We had just finished reading a picture book when a child jumped up abruptly and shouted “Hey wait a minute! Teacher!” He slowly scanned the room. “Teacher, where is your bed?” I was at school before he arrived in the morning and worked long after he left, so he just assumed that I lived and slept there.

Preschool teachers do not sleep at school, but shepherds DID sleep with their sheep. Shepherds needed to be always available, instantly ready to protect their sheep. They needed to lead them to water, counting them as they moved and retrieving any that had wandered off. The shepherd often slept right in the entry of the fold so that he would be alerted before predators could get to the sheep.

We see Jesus as our shepherd. Jesus provides for us and protects us. And oh, how we wander off. We wander off from our shepherd when we use our words to hurt our spouse, co-worker, or neighbor. We wander from our shepherd when we gossip or seek revenge or damage someone’s reputation. We wander off when we do not take words and actions in the kindest possible way. Or instead of clinging to our shepherd, we often think the treasures of this world will provide adequate comfort and joy. We are “like sheep going astray”.

Jesus took all of our sins to the cross. He suffered on the cross “so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness.” This means that, because Jesus took our sins upon himself, he has rescued us from our eternal death and he wants us to live lives that show that we love him. This does not mean that we can earn our place in heaven by doing good on earth. Rather, God wants us to grow in faith and understanding of God’s word, which will help us to live a life of service to him.

And Jesus never sleeps! Jesus is our shepherd, and he rejoices when each of his sheep are found again. He is our shepherd and “overseer,” the one who will bring us safely to heaven to live with him.

Do you ever marvel how trusting young children can be at times? You give them an answer about how something works, and they take your word for it. You assure them that God loves them the most and will never leave them, and they believe it whole-heartedly. It can be harder for us as adults to trust things without seeing or hearing or doing for ourselves; it can be easy for doubt to creep into our lives.

Thomas, one of Jesus’ disciples, had the same problem after the resurrection. Jesus had appeared to his disciples after he rose from the dead, but Thomas wasn’t there. When he heard about it, he just couldn’t believe it – not without seeing for himself. A week later, Thomas got his chance; Jesus appeared again to his disciples, and Thomas got to see him with his own eyes and touch him in the flesh. There was no doubt – this was Jesus, true God and true man, risen from the dead!

Though we can’t see Jesus this side of heaven, we can be just as sure that Jesus is alive, that he rose from the dead and paid for our sins in full with his death and resurrection. In addition to Thomas, the Bible gives several eye-witness accounts to testify that Jesus is alive. As surely as Jesus died on Good Friday, he rose from the dead on Easter morning – no doubt about it. And what a necessary truth that is, for that alone – full forgiveness and new life in Jesus – gives us peace with God.

In and through faith worked by the Holy Spirit, God gives us this blessing of peace. He assures us that our sins can no longer separate us from God, that we can live forgiven and guilt-free, that we have an eternal home to look forward to.

In this life, trials will come. Doubt will find its way into our lives. We’ll forget to fully rely on God. We’ll get disheartened and disappointed. But regardless of the circumstances, when our faith is in Jesus, nothing can take away our peace and our inheritance in heaven. So keep telling your students that Jesus loves them and Jesus forgives them. Tell yourself, too. And let God tell you in his Word. Jesus lives for them. Jesus lives for you!

Shouts of frustration. Shouts of surprise. Shouts of anger. Shouts of joy. Shouts of cheering one another on. You’ve probably experienced all of these in your classroom at some point, maybe even all on the same day. Young children often share their emotions in big ways. When they’re really upset or really excited, they often don’t hold back.

In our text, we read about shouts of great joy and are called to join in that refrain – a refrain to welcome a king. At just the right time, God sent his Son, Jesus, into the world, keeping a promise first made in the Garden of Eden. Jesus came to live as our substitute, true God and true man, to obey God’s law and pay the price for the world’s sin. This passage points to Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, riding on a donkey, as he prepares to sacrifice his life on the cross as that ultimate payment for sin. We can shout for joy that God keeps his promises, that Jesus came to be perfectly righteous – perfectly holy – where we could not be.

But, this passage also points us ahead to another celebration. Jesus, who died for sin, is alive. He is coming back to take us home to be with him, and what an occasion that will be! Jesus, our King, will arrive in splendor, proclaiming his victory over sin, death, and the devil. No longer will he appear meek and lowly, riding on a donkey. This is a king who rules eternally. We can shout in confidence that our God reigns, that our future is sure and secure.

