Read: Philippians 1:3-11

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:3-6

Bringing It Home

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

Do you know what it means to “Finish strong”?

If a runner doesn’t finish the race strong, they might slow down at the finish line and lose the race. If you give up on homework halfway through, your grade will suffer. It’s important not just to work hard but to work hard all the way up until the task is complete. That’s why coaches encourage runners to finish strong and teachers encourage students to work hard on the whole assignment.

When Paul prayed for the church in Philippi, he prayed for a strong finish. He wanted his partnership with the Philippians to last all the way to the very end so that everyone in that congregation could enjoy a blessed reunion with him in heaven someday. But Paul isn’t playing the part of coach, or teacher for the Philippians. He played the role of pastor, and he prayed that God would finish strong.

God is the one who began the good work in each one of us: he gave us faith to believe in him. And because God is the one who began this faith in us, he is the one that keeps us in it—and he is the one that will bring it all the way to completion. What does it look like when faith reaches its completion? It looks like heaven! One day, we will be able to see Jesus with our own eyes and see God face-to-face. In heaven, we no longer need faith. Our faith becomes sight! So, Paul prays that all his beloved church members would reach that day—he prays that God would complete their faith and bring them to heaven forever.

The Advent season is a wonderful time of year to pray for a strong finish to faith. As we look ahead to Jesus’ return, we have confidence in knowing that Jesus is the one who began the good work in us…and he is the one who carries it to completion. We’ll get to bring it home to heaven because of Jesus’ perfect work!

Closing Prayer:

God in heaven, we pray for a strong finish. Help us to run this race of life. Bring us across the finish line. We are so excited to see you with our own eyes! Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• How is life like a race?
• What is waiting for us across the finish line of the race?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• Paul thanked God for the partnership of the Philippians. Whose partnership do you thank God for?
• Jesus came to this earth to finish the work of saving us. What will he do when he comes again?

Questions for Middle School and Above

• Why is it so great to have other Christians running this race alongside us, like Paul and the Philippians?
• Why is it so comforting to know that our finish doesn’t depend on us, but on God?

The word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all people will see God’s salvation.’”
Luke 3:2-6

Prepare the Way for the Lord!

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

Prophets had an important job in the Old Testament. One of God’s prophets was tasked with preaching and teaching to the people, sort of like a pastor. But prophets had the added responsibility of telling the people about the promises of God that would come true in the future. Prophets especially had the job of telling people about the coming Savior. They had to get the people ready to meet that Savior when he arrived!

John the Baptist had this same role. Sometimes people call him “the last Old Testament prophet,” even though we read about him in the New Testament. But John was blessed in a way that no other prophet had been—John got to prophesy the coming of the Savior AND see that Savior also arrive.

John knew that Jesus was just around the corner, so he preached boldly, and he preached without apologizing: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near. Make straight paths for Jesus. Clear out all the debris and brush that’s blocking the way. Jesus is going to be entering into the world and into your heart. What would make it difficult to reach you? Find out what those things are and get rid of them. Bring your sins in prayer to God. Confess your selfishness to him. Make the highway to your heart as clear as possible so Jesus can ride straight in!

The words of John the Baptist are very much for us today. Jesus comes to us in his Word. Are we ready to receive him, or is the highway to our hearts blocked by something? Jesus is coming again on the Last Day, but are our eyes open to see him?

The good news is that no matter what, Jesus is coming with the salvation that he promised. Whatever debris and brush that still blocks the way, he’ll clear it. Whatever mountains and valleys make his arrival harder; he’ll level them. We look forward to his arrival and do everything we can to clear the path in advance—because we want him to reach us every day!

Jesus is coming. How cool is it that we get to prepare the way for the Lord! Come, Lord Jesus!

Closing Prayer:

Lord Jesus, we love seeing you in your word, and we look forward to seeing you with our eyes. Give us the faith to clear the path for you into our own hearts and into the hearts of everyone we know. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• What kinds of things make it hard to walk on a sidewalk?
• What kinds of things make it hard to pay attention to God’s Word?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• What kinds of preparations are you making for Christmas celebrations?
• What kinds of preparations can we make for Jesus the other 11 months of the year?

