Hello Gloria Dei,
We are already approaching the second weekend in the season of Advent. One of the familiar biblical characters within this season is John the Baptist. Advent is a time of preparation for the coming of Christ at Christmas. John the Baptist was a messenger of God, called to prepare the way for the public ministry of Jesus.
Early in the gospel of John, we see John pointing away from himself to Jesus, the coming Messiah. In John 1:29, when John the Baptist sees Jesus, we hear John’s famous words, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”
And just a bit later, in chapter 3:30, we get a good summation of John’s Modus Operandi, when he says about Jesus, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
John the Baptist resisted the temptation to make everything all about himself. Many people in John’s day wondered if he was the Messiah. John could have taken that and ran with it, but he didn’t. God had called him to point to Jesus, not to himself. And John fulfilled his calling. Jesus once said of John the Baptist, “Truly I tell you, no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist.”
As you prepare once again for the celebration of Jesus’ arrival at Christmas, I invite you to think of your calling. In a very real way, you and I are called to use this life that God has given us to point to Jesus. The four words we are highlighting as preaching themes during this season are “Hope, Peace, Joy, Love.” This weekend we will focus on Peace.
Our lives are to point to Jesus. Why? Because Jesus is the one who truly brings Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love to our world.
Thank you for your partnership in ministry, as together we wait and prepare for the birth of the Prince of Peace.
Pastor Tim
P.S. This weekend, due to the Augustana Vespers, the Saturday worship service will be held in the chapel. And on Sunday, we are blessed by our Church School and Children’s and Youth Choirs singing. We are anticipating a full house at both the 9 and 10:30 services. However, the 9 a.m. service is usually the biggest, so if it works for you to come at 10:30, it will be easier to find a seat.
