The Sunday Lectionary Readings for SUNDAY, January 13, 2019 - Baptism of the Lord

The Baptism of Jesus

The Sunday Lectionary Readings

SUNDAY, January 13, 2019 - Baptism of the Lord

(Revised Common Lectionary Year C)

OPENING WORDS

Today we celebrate a special baptism; the baptism of Jesus of Nazareth: it’s the last day of the Christmas season. The baptism of Jesus marked the end of his quiet years in Nazareth and the start of his public ministry.

God says: Look! See my chosen servant, the One in whom I utterly delight; I have placed my Spirit on him, he will bring true justice to the nations.

When Jesus was baptized, the heavens opened up, and Spirit came down like a dove; and there was a voice from heaven saying: “This is my dearly loved Son, with whom I am delighted.”

Most wonderful God, foolish and flawed though we are, we too delight in your beloved Son. As in his name we gather in the house of many praises, may the heavens be opened for us, that we may catch a glimpse of that Light and Love that transforms our common days with a beauty not of our making. Through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen!

The Collect (Book of Common Prayers)

Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

Confession and Forgiveness

Trusting God's promise of forgiveness, let us confess our sins against God and one another.

Most merciful God, We confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have failed to do. We have not loved you with our whole heart. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry, and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

Words of Reassurance
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for the sins of the whole world.

~ 1 John 1:9, 2:1b-2 NIV

The Lessons

First Reading
Isaiah 43:1-7

Restoration and Protection Promised
1  But now thus says the Lord,
     he who created you, O Jacob,
     he who formed you, O Israel:
   Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
     I have called you by name, you are mine.
2  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
     and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
   when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
     and the flame shall not consume you.
3  For I am the Lord your God,
     the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
   I give Egypt as your ransom,
     Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you.
4  Because you are precious in my sight,
     and honored, and I love you,
   I give people in return for you,
     nations in exchange for your life.
5  Do not fear, for I am with you;
     I will bring your offspring from the east,
     and from the west I will gather you;
6  I will say to the north, “Give them up,”
     and to the south, “Do not withhold;
   bring my sons from far away
     and my daughters from the end of the earth—
7  everyone who is called by my name,
     whom I created for my glory,
     whom I formed and made.”

Psalm 29

The Voice of God in a Great Storm
A Psalm of David.
1  Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,
     ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2  Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;
     worship the Lord in holy splendor.

3  The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
     the God of glory thunders,
     the Lord, over mighty waters.
4  The voice of the Lord is powerful;
     the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

5  The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
     the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
6  He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
     and Sirion like a young wild ox.

7  The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.
8  The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
     the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

9  The voice of the Lord causes the oaks to whirl,
     and strips the forest bare;
     and in his temple all say, “Glory!”

10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
     the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
11 May the Lord give strength to his people!
     May the Lord bless his people with peace!

Second Reading
Acts 8:14-17

8:14 Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15 The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit 16 (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). 17 Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

The Gospel
Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

3:15 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, 16 John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

The Baptism of Jesus
21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

Here ends the Lessons

Click HERE to read today's Holy Gospel Lesson message

The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Closing Prayer

Lord, this incredible season comes to an end today but not the joy I have discovered in these weeks.

I can sense it - your summons in my life and the response I feel growing in my heart. I want to take up the mission you are calling me to and follow in your path of service.

Thank you for making me one of your children born in water and your Spirit. Help me to listen to your voice in my life and remember each day the happiness of sharing the bond of baptism with you.

With your help, I can stay faithful to your calling and celebrate my mission as your follower. Thank you for this great gift! May I be a light in the world for you. Amen.

Optional parts of the readings are set off in square brackets.

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.
The heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

“Jesus, the God-Man” The Sermon for SUNDAY, January 13, 2019 - Baptism of the Lord

Our Gospel message comes to us today from Luke the 3rd chapter, beginning at the 15th verse.

As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:15-17, 21-22, NRSV)

All mighty God, we thank you for your word and the way that you in it revealed to us who you are and what you've done for us in Christ. Now as we open that word we pray that your spirit may be present, that all thoughts of worry or distraction may be removed and that the Spirit will allow us to hear your voice. And so, oh God, fill us with your spirit through the reading and proclamation of your word this day. We pray in Jesus name. Amen

“Jesus, the God-Man”

Just a few weeks ago we celebrated the birth of the Savior. God – the eternal, the almighty Logos – the second Person of the Trinity – became flesh and blood, like we are. There He lay, in a manger in a stable. And He needed tending to. Mother needed to feed Him and change his diapers and comfort Him when He got colicky. And yet the Scriptures say that this little One is the light that was to come to brighten a dark world. He is the promised Messiah. He is the Salvation of God come to humanity. But He sure didn’t look like much.

