I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
TO PONDER
Is your following Jesus bringing you joy? I don't mean an absence of difficulty or challenges, Jesus didn't say that would happen, in fact he told his disciples to expect almost the opposite. But do you find following Jesus a joy? If you find it's more of a burden, then you might not be following Jesus.
Many people today, including many Christians, think that following Jesus is about following a bunch of rules and regulations and performing the right rituals and services, having the right theology or belonging to the right 'group' of Christians. Those things all have to do with following a religion and sometimes, only sometimes do they overlap with actually following Jesus.
Following Jesus means loving others, even when it hurts. Following Jesus means having him beside you as your best friend and supported at every moment of every day, despite the circumstances. Following Jesus means listening to him and trusting that when he says we should do something that it is for our good that we do it. Loving others, caring for neighbours, reading your Bible, praying to the Lord, all these things - even when we fins them difficult or challenging are the things that Jesus says can bring us joy. They bring us joy because when we do them we know we are following Jesus and we know he is with us. There is no room for doubt or guilt, because we are walking in his footsteps so there is no room for the enemy t accuse or confuse us off the path, because we are firmly planted in Christ who steps the path out for us.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, help me to follow you every step of every day. Today when the hard or challenging steps come, take my hand and lead me so that there is no room for the enemy to snatch me from you hand or lead me off your path. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle.
For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ.
TO PONDER
If you were in church at Newcastle yesterday you would have heard me say this but I'll say it again for the benefit of all our other devotion readers, "God was pleased to be born as the baby Jesus".
I don't think many people often hear or read this part of the introduction of Paul's letter to the Colossians. If they did, I think we would make much more of this tiny little verse and the reason for me thinking that is simply this, I have always been led to believe that God did this because he had to, he had no other choice, this was the only way that he could save us. Much of that might be true and yet God did have a choice and it pleased him to make this one. To be born as a human baby and to have all his fullness dwell in Jesus so that he could purchase us as his own Christmas present.
So many Christmas presents each year get returned or regifted so that people can actually use the refund or store credit to purchase something they actually want. God gave us everything He had, so that we could be his. We are what he wanted for Christmas. Isn't that an incredible thing to consider?!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you that you gave everything to make me yours. May my life continue to be one that pleases you because of your son Jesus. Help me to always follow him and to know every day that I am yours. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
Long ago, God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe.
TO PONDER
There are a few people whose voices I recognise almost instantly; my wife, my children, my mum. When they call me on the phone, I don't need to ask who it is, their voice gives them away.
Jesus once said to his disciples and those gathered with them, "I am the Good Shepherd, I know my sheep and my sheep listen to my voice."
Our verse today is concerned about how God communicates or speaks to us. Traditionally, we would say he speaks through his Word, the Bible and he absolutely does. But Jesus is the Word made flesh, God's powerful and creative word in human form, surely he is not limited or contained to just a book. The writer of Hebrews suggests that God has spoken in various ways throughout history. And He still speaks in various ways today.
Our verse says, 'through the Son he created the universe'. I know many people who say they have had profound experiences of God while enjoying his creation. I know in the following weeks, many of us will be enjoying the wonders of God's creation during the Australian Summer. Whether it's the power of the waves crashing on the shore at the beach, the colours of a summer sunset, a walk in the rainforest or some other natural wonder. Why not keep your ears open and see if you can recognise God speaking to you as you enjoy the world he created. (but don't stop reading your Bible!!!)
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, You created all good things. As I enjoy the good gifts of your world over this time of summer and holidays and New Years celebrations, help me to hear your love expressed to me in each of these good gifts. May I help point out your goodness to others. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
TO PONDER
The feet were important. ‘Shoes of peace’ Paul calls them in the armour of God. Transport in Jesus days was mainly Shank’s Pony. (Now, all those under 50 years of age will need to look up Shanks Pony).
And after a day or so of walking, travelling from town to town, the feet needed a good wash and massage.
Our message (after the massage) is to share the good news. Now. Often. Immediately. We are the privileged ones, who have been sent. LifeWay worship finishes the service with it every week. Send us, Lord. Get our feet going. Give us the impetus to preach to those who haven’t heard the news of Christmas – and there are many who have not!
A colleague in a rural congregation wondered why one of their new members didn’t worship over the Christmas period. When they contacted him, he said that he thought, like many businesses, the church closed over Christmas. He didn’t link the Christmas message with the message about Jesus he heard on Sundays. He was wondering what Jesus has to do with Christmas. We have work to do people!
People like him, will welcome your preaching, will rejoice at your witness, and love your enthusiasm…smelly feet or not.
PRAYER:We don’t often get the preaching bit right Lord, so give us the right words to say, especially at this time when many have never heard the real Christmas story. Give us boldness to tell others the good news we know! Amen
Today's devotion written by Mark Simpfendorfer, LifeWay Epping.
We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
TO PONDER
What’s the role of an ambassador? An ambassador is a high-ranking diplomatic representative who is appointed by a country's government to represent their interests in a foreign country. The primary role of an ambassador is to establish and maintain diplomatic relations between the two countries, facilitate trade and commerce, and promote cultural and educational exchange programs. Thanks, Google for your wordy definition! Allow me to put it in the vernacular.
