From Pastor Gary…
 
Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. (John 1:29)
 
The people of Israel observed the Passover every year. God instituted the feast so the people would remember how and when God freed them from the slavery of Egypt. That first Passover the people were to kill a male lamb without blemish and put its blood on the doorposts of their home. That night, the all the firstborn in Egypt would die unless they had the blood of the lamb on the door. The Lord said, “The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 12:13)
 
When John spoke the words, “Behold, the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” he was speaking of Jesus, the perfect Passover Lamb. Jesus is the lamb without blemish – without sin. He too was sacrificed with His blood shed on the cross. The shedding of Jesus blood spared us from eternal death. Unlike the Old Testament sacrifices that had to be repeatedly offered, Jesus sacrificed himself once for all (Hebrews 7: 27). His one sacrifice was enough.
 
Jesus gave His life for us. That is good because we have nothing to offer for our forgiveness. But out of response to God’s mercy, we present ourselves “As a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God” (Romans 12: 1). By the power of His Spirit, we live a God-pleasing life as a witness to others for the love that is shown us through Christ.
 
Thank you, Jesus, for giving your all for our salvation. May be living sacrifices to the glory of your name. Amen.        
 
Verse for today:
The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:7).  

From Pastor Gary….

​All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
And they shall call his name Immanuel” which means, God with us.

Immanuel: God with us. No other religion makes that claim. They believe God to be distant and does not involve himself with the affairs of mankind. Some believe there are many gods each ruling some aspect of nature, but none are in complete control. The religions of the world would put salvation in our hands. Our works are placed on a scale in the hope that at the end of life the scale tips in our favor because our good deeds outweighing the bad.

The God of the Bible, the true God, stands in stark contrast. He is in complete control; he is sovereign over all things. And He is not distant. The God of the Bible is not far off and unconcerned with the affairs of history. In fact, He entered history through Jesus Christ. Jesus is Immanuel, God with us. God in flesh and blood came into his own creation. He entered this world because we are unable to tip the scales in our favor. But Jesus can, and did. He came to earth to keep the Law for us. Because he is true God there was no sin in Him. Because he is true man, he could suffer death. Only Jesus Christ, true God and true man, could be the perfect Sacrifice for the sin of all mankind. And that he is.

Immanuel: God with us. He continues to be with us. Jesus said, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them” (Matthew 18:20). He comes to us in His Word and Sacrament. We can take comfort in Jesus words as he was ascending to heaven, “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)

Thank you, Jesus for coming into the world to die for our sins and thank you for being with us even today. Amen.

Verse of the day:
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. (Galatians 4: 4-5)

From Pastor Gary…

Jesus asked the disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16: 15-16

Who is Jesus? That is an important question that requires an answer. In the context of today’s verses, Jesus asked the disciples what people were saying about him. “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” The opinions of people differed as to who He was. Some thought He might be John the Baptist; others thought maybe one of the prophets. (Matthew 16:13-14) That question is as important today as it was then. What do people say about Jesus; who is He? Some say He was a great teacher or a philosopher. Others regard him as a good man who showed us how to live a good life.

Jesus asked another question, making it personal. “Who do you say that I am?” Peter answered correctly, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus responded, “Blessed are you Simon Son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 16:17). By God’s grace, we make the same confession as Peter. Jesus is the Christ. Christ is the Greek equivalent to the Hebrew term “messiah”. Jesus is the messiah, the long-awaited Savior first promised to Adam and Eve in the garden. The term Christ or Messiah means “anointed one”. People in Bible times were anointed to be set apart for God’s special calling and purpose. Aaron was anointed to be priest. David was anointed to be king.

Jesus Christ is the Lord’s anointed who came into this world for a specific purpose - to save us from the penalty of sin. He came to go to the cross. He came to die. The sin of the whole world was nailed to the cross with Jesus. All that trust in Christ’s death and resurrection for payment of sin receive God’s forgiveness.

Thank you, Jesus, for dying on the cross for our sin, and for conquering death so we may have eternal life. Thank you, Heavenly Father for the faith to believe and trust in the atoning work of Christ Jesus. Amen.

Verse for today:
He [Jesus] unrolled the scroll of the prophet Isaiah and found the place where it was written,
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
Because he has anointed me
To proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovering sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who were oppressed,
To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:17-19, 21)

From Pastor Gary...

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:10)

What does your name mean? My name (Gary) means “spear carrier”. I wonder if my parents took that into consideration when they named me. I doubt it. They probably just liked the name. The name of some people fits their character. This is certainly true of Jesus whose name means “the Lord is salvation”. The salvation of mankind is the reason Jesus, the Son of God, took on human flesh and came to earth. Our salvation is the reason He went to the cross. No greater love has ever been displayed; no greater work has ever been done than what Jesus did for our salvation. We who, by faith, bow before him and confess him as Savior and Lord receive the forgiveness earned for us on the cross. In His forgiveness we receive eternal life. It is fitting that God has highly exalted His name above all names. There will be a day when Jesus returns in all His glory and everyone who has ever walked the face of the earth will bow down and acknowledge who he is. It will be a day of great joy for us who believe, but it will be to the eternal misery and regret for those who rejected his salvation.

Lord, use us to proclaim the name that is above all names to those who do not yet know and confess you as Savior and Lord. Amen.

​Verse of the day:She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21)

From Pastor Gary…

I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. (John 11:25-26)

Jesus spoke these words just before he raised his friend Lazarus from the dead. Lazarus had been in the tomb four days to give proof that he was certainly dead. When Lazarus walked out of the tomb that day, Jesus made known his power over death. He showed that magnificently when He walked out of His own tomb that first Easter morning. Christ had already paid the price of sin by His death on the cross. When Jesus arose from death, he destroyed our last enemy. Therefore, even though we die physically, we will also be raised on the last day and live forever in the presence of God. All people who, by faith, believe and trust in Christ’s death for the forgiveness of sin, and His resurrection for eternal life, receive both.