Questions for Middle School and Above

• Why is repentance such an important aspect of preparation for Jesus’ arrival?
• Why was John the Baptist’s work so valuable in God’s plan?

How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith. Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

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

“Absence makes the heart grow fonder” is a phrase that has been around for so long because it’s true! Absence DOES make the heart grow fonder. It means that if you are far away from someone, you will miss them; even though it’s hard to miss someone, it’s proof that you love them. Your heart might ache because you don’t get to see that person, but that heartache tells you something about the way you feel about them.

When Paul wrote these words, he was describing that feeling. He missed the Thessalonian church and wanted to be with them. His heart hurt for them, but that hurt was a blessing that reminded him just how thankful he was for those people. What hurt perhaps the most is that he wasn’t sure if he would see the Thessalonians again.

Paul missing the Thessalonians reminded him of someone else he had not seen in a while, someone else he was missing. That person was Jesus. But while Paul didn’t know if he was going to get to see the Thessalonians again in this life, he knew two things: 1) He knew he would see every single member of that congregation again in heaven, and 2) He knew that he would see Jesus again at his second coming and for the rest of eternity.

We might not be in the Thessalonian church that Paul was writing to, but we know what it’s like to miss people that we love and what it’s like to wait for Jesus to arrive. So, we can listen to Paul’s encouragement to that congregation and be confident in the same things: we will one day be reunited with all our brothers and sisters in Christ because we know that Jesus is on his way to take us to be home with him forever.

In the meantime, it’s okay to let absence make the heart grow fonder. We will take Paul’s prayer to heart, “May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and everyone else . . . may he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes.”

Closing Prayer:

Lord Jesus, although we cannot see you with our eyes, we know that you are with us every single day. Until you come again, make our hearts grow fonder and increase our love for one another. In your name we ask it. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• Who is someone that you are looking forward to seeing again?
• When will we get to see Jesus again?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• Think of someone that you miss and fill in the blank: “I can’t wait to be with __________ again!”
• Think of how Jesus feels about you and fill in the blank: “Jesus can’t wait to be with ____________ again!”

Questions for Middle School and Above

• What is a time in your life that you really felt the phrase “absence makes the heart grow fonder”?
• We know Jesus isn’t really “absent,” but how is the statement still true about our relationship with Christ?

Read: Mark 13:26-37

[Jesus said] “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. . . But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.”
Mark 13:26,32,33

Be Ready for Jesus!

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

After Thanksgiving, people put lights on their homes, festive garlands around door frames, and Christmas trees and decorations in their living spaces. These are signs that tell us Christmas is coming! They tell us it’s time to celebrate Jesus’ coming to earth as a baby.

As we’ve already discussed in our devotions this week, Jesus has promised that he is coming again to gather all believers and all those who have died in faith to take them to heaven. Sadly, unbelievers and those who died in unbelief will be sent to hell.

God has given us some signs to know that judgment day is coming. Unlike the signs of Christmas, these things are not enjoyable—wars, famines, earthquakes, and false teachers. Can you see some of them happening in the world today? That means Jesus could come at any time. We don’t know when this day is coming or when our last day on earth will be. So now is the time to be ready for Jesus’ return.

How can we be ready for Jesus’ return? In today’s Bible reading, Jesus tells us to keep watch, be on guard, and be alert. That means we need to stay focused on our reward—heaven. Just like running a race requires you to keep your head up, eyes looking ahead, and focus on your end goal. Jesus wants you to do the same as you look forward to eternal life with him.

Don’t lose sight of what God has prepared for us—distracted by all the activities and busy schedules in your family! Stay focused with eyes on Jesus. That way, you can really see and enjoy the blessings he has given us. Here’s what helps keep you focused: hear and learn his Word, keep his promises in your heart, and pray for strength and perseverance as you wait.

Judgment day will be an event of great joy for believers. Mark tells us that Jesus will come with great power and glory. How magnificent that will be! What a comfort it will be to see our Savior face-to-face and be with him in heaven! We definitely want to be ready for that!

