Sound Mind Set

Luke 2:8-14Living Bible That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep.  Suddenly an angel appeared among them, and the landscape shone bright with the glory of the Lord. They were badly frightened, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you the most joyful news ever announced, and it is for everyone! The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born tonight in Bethlehem! How will you recognize him? You will find a baby wrapped in a blanket,[b] lying in a manger!” Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others-the armies of heaven—praising God: “Glory to God in the highest heaven,” they sang,[c] “and peace on earth for all those pleasing him.” Imagine for a moment that you’re a shepherd back in the B.C. days. It’s just another cold, lonely, pitch-dark night, sitting by the fire, watching the sheep. Then, suddenly, a blinding light pierces through the blackness, and you’re face to face with an angel. He sees the terror in your eyes, knows you think that he has come to kill you because of your sin and low position, so then he declares, “Don’t be scared. I have good news of great joy for all people.”  Disbelief overwhelms reality as you think, “Why me? And why here? … Aren’t there some important people somewhere to do this? After all, we’re just shepherds.” Shepherds, as a stereotype, had a reputation for being low-lives, men of bad reputation. They didn’t observe the ceremonial law and were not religious men. They were so known for stealing and dishonesty that their testimony would not be considered reliable enough to testify in court. Think about that… God chose first to announce He was here to these men of bad reputation. He made His birth announcement to the least of these, setting a pattern for His Son’s ministry. On that night, that holy night, everything changed and the broken, rejected, lowest of society were the ones that God chose to tell first.  The words of the beautiful song, Oh Holy Night, capture the essence of that encounter. As we finish our time together - let me read you the words for this beautiful song.  O holy night, the stars are brightly shining,  It is the night of the dear Saviour’s birth;  Long lay the world in sin and error pining,  'Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth.  A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,  For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn;  Fall on your knees, Oh hear the angel voices!  O night divine! O night when Christ was born. Father, we thank you for this time of joyful waiting. May the hope and joy of this season fill our hearts and make us living signs of your love for a world that hungers for your peace. Immanuel, God with us. Amen

ISAIAH 35 Even the wilderness and desert will be glad in those days.    The wasteland will rejoice and blossom with spring crocuses. Yes, there will be an abundance of flowers    and singing and joy! The deserts will become as green as the mountains of Lebanon,    as lovely as Mount Carmel or the plain of Sharon. There the Lord will display his glory,    the splendor of our God. With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands,    and encourage those who have weak knees. Say to those with fearful hearts,    “Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies.    He is coming to save you.” And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind    and unplug the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap like a deer,    and those who cannot speak will sing for joy! Springs will gush forth in the wilderness,    and streams will water the wasteland. The parched ground will become a pool,    and springs of water will satisfy the thirsty land. Marsh grass and reeds and rushes will flourish    where desert jackals once lived. And a great road will go through that once deserted land.    It will be named the Highway of Holiness. Evil-minded people will never travel on it.    It will be only for those who walk in God’s ways;    fools will never walk there. Lions will not lurk along its course,    nor any other ferocious beasts. There will be no other dangers.    Only the redeemed will walk on it. Those who have been ransomed by the Lord will return.    They will enter Jerusalem[a] singing,    crowned with everlasting joy.—- Sorrow and mourning will disappear,    and they will be filled with joy and gladness. PRAY: Father, we thank you for this time of joyful waiting. May the hope and joy of this season fill our hearts and make us living signs of your love for a world that hungers for your peace. Immanuel, God with us. Amen

