From Pastor Gary....
​
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who brought you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9)
 
Notice God’s work in this verse. As God chose Israel, so too He chosen you and all who believe to be a nation. By definition, a nation is a people with a common connection. Our common characteristic is faith in Jesus Christ. This nation has no borders but is found wherever God’s people live. We are His possession because He purchased us by the blood of Christ. St. Paul wrote that God “Chose us in him from the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4).
 
Our verse also reminds us that he chose us for a purpose; “That you may proclaim the excellencies of him who brought you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” God called us out of the darkness of unbelief and sin and into the light of his grace. Paul also reminds us of God’s work in our lives when he wrote, “By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2: 8-9).But also remember verse ten; “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
 
Father in Heaven; thank you for choosing us to be your people. Give us the strength to proclaim all that you have done, and continue to do for us, through Christ. Amen.
 
Verse for today:
I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of everything good that is in us for the sake of Christ. (Philemon 1:6)

​From Pastor Gary…
 
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostle of Chris. And no wonder, even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. (2 Corinthians 11:13-14)
 
This week as we meditate on the light of Christ, Scripture reminds us that Satan is still on the prowl. He has a bag of tricks that includes the likes of fear, temptation, and deceit. He disguises his intention to lead us away from the truth. Satan would like nothing more than to lead us astray by making wickedness look good and appealing. “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Praise God because He provides His Word and Sacrament to strengthen our faith, and the Holy Spirit by whom we resist the enemy. The deceitful schemes and the temptations of Satan are powerful influences but are far from power of God and his Holy Word.
 
Gracious God, thank You for giving us your Word, and sending Your Spirit to dwell within us, that we may resist the devil and the temptations of the world. Amen.
 
Verse of the day:
He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)

​From Pastor Gary…
 
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5: 14-16)
 
During the day, the sun shines directly on our side of the earth. It brings light, and warmth, and life. We can see in the light of the day.  During the night we no longer see the sun, but we still see its light and feel its effects as it reflects off the moon onto the dark side of the earth.
 
There was a day when Jesus, the light of the world, walked on the earth. He shined the light of God’s love into the darkness of this sinful world. God displayed his love through the suffering and death of Jesus Christ.
 
Jesus returned to heaven, but we, the people of God, reflect His light into the darkness of the world. We reflect His light when we unconditionally love others. The greatest act of love we can display is to tell others about the greatest act of love ever - Christ’s suffering and death on the cross. In so doing, Jesus payed the price required for the sin of Mankind. His death was the payment for your sins.
 
Gracious Father, shine the light of your love through us so that others may know your Son as Savior and Lord. Amen.
    
Verse of the day:
The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. (Romans 13:12)

​From Pastor Gary…
 
For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.                                                      (Ephesians 5: 8)
 
Scripture tells us that we are born sinful. The sin we inherited from Adam separates us from a Holy God. We were born children of darkness. But God is a God of grace and mercy. Through faith we are children of light – we are children of God. St. Paul urges us to walk in a way worthy of our calling. He said to walk in love, humility, gentleness, and patience (Ephesians 4: 1-2). In love and gratitude for what God has done for us through Christ, our desire is to walk in His ways, not the ways of the world.
 
Thank you, Father, for calling us to be your Children. Give us the strength to walk in a manner worthy of that calling so others may see Your love through our words and actions. Amen.
 
Verse for today:
For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. (1 Thessalonians 5:5)

​I am the light of the world. (John 9:5)
 
Jesus spoke these words just before He healed the man born blind. Many people of that day believed suffering was the result of a specific sin. The disciples asked, “Who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind?”  Jesus replied, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.” He continued, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
 
Jesus then healed the man. One moment he was blind and lived in darkness. The next moment he could see and lived in the light. This work of Jesus, like all His miracles, gave evidence that He was the Son of God and Savior of the world. He was the long-awaited Messiah.
 
Jesus later went to this man and asked, “Do you believe in the son of man?”  The man inquired, “Who is he that I may believe in him?”  Jesus then said, “It is he who is speaking to you.” The man said, “Lord, I believe” and he worshipped Jesus.
 