And did you catch it? “See, your king comes to you.” This is not just some ordinary king for the masses; this is your king. And your family’s king. And your students’ king. And the world’s king. And yet, your king. A king who knows and loves you, who is great and powerful, who is gentle and good. That doesn’t mean that things always go the way we want or the way we think they should. That doesn’t mean we always understand God’s timing or provision. That doesn’t mean that the shouts of anger and frustration completely go away. But through it all, the ups and downs of each day, each week, each year, we can rejoice. So, look ahead. Look to Jesus. Shout for joy. Don’t hold back. Your King comes.

When I was a child, our basement had a section that I rarely entered. I don’t think it had a light. If it did, I’m certain I would have turned it on. It was dark and damp. The only reason to go in there was potatoes were stored there. So, it’s dark, it’s damp, and the potatoes have every opportunity to start growing sprouts. It’s dark, it’s damp, and I’m sticking my hand into a basket with creepy tentacles growing off the potatoes. I really dreaded that room. I couldn’t wait to get what I needed and scamper up the steps (likely panting a bit.) The light at the top of the stairs was a welcome sight!

This side of heaven, life can be like that corner of our basement. It can feel like the darkness is all around us. I think of so many people who are without the comfort and peace that comes from knowing about Jesus, their Savior. As they struggle with life, they have need for God’s grace and may not know it. They work to find peace and happiness only to come up short time after time. Or they think that life can’t get any better than its current allotment of joys and sorrows. For some, they hear the message of God’s grace and it’s as if a light comes on. They have a totally new perspective on life knowing how dearly they are loved by Jesus, their Savior.

For believers, difficult things seem to come from all directions as well. Sometimes the struggles are with relationships and the impact of Satan’s cunning. We hear about challenges in our cities, in our country, all over the world. Peace, craved by all, can seem unattainable. The worst of the darkness is our constant, relentless battle against sin. It’s part of every day. The impact of sin and the guilt that we carry can be overwhelming. The world can feel like someone shut off the lights and we’re stuck in the basement.

Jesus. There he is. He is our Light. A Light so much better than the light at the top of my childhood stairs. He’s the Light that is never turned off. He is the Light that brings us, through faith, out of the darkness of sin. As that Light, he shows us the grace he has won for us. We have the Light but notice what the passage says, “Now you are light in the Lord.” Because of all that God has done for us, we reflect his Light, his grace, his love for others. God doesn’t say, “Now go try hard to be the light.” He says, “You are light.” As God’s dearly loved children, we are lights to others since Jesus’ light shines through us.

Jesus is your Light. He has done everything needed to remove your sin and be the Light to show us the way to heaven. Today, as you go about your daily tasks, you can reflect that Light out of gratitude for all that Jesus has done. Your joy, your loving care for others, your forgiving heart all reflect Jesus, the Light of the world to those around us. “This little light of mine—I’m gonna let it shine!”

There is a classic children’s picture book by Margaret Wise Brown called, *The Runaway Bunny. In the story, the little bunny tells his mother he wants to run away. Like any mother, she tells him she would run after him. His response? He will become a fish to escape. She responds that she will become a fisherman and catch him. The story goes on with the little bunny describing himself turning into a rock, a crocus hidden in the garden, a bird, a sailboat and on and on. Each time the mother responds with the lengths she will go to for her son. In the end, he concedes and finds himself snug in her care.

We are often like that little bunny in our relationship with our heavenly Father. We work so hard at doing things on our own. We constantly strive for what we want or even what we think we need. Challenges come and we address them with attempt after attempt at solving them on our own. We struggle with our disappoint over things in our life and especially over our own sin. Our wants often supersede what we truly need—God’s redeeming grace. It’s good to work hard at life, but not without also depending on God’s power and promises.

Today’s Bible verse is one that is known all over the world. You see it referenced on signs at a sporting event or on bumper stickers. It can become so familiar that we can miss the amazing message. “For God so loved the world….” God loved the world so much. Think about that. We don’t really have a lovable world. The evidence of sin is not hard to see all around us. When we reflect on ourselves, the perfection that God demands of us is nowhere to be seen. We can hardly put a foot on the floor in the morning without sin rearing its ugly head. And yet… God “gave his one and only son.” Why? A love that is beyond our comprehension. A love that makes no earthly sense. A love that is utterly undeserved and yet fully and freely given. God’s amazing love for his creation, for us. His love that sent his son, Jesus, “to save the world through him.” This is the message of John 3:16. God’s incomparable love to save those who can never save themselves from the grip and consequences of sin.