Matthew 1:18-25 The birth of Jesus took place like this. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. Before they enjoyed their wedding night, Joseph discovered she was pregnant. (It was by the Holy Spirit, but he didn’t know that.) Joseph, chagrined but noble, determined to take care of things quietly so Mary would not be disgraced. While he was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream. God’s angel spoke in the dream: “Joseph, son of David, don’t hesitate to get married. Mary’s pregnancy is Spirit-conceived. God’s Holy Spirit has made her pregnant. She will bring a son to birth, and when she does, you, Joseph, will name him Jesus—‘God saves’—because he will save his people from their sins.” This would bring the prophet’s embryonic revelation to full term: Watch for this—a virgin will get pregnant and bear a son;  They will name him Immanuel (Hebrew for “God is with us”). Then Joseph woke up. He did exactly what God’s angel commanded in the dream: He married Mary. But he did not consummate the marriage until she had the baby. He named the baby Jesus. Scripture states that Joseph decides he should quietly divorce her, which was legally required of a betrothal or engagement in that day. He didn’t want to expose her to any public disgrace or judgment. Yet, even amidst such great heartbreak, doubt, and question, Joseph put Mary first and protected her at all costs. He loved her, even in what he thought was his darkest moment. Joseph has a dream where an angel confirms Mary’s story and tells him to name the boy “Jesus.” So, Joseph immediately marries Mary. But, here’s an interesting facet to the story.  Verse 24 - 25 Then Joseph woke up. He did exactly what God’s angel commanded in the dream: He married Mary. But he did not consummate the marriage until she had the baby. He named the baby Jesus. Joseph does not have sex with his wife before her giving birth. Now, there is nothing in this passage where the angel tells Joseph to abstain; in fact, the angel says “don’t hesitate to get married." Meaning he has all the legal rights of a husband. But Joseph made a choice out of respect to God’s plan to stay out of God’s way, to stay in His will. The integrity and love that often an unsung hero of the story is so inspiring. Joseph not only obeyed, but he went a step further and honored the purity of the story out of reverence for there being a bigger plan.  Think about that, Joseph was married, anyone around him could’ve said it is possible that this child is Joseph’s, but Joseph’s discipline and self-control elevated God's will about his desires. He honored and highlighted the miraculous story that we celebrate, God with us. So there could be no doubt. This was God’s son. Father, we thank you for this time of joyful waiting. May the hope and joy of this season fill our hearts and make us living signs of your love for a world that hungers for your peace. Immanuel, God with us. Amen

Luke 1:46-56 And Mary said, I’m bursting with God-news;     I’m dancing the song of my Savior God.  God took one good look at me, and look what happened—     I’m the most fortunate woman on earth!  What God has done for me will never be forgotten,     the God whose very name is holy, set apart from all others.  His mercy flows in wave after wave     on those who are in awe before him.  He bared his arm and showed his strength,     scattered the bluffing braggarts.  He knocked tyrants off their high horses,     pulled victims out of the mud.  The starving poor sat down to a banquet;     the callous rich were left out in the cold.  He embraced his chosen child, Israel;     he remembered and piled on the mercies, piled them high.  It’s exactly what he promised,     beginning with Abraham and right up to now. Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months and then went back to her own home. Mary’s response to the Angel’s news started with being amazed that God would choose her, saying, “she is the most fortunate woman on earth" . Then she goes on to say these beautiful words of worship about the character of God: God’s very name is Holy His mercy flows He shows strength, scattering the braggarts Pulling victims out of the mud Who did God choose to bring the Savior of the world through? A lowly young girl, out of obscurity… Much like us. Can you take these words spoken by Mary thousands of years ago and accept them as what God, through this miraculous act, is saying to you? He embraces me as his chosen child. He remembers me and piles on mercies, piles them high. Doing exactly what he promised.  What was foretold thousands of years before Jesus was born is exactly what God continues to do today. PRAY: Father, we thank you for this time of joyful waiting. May the hope and joy of this season fill our hearts and make us living signs of your love for a world that hungers for your peace. Immanuel, God with us. Amen