Today’s verse actually ends with a question posed to Martha. Jesus said “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?
This is an important question to which the answer has eternal significance. By God’s grace, through faith, can we answer as did Martha, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world” (John 11:27)

​Verse for today:
But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:12)

From Pastor Gary…

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15: 5)

As Christians we are united with Christ as a branch is united to the vine. We are united to Him by faith. The vine brings essential nourishment to the branches. We are nourished by God’s grace and love and forgiveness as we hear His word and receive His Sacrament. We have life only because we are connected to the vine.

As branches of the vine, we bear fruit. The fruit we bear is a God-pleasing life. Out of love for our Savior, we desire to live a life of obedience and service to God. We also life of love that creates a desire to care for others giving witness to our faith so people may “see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

May the Lord make us healthy branches, bearing fruit to the glory of God, and for the advancement of His kingdom.

​Verse for today:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

From Pastor Gary…
I am the Good Shepherd, I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. (John 10: 14-15)
Jesus is the Good Shepherd. To help us understand our need for a shepherd, it is helpful to understand the nature of sheep. Sheep are helpless creatures having no natural defense against predators. Likewise, we have no natural defense against Satan, the roaring lion, who “walketh about, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 1:5).
Sheep have a herd mentality. People also tend to follow the crowd finding themselves roaming amid the temptations of this world.
Sheep are dirty animals. They have a natural oil on their wool to which dirt and debris sticks. We are soiled with the dirt and debris of sin.
Sheep need someone to provide, protect, and lead them.
Jesus is our good shepherd. The good shepherd lay down his life for his sheep. Jesus said, “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again” (John 10:18). The good shepherd laid down his life for us when he was nailed to a cross, then took it up again three days later leaving the tomb empty. As a result, we have been cleansed of the dirt and debris of sin. Through faith we are the sheep of his flock. We follow Christ and not the crowd that would lead us through the spiritual dangers of this world. Jesus is our defense against the devious and cunning traps of our natural enemy, the devil. He provides our needs for this life and for eternity. Jesus truly is the Good Shepherd who provides, protects, and leads us.
Verse for today:
The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. (John 10: 3)

From Pastor Gary…

Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.” (John 14:6)

When Adam and Eve were deceived by Satan in the Garden of Eden, sin entered the world. We live in a world that suffers the effects of sin. It brought all the problems we face as we live our lives. Sin marred people’s relationship with each other and brought physical death. Also, man’s relationship with God was severed. All people since Adam and Eve have been conceived and born into a sin nature that separates us from a holy God. We are all born spiritually dead. To die physically while spiritually dead results in eternal death, that is, eternal separation from God. Yet God in his mercy and grace provided for us a way back to Him. He sent his Son, Jesus Christ to bridge the gap that separates people from God.  

Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  Jesus is not one of many ways, He is the only way.  He is the truth. The words He spoke were the very words God. In His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus fulfilled every truth the Old Testament prophets spoke about the Messiah. Jesus is the life. All who, by faith, trust in the atoning work of Christ have “passed from death to life” (John 5:24). Jesus truly is “The way, the truth, and the life.” What a wonderful God we have! He shows us his love by providing the way back to a relationship with Him. 

​Verse of the Day:
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life ion Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6: 23)

From Pastor Gary…

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35)

John begins chapter six with the account of Jesus feeding five thousand men (plus women and children) with five loaves of bread and two fish. Everyone had eaten until full, and there were twelve baskets of bread left over. The next day a crowd gathers again, and Jesus knows many of them came in hope of getting another meal. He said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of loaves. Do not labor for food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life” (v. 27).

Jesus reminded them of manna, the bread that God sent from heaven to feed Israel in their journey to the promised land. They needed food for life. The manna sustained them in their journey, but they all eventually died. However, Jesus said, “My Father gives you true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (v. 32-33). Jesus then said, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”

Jesus is the source of true life, of eternal life. He was sent by his Father from heaven to bring life to us through His death and resurrection. John wrote, “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3). By faith, we trust His Gospel message. Through faith, we receive the “Bread of Life” which sustains us in our journey on earth until we reached the promised land of heaven.

​Verse of the day:
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who has sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment but has passed from death to life. (John 5:24)

From Pastor Gary...
Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I Am.” (John 8: 58)

Jesus is being challenged by the Pharisees. They question his authority and his teachings. The Pharisees claim their own authority as children of Abraham. Jesus responds saying if they were children of Abraham, they would have the faith of Abraham, and thus would love him and believe his word. Jesus then said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” The Pharisees reject these words saying, “Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself to be?” Jesus then said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” With this statement, He answered their questions. Are you greater than Abraham and all the prophets? The answer is yes. Who do you claim to be? The answer is God.

When he referred to Himself as “I Am”, Jesus proclaimed his eternal existence. When Moses asked by what name He should be called, God replied, “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14). In a later conversation, Jesus quite plainly stated, “I and the Father are one” (John 10: 30). We express this truth in the Nicene creed when we confess Jesus as “The only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.”

​This is necessary for our salvation. Man had to pay the price for man’s sin. But only Jesus, true man yet true God, could pay the price for all the sin of mankind. Jesus Christ, who had no earthly father, was conceived and born without sin. As such, He kept the Law for us. Therefore, He could offer Himself as the perfect sacrifice for our sin.
Jesus Christ is the great “I AM”. This week we will consider Jesus “I Am” statements.

​Verse for today:
For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. (Colossians 1:19-20)