“Truly I tell you,” [Jesus] continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown.” . . . All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this.
Luke 4:24,28

Locals Do Not Take It Well

When Jesus was growing up, he never sinned. It’s hard to understand how he could go through childhood and teenage years without ever doing anything wrong, but that’s exactly what happened. Jesus was a model citizen. But when he returned to his hometown as an adult to tell the people all about the truths about God, they rejected him. He had never done anything wrong to them, but they were still skeptics. Jesus saw their problem, and he told them, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown.” Did that make them sorry for doubting him? Nope! They were furious when they heard what Jesus told them.

Don’t be surprised if you get the same reaction when you mention anything about Jesus. His perfect life is your righteousness, your ticket to heaven through faith, but rather than marveling at that truth, people remain skeptical. His death took the punishment for your sin, but rather than thanking you for that information, people roll their eyes as if it’s a cliché.

Don’t give up. One famous skeptic in the Bible, a man named Saul, was converted by the power of the word of God. He became one of the most famous missionaries in all of history. He may never have preached in his hometown, but he founded congregations in many other places and trained many other witnesses to the truths of the faith.

You are able to be a witness to the power of the word of God in your life as well. Stick with Jesus until you share the hometown of heaven with him.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, when people reject what I say about you, forgive them and strengthen me to serve you faithfully all the days of my life. Amen.

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted.
Isaiah 61:1

Help for Your Heart

There are a lot of heartaches in our lives. We would like to have the world be a better place. But doesn’t it seem like things are just getting worse? Our lives get weighed down with many cares and concerns. Sometimes matters are so serious that it just breaks our hearts.

What difficulties are you facing that are almost too much to bear? What troubling circumstances surround the days that keep you awake at night? To whom can you turn for help?

You can turn to Jesus. God sent him “to bind up the brokenhearted.” He knows you; he understands you. And most importantly, he helps you. He came to remove the greatest weight that crushes your heart. He is your Savior who took away the guilt of all your sin. And now, no matter what things are breaking apart in your life, you have a relationship with God that is unbroken. As a result, you can count on God, who loves and saves you, to help you with all the matters in your life that are breaking your heart.

Prayer:
Jesus, I lift up my heart in praise to you because you came to bind up my heart broken by sin. Help me to grow in my trust that as you loved me to be my Savior, you will also be with me every day to help through the difficulties and troubles that I face. Amen.

What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
John 2:11

The Rest of the Story

I grew up listening to National Public Radio. It was always on when my dad was driving or in my grandmother’s kitchen. We’d listen to replays of Garrison Keillor on Sundays and during the week, Paul Harvey.

Paul Harvey liked to show how there is often more to a story than what we are aware of. He weaved narratives filled with amusing or amazing behind-the-scenes details about famous people or historic events. Each episode ended with a surprise twist, revealing who or what the story was about. Then he closed with his famous phrase, “And now you know … the rest of the story.”

Without having all the details, people make all kinds of false assumptions about God. They think he is unfair, unloving, angry. He has little interest in us. He doesn’t care about our happiness. The truth is, we can’t possibly uncover who God truly is on our own. God is beyond our reach. But God has made himself known to us in Jesus.

What do you know about Jesus? There are four books in the Bible that give a detailed account of Jesus’ life, but the book of John provides the rest of the story. John doesn’t just give us details about Jesus’ life and miracles. He goes behind the scenes and shows us how each miracle is a “sermon in action.” Each miracle teaches us something significant about God.

When Jesus turned water into wine, he uncovered what God is like. He is good, gracious, and generous. Jesus doesn’t decrease joy; he multiplies it. He wants to share in our joys and solve our challenges. That’s why Jesus came to earth. He came to help us in our need. He came to destroy the devil’s work by his death on the cross. And by his resurrection, he opened heaven to all who believe in him.

Like Jesus’ disciples, may what we learn of him in the Bible cause us to believe in him.

Prayer:
Dearest Jesus, use what you tell me about yourself in the Bible to cause me to believe that you are my God and Savior. Amen.

His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” . . . Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine.
John 2:5,7-9

Jesus Changes Everything

You’ve probably heard about the egg who decided one day to do something rather foolish. He climbed atop a very high wall and sat scanning all he could see. Suddenly he slipped, slammed to the ground, and shattered into a thousand pieces. As he lay there, not even the most powerful creatures in the land could put Humpty Dumpty together again.

