WE ARE PLEASED TO PRESENT THIS YEAR’S ADVENT DEVOTIONAL. LET US REJOICE DURING THIS SEASON AND ALWAYS.
IN THIS YEAR’S EDITION OF THE CLHSA ADVENT DEVOTIONAL, WE WILL LOOK AT THE SEVEN MAIN “CHARACTERS” IN THE CHRISTMAS STORY THROUGH MATTHEW 1-2 AND LUKE 1-2.
ELIZABETH ZECHARIAH
MARY
JOSEPH
THE SHEPHERDS
THE MAGI
HEROD
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. - Philippians 2:9-11 (ESV)
One of the problems that each of us must contend with is our human tendency to make everything about ourselves. There is something deep inside of us that wants us to act as though we are the center of the world. Anyone who has raised a toddler has seen this natural impulse first-hand! We like to believe that we outgrow it as we mature, but in reality, we really just do a better job of hiding it.
This is one of the reasons why Martin Luther frequently makes reference to “the old Adam” inside of us. Daily, we have to put that sinful, self-centered part of ourselves to death and let the new life of Christ live in and through us. As Paul says to the Philippians, everything bows before Jesus Christ—and that has to include us!
In this year’s Advent Devotional, we’re going to take a look at seven of the primary characters involved in the Christmas story. Just like each one of us, they certainly struggled to see that there was something bigger than themselves. They are part of a much bigger, eternal story that comes to fruition through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. But inside their story, I think you will see things that we can learn and ways in which we can grow in the understanding of the story that Jesus is continuing to live out through each one of us.
We are not the “lead” part in our own story—Jesus is! Honestly, that is good news for each of us, as I’m sure we each have our own examples of how we have managed to mess up our own story. And that is true in the lives of Elizabeth, Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, the Shepherds, the Magi, and King Herod. Through our ups and our downs, our successes and our failures, there is a Gospel thread working towards a greater purpose: the glory of God the Father through Jesus Christ our Lord.
May you be blessed through the reading of this Advent Devotional and come to a deeper understanding of whose glory we are living for. God’s blessings to you this Christmas season!
SUNDAY 12/1:
BY DAVID JABS, LUTHERAN EAST FACULTY
Have you ever lost one of your primary senses—the ability to see, hear, smell, or taste? I don’t know if you have experienced this, but it is not easy to handle. Losing one of these senses is extremely difficult. Maybe over the course of the last couple of years with COVID, you have lost your sense of smell. How did you feel when this happened to you? You may have felt a little off, not being able to smell clean clothes, a candle, or the aromas of foods that you love.
About eight years ago, I had an issue with my eyes and I lost some of my vision. Everyday tasks become much more difficult when peripheral vision is not working. To say that driving was difficult would be an understatement. I enjoy playing sports, and it was almost impossible to see a ball until it was about five feet from me. Things that used to be easy all of a sudden seemed very difficult.
The Gospel of Luke details the story of Elizabeth and Zechariah. The angel Gabriel came to Zechariah in the temple to tell him that he and his wife would soon have a baby. Zechariah did not believe this could happen, since he and Elizabeth were quite old. It doesn’t say that he laughs like Sarah did in the Old Testament, but he definitely was in disbelief. We see in Luke 1:20 that because of this disbelief, Zechariah lost his ability to talk. When he came out to talk to others, he was trying to sign. It is hard to communicate when
all of a sudden you cannot do what you have always done. How often do we laugh at or are in disbelief of God’s plans for us? God wants us to do one thing, but we turn and do something else. Yet God’s plans always come through. He always fulfills His Word.
Shortly after meeting Gabriel, Elizabeth becomes pregnant. During this whole time, Zechariah still cannot speak. While Elizabeth is pregnant, Mary comes to visit her. Elizabeth’s baby leaps for joy in the womb (Luke 1: 41) when he feels the presence of Jesus. I always love this passage. John, a baby in the womb, knows who Jesus is and what he is going to do to save us from our sins. It is possible that we have become desensitized to the in credible joy of the good news of Jesus. Let’s always be leaping for joy every time we hear about the great news of Jesus.
Back to Zechariah and Elizabeth. The time comes, and Elizabeth has the baby. At the time John was born, everyone thought that they would name him Zechariah as that was his family name. Elizabeth stood firm and said his name would be John. Zechariah got a piece of paper and had to write out, “His name will be John.” Zechariah followed through with what God told Him through Gabriel. Suddenly, his mouth opened, and he could once again speak.