Can you explain this Jesus? British evangelist Dr. G. Campbell Morgan says about our Lord: “He was the God-man. Not God indwelling a man. Of such there have been many. But not a man deified. Of such there have been none except in the myths of pagan systems of thought; but God and man, combining in one person the two natures – this is a perpetual enigma and mystery, baffling the possibility of explanation.”

Only Jesus meets the criteria of God-Man. We all, through faith experience the blessing of God indwelling us through the forgiveness of sin. But Jesus is the only One who can claim to be God Incarnate. As people were in the company of Jesus, they saw that He experienced many of the same things that we do: eat, sleep, laugh and cry. And because of this, many missed the fact that He was the Messiah. You see, the Lord purposely didn’t come with much flash and dash, and so many thought that Jesus didn’t look like much.

In today’s Gospel Lesson we read Luke’s account of the Baptism of Jesus. It begins by telling us that people approached John the Baptist wondering if he were the Messiah. You see, John had pizzazz. He was eccentric in his manner of dress. People could easily tell that he was cut from a different cloth. He spoke with courage. His message of repentance was proclaimed powerfully. He didn’t even hold back when it came to calling for King Herod to repent of his sins. And people liked that. Even though John was a humble servant, people liked that he spoke with clout. They were drawn to that.

And truth be told, so are we. Things that don’t look like much tend to fall off our radar screens and things that wow us - captivate us. We like people whose star seems to be shining brightly. They are like magnets. All we need to do is watch the fashion trends to see that little girls want to dress like the fashion icons they see on TV or in the magazines. Little boys want to look and act like the tough guys and action heroes of the time. We’re drawn to them because we want some of their luster to rub off on us.

Hey, let me ask you a question: How do you suppose people would behave if somebody famous were to come to our worship service? What if a well-liked politician or famous sports hero came to our church one of these Sundays? How many people would make it a point to go up to them to bid them peace during the greeting? Don’t fame and fortune – glory - attract us?

But, you know, there’s a real danger when glory becomes the reason why we come to church. The gospel of glory when preached tends to draw and attract people like magnets. Many-a-preacher teaches that God will make us rich; will keep us from ever experiencing any trouble; will heal every one of our sicknesses; will heal all the hurts in our relationships; and will give us joy and peace every moment of our lives.

And this attracts people. It draws them - regardless of what the Scriptures really teach. Being attracted to power and glory is not at all unusual, even for believers. The slight, deceptive subtleties that a gospel of glory brings to us are many. It can cause us to focus on our own righteous living rather than Christ’s humble death on the Cross. Our focus can change from the forgiveness that Christ won for us to the sacrifices we make for God. It can cause us to miss the blessing of God because it seems too weak, humble, insignificant – because it just doesn’t seem like much.

When people approached John the Baptist to ask whether he was Messiah, John had to emphatically deny it. You see, John didn’t come to be the light. He came only to bear witness to the light. He came to point to Jesus, because Jesus, the God-Man, chose to come into the world not looking the part. John had to tell his followers that Jesus was the true Messiah. John understood that Jesus may not have looked like much, but through eyes of faith John could see that Jesus was God Incarnate.

And so the Baptizer told his followers: “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire…” (Luke 3:16-17)

Jesus may not have looked like much, but He came with Kingdom power. The clout that Jesus brings is exercised where it counts. Satan was utterly squashed by this humble Messiah. He had the authority to judge – the winnowing fork John talked about symbolized Jesus’ power to separate believers from the unbelievers. He, Jesus Christ, would decide who would be directed to his left into everlasting judgment, and who would be sent to his right into the everlasting Kingdom of blessing.

Jesus was Messiah – very God of very God. John testified that he was not worthy to approach Jesus. His followers were not worthy to approach Jesus. And, beloved, we are not worthy to approach Jesus. Like John, we are not worthy to even loosen his shoe straps.

But the wonder of it all is that Jesus comes to us. He comes in his Word. And through his Spirit He brings fire that burns in our hearts as it directs us toward the Cross. He comes through the water of Baptism, bringing forgiveness and faith. He comes to us at the Lord’s Table to become part of us and through the proclamation of the Gospel of forgiveness. Eyes of faith see Him and receive Him. Ears of faith recognize his leading.

