Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the way of Your only-begotten Son, that by His coming we may be enabled to serve You with pure minds; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Preparation in the Presence Read More »
Almighty and ever-living God, You have given exceedingly great and precious promises to those who trust in You. Dispel from us the works of darkness and grant us to live in the light of Your Son, Jesus Christ, that our faith may never be found wanting; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen!
In John 14, Jesus says, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” The primary role of the Holy Spirit, then, is to teach us and remind us of all that Jesus said–perfect communication. When Peter had confessed Jesus to be the Messiah, Jesus said immediately to Peter: “the Son of Man must suffer many things . . . be killed, and on the third day be raised” (Luke 9:22). Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. This is the word that the Holy Spirit reminds us of week after week in Scripture, hymns, preaching, and Holy Communion. It is this word of Jesus that brings us down a notch when we are arrogant and lifts us up when we are brought low by our sin. Christ, crucified for sinners and risen, is perfect communication. This is precisely what the Holy Spirit breathes into our ears.
The intersection of the secular and the religious: At Christ’s first Advent John the Baptist proclaimed the immanence of the Savior’s coming into the world to a people ruled by one Herod, the tetrarch of Galilee. As we anticipate Christ’s second Advent during this Advent Season, we recognize that we still need a Savior–one who will again intersect our world with His coming in glory, as the dead are raised and the saints receive the inheritance of the world to come.
The Salvation of God Read More »
Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come, that by Your protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins and saved by Your mighty deliverance; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen!
Advent Preparations Read More »
Why the delay, God? Nothing is more certain than Your judgment of the world…after all, you said so. So where are You?
To be sure, there is a Y-year, a D-day, an H-hour, and an M-Minute. But our assurance in this world, and of the world to come, lies in the sure Word of Christ and in the certainty that is His resurrection.
What Are You Waiting For? Read More »