Closing Prayer:

Dear Jesus, keep us ready for your return by keeping our eyes focused on our heavenly goal. Help us not to fear that day, but to look forward to it with joyful anticipation because we know our eternity is with you. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• When will Jesus come again?
• What will Jesus do when he comes again?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• Name some of the signs that judgment day is near.
• Discuss how we can be ready for that day.

Questions for Middle School and Above

• Think about your normal daily routine. How can you incorporate things in your day to stay focused on your heavenly goal?
• We may look at the world around us and be fearful of what we see happening. Why do we need not fear?

Read: Isaiah 51:4-6

Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail.
Isaiah 51:6

Keep Your Eyes on the Skies

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

Away from city lights, with their eyes looking up to the dark summer sky, the young family marveled at the number of stars they could see. Constellations, millions of stars, and even the subtle white band of the Milky Way could be spotted that dark night. Their conversation turned to how amazing and powerful God is that he put all those stars in the sky and allowed humans to see them from his created earth.

It must have been similar to the sky Abraham saw when God promised him that his offspring would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. Abraham looked up at the night sky filled with so many stars that he couldn’t possibly count them! (Genesis 15:5). As we remember how God fulfilled this promise and many others to his Old Testament believers, we can be assured that God fulfills his promises to us, too. His promises never fail!

Yet, we are still waiting for one promise to be fulfilled—Jesus’ return to earth. Waiting for that day for him to come and take us to heaven can be hard. That’s why God tells us to “lift up your eyes to the heavens.” Jesus will come back on the clouds to gather all believers to himself on the Last Day. While we wait, God wants us to focus on things that will help us prepare for heaven so “Don’t lose sight of what I have in store for you!” he says.

So, we make use of family devotions like these. We make worship a part of our daily lives. We pray together. We serve one another with the gifts God has given. We feed our faith with God’s Word and let him fill us up with his grace and the promise of his forgiveness, life, and salvation. We ask God to help us wait for him and the heaven he has prepared a place for us.

God sure has shown his beauty in the skies above us. From rainbows to solar eclipses, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies declare the work of his hands” (Psalm 19:1). None of that compares to the glories we will have in heaven when we are forever with the Lord!

Closing Prayer:

O Lord, keep us in your grace until you take us to be in heaven with you forever. How we long for that day! Until it comes, help us to share this saving message with others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• Where do we hear God’s promises to us?
• While you wait for Jesus’ return, what can you do (hint: look up … remember God’s promise!)?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• What promise are we waiting for God to fulfill?
• Why can we be certain Jesus will come back to take us to be in heaven with him?

Questions for Middle School and Above

• Discuss what makes waiting for Jesus’ return difficult?
• How can we encourage each other as we live our lives for Jesus and wait expectantly for his return?

Read: Hebrews 9:24-28

Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Hebrews 9:27,28

Something to Get Excited About!

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

Who is the one person who makes you feel safe? Who is the one person that when you are with them, everything just seems right in the world, no matter what is going on around you? Maybe it’s your mom, dad, grandparent, sister, brother, or friend. That’s the person you want with you when things are tough, when you’re waiting at the doctor or dentist, when you’re touring a new school, or when you’re facing something scary or sad. No matter how difficult something may be, it’s easier with that one person by your side.

I want you to imagine a scene that’s a little scary. You’re sitting in a courtroom. But you’re not just sitting in the room; you’re on trial for something you’ve done wrong! Now, you’re at the mercy of the judge. He decides whether you’re innocent or guilty, whether you’ll be punished or can go free.

It may give comfort to have that one person who loves and cares about you and makes everything a little better sitting in the room. But what if that person isn’t just in the room? Instead, that person who loves and cares about you is the judge? That would certainly change the way you think about being on trial, wouldn’t it?

Our focus this week is judgment day—when all people will be judged. Today’s Bible lesson changes the way we think about that day. God’s Word reminds us that we can be excited about and long for this day, like a vacation that’s happening next week or like the best day of your life is about to happen.