When Jesus attended a wedding in the town of Cana, there appeared to be a Humpty Dumpty kind of situation. The wine had run out. There didn’t seem to be any solution. Even the wealthiest guests could not purchase more wine if there was none to be had.

But Jesus’ mother, Mary, knew who her son was. And she knew he could help. So, she told the servants to do whatever Jesus asked.

Jesus told the servants to fill six large jars with water. One moment those jars were filled with water. The next moment, the servers were pulling wine from those same jars. Jesus had changed 180 gallons of water into 900 bottles worth of wine. Just by willing it to happen!

When things fall apart in your life, remember what Jesus is capable of. You don’t need a good bottle of wine to drown your sorrows in. All you need is the power of your gracious and generous God. He can do the impossible.

He changed more than water into wine. By his death and resurrection, he brought light from darkness and life out of death. He can certainly put your life back together. He will work all things for the good of those who love him. Indeed, he can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, remind me that when my life falls apart, I know you can put it together again. Amen.

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.
John 2:1,2

Be My Guest

One of our favorite family activities is attending a family wedding. It’s always guaranteed to be a joyful occasion. The whole family drops everything to be there. But the one thing that ties it together and makes it truly joyous is that Jesus is there.

The first wedding (we know of) that Jesus attended was in Cana. His presence is hugely significant. He had just begun his earthly ministry and chosen his first disciples. Three days later, in an unexpected move, Jesus went to a wedding. It was unexpected because time was of the essence. It was time to get down to business and focus on his mission.

So, why take time to go to a wedding? Because his mission was people, and there would be plenty of people at this wedding. But a wedding was also a perfect place to begin to reveal his true nature as God and God’s true desire for people. By attending this wedding at Cana, Jesus uncovered a wonderful truth about God.

God wants to be with us. He is not impersonal and uncaring. He longs for us to be a part of his family and for us to give him a place in our lives. He is invested in our lives. He is interested in sharing our joys and carrying our sorrows. And he is never too busy to decline an invitation.

Accepting this invitation was Jesus’ first public act of ministry, and it is the final prayer of the Bible. In the Lutheran tradition, we often say a prayer when we sit down to a meal. “Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest, and let these gifts to us be blessed.” It is an invitation for Jesus to join us at our table. It is an acknowledgment that everything we have, from daily bread to eternal salvation, is a gift from his generous and loving hand. It is a prayer that his presence among us and his gifts to us are a blessing. Isn’t it wonderful to know that when we ask Jesus to be our guest, he accepts!

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, be my guest as I go about my day and stay with me when it is evening. Grant that all you enable me to do be a blessing to me and pleasing to you. Amen.

[God] saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
Titus 3:5

Placing Labels on People

Placing labels on people—that’s something the world loves to do. Some labels are encouraging: “You’re a winner…a natural leader…a hero.” Some hurt: “You’re a loser…ignorant…lazy.” In fact, labels can cause all sorts of problems by making some feel arrogant and others feel insecure. But those labels are based on someone else’s opinion, and it’s foolish to let the opinion of others determine how you feel about yourself.

However, when it comes to the opinion of God, that’s different. God, our Savior, has placed a label on you. “Mine,” he says. That’s not just an opinion, it’s a fact because he has done everything necessary to make it true. He has washed away your sin with his precious blood. He has wrapped you in his righteousness. He not only created you, but he also purchased and won you from sin, death, and the power of the devil. Even the faith you need to believe that saving message is something the Holy Spirit freely provided.

For those times when you wonder, “Could this really be true?” When the devil accuses, and your conscience agrees: “God could never love a sinner like you!” That’s when the Holy Spirit reminds you of a most precious blessing: baptism—the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. By the power of God’s Word, baptism connected you to Christ. God the Holy Spirit placed a “label” on you. “Mine,” he said. “You belong to me.”

Some labels should be ignored but through baptism, the Holy Spirit has placed a label on you worth pondering every day. You are his own. There is nothing in this world more important and more comforting than knowing that you belong to God, your Savior!

Prayer:
Holy Spirit, thank you for the priceless gift of baptism. Through this washing of rebirth and renewal, you have made me your own. Constantly remind me of this glorious truth. Amen.