One day the God-Man walked along the river where John was baptizing. “There! There! John told his disciples - the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of world.” Imagine the reaction from those who couldn’t recognize the Lord. “He’s the Messiah? I can’t believe it,” they must’ve thought. He sure doesn’t look like much. Just an average Joe. No mighty steed; No chariot; No attendants. What in the world does John see in this man? They only saw the weakness because He didn’t look like much. They didn’t have eyes of faith to see, nor ears of faith to hear - to recognize that there, in Jesus, was God coming to be baptized.

John was shocked that Jesus came to him to receive Baptism. “How can you ask me to do this Lord? I am only a sinner, and You are God.” “John, John, don’t worry about that. I’ve come to fulfill everything that God has said through the prophets. I’ve come to fulfill all righteousness. And so the Gospel Lesson tells us that, “…when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:21-22)

To many, Jesus didn’t look like much. After all here He was letting another human being pour water on Him. And yet, this pleased God. “You are my beloved Son.” There was no weakness here - just humble submission to God. Just a heart willing to completely sacrifice self – even to a death on the Cross so that we could be forgiven and counted as God’s children. And Jesus, with his baptism, began that long, three year journey that led up a hill named Golgotha just on the outskirts of Jerusalem.

Jesus is the God-Man. We see it in his humble birth, in his Baptism and in his death on the Cross and in his Resurrection. It is easy to miss this, even for us, even to those who have spent a life-time in church. Pastor D. James Kennedy of Coral Ridge Ministries said in a sermon: “I remember years ago talking to a man in his home about Christ and asking him who he thought Jesus was. The man replied: ‘Oh, Jesus is a wonderful man. He was the greatest man who ever lived, the most loving and gracious person who ever walked upon this earth.’ Dr. Kennedy told the man: ‘Let me tell you something that I believe will startle you. According to the Scriptures, and the historic Christian faith, Jesus of Nazareth, the carpenter of Galilee was and is the eternal Creator of the universe, the omnipotent, omniscient, and Almighty God.’ Instantly the man’s eyes filled with tears and this man of about fifty-five or sixty said, ‘I have been in church all my life and I never heard that before. But I have always thought that is the way it ought to be – that God ought to be like Jesus.’ ”

A pastor from a bygone age, named Arthur John Gossip, wrote: The wonderful thing about Christ is that as people looked at Him, followed Him, and watched Him, it became apparent to them that this is what God must be like. They concluded that if there is a God at all, then He must have Christ’s eyes, Christ’s ways, Christ’s ever-helpful hands, Christ’s character…Look at the Cross, and know that if He loved like that, He will always love like that. Even when our hearts become hot and suspicious of Him or soured and bad-tempered toward Him for His ordering of our lives and crossing our wishes, He still loves us. To be God means always to stoop lower by far than any man could stoop, to bear what never a human heart would dream of bearing, to give Oneself with an abandon of unselfishness that leaves us staring in slack-jawed wonder. His love is a hugeness beyond all human reckoning. It is an everlasting Calvary.

Beloved, see the God-Man in Jesus Christ. See how that at his Baptism, He began his mission to save us and that would ultimately take Him to the Cross.

Let us pray:

Eternal Father, you have given us your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and revealed him to us at his baptism in the River Jordan, grant that we, who have been born again of water and the Holy Spirit, and made your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit, through Jesus Christ, our Savior, who is alive with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

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The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.
Many people missed the Messiah because ’He didn’t look like much.’ But veiled in flesh and blood, fulfilling all righteousness, was God Himself.

The Morning Prayer for SUNDAY, January 13, 2019 - Baptism of the Lord

Sunday morning prayer

Most wonderful God, foolish and flawed though we are, we too delight in your beloved Son. As in his name we gather in the house of many praises, may the heavens be opened for us, that we may catch a glimpse of that Light and Love that transforms our common days with a beauty not of our making.

Lord, I thank You for bringing me safely to another day of worship. How I desire to praise You with a pure heart and right spirit! To that end, I again ask Your forgiveness for all my sins and renewing of my faith. As I speak to You today, fill my heart with true praise and thankfulness for all You have done for me. Lead me to appreciate more fully the blessings of worshiping with my fellow Christians. Thank You for the opportunity to pray and study Your Word with other believers. Make me a faithful witness in my congregation and my family so that others will see me leaning only on You, who saved me in Jesus Christ.

Lord, even though you have conquered the grave, death is still an enemy that robs creation of your intent for life. Make us offended by death wherever we find it. Help us to advocate for life, from our communities to our capitols.

Lord on this special day, I run into Your loving arms. May Sunday be a celebration, filled with thankfulness, where I connect with the presence of Heaven, seek Your beauty and goodness, and cherish special family time together. Come fill my heart afresh with Your love. May it overflow with Heaven's bounty, moving through this rest day and into the week ahead.