Why is judgment day a good thing? Because of Jesus. Because all the bad things we’ve ever done were already paid for by Jesus on the cross. Being a Christian means believing that you’re judged as holy in God’s sight because of Jesus. It means you are safe because your loving God is your judge.

For believers who are waiting for Jesus—you and me—judgment day is simply salvation day—the day when Jesus brings us to heaven. That’s something to be excited about!

Closing Prayer:

Dear heavenly Father, keep us always connected to Jesus and his saving Word that we might remain strong in the faith and ready for your return. Give us the courage to share your saving gospel with others. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• What is a judge?
• What did Jesus do to make you holy?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• Why don’t we need to be afraid of judgment day?
• Agree/Disagree: I get ready for judgment day by being good and not sinning.

Questions for Middle School and Above

• Explain why it is important to know that God is our judge?
• Why do you think God gives us these details about judgment day?

Read: Read Mark 12:38-44

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”
Mark 12:41-44

Give It All

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

Ben wants to do something nice for his mom on her birthday. He really wants to get her some flowers, but he’s not old enough to drive. Even if he could, he wouldn’t have the money to buy a single flower. But this doesn’t stop him. The next morning, he wakes up early and walks inch-by-inch across his backyard to pick only the best dandelions. He comes bursting through the door and says “Mommy, I love you! Happy birthday!” She loved the gift from her son because he gave her everything he had to offer.

The same woman’s husband is on his way home from work and thinking, “You know, I really should get some flowers for my wife on her birthday. However, I’m already running late, but if I stop at the store, I’m going to miss the kickoff of the football game. Maybe I can just grab some of those yellow flowers growing in the middle of the yard.” He walks into the house with a big smile and hands his wife a handful of the very same flowers she loved from her son. Which gift will she appreciate more?

Those two gifts are the same in one way—what they gave. In the way that matters, in the attitude, they were very different, right?

In our Bible reading today, we learn about a woman and her attitude toward God. A poor widow goes into the temple, and when it comes time for the offering, she puts in two copper coins. It was only a few cents compared to the many dollars of the rich people, but it was all the money she had! With her gift, she displays complete and total trust in God for her next meal, next breath, and next day. That is total and complete trust, physically and spiritually. This woman has given it all to God.

We can be generous, just like Ben and the widow, giving back in every way with our gifts, time, and money, trusting that our good and mighty Savior, who gave us forgiveness of sins and heaven, will meet all our smaller needs as well.

Closing Prayer:

Heavenly Father, lead us to put our trust in you to provide all we need each and every day. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• What does it mean to put our trust in God?
• Why do we give an offering in church every Sunday?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• Who in the Bible story was more generous, the widow or the rich people? Why?
• The widow in today’s story gave everything she had. Does that mean that we need to give God all of our money each week? Explain.

Questions for Middle School and Above

• How does Jesus’ forgiveness change the way you think about your money, time, and talents?
• Come up with three ways you can use your gifts to serve Jesus (1 church, 1 home, 1 school).

Read: 1 Kings 17:8-16

She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah.
1 Kings 17:15,16

God Provides, So Be Generous

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

Has there ever been a time in your life when you didn’t have enough food? When the shelves in your house were bare, and your family didn’t have money to buy anything? Has that ever happened to you? For most of us, we always have enough. We have never had to ask the question, “What are we going to eat today?”

But that was a question in Elijah’s day. Elijah lived in Israel about 2,800 years ago. At that time, the Israelites, led by the wicked King Ahab, were worshiping false gods. So, God sent a drought to show them who the true God was.

Since there was no food in the land, God provided for Elijah in another way. He sent him to a town called Zarephath, “I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.”

There was one problem: this widow didn’t have any food either, just a little flour and oil. It must have been hard for that widow to be generous with Elijah and share her food. But she had faith in God to provide, so “She went away and did as Elijah had told her,” And “The jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry.”

When you hear a story like this, it makes you think, “Wouldn’t it be cool if our jar of flour never ran out?” But if you think about it, it doesn’t! There’s always more food to fill our cupboards, and our refrigerators are full. Why? God provides. Sometimes, he uses miracles. But usually, he uses parents. You know that your parents will provide you with what you need.