Luke 1:26-38 MESSAGE In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to the Galilean village of Nazareth to a virgin engaged to be married to a man descended from David. His name was Joseph, and the virgin’s name, Mary. Upon entering, Gabriel greeted her: Good morning! You’re beautiful with God’s beauty, Beautiful inside and out! God be with you. She was thoroughly shaken, wondering what was behind a greeting like that. But the angel assured her, “Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you: You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus. He will be great, be called ‘Son of the Highest.’ The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David; He will rule Jacob’s house forever— no end, ever, to his kingdom.” Mary said to the angel, “But how? I’ve never slept with a man.” The angel answered, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, the power of the Highest hover over you; Therefore, the child you bring to birth will be called Holy, Son of God. “And did you know that your cousin Elizabeth conceived a son, old as she is? Everyone called her barren, and here she is, six months pregnant! Nothing, you see, is impossible with God.” And Mary said, Yes, I see it all now: I’m the Lord’s maid, ready to serve. Let it be with me just as you say. Then the angel left her. Can you put yourself in Mary’s place? Everything to that point was normal—everything in its place, just an ordinary day… then a beautiful disruption. An angel appears out of nowhere. It must have been terrifying. But the angel says don’t fear. Something remarkable is going to happen. Listen again to some of the things the angel says will happen. “God has a surprise for you: You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus. He will be great, be called ‘Son of the Highest.’ The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David; He will rule Jacob’s house forever— no end, ever, to his kingdom.” Mary said to the angel, “But how? I’ve never slept with a man.” The angel answered, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, the power of the Highest hover over you; Therefore, the child you bring to birth will be called Holy, Son of God. Nothing, you see, is impossible with God.” Because of what happened over 2000 years ago, an impossible pregnancy story, is a perfect template for what God continues to do for all of us. He intersects, disrupts our normal, and says don’t fear something remarkable is going to happen. Can you hear God saying to you… don’t fear. God has a surprise for you, nothing, you see, is impossible with God. Father, we thank you for this time of joyful waiting. May the hope and joy of this season fill our hearts and make us living signs of your love for a world that hungers for your peace. Immanuel, God with us. Amen

1 John 4  We’ve seen for ourselves and continue to state openly that the Father sent his Son as Savior of the world. Everyone who confesses that Jesus is God’s Son participates continuously in an intimate relationship with God. We know it so well, we’ve embraced it heart and soul, this love that comes from God.  God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.  We, though, are going to love—love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first.  We love because we are loved. The kind of Love that this passage is about is exemplified by Jesus sacrificially becoming one of us. Since Jesus was born, a fearful life, a fear of death, a fear of judgment is banished — because well-formed Love vanishes fear.   The Love we have on our own for one another is fragile and transactional. The kind of Love that this passage is talking about goes beyond any kind of love we can have on our own. But it’s a Love that is available. Not only for us but through us to others. A kind of intimacy, acceptance, and without limitation because of the one who first loved us and sacrificially came for us. This kind of Love is a power that wipes out fear. We can know this Love and give this Love because we were shown this Love first. As the scripture says — First we were loved, now we love.  Let's pray: God of Love, Your son, Jesus, is your greatest gift to us. Love incarnate. Help us walk in that Love during the weeks of Advent, as we wait and prepare for his coming again. Thank You for Your unfailing, sacrificial and redeeming Love for me. Immanuel, God with us.

Philippians 2:7-8 (Message)  Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.  The amazing thing about Christmas is that the Almighty God on high knew we would ever be able to measure up enough to be worthy of his Kingdom. But that didn’t stop His Love for us. Instead, He came for us.  He stepped aside from his status, position, and Holiness and lowered himself because of Love. And he didn’t just do it one time, as in for one day. He stayed and walked in our shoes for 33 years, without entitled privileges. He came in a humble barn. He died in a humiliating way. This is ultimate Love, that lays down his rights, lays down justice, lays down entitlement, and lowers himself to our level, for our sake.   If we’re honest, we all esteem ourselves better than other people from time to time. Someone who’s wronged us, someone who’s disappointed us or offended us… Someone who we compare ourselves to, saying… we would never do that.   Can you picture a person in your life that fits into that category in your mind right now?  This passage starts with these words - Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. What can you do to humble yourself and reach out to that person and show them Love today?   Maybe it’s a word of encouragement; maybe it’s just letting them know that you were thinking about them, maybe say a prayer for them. Let’s follow the example of Christ and let go of any entitlement or privilege, not just a thought but in deed.  Lets pray: God of Love, Your son, Jesus, is your greatest gift to us. Love incarnate. Help us walk in that Love during the weeks of Advent, as we wait and prepare for his coming again. Thank You for Your unfailing, sacrificial and redeeming Love for me. Immanuel, God with us. 