Samuel did what the LORD said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?” Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.”
1 Samuel 16:4,5

Messengers of Peace

I used to have an office across the hall from a preschool. More than once, I overheard a parent at pick-up time say to their child, “You better behave, or you’ll have to go to the pastor’s office.” I cringed whenever I heard that. First, I didn’t personally want to get involved about how a preschooler should hang her coat up on the hook. But more importantly, I didn’t want that little preschooler to view the pastor as only a disciplinarian. “If you misbehave, you have to go see the pastor.”

It’s sad how Satan works, isn’t it? While it is true that sometimes God uses his church and its leaders to confront sin, the primary purpose of his church is to proclaim the good news that Jesus paid the price for their sins. The primary purpose of the Lord’s church is to echo what the angelic messengers proclaimed just a few weeks ago at Christmas, namely, “Peace.” And yet, Satan would have us see God’s messengers as anything but messengers of peace. We may stay away from worship where God’s messengers share God’s message. And the result? We are robbed of the very thing that brings us lasting peace.

Don’t listen to Satan’s lies. The next time that you drive past that place of worship and your guilt prevents you from going in, hear what the Lord decrees, “I have been sacrificed for your sins.” The next time you wonder if Jesus came for you, know that he did. Through Jesus, you have peace with God.

Prayer:
Lord, let the peace of your forgiveness overcome my guilt. Amen.

The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”
1 Samuel 16:1

Who Is in Control?

“It’s been three years.” That’s what the mature churchgoer mourned at a recent gathering of his church friends. Church was the center of this man’s life, but it had been three long years since they had a consistent voice in the pulpit of his congregation. And it wasn’t for lack of trying to fill the void. One pastor after another was given the opportunity to serve this congregation. But each answer was the same, “No.”

Pastoral vacancies or leadership vacuums are never fun. If there is an empty seat at church, in the home, or around the conference table at work, we can flounder as we are directionless. Worse than directionless, we may even find life to be chaotic. Or we can find ourselves trying to drive forward while looking in the rear-view mirror instead of the windshield. “Oh, I wish dad was still here.” “Remember how good it was when our old boss was at the helm?” “Remember when…”

Your eye maybe sees that an aspect of your life is leaderless. But that’s not what God sees. When there is a void in leadership, it may just be God’s way of reminding us that he is the ultimate leader. God is still in control. He knows your needs and how he will meet those needs. That was the lesson God gave the prophet Samuel. Mourning the downfall of a king, Samuel had a hard time moving forward. But then God had to open his eyes, “How long will you mourn for Saul . . . I have chosen one of [Jesse’s] sons to be king” (1 Samuel 16:1).

“I have chosen.” What beautiful comfort we can find in that little pronoun. When we mourn the past or are fearful of the future, find comfort in God’s leadership. “I have chosen you to be my child… I have a plan for your future… I will work all things out for your good.” Find comfort in knowing that no matter what your eye sees, the Lord still decrees, “I am King.”

Prayer:
Lord, open my eyes to see that you are in control. Then give me confidence in your leadership. Amen.

When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.
Titus 3:4,5

The Meaning of Mercy

In the early 1800s, Napoleon Bonaparte ruled as emperor of France. His word was final. A woman appeared before him one day. She was seeking a pardon for her son.

Napoleon explained to her why this was not possible: Her son was guilty of committing a serious crime not once but twice. Under the law of the land, he had been sentenced to death.

But the mother persevered. “I plead for mercy for my son,” she said.

“But your son does not deserve mercy,” pronounced the emperor. It was then that this mother got to the heart of the matter. “You are correct,” she said. “My son does not deserve mercy. But if he did, it would not be mercy. And mercy is all I ask for.”

“Then I will have mercy,” Napoleon said. He spared her son’s life.

This woman understood the meaning of mercy. The apostle Paul did too. Paul said that, with the arrival of Jesus Christ, “God saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.” The Son of God invaded our time and space to conduct a rescue mission. He rescued us from the curse of our own sin. He did this through the perfect life and innocent death he lived and died on our behalf.

But why? Here is where Paul gets to the heart of the matter. God did this not because we deserved it; not because he saw us as diamonds in the rough; not because we’ve done something that made us sparkle in his eyes. He did it because of his mercy.

It’s his mercy through Jesus Christ that makes your relationship with God so secure. It doesn’t depend upon what you have done for God. It depends on what the Savior, in mercy, has done for you.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, in my moments of anxiety and doubt, fill me with your Holy Spirit. Through your Word, remind me that my relationship with you rests not on what I do for you, but upon your mercy. Amen.