The mother bunny was relentless in her love for her little one. The love of parents for their children can be exceptional. None of this compares with God’s love for you, for me, for all. His love that sent Jesus because he wants us to believe in him, to trust in him, to know that he is all we need. His desire is for us to be with him at home in heaven. God so loved the world. God so loved you.

An eye-witness account counts for something. If you are sitting in a courtroom, you better believe that the jury and the judge want to hear from people who saw and heard the crime with their own eyes and ears.

If a group of students come running over to you at recess shouting about something that just happened, you are most likely inclined to want to hear from the people who actually saw what occurred before listening to hearsay.

An eye-witness account counts for something and that is one of the greatest blessings of God’s Word. It is full of eye-witness accounts.

I wish I could have been there for so many parts of the Bible. I mean, just think of the Jericho walls tumbling down, or the sky filled with stars as Abraham looks up at a promise from God, or the mouths of lions shut while Daniel stood right in front of them. To have seen these things, firsthand, would surely have been something to proclaim about.

I suppose one of the most unbelievable sights to see would have been Jesus’ Transfiguration. The definition of the word “Transfiguration” is a complete change of form or appearance into a more beautiful or spiritual state. That is exactly what happened to Jesus “when he led Peter, James, and John up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.” Matthew 17:1

In our verses for today, Peter is explaining that while this sounds unbelievable, it is most certainly true. He saw it happen with his own eyes. How gracious is God to give us a compilation of eye-witnesses to his miracles, his promises given and kept, his holy and perfect life. I wish I would have seen it with my own eyes, but I am grateful that so many others did and were inspired to record what they had seen and heard.

It’s field trip day! The first-aid kit is packed away, the chaperones have arrived, and the excitement of the students is on full display. All you need to do now is go over the expectations for the trip. You might say something like, “Make sure you stay with your adult.” or “Make sure we remember to use our walking feet out to the bus.” One last bit of encouragement that you give your class might sound something like this, “Boys and girls, when we are on our trip, please remember that we represent our school and most importantly God. Make sure to let your light shine.”

I always remember having a sense of pride in my students when we were on field trips. People would ask what school we belonged to and I proudly answered them. Then, inevitably, it would happen. A student would make a less-than-stellar choice and I would have to remind them of that final bit of encouragement I gave right before we left for the trip. I would also have to remind myself that my class was not perfect and my worth as a teacher didn’t depend on their behavior.

“You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9

We have been “called out of darkness into his wonderful light.” How incredible is that? We will fail day in, day out, but we are chosen by God and let our light shine because he puts us in that light of this forgiveness and grace.

Encouraging our class to let their light shine is a good thing. Whether they are in the classroom or on a field trip, we can always be encouraging our students to live as the chosen people we are. We are teaching little disciples, little witnesses to shine in their homes, in their neighborhoods, and beyond!

And when they fall short, because they will, give them the assurance of God’s grace. Encourage them to shine brightly again and again, because they are chosen by the One who shines the very brightest.

Alaska is on my bucket list. Alaska ticks a lot of boxes for me: snow, mountains, lakes. One of the things that fascinates me is the times of the year where the amount of darkness in given day is almost nonexistent. How do you get kids to go to bed and get a good night’s sleep when it’s light out almost all night long? On the other hand, days that are almost completely dark? I would love to experience both. Of the two options, the harder one for me would the time of almost complete darkness. There is something about the dark that can be unsettling even for adults.

Today’s verse talks about people walking in darkness. Imagine an artist’s depiction of that scene. People wandering, looking around in fear and confusion. However, the darkness referred to is far more frightening than a power outage or the darkness of a windowless room. The darkness is life without God. Sin or unbelief are like a blanket of darkness that covers people with despair, hopelessness, fear, or spiritual confusion. It’s that “middle of the night and I cannot sleep” kind of anxiousness but much more.