If you lost a sense, what happened when you regained that sense? How did you feel? My doctors never actually figured out why my vision was bad for a couple of months, but when it came back, I felt so relieved. All I could do was thank God for restoring my vision. It was so nice to not have to turn my head completely around to check a blind spot to see if traffic was coming. I would guess that if you lost your
sense of smell due to COVID, it was probably great to enjoy that first recovered smell of your favorite scent. Smelling a fresh pot of coffee brewing, freshly cut grass, or other amazing scents—you may have even been grateful for not-so-great smells—I’m sure that you just took it all in and thanked God so much for the smell to be restored.
Zechariah must have had that same feeling. When his mouth was opened and his words flowed out, all he did was praise God. If you haven’t read Zechariah’s song at the end of Luke 1, take some time to read through it today. How much more grateful we should be to God after His saving work in our lives!
Zechariah’s song includes the following verses in Luke 1:76-77: “And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.” Our forgiveness is through Jesus, the little one whose birth we are anxiously awaiting this Advent season. Let us always proclaim with joy the gift of forgiveness and eternal life through our King. Our King, whose death we remember during Holy Week and resurrection we celebrate each Easter Sunday, provides our victory over sin, death, and the devil.
As we get ready for Jesus’ birth, let’s continue to thank God, praising Him with our words and actions daily like Zechariah did when his lips were opened. Let’s leap for joy about Jesus like John did when he knew he was in Jesus’ presence. As we wait for Jesus’ arrival on Christmas, let’s wait with the joy Zechariah and Elizabeth had to have had when they finally had a son.
God bless you and your family as we prepare this season for the birth of our Savior and remember that we need to always be singing songs of praise and glory to God for all the gifts that He gives us everyday. Let’s praise Him every day with a renewed joy like Zechariah did after he could finally speak again.
WEDNESDAY 12/4:
MARY
BY CHRISTY SPIEGEL, VICE PRINCIPAL OF CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION, LUTHERAN WEST
Christmas is my favorite time of the year. I love the weeks leading up to it, as Christmas lights slowly start popping up, Christmas songs start playing on the radio, and hoodie season is in full swing. It means the pumpkin spice latte obsession is finally over, the argument about how soon is too soon for Christmas lights has been put to rest, and Halloween/Thanksgiving decorations are being sold for 80% off.
With this season comes an inevitable bit of chaos—stress over preparations for the holiday, and some ‘big asks.’ Some of these big asks might sound familiar to you: you spend weeks buying all the presents and just two days before Christmas, your son/daughter asks for one more thing they just “have” to add to their letter to Santa. You spend days preparing and cleaning the house for family gatherings and that one last-minute relative calls and asks for a place to stay. Your boss might ask you to write a devotion for the Advent publication. Coaches ask families to build their holiday plans around their practice schedule and when you tell your child that they might need to miss one or two practices, an argument ensues. You ask your spouse to put up Christmas lights and to have ‘Christmas Spirit’ while doing it. You could be asked to do anything during Big 10 football games or Cleveland Browns Sundays.
Most of the time when these things have been asked of me, my responses range from “Let me think about it and I’ll get back to you” to “No”, “Hard pass,” or “I needed to know that weeks before now”. In most of our minds, most of these requests are things that we perceive as big asks, big inconveniences, or both.
Most people have heard Mary’s story and know she is the mother of Jesus and everything that goes along with that. But take a moment and put yourself in her shoes for just a second. She had just gotten engaged. She was probably making plans for the future and dreaming about the life she and Joseph were going to build together. Now imagine someone then coming to her and saying: you are going to have a baby, even though you’re a virgin and have yet to be married, AND He’s going to be the Savior of the entire world. THIS was a big ask. “The angel went to her and said, ‘Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.’ Mary was greatly troubled by his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.’” (Luke 1:29-32)
Mary could have easily said “No, thanks. Hard pass.” To me, one of the best examples Mary set for us was her response to this big ask: “‘I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May your word to me be fulfilled.’ Then the angel left her.” (Luke 1:38) When her life could have been put in danger for being an unwed, pregnant woman and at risk of Joseph leaving her, her obedient heart was steadfast. Mary’s acceptance of what the angel told her resulted in the greatest gift the world will ever receive. Mary’s obedience did not mean that she did not have moments where she worried about the future, or what life would be like raising the Savior of the world. But obedience is a choice. Her faithfulness and servant’s heart equipped her to remain resolute in the angel’s command to not worry. “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her! And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of His servant.” (Luke 1:45-48) If you continue to read Luke 1:49-55, Mary praises and thanks God for his gift
of “mercy” and grace to his people “from generation to generation.” He came to save us. He came to save Mary and the people of Israel. In Mary’s response, she acknowledges the saving grace and work the Savior has done and is doing in our lives. The promise to Israel is being fulfilled through Christ coming to the world, through a humble servant: Mary. He comes to all of us.