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

Access to the Father

The story is told of a soldier who was fighting for the North during the United States Civil War. All his brothers had died in battle. And he feared that if he died too, his mother would not be able to take care of their family farm all by herself. So, he marched up to the White House and asked to speak with President Lincoln. Unfortunately, he was denied access to enter.

Feeling dejected, he sat down by a nearby bench. A young boy noticed this soldier and asked why he looked so sad. He told the boy his concern. The boy responded, “follow me.” The young boy led the soldier up to the White House doors, where they passed right through. Together they walked down the hallway and strolled right into the room where President Lincoln was meeting with his staff.

The young boy spoke up, “Father, this man has a problem, and I would like you to listen to him.”

Now, I don’t know how accurate this story really is, but it makes an important point: Children have access to their parents, even if nobody else does.

This is the same point that Paul made when he wrote to the Christians in Galatia. He told them that no matter what family they grew up in, Jesus had made them children of God. And God’s children get access to their heavenly Father. He goes so far as to say that we can call the almighty God our “Abba, Father.” (“Abba” is the way of saying father in Aramaic.)

You don’t need to remain outside the presence of the Father. You can walk right into God’s presence through your prayers, empowered by the Holy Spirit to speak whatever is in your heart.

Prayer:
Abba, Father, thank you for sending your Son so that I too can be a child of God. Amen.

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. . . 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 4:4,5,7

No Longer Slaves to Sin

The apostle Paul compared the human condition to slavery. He wrote, “We were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world” (Galatians 4:3). In other words, our selfish passions and desires seem to control us, and the law (meaning all the good things God wants us to do) feels like a task master magnifying our failures.

That might sound overly dramatic but think about the internal struggle of everyday life. Think about the feelings of envy, anger, or lust that seem to pop up in your heart. Day after day you fight against ungodly thoughts and feelings that tempt you toward ungodly words and actions. You (like all people) are, by nature, enslaved by sin.

But that’s why Christmas is such good news! Paul also wrote, “But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law.” That means, at just the right time, Jesus was born as a real human. And he was placed in bondage under those same laws and temptations as we are. But what made Jesus different is that he did not give in to the temptations. He overcame them to redeem us, which means to free us from our slavery to sin. Now Paul says that those who trust in Jesus are no longer slaves to sin but adopted sons or daughters of God.

That doesn’t mean that we will never struggle with sin. But it does mean we don’t need to let it control us, nor do we need to wallow in guilt and shame. We are not slaves to sin! We are sons and daughters of God!

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you have set me free from sin and shame. Fill me with your Spirit, so I can live for you. Amen.

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them . . . (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.”
Luke 1:68-71

Part of a Larger Story

Christianity didn’t start with Christmas. Of course, Christmas is an important event. But the birth of Jesus is part of a much bigger story. If you are unaware of the greater narrative, you might miss out on the significance of all the presents and parties that go along with this Holiday season.

The bigger story focuses on the nation of Israel. In the second book of the Bible, the Israelites find themselves enslaved by the Egyptians. For 400 years, they cry out to God for their freedom—which is also called “redemption.” Finally, God sets them free, but they are not free for very long. The surrounding nations continue to oppress them until one day, the whole nation is carried off into captivity in Babylon. But God’s people hold on to the hope that they hear from their prophets, namely, one day God will set them free from all their enemies for good.

Around the time of Jesus’ birth, a priest named Zechariah believed that God was bringing all his promises to fulfillment. That is why he sang the song that you read at the beginning of this devotion. He believed God was continuing his story of redemption through the Messiah, Jesus. He believed that his son, John the Baptist, was going to prepare the way for Jesus. Finally, that Jesus was going to set God’s people free. And he was right.

You see, Christianity is a much bigger story than just the Christmas story. Christianity is a much longer narrative about how God is redeeming his people. And this story isn’t over yet. The same Jesus who came at Christmas promises to come back again to set us free from all our enemies, from sin, death, and all that is evil. Let’s join Zechariah and praise the Lord who sets his people free.

Prayer:
Jesus, I praise you for coming to rescue your people. Amen.

Then [Jesus] went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them.
Luke 2:51

The Perfect Gift

What was the best gift you received for Christmas? Was it just what you hoped? Sometimes we receive a gift that is exactly what we wanted, and after opening it, we say, “It’s perfect!”

Unfortunately, even the best gifts don’t last forever. We grow tired of toys and games. New clothes wear out or become unfashionable. Things break or get lost. We discover that perfect gifts aren’t so perfect.