Zephaniah 3:17 NLT   For the Lord your God is living among you.      He is a mighty savior.   He will take delight in you with gladness.      With his love, he will calm all your fears.[a]      He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”    This prophecy talks about what came to be, what actually, historically happened. It is undisputed by atheists and believers alike… Jesus was born in Bethlehem. It’s easy to miss the significance of words spoken thousands of years before the facts that actually came to be. Jesus was a living, breathing human, just like you and me. God becomes flesh. God living among us.     This passage is a prophecy, a promise, and a reality.   When was the last time you felt like anyone delighted in you, was full of gladness just because you were here?     That is how your God, who is with you, feels about you.    What is something that you’re afraid of right now?   This passage says with His Love he will calm your fears. It doesn’t say that your fears will be gone entirely, it says because He is with you, your fears will be calmed.    Your Father will rejoice over you with joyful songs. This season is full of happy songs; next time you hear one, think about the joy it represents and imagine this is how you make God feel, happy. He rejoices over you with happy songs.   Let's pray: God of Love, Your son, Jesus, is your greatest gift to us. Love incarnate. Help us walk in that love during the weeks of Advent, as we wait and prepare for his coming again. Thank You for Your unfailing, sacrificial and redeeming Love for me. Immanuel, God with us.

2 Titus 3:4-6 ( Living Bible)  But when the time came for the kindness and Love of God our Savior to appear, then he saved us—not because we were good enough to be saved but because of his kindness and pity—by washing away our sins and giving us the new joy of the indwelling Holy Spirit, whom he poured out upon us with wonderful fullness—and all because of what Jesus Christ our Savior did.  Kindness and Love saved us; It was born onto this earth thousands of years ago. Not because we were good enough, not because we were worthy, but because of a great love, kindness and mercy.   Is there something in your life that feels like it gets in the way of experiencing God’s kindness and Love? Something that blocks you from His unconditional acceptance, kindness and mercy?    This passage tells us because of Jesus, the Christ, ALL our sins are washed away and replaced with new joy by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out upon us with wonderful fullness. The word fullness is mentioned many times in our advent readings.  This wonderful fullness comes from an indwelling of the Holy Spirit as our sins, our past, our wounds are washed away.   This fullness available to you takes no account of what you have done or not done; it has nothing to do with if you are good enough or not good enough. It has everything to do with the Love that is beyond us.   In what way has God shown his kindness and Love to you this week?  Lets pray: God of Love, Your son, Jesus, is your greatest gift to us. Love incarnate. Help us walk in that Love during the weeks of Advent, as we wait and prepare for his coming again. Thank You for Your unfailing, sacrificial and redeeming Love for me. Immanuel, God with us.

Isaiah 49:13-16 (MESSAGE)  Heavens, raise the roof! Earth, wake the dead!      Mountains, send up cheers!   God has comforted his people.      He has tenderly nursed his beaten-up, beaten-down people.  But Zion said, “I don’t get it. God has left me.      My Master has forgotten I even exist.”  “Can a mother forget the infant at her breast,      walk away from the baby she bore?   But even if mothers forget,      I’d never forget you—never.   Look, I’ve written your names on the backs of my hands.      The walls you’re rebuilding are never out of my sight.   Your builders are faster than your wreckers.      The demolition crews are gone for good.   This passage compares the love God has for us with the Love of a mother and her infant. There’s little, if anything on earth, that compares to a mother and her intimate love for the baby she nurses. But this passage goes deeper and explains that the imperfect mother will fail at perfect love in some way or another. But not God, not ever. Maybe, this Christmas season, you might feel forgotten or overlooked. Or perhaps you know someone who you suspect might feel that way.   Can you picture right now your name written on the back of the hand of the God of the universe? He says that His Love for you will never fail and promises that the walls you are rebuilding are never out of his sight. Your builders are faster than your wreckers; the demolition crews are gone for good.    Because of our Father's love for us — sending his Son whose birth we celebrate— it says those things that work against us are slower than the one that builds in us. The demolition crews, the false love that this world represents, are gone for good because of the perfect Love born in   Bethlehem, from heaven above is here. This Love that says— I’d never forget you—never.   Lets pray: God of Love, Your son, Jesus, is your greatest gift to us. Love incarnate. Help us walk in that Love during the weeks of Advent, as we wait and prepare for his coming again. Thank   You for Your unfailing, sacrificial and redeeming Love for me. Immanuel, God with us.