In the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, it is easy to lose sight of why we are celebrating. As much fun as we have with the family gatherings, Christmas lights, and presents, we as Christians, know there is a much bigger purpose to the celebrations. My prayer for each of you is that as God puts opportunities in your life through which you might be called to do something, and that you follow Mary’s example to surrender to God’s will, trust in God’s promise to be with you, and be reminded that God will guide, sustain, and direct you.
“For the mighty one has done great things for me.” (Luke 1:49).
SUNDAY 12/8:
JOSEPH
BY KEN DANIEL, CHOIR DIRECTOR, LUTHERAN WEST
What in the world is going on here, Lord? My life feels like it’s being turned upside down! Everything that the world claims is proper, correct, and decent seems to stand in stark contrast to Your word. Please help me understand!
Have these thoughts ever crossed your mind? Have you found yourself completely bewildered, struggling to discern the voice of the Lord amidst the overwhelming clamor of society, which often shouts so loudly that it drowns out your thoughts? Herein lies the struggle of Joseph, and unfortunately, it echoes the ongoing challenges that continue to distort our understanding, provoking us to question the ways of God in our everyday lives.
Often, we humans find ourselves contemplating, as poet Robert Frost so aptly described, ‘two roads diverging in a wood’, and the Lord desires us to ‘take the road less traveled’. In many instances, however, there isn’t even a road in sight—only a clear directive from God to have faith, trust Him, and proceed in His strength.
“Lord, what’s going on?” we ask, and He responds with an
unwavering call: “Follow Me.” How unnerving it is for us to not know where we are going or how we will get there, yet we must place our trust in He who was, is, and is to come. We, as humans, often have a difficult time accepting and trusting God when He says, ‘Rest assured, everything is covered!’
What can we learn from the obedience of Joseph?
Trust in Divine Guidance
Joseph’s obedience shows us the importance of trusting in divine guidance and listening to God’s instructions, even when the situation may be difficult or unclear.
God’s encouragement to us, inspired by verses from Proverbs, Hebrews, Jeremiah, and Matthew:
My divine guidance is always available to my children; I am just a prayer away! I am not far off—in fact, you are etched in the palm of My hand. There, you are in close proximity to My voice and My ever-present help.
Fear not, child; I will never leave you nor forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5) My thoughts are always upon you, and the way that seems right will be revealed to you for clear direction and comfort. Seek Me, and you shall find Me (Jeremiah 29:13); knock, and My door shall be opened to you (Matthew 7:7-8).
Your divine position is seated in Christ Jesus in heavenly places. There, nothing is hidden from you—the very secrets of My kingdom will illu minate your path as a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your way. The most secure place you can be is in the center of My will.
Rest in Me; My peace will flow freely amidst the trials. I will not leave you nor forsake you!”
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Joseph’s willingness to set aside his own plans and desires in favor of God’s plan demonstrates humility and submission to a higher authority.
God’s encouragement to us, inspired by Peter, James, Hebrews, Isaiah, and Proverbs:
Humble yourselves in the sight of our mighty God, and He will lift you up! (1 Peter 5:6) I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me (John 14:6). Draw near to God (James 4:8), and He will draw near to you. Submit yourselves to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you— hold fast to these words!
Surrender yourselves to Me in complete humility, trusting that I will lead and guide you to My truth. Always understand that My ways are not your ways, and My thoughts are not your thoughts. My plans are beyond the comprehension of your carnal mind.
Do not trust in your own understanding; in all your ways, acknowledge Me. Humbly submit yourself to My will and My word, and I will divinely open your eyes to share the deep mysteries of My kingdom. Your hope must be built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. Trust not in your own abilities; lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways, acknowledge Me, and I will direct your path.”
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
Joseph’s obedience required a great deal of faith in believing the angel’s message and accepting the miraculous circumstances surrounding Mary’s pregnancy. It teaches us the importance of having faith in God’s plans, even when they seem improbable or challenging.