The widow knew she had a Father in heaven who would provide for her so she could be generous with Elijah. This can be our attitude, too! We know we have a loving Father because he gave us his only Son, Jesus, to forgive our sins and make us his own.

When we see God’s love for us in Jesus, it changes everything. If God was willing to do the biggest thing for you, do you think he’ll do the small things, too? Of course! When we know those truths, it sets us free from worrying about ourselves, so we can use the gifts that God gives us to be generous with others.

Closing Prayer:

Dear Father, lead us to trust in you to provide for all our needs in this life. In Jesus name, Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• Who provides everything we have (food, clothes, house, etc.)?
• Why does God give us all these things?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• Why does God want us to give offerings to him? Is that true even for children?
• Come up with some ways that you can be generous with the gifts that God has given you.

Questions for Middle School and Above

• Agree/Disagree: God is going to provide for me anyway, so it doesn’t matter where and how I spend my money.
• Why do you think Jesus taught us to pray, “Give us today our DAILY bread?”

Read: Read Revelation 20:4-6

Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
Revelation 20:6

You Will Live and Reign with Christ

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

Where am I STARTING?

That is an important question if you want to get to your destination. If you are heading to Topeka, Kansas you might know that you need to take Interstate 70. But it makes a difference where you are starting from as to whether you’ll drive east or west on I-70. If you are in Denver, you’d go east. If you are in St. Louis, you’d head west.

It’s an important question to ask as we hear today’s word of God. If we have the wrong starting place, we might end up with some confusion about what is being told to us here. So, where are we starting?

The Bible teaches us that at the start of life, we are born alive but spiritually dead in sin. The Bible says that when a person hears the good news of Jesus and believes in him as their Savior, the Spirit of God has raised that person to a new life. That’s faith. This is what John refers to as the first resurrection. It means YOU are part of the first resurrection! It also means you get to live and rule with Christ for a “1,000 years.” Wow, that sounds like a really long time! Doesn’t it? And it’s true, the time between Jesus’ ascension into heaven and when he finally returns to take his people home to heaven has already been a long time—that’s about 2,020 years and counting.

That’s why it’s important to ask, “Where am I starting?” Each of us has already started our lives on earth. Every start of life has an end to life. We will all die physically. Nobody likes to talk about death, but the Bible talks a lot about it because God doesn’t want you to be afraid of it. We’ll cease to breathe, and our souls will separate from our bodies. We could call that the first death. But don’t be afraid because Jesus will raise our bodies in the second resurrection. And we need not ever fear the second death either. We’ll never be separated from God because we’ve been made fully and eternally alive in Jesus, over whom death no longer has any power.

But now, “Where are we going?” Here’s the cool thing—believer in Jesus. By faith, you are part of what’s called the “communion of saints”—those who get to go and live and reign with Jesus in the palace of heaven, in a life that knows only joy, peace, and no end.

Closing Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank you for making me alive in you. Help me take great comfort and joy in knowing that I live and reign with you, now and forever. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• Describe what you think heaven will be like.
• True or False. The Bible doesn’t want us to be afraid of dying.

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• Today’s devotion talked about the first resurrection. What is it?
• How does a person take part in the first resurrection?

Questions for Middle School and Above

• What does the number 1,000 represent in Revelation? What does it not mean?
• Read John 5:24-29. How do those words of Jesus help us understand these words of Jesus?

Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
Revelation 14:6,7

Can You Be Someone’s Angel?

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

People think and say many things about angels. Some of them aren’t what the Bible says about angels. We don’t become angels when we die. Angels don’t get wings when a bell rings. But angels are important and powerful. They are special spirit beings who have only one purpose: to serve and glorify the Lord, their creator. God promises to send them to serve and protect his people.

But angels have another very important purpose that we sometimes forget about. They are messengers. That’s what the word angel means. The Lord has used his angels throughout history to speak his Word to people. They announced Jesus’ birth. They told the disciples of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. They spoke of Jesus’ return. In a vision that Jesus’ apostle John was given, he saw an angel flying in the air. And that angel had an important message to share. He had the eternal gospel to proclaim. He had the good news of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection to share with everybody in this world. He had a message that would save them from sin’s judgment and grant eternal life.