Except, Jesus. Jesus is God’s perfect gift to us. Jesus perfectly obeyed God’s holy law, including being obedient to his earthly mother and father. Think of it—the all-knowing, all-powerful God obeyed his sinful human parents. He did this, not because they were always right or fair, but because it was his heavenly Father’s will. Children are to obey their parents. So Jesus did, perfectly.

Can we say the same? Not one of us can. We have all been guilty of disobeying our parents and others that God put in authority over us. That’s why we needed Jesus. We needed Jesus to do for us what we were supposed to do. Jesus obeyed for all the times we have disobeyed. Jesus honored his parents for all the times we dishonored ours. His perfect life is God’s gift to us so that when God looks at us, he sees Jesus’ perfection. He sees children who are worthy of his heavenly kingdom, and through faith in Jesus, he freely gives them the gift of an “inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 3:4).

Even the best gifts you receive will lose their luster eventually. But not Jesus. He is the perfect gift.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for doing what I have failed to do. Give me the strength and humility to honor those you have placed in authority over me. Amen.

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity.
Hebrews 2:14

Our Flesh and Blood

“He, too, shared in their humanity”—the import of that statement may not fully strike you until you consider how completely unwilling we are to settle for anything less than we think we deserve. If we pay for second-row seats behind home plate, there’s no way we’re going to accept being ushered up to the twenty-fifth row of the upper deck terrace instead. If our team is robbed of a hard-earned victory by an official’s error, that loss will sting as we remember it for years to come. If we reserve the SUV with third-row seating as our rental car and the best they can offer us at the counter is roughly the size of a clown car, we are going to grumble and complain and grouse to anyone who will listen.

Do you want to know how awesome Jesus is? Look at how willing he was to settle for less than he deserved. Jesus deserved the best heaven could offer. He willingly traded it for a crust of bread as his dinner and a rock for his pillow, for the indignities of childhood and insecurities of young adulthood. Jesus shared in our humanity. Being born was necessary so that he could one day die and so he could live every day in between as our perfect substitute.

Ever since the Garden of Eden, the devil has been trying to make us think that he is our closest friend. He tries to convince us that what he wants us to do will make us happy, fulfilled, prosperous. “Stick with me,” he says, “I have your best interests in mind.”

But, of course, the devil doesn’t. Only Jesus does. Only Jesus was willing to share our humanity and do everything necessary to save us from our sins so that we can share eternity with him.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you are not only the powerful God, but my human brother, my flesh and blood. Thank you for all you sacrificed to come and be a sacrifice for me. Help me to live my life always willing to sacrifice for you in return. Amen.

After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it.
Luke 2:43

Our Substitute in Worship

As a 12-year-old, Jesus travels to Jerusalem with his parents, and when the festival is over, his parents accidentally head home without him. It’s unusual—but at the same time, it’s not hard to picture how that could happen. Mom and Dad are preoccupied with getting everything packed up and getting on the road on schedule. Perhaps, with Jesus being the oldest, Mary and Joseph had a few younger children demanding their immediate attention. Have you ever been on a road trip with your family? If you have, it’s a little easier to see how a semi-self-sufficient 12-year-old might not be his parents’ greatest concern at that moment.

We make a big deal about Jesus getting left there, but maybe we should be making a big deal about him even being there in the first place. He was there in Jerusalem to worship God! At any time was he tempted to think, “Wait a second, I am God!” He was there in Jerusalem to offer the required Passover sacrifices. At any time, was he tempted to think, “I’m the One all these sacrifices are pointing to? Shouldn’t I be on the other side of the altar? The object of the worship, rather than the one doing the worshiping?” Fact is, he is God. But he willingly chose to follow God’s laws. He did deserve to be the object of worship, but he willingly took his place alongside the worshipers.

So we see Jesus, even at 12 years old, already perfectly carrying out his Father’s will as our substitute. He perfectly worships at the temple for our moments of imperfect worship, distracted worship, uninterested worship. All so that on one dark Friday afternoon, he could step forward as our perfect substitute once again. Yes, all our accumulated punishment was placed on our substitute. Today, and every day, consider the magnificent and undeserved blessing of having a Savior so willing to be your substitute.

Prayer:
My sins are many, O Lord, but your mercies are even greater in number. May your perfection in my place always bring me true comfort and joy. Amen.