Amen

Verse of the Day for SUNDAY, January 13, 2019 - Baptism of the Lord

2 Corinthians 5:19-20 (NIV) that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 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.

Read all of 2 Corinthians 5

Listen to 2 Corinthians 5

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Un dia a la Vez - Recibe lo mejor de Dios

Recibe lo mejor de Dios

El que atiende a la palabra, prospera. ¡Dichoso el que confía en el Señor!

~ Proverbios 16:20 (NVI)

No comiences tu año pensando que eres un fracasado, que ya no hay nada que hacer. Siempre hay lago que hacer. Siempre Dios no da la oportunidad de levantarnos, cambiar y apoderarnos de las promesas que nos dejó Él. ¿Por qué no crees en ellas? ¿En serio piensas que esos beneficios son solo para algunos?

No es bueno que tengas problemas. Aun así, que no todo en la vida te haya salido como esperabas no quiere decir que no levantarás cabeza nunca más.

Antes debes creer en ti mismo y, con esa mentalidad, levantarte cada día a conquistar todo lo que esté a tu alcance.

No te rindas, ánimo, que aún no ha llegado lo mejor.

Recibe lo mejor de Dios en este día. Cambia tu actitud y verás cómo empiezan a suceder las cosas. Además, de un cielo gris pasas a un hermoso cielo azul, con algunas nubes quizá, pero bonito.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
No comiences tu año pensando que eres un fracasado, que ya no hay nada que hacer. Siempre hay lago que hacer. Siempre Dios no da la oportunidad de levantarnos, cambiar y apoderarnos de las promesas que nos dejó Él.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - NO FEAR WHEN THE HEAT COMES

NO FEAR WHEN THE HEAT COMES

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes…”

~ Jeremiah 17:7-8a (NIV)

Trees were not plentiful in Israel and most grew by sources of water like an oasis or a stream. Jeremiah’s simile indicates a person with confidence in the Lord is like a deep-rooted tree by the stream (see Psalm 1 also) that is not afraid of heat.

Samuel Lamb is a well-known house church pastor in southern China in the city of Guangzhou. He spent time in prison for his faith as a young pastor on two occasions totaling almost twenty years. He was forced to work in a coal mine where the work was hard and dangerous. He is convinced that God’s protection is the only reason he survived.

Upon his release after the second imprisonment, he returned home to find out that his dear wife had just passed away. Now in his seventies, he threw himself fully into the ministry again opening an unregistered house church on the second and third story of his home while the local police utilized the ground floor for their office. His congregation grew rapidly. He could pack in two hundred sitting shoulder-to-shoulder on the third floor where he preached and another two hundred listening via a speaker system on the second floor. Soon he had to have five services a week to get everyone in. Each person had to walk past the police post to climb the stairs to his meeting.

He soon became the best-known unregistered house church pastor in China. United States President Ronald Regan sent him a monographed pen set. Billy and Ruth Graham visited the location with many photos taken.

Because of his refusal to register with the government Three Self Patriotic Movement Church, the authorities were constantly irritated. Unhappy with his boldness and the growth of his church, they harassed him repeatedly and often threatened to return him to prison. Each time this threat occurred, Samuel Lamb would hold up two fingers and say, “I’ve been to prison twice already. My bag is packed and I’m ready to go again!” Intimidation would not work against him as he had no fear and his trust was completely in the Lord. And each time the authorities would leave to consider what other tactics they could use against him.

Pastor Lamb continues his unofficial, growing church ministry to this day. As an elderly pastor, he does not fear when the “heat” comes.

RESPONSE: Today I will trust completely in the Lord and rely on His wisdom when pressures arise.

PRAYER: Pray other pastors in China will have the fearlessness and church growth of Samuel Lamb.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), a daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks. © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission.

LHM Daily Devotions - The Star Proclaims the King Is Here

"The Star Proclaims the King Is Here"

Jan. 13, 2019

"The star proclaims the King is here; But, Herod, why this senseless fear? For He who offers heav'nly birth, seeks not the kingdoms of this earth. The eastern sages saw from far, And followed on His guiding star; And, led by light, to light they trod, And by their gifts confessed their God."

This wonderful hymn refers to a phenomenal event that occurred during the earliest years of Jesus' life on earth. It's known as the Epiphany (Greek for "shining forth" or "manifestation"). It took place when traveling sages, i.e. "wise men" came hundreds of miles from their own country to Jerusalem to see Jesus. This is the Epiphany -- one of the solemn occasions recorded in Scripture (Jesus' Baptism and the miracle at Cana being two others) where Jesus' divinity is revealed, particularly to Gentiles.

