been scratchy and uncomfortable! He ate strange food too—locusts (kind of like grasshoppers) and wild honey. He probably didn’t smell very good either. But even so, people came from all over to hear him speak.

Who are we talking about? John the Baptist! Matthew 3:1-2 tells us: “In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’”

John wore strange clothes and ate strange food because he had an important message: he wanted people to get their hearts ready to meet Jesus. Just like you get ready for Christmas—decorating the house, baking cookies, and cleaning up for guests—we also need to get our hearts ready to meet Jesus.

Jesus is our judge, and one day he will come to judge all people. We want to be ready to meet him. That’s why Jesus wants us to repent of our sins. Repent means to change our minds about sin. It means seeing our sins the way Jesus sees them. Our sins aren’t just little mistakes—they separate us from God and from each other.

Jesus wants us to confess our sins—say, “I’m sorry, Jesus, for the times I disobeyed you.” He wants us to trust that he was punished in our place and then turn away from sin.

Sometimes this is hard, isn’t it?

But in the end, those choices move us away from Jesus instead of closer to him.

He loves us too much to ignore our sin. That’s why he sent John the Baptist: to tell us to repent. Jesus is coming. The kingdom of heaven is near. Let’s get our hearts ready by turning away from sin every day.

Lord Jesus, thank you for reminding us to repent and confess our sins to you. We are sorry for the times we have sinned against you and others. Help us to turn away from our sin and follow you. Help us to be ready to meet you. We love you, Jesus, and we know you love us. Amen.

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May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

What gifts are you hoping for this Christmas? Did you make a list? Do you know for sure you will get them? Maybe. Maybe not. That’s called uncertain hope. You hope for it, but you’re not 100% sure.

God gives us a different kind of hope. In Romans 15:13, the apostle Paul wrote: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

God’s hope isn’t like hoping for a gift you might get—it’s confident and certain. You can count on it! Hope is expecting good things to come because God keeps his promises. How do we know the best is coming? We look at the stories in the Bible.

All these stories tell us one thing: God keeps his promises.

At Christmas, we celebrate the greatest promise kept: Jesus came to be our Savior. And because Jesus kept his promise to die for our sins, we don’t need to be afraid when he comes back as our judge.

Advent isn’t just about waiting for Christmas—it’s about looking forward to Jesus’ return with confident hope. No fear, only peace. No worry, only joy. Fill your heart with the good news of Jesus and remember: the best is yet to come!

Heavenly Father, thank you for always keeping your promises. Send your Holy Spirit to fill us with joy and peace in Jesus. Forgive us for the times we forget to trust you. Help us to look forward with hope to Jesus’ return. Come, Lord Jesus, come. Amen.

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