An ambassador helps keep the peace. Our peace-loving God would like us to do the same. When there is conflict, show peace. When there is anger, be calm. When there are hurtful words, be prepared to step in and stop them. When the mood is dark, let us shine our Jesus lights to brighten things. When there's sadness, bring comfort and joy. When there is dislike, turn it into respect.
So the role of a Christian ambassador is so much more, and we get a chance to do that, not just this Christmas season, but every day of our lives.
PRAYER: Make us Father, a channel of your peace. Use us to help solve some of the terrible problems the world has. Give us the strength to tackle the negative thoughts the world leads us on. Guide us to take the straight paths, and not wander from you or your word. Bless our lives and time and journey on this earth. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mark Simpfendorfer, LifeWay Epping
And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.
TO PONDER
Our reading is from John. An old John when this was written. The only disciple, according to tradition, that died a natural death. John was possibly fifteen years old when he began to follow Jesus. He would have been in his teens when he became a disciple. And John wrote this gospel, well after the other three were written, when he was old, probably over eighty five years old. This was unique especially as the life-expectancy was under 40.
So when John has recorded Jesus telling him to let other people know about Him, because he’s been there from the start – it is accurate! John was there.
When you were baptised, and for many it was as a baby, Jesus was with you at the start too. Jesus has been with you from the beginning. Sometimes we forget that, or disregard it, or don’t care, or couldn’t be bothered, or don’t find the space or time to let Jesus get a look-in. But Jesus continues to care about us no matter what. Jesus continues to love us no matter what. Jesus continues to get us ready (usually via others) to spend eternity with him.
The Christmas season, which goes until January 6, is an ideal time to hear the words of Jesus, to hear other writers testify about him, and to listen out for your name to be called again and again.
PRAYER :Thank you, Lord, for those writers who have told your story to us. Thank you for the way in which your story becomes our story. Thank you for the printers that can bring your story to us in many and varied forms. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mark Simpfendorfer, LifeWay Epping.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
TO PONDER
Allow me to pinch the words of a Christmas song.
He is here. The Saviour has been born. The one we’ve waited for. Surrounded by our praises. He is here. The promise of the king, To you our lives we bring, let your glory be revealed…
He’s here. He hangs around us. He dwells with us. Camps with us. The Word is Jesus, and this is sometimes called ‘The Incarnation’. Incarnation literally means ‘embodied in flesh or taking on flesh’. He came to experience what we experience, to feel what we feel, to have the emotions we have. If you want to have all of those human feelings, you need to be human, to have flesh and blood.
And the Master planner knew that and gave us Jesus. And the baby Jesus, because he was human, would have cried, so you can ignore the line in the carol that says, ‘no crying he makes’. (He certainly would have cried if there was a little drummer boy banging away outside the crib).
It’s a great day for the race today. The human race. The continuation of the human race, because we celebrate the birth of our Saviour.
May you find the time to stop and celebrate too.
PRAYER:Son of God, gift to all, thank you for your gift to us. Keep us safe this day and give us space to reflect on your amazing and gracious love. Give us patience and grace in this most holy season. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mark Simpfendorfer, LifeWay Epping
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
TO PONDER
When an angel says, ‘do not be afraid’, be afraid. Because in many other times in scripture, things were about to happen. Things would change. Something would be different, and if the angel appeared to you, it would involve you and your life, and change. The angel appeared to Mary, and to Elizabeth, and to Zechariah, and above, to the shepherds. ‘Do not be afraid’. It’s like giving children an instruction, and they only hear part of it. ‘Don’t run inside’….all they hear is ‘run inside’.
And the message of the angel will ‘cause great joy’. The hearers won’t have a choice in experiencing that joy. Is following the Saviour causing you great joy? Are the celebrations tonight this Christmas Eve causing you joy, or are they a burden? For some, this evening can be an over-rated, greedy, and stressful gift-giving time – but it is meant to be a time of great joy.
Amongst the presents, and eating, and eggnog (yes, even in Australia), may you find time for great joy, for the real Christmas message, for the good news of the messiah.
PRAYER: O Holy child of Bethlehem, descend to us we pray. Cast out our sin and enter in. Be born in us today. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mark Simpfendorfer, LifeWay Epping
And Saul approved of their killing him. (The Church Persecuted and Scattered)
On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
TO PONDER
Mm mm. Where’s the Advent or Christmas message here? I mean, we’re only a day off Christmas Eve, and the text talks about persecution. But it also talks about the church being scattered.
Historically and geographically, it was the best time to spread the word. It was a time of great literacy, especially in the Greek speaking world. They loved their dramas, and were avid readers, so being spread out, was a blessing in disguise. The message was scattered far and wide.
How’s your scattering of the gospel going? Do your neighbours know you are a gospel-centred person? Will you be attending a Christmas Eve service tomorrow night, and maybe exchanging gifts, after hearing the story of the greatest gift?
Let people know what you are doing this Christmas, and why. And it’s ok to remind them it is more than Santa.
PRAYER: Gracious God, give us boldness in this silly season, to be calm, to be ready, and be willing to give an answer to anyone who asks about the Christmas message. Help us to scatter your Word around us. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mark Simpfendorfer, LifeWay Epping