Sometimes, we read this little section of Revelation the day we celebrate the Lutheran Reformation. We remember the way God used a messenger named Martin Luther to proclaim the eternal gospel to all who would hear. After living in fear of his failure to live as God wanted him to, he read about the love that God showed to our sinful world by sending his Son as the Savior of sinners. He was captured by that good news. He preached and taught it. He wrote about it in papers, pamphlets, letters, and books. The eternal gospel he proclaimed brought people back to focus on God’s Word and promises instead of things that weren’t true.

Can you be someone’s angel? We sometimes use that kind of speaking to talk about doing something nice for somebody else. But through this revelation, God reminds us of the nicest thing we could ever do for somebody else. We can speak of God’s love to them in the good news of Jesus. It is the thing that can free them from guilt and shame, from anxiety and fear. Many live in confusion and delusion because they don’t yet know and believe God’s eternal gospel. So, can you be someone’s angel today?

Closing Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank you for giving us your eternal gospel. Help us to speak it to others that they might know your love and forgiveness. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• What does the word angel mean?
• What did John see an angel doing in his revelation?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• What does the word gospel mean?
• Can you think of a person you know that you could speak the good news to?

Questions for Middle School and Above

• Why do we sometimes read this section of the Bible for the Lutheran Reformation?
• Agree/Disagree. You can be like the angels.

Read: Mark 10:32-45

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Mark 10:45

Selfless Service

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

Did you know a presidential election is right around the corner? During this time of year, politicians and businesses often reach out to the leaders of political parties to make deals with them to help that potential president’s cause. They might offer to help promote their campaign or fund a portion of it. They may offer to support or vote in favor of an act or a bill.

When they make such deals, do you think they do so out of the goodness of their hearts? Maybe or maybe not. Sometimes, the agreement or arrangement they propose includes something favorable for them in return. They might request a special position or title. Or they ask for a favor in return or a special tax break for their company. It’s a very human thing to want what’s best for ourselves.

Jesus is so different! Even though he could have easily used his power and authority as God to get whatever he wanted when he came down to earth, he didn’t. Instead, he did the exact opposite—he came to selflessly serve everyone else. That selfless sacrifice would have been amazing on its own, but it’s even more amazing when we consider that he came to serve sinners.

He came for those who would disobey him and reject him. He came for those who sin against him again and again and too often think only what’s best for themselves. But not Jesus! Because of his selfless sacrifice, he forgives all the times we think only of ourselves. He does it without anything in it for him, except his incredible desire to spend eternity with us.

What a great deal! May Jesus inspire our selfless service to others!

Closing Prayer:

Dear Jesus, you came to serve sinners—that means you came to serve me! Since through your saving service, I have forgiveness and eternal life, help me to follow in your selfless footsteps and delight in serving others. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• Think of one or two ways that Jesus served others during his life on earth.
• What is the most important way Jesus served you (and all people)?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• Share a recent time that you were more interested in making sure others served you than you were in serving them.
• Jesus gave his life “as a ransom for many.” Discuss how he did this and what it means for you.

Questions for Middle School and Above

• Jesus’ disciples were hoping for positions of importance and recognition. In what area of your life has the Lord blessed you with success for which you crave recognition?
• Jesus put himself beneath you in service to you. What conclusion can you draw about how highly he must think of you?

It was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin . . . He poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Isaiah 53:10,12

Good Suffering

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

If you do not like going to the doctor to get your shots, you aren’t alone. Most people don’t enjoy getting stuck with sharp objects!

Have you ever watched a parent or grandparent donate blood? Here’s what happens: the donor is given a bag with a long tube and sent to a reclining seat where a nurse waits. The nurse then connects a needle to the tube and gently inserts the needle into the patient’s arm to collect blood. Once the bag is full, the patient is done and allowed to leave after resting and having water and a snack.