Matthew 2:1-2 says, "Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star when it rose and have come to worship Him."

A star. The nighttime sky is dotted with billions of them -- a countless legion sprinkled across the canopy of the heavens. And from this panoply of diamonds (and how it must appear like twinkling jewels when seen from the lightless vastness of ancient Near Eastern deserts!), magi -- sages, men of intellectual and spiritual renown -- trekked the seemingly limitless expanse to do ... to do what? To worship Him.

How marvelous this narrative is in showing God at work! An ordinary couple heads south from Galilee to fulfill a census requirement; a baby is born in crude and nondescript circumstances in a backwater village; there in Bethlehem the Child and His parents remain until wise men seek His whereabouts, and it is they who are gifted for a special honor: they are the first to declare Him "King of the Jews."

It's the same designation that would appear over His head some 30 years later as He hung on the cross.

And leaving gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, the wise men exited Judea, savvy to Herod's cunning and whatever sick plans he was hatching to eliminate this child rival. Matthew 2:12 says, "And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way."

But the wise men did not leave empty-handed.

One could imagine their conversation on the initial journey eastward: "What is this that compels us forward?" "Who is it we are going to see?"

And after their return trip westward, they surely delivered some sort of report to the powers that be: "He who we went to see is not a man at all, but a child, with no royal connections, no status to mark Him as significant or worthy of our respect. But yet we fell down at His feet and worshiped Him!"

Who knows? They might have even broken out in song on the way home: "For this Thy glad epiphany, All glory, Jesus, be to Thee, Whom with the Father we adore, and Holy Spirit evermore."

THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, Your riches are unfathomable. Even the way You crafted our salvation story is beyond compare. Teach us, like the wise men, to seek Your Son and follow Him closely. In His Name, we pray. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Paul Schreiber. It is based on the hymn, "The Star Proclaims the King Is Here." Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Today's devotion is based on the hymn, "The Star Proclaims the King Is Here."

Unser Täglich Brot - Die Misere der Flusskrebse

Die Misere der Flusskrebse

Lesung: 1. Thessalonicher 5,11-18 | Die Bibel in einem Jahr: 1. Mose 31-32; Matthäus 9,18-38

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Jagt allezeit dem Guten nach, füreinander und für jedermann. 1. Thessalonicher 5,15

Als mich mein Cousin einlud, mit ihm Flusskrebse zu fischen, war ich aufgeregt. Ich grinste, als er mir einen Plastikeimer reichte. „Kein Deckel?“

„Du brauchst keinen“, sagte er, hob die Angelruten hoch und die kleine Tüte mit Hühnerfleisch, das wir als Köder nutzten.

Als ich die kleinen Krustentiere später beobachtete, wie sie übereinander kletterten, um dem beinahe vollen Eimer zu entkommen, erkannte ich, warum wir keinen Deckel brauchten. Sobald ein Flusskrebs den Rand erreicht hatte, zogen ihn die anderen wieder hinunter.

Die Misere der Flusskrebse erinnern mich daran, wie zerstörerisch es ist, nur selbstsüchtig unserem Gewinn nachzujagen, anstatt dem Nutzen einer ganzen Gemeinschaft. Paulus verstand die Notwendigkeit der ermutigenden, voneinander abhängigen Beziehungen, als er an die Gläubigen in Thessaloniki schrieb. Er ermahnte sie, „weist die Nachlässigen zurecht, tröstet die Kleinmütigen, tragt die Schwachen und seid geduldig mit jedermann“ (1. Thessalonicher 5,14).

Indem er ihre Gemeinschaft lobt (V. 11), spornt Paulus sie zu noch liebevolleren und friedlicheren Beziehungen an (V. 13-15). Durch das Bemühen, eine Kultur der Vergebung, Freundlichkeit und Mitgefühl zu schaffen, würden ihre Beziehungen mit Gott und anderen gestärkt werden (V. 15; 23).

Die Gemeinde kann wachsen und ein Zeugnis für Jesus durch diese liebende Einheit sein. Wenn Gläubige Gott ehren, sich dazu verpflichten, einander aufzubauen, als sich mit Worten oder Taten niederzumachen, dann werden wir und unsere Gemeinschaften blühen.

Wie kannst Du andere in Deiner Gemeinschaft aufbauen? Welche Fürsorge und welches Mitgefühl hast Du von Gläubigen empfangen?

Von Xochitl Dixon

© 2019 Unser Täglich Brot
Als mich mein Cousin einlud, mit ihm Flusskrebse zu fischen, war ich aufgeregt. Ich grinste, als er mir einen Plastikeimer reichte. „Kein Deckel?“