This is the work of Jesus. The eyes of the spiritually blind are open through the Gospel. By the power of the Word and the working of the Holy Spirit, God creates faith in our hearts. We know the truth of Jesus and the Good news of His salvation. Through faith, we too can say, “Lord I believe.”
 
Thank you, Jesus, for bringing sight to the blind. Thank you for opening our eyes to the truth of your Gospel. Amen.
 
Verse for today:
I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. (John 12:46)

From Pastor Gary....
In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1: 4-5)
The sun brings light to the world. With light we can see. Light brings warmth to our lives. Without light there is no life. Darkness is the absence of light. Darkness and light cannot exist together. Light overcomes darkness. If you open the door of a dark closet, the darkness does not spill out, but the light shines in.
The Son is the light of men. Jesus, the Son of God, brings spiritual sight and the warmth of God’s love. He brings life. Jesus, the light of the world, dispels the darkness of spiritual blindness and sin. He overcomes death. Jesus brings to light the truth of the Gospel – the good news of the forgiveness of sin and eternal life through his death and resurrection. Through faith we have received His forgiveness and eternal life.
Thank you, Jesus for bringing the light of your love and forgiveness into a world of darkness. Amen.
Verse for today:
The people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light,
and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,
on them a light has dawned. (Matthew 4:16)

From Pastor Gary…
 
The Son of Man came not to be served bit to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45)
 
This week we have considered the names that describe the person and work of Jesus. He is the Christ, the long- awaited Messiah. He is our mediator who reconciles us to our Father in heaven. He is our ransom freeing us from the slavery of sin. Jesus is Immanuel – God with us. Even His name Jesus states that He is our Salvation. So great is his name that “God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name”. We could discover many other names and titles in Scripture that describe Jesus’ awesome nature and mighty work.
 
In today’s verse He chooses to reveal Himself as a servant. Jesus, the Son of God and Savior of the world, came to serve. He demonstrated his servant’s heart when he washed the disciple’s feet, a menial task reserved for the lowest of servants. He demonstrated His servant’s heart when He went to the cross. We are the beneficiaries of Christ’s service. By his death and resurrection, we are united with the God who created us, loves us, and desires a relationship with us. He restored to us that which was lost in the Garden of Eden.
 
Jesus humbled Himself and came to serve. Oh, that we would have a true servant’s heart with a desire to seek and serve the will of our Heavenly Father. Just think if we served God by serving our fellow man so they could see the Love of Christ in our lives. It was Jesus servant’s heart that changed eternity for us. It was a servant’s heart in ordinary people that God used to spread the Gospel. What could God do through each of us if we had the heart of a servant?
 
Father in Heaven, please give us a servant’s heart. Create in us the desire and strength to be obedient to your will.  May others hear the message of the Gospel from our lips and see the power of the Gospel in our lives. Amen.
 
Verse for today:
For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.  (Galatians 5:13)

From Pastor Gary…
 
For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all. (1 Timothy 2: 6)
 
The Old Testament high priest was the mediator between God and Israel. He offered sacrifices and prayers to God on the behalf of the people.  He interceded for them.
 
Jesus is forever our great High Priest. He no longer needs to offer sacrifices for our sins because He has given Himself as the perfect sacrifice.  Paul wrote that Jesus “gave himself as a ransom for all”.  A ransom is the price paid to free captives. His death was the ransom paid to set us free from the captivity of sin. Only through his sacrifice is the relationship with our heavenly Father restored. As mediator He reconciled us to God and stands as our advocate, our defender, and intercessor. St. Paul wrote, “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died – and more than that, who was raised – who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us” (Romans 8:34).  How comforting to know that Jesus died for us, rose for us, and intercedes on our behalf.
 
Thank you, Jesus, for being our mediator. Thank you for restoring our relationship with our Father in heaven, and for continuing to intercede for us. Give us the strength to share what you have done, and continue to do, for us with the people you place in our lives. Amen. 
 
Verse for today:
If anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2: 1-2)

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)