If needles hurt, why would anyone willingly put up with getting stuck with one to donate blood? They do it because they know their blood can help save other people’s lives. They endure the prick of a needle because they want to help other people. Their blood may be used for someone who has been injured in an accident, has gone through surgery, or is very sick.

Why did Jesus willingly endure pain and punishment when he died on the cross? Because he knew his blood would help save other people’s lives. He endured the beatings, the whipping, the piercing and the pain of the cross because he knew that by his suffering, he would save others from having to suffer in hell. Isaiah said it like this: “It was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin . . . He poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”

People don’t enjoy suffering, but we’re often willing to endure it for others, just as Jesus did for us. Because Jesus suffered for us while here on earth, we know that we’ll never have to suffer again when we finally leave this earth for heaven!

Closing Prayer:

Dear Jesus, you suffered for us in a way we could never fully understand. But we can be grateful, nonetheless. Help us show our thanks by willingly suffering for others whenever the need arises. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• Getting shots at the doctor’s office can be painful, so why do people get them?
• True or false? Jesus died on the cross to pay for his sins.

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• Share something that you don’t like because you find it very painful.
• Why did Jesus willingly experience the pain of the cross?

Questions for Middle School and Above

• Explain the following statement. No one ever suffered more than Jesus, and no one ever suffered for more than Jesus.
• Jesus willingly suffered for us. How does his suffering affect us and impact our willingness to suffer for others?

Read: Hebrews 4:12,13

For the word of God is alive and active.
Hebrews 4:12

It Lives to Make Us Alive

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.‘
Some say that Latin is a dead language. What they mean by calling it a dead language is that it isn’t spoken as the official language of any country anymore. So, while a small number of people still learn the language and can read and write it, no one really speaks to each other in it. That’s why it is considered “dead.”

Some would say the same thing about the Bible. They argue that it is an old, outdated book filled with “fairy tales” that only a few believe. “It is “dead,” they say.

Not so fast! In Hebrews 4:12, we are told, “The word of God is alive and active.” The Bible is not dead! It’s very much alive and actively at work!

The Bible continues to do important work. First, it shows us that we are much worse off than we could ever have imagined. We are sinners who don’t come close to living the perfect life that God requires of us to get into heaven. That means we deserve the worst fate imaginable: being dismissed by God forever in hell!

That’s why the second thing the Bible shows us is even more important—it shows us how much God cares about us by making sure that we would never have to experience hell. God made the promise to send a Savior to die and even suffer hell for us in our place so that we would never have to!

Latin may be a dead language, but the Bible will never be a dead book. It highlights our Savior, Jesus, who lived, died, and rose for us so that we would never die!

Closing Prayer:

Dear God, thank you for your living and active Word! May I hear, read, and study it, so that it can be active in my life and heart. Use it to grow my faith. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• What does it mean when someone calls Latin a “dead” language?
• Someone says, “The Bible is just a bunch of fairy tales.” What do you say?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• We don’t need to know Latin to be saved, but we do need to know the Bible. Why?
• What does it mean that the Bible is alive?

Questions for Middle School and Above

• What proof could you point someone to that the Bible is “living and active”?
• List at least two reasons the Bible is unlike any other book.

Read: Mark 10:2-16

[Jesus said] “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
Mark 10:6-9

Families Stick Like LEGOs

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

LEGOs aren’t cheap, but they’re worth it! The “knock-off” brands don’t have the creativity or the “sticktoitiveness” as the name brand LEGOs. LEGOs stay together.

That’s the way God wants families to operate, especially a mom and dad joined together in marriage. He wants them to stay together. Jesus explained it like this, “‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So, they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

In less than 50 words, Jesus captures the beauty and wonder of marriage. Marriage begins a new family unit. With joy, excitement, and maybe even a little fear, a husband and wife leave the homes they grew up in and begin a new one. A husband and wife are joined so closely in marriage that God calls it a union, even saying that “they are no longer two, but one flesh.” This “two-become-one” happens literally when, through the union of a husband and wife, God creates another human being—a child. Notice that Jesus tells us it wasn’t “luck” or “fate” that joined a mom and a dad in marriage; God joined them together. It is God’s intent they stay together—like LEGOs.