And then, there it is. A Light! Like the sun rising after a sleepless night, the Light brings hope. Again, the Light in this verse is far more than the sun or a lightbulb. The Light is Jesus. Just a few verses down from today’s reading we hear, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6) This is a light that no other light can hold a candle to! It’s Jesus, our Savior who is everything we need. Read through the names again slowly. He’s our Counselor, our Mighty God who rules over everything, our Everlasting Father who loves us with an immeasurable love, and our Prince of Peace. That peace is the peace of knowing our sins are forgiven and the promise of heaven is ours. Jesus is the light that breaks the worst darkness we have and gives the greatest light there is through faith.

I’m not sure if I’ll get that trip to Alaska and experience the days of almost complete darkness. But even thinking about it reminds me that no matter how dark life can seem, how challenging a day can be, we have Jesus. He is our Light, our Counselor, our Peace. Not only do we get to bask in the light of his love and forgiveness for us, we also get to share it with others. May we all reflect that Light each day.

Names are pretty important. When a child is about to be born, parents can spend countless hours discussing the perfect name for their child. Some name the child as soon as they know the gender. Others want to hold the child before making that final decision. Some names come from a special relative or friend. For others, the meaning of the name makes all the difference. Our last name identifies us as a member of our family.

Jesus, as you may know, was referred to by several names. We most often hear him referred to as Jesus, just as he is in today’s reading. The name Jesus means “The Lord is salvation.” What a perfect name for the Savior of the world. Jesus is also referred to as Jesus Christ. Christ is not meant to imply a last name. The name, Christ, is a title with significant meaning. It means “The Anointed One.” In the Old Testament, pouring liquid (typically oil) over someone’s head signified that they were selected for a special task. Kings were anointed. For example, as a young shepherd, David was anointed to be the next king.

In today’s reading, we hear about Jesus’ baptism. The Bible doesn’t specify how exactly the water was applied but it’s clear that water was used to anoint Jesus. Jesus was sinless and didn’t need baptism for forgiveness. However, his baptism signified that Jesus truly was the promised Savior, anointed as God’s special servant and our Savior. This was confirmed by the voice from heaven saying, “This is my Son.” There was no doubt. God had kept his promise.

So what does that mean for you and me? Jesus’ baptism confirms for us who he was—God’s Son who fulfilled God’s promise to send a Savior for us. We can think of our own baptism as an anointing as well (though not as a king or ruler.) Rather, through baptism the Holy Spirit names us as God’s dear child, washed clean from sin, a member of God’s family for eternity by his grace.

The name your parents chose for you is important. Being named as one of God’s own children is a blessing that is immeasurable. While we may not hear God’s voice speaking in an audible way, God calls us and says, “This is my child, whom I love.” You are now named as his own.

My favorite part of teaching has always been reading aloud to my students. I love watching their faces as the plot twists or hearing their laughs during a silly story. One year, we even got to watch some of our favorite characters come to life as we had a special “Book Character Dress Up Day”.

Just like my favorite childhood read-alouds, the Old Testament is amazingly filled with many different characters, but truly all of them point to one specific character- Jesus. He is the one common thread that keeps showing up and weaving hope into a people in dire need of saving. These words of hope were all God’s people had as hundreds of years passed with no end of waiting in sight.

Today in John, we see that this Word of prophecy and promise finally becomes flesh. No longer a foreshadowing and not someone playing “dress up”, but Jesus is here—true God and true man come to save us from sin, death, and the devil.

Jesus, God’s only Son, came for us. The wait is over and we finally get to watch the real thing. “We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son…” We get to see the incredible story unfold of the baby in the manger, the perfect life, the innocent suffering and death and the glorious resurrection. Sometimes I find myself thinking I’m reading a story and not an actual account in history. It all can seem too big, too extraordinary, too good to be true.

Praise God that it is all true. This Word truly became flesh and came to dwell among us. Jesus came to his people not with fire and brimstone, but “full of grace and truth.” His desire is to save us from our sin and give us the best ending ever written—a perfect home with him for eternity.

On the calendar, it seems that Christmas is over. Maybe you are spending the next week undecorating your classroom and hallways. The songs and recitations are tucked away, and the tree is put back in the attic. But in many ways, Christmas is just beginning. This is one story that never ends. God still dwells among us; therefore, the pages are still being written in our lives and in the lives of our students. Let us continue to grow in our own faith, equip our students for lives of service to our Savior, and never stop telling the best and truest story of all time! He is born—our Savior!