As good as LEGOs are, they don’t always stick together. Sometimes by accident and at other times with intent, the LEGOs come apart. Unfortunately, that happens in marriage sometimes. Jesus wants us to know that when that happens, it messes with God’s intent for marriage. Marriage works best when husbands and wives stick together. And when it happens from a selfish desire for a different spouse, Jesus calls that sin.

Families are like LEGOs in another way. God wants families to stick to Jesus. This time, little children, not moms and dads, gave Jesus the chance to talk about staying close. When Jesus’ disciples told families not to bother Jesus with the kids, Jesus spoke up, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Jesus wants parents to stick close to him, but he also wants children to stay connected to him. The child-like trust in Jesus is the model for all those who want to be in God’s kingdom.

When parents stick together and when families stick with Jesus, then families are like LEGOs.

Closing Prayer:

God of tenderness and strength, bless our home, our family, and our love. Watch over our coming and our goings. Keep us from growing weary in doing good and sustain our family in any hour of trouble. Help us to deal tenderly with one another and knit our lives together in love for you and each other. Amen. (Modified prayer “For a Married Couple” from Christian Worship: A Lutheran Hymnal, 1993)

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• According to Jesus, who joins moms and dads together in marriage?
• Does God want little children in his heavenly kingdom? How do you know?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• For how long does God want husbands and wives to “stick together”?
• Why does Jesus use children as the example of those who will be in the kingdom of God?

Questions for Middle School and Above

• Agree or disagree. Marriages are supposed to last forever.
• List at least three blessings that come when spouses stick together, when families stick to Jesus.

Read: Genesis 2:18-25

The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
Genesis 2:18

The Very First Wedding

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

Beautiful flowers, moving music, men in tuxedos, ladies in fancy dresses, the smell of fine food, and the chatter of guests. Take a guess where you are. It’s a wedding! You are not, however, at the very first wedding. In Genesis chapter 2, God invites us to be guests at the very first wedding. It looks a little different than a wedding you attended recently. All we see are the bride, the groom, and God. The simplicity of the ceremony focuses our attention on the purpose of marriage rather than fancy clothes, flowers, or food.

In the very beginning, Adam was the only human that existed. However, being alone was not what God intended. God had a plan, “The LORD God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’” God would create a companion for Adam. This special creation would not be something lesser than Adam, but a human being, just like Adam and yet different, “a helper suitable for him.”

Look at the way the Lord prepared Adam to love and appreciate the special companion God was about to create for Adam. He let Adam name all the animals, which not only allowed him to show his wisdom but also let Adam see that there was nothing in creation like Adam. How much more would Adam treasure Eve after God planted in Adam a desire to have a companion like all the other creatures had? When Adam first sees Eve, he breaks out into poetry (the first record of any human being speaking): “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.”

God brought the first man and first woman together in marriage. This wasn’t an arrangement developed by people; God established and defined marriage from the very beginning. According to him, the wonderful blessing he wants for marriage is for one man and one woman to be together for as long as they live. Or, in the words of God himself, “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.”

The very first wedding may not have had all the usual fanfare, but it did establish the foundation of every marriage since.

Closing Prayer:

Gracious and eternal God, in the beginning you created man and woman and established marriage by your design and wisdom. Look with favor on all married couples, who come to you seeking your blessing on their marriage. Guide them with your Word, that with genuine faithfulness and unwavering love for one another they may honor and keep the promises they have made to each other; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (revised from Christian Worship – Rite of Marriage)

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• Who were the two people in the first wedding?
• Adam and Eve didn’t have fancy clothes, cake, or a reception. Does a couple need those things to have a wedding? If not, what do they need?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• Why was God concerned about Adam?
• Why did God have Adam name the animals?

Questions for Middle School and Above

• TRUE or FALSE. The definition of marriage can change depending upon changing times. (The point: God defines marriage for us.)
• What do you find curious about the reference to “father and mother” in Genesis 2:24 (“That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.”)? What does this tell you about God’s words about marriage in that verse?