God’s encouragement to us, inspired by Hebrews:
Faith is the substance o f things hoped for and the evidence o f things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1). Joseph had to arrive at a place of faith. The circumstances
before him certainly did not make sense; they were confusing and even painful, yet they embodied God’s plan.
The natural, or carnal, mind is often incapable of grasping God’s supernatural kingdom and rarely communicates with the earthly realm. So, why do we so readily place our trust in that which will ultimately return to dust? Remember, without faith, it is impossible to please God!
Faith is essential for seeing through the eyes of God. It is the kind of faith that increases day by day, faith that expands as you walk in a posture of trust and hope. This faith draws you away from the natural and into the very presence of God, allowing Him to pour over you and cultivate supernatural belief and trust.
Pray that the Lord’s faith increases within you, miraculously propelling you into a belief like never before.”
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.(Hebrews 11:1-3)
God, our Father, is so mindful of us! He has not overlooked any detail of our going or coming. Before we were even formed in our mothers’ wombs, He knew us down to the very hairs that grow on our heads. He knows that number, and He knows your name.
He is the author and the finisher of our faith, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end of all things. He is passionate about our attention to His details.
Make room for our God; invite Him into every circumstance and situation in which you find yourself, not just at this time of the year, but always. He seeks to make the crooked paths straight and the rough places plain. He desires for every valley to be exalted and every hill to be made low.
Let us allow Him to have His way!
WEDNESDAY 12/11: THE SHEPHERDS
BY LORETTA CHILDS, ALUMNI DIRECTOR, LUTHERAN EAST
When I was a young girl, I became fascinated with airplanes, especially jets. My dad served as a jet mechanic in the United States Air Force. He brought our family to the airshow in Cleveland annually. As an ex-mechanic, he explained the operations, maneuvers, and training of the pilots and jets.
It began as a loving act on my father’s part for the family. Afterwards, my siblings and I started going there annually with our own families, instilling that same excitement we had as children. By imparting his expertise, indirectly he motivated us to share this experience with more families, friends, and generations. This shepherd (my dad) led us to a place of newness, excitement, and joy.
The shepherds of whom Luke speaks did the same. Luke 2:8-20 reads:
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel o f the Lord appeared to them, and the glory o f the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 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 o f David a Savior 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.”
Suddenly a great company o f the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
So they hurried of f and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
This passage made me want to know more about the Biblical shepherds. I asked myself a couple of questions: What were the duties of a shepherd at the time? What makes them unique? What perspectives and viewpoints did they have?
Over the years, I have learned that sometimes you must search history in order to understand the present, in hopes of changing the future.
In my search, I found that shepherds’ main duty, obviously, is tend to their sheep. More specifically, they lead them to various pastures to feed, protect them from danger, and help them not to stray away, among other things. This may sound easy, but this is not something that I would want to try. It takes a person with a gentle but firm hand to lead them. They must have a clear mind and keen ears to be extremely tuned in to their surroundings. These imperative qualities are familiar even today, as they are essential for any
successful leadership role: as a parent, teacher, pastor, and manager, just to name a few.
Shepherds were considered lower class members of society. They were usually poor, dirty and outcast—even though they clearly had enormous gifts. To be successful in their work, they had to be strong physically, mentally, and emotionally. I see them as people with standards, attentiveness, patience, and obedience. I also see them as people of great faith and trust. The shepherds accepted the message from the angel and shared the good news with others. They were instrumental in spreading the gospel. In that time, in that place, the people needed uplifting with all the chaos that surrounded them. God used those that are not likely to be seen or admired, according to earthly standards, to lift up and help those who are lost.
Psalm 23 helps to define a good shepherd. The sheep lack nothing with their shepherd, and we lack nothing with our Lord. He will lead and take care of us. What great joy to know he sent his son to die for us and for us to have joy everlasting.
This scenario is the same today as it was then. The Lord is our shepherd, and he has taught us to be shepherds in the ‘fields’ in which we live and work. Our assignment is to share the good news. Why? Because Luke 2:10 says: But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” It is clear that the news the angels delivered was not only for the shepherds in that particular time at that particular place; it was for everyone, even for us today.
Though my dad is no longer with us here on Earth, he left us with a family tradition, a cherished experience, and a memory that brings us so much joy every Labor Day weekend. I will never forget all the things that my dad did to make this a spectacular event for all of us— his flock.
The same holds true for the shepherds. Had they not shared what they heard and saw on that day, would we know today? Before the events of the nativity, their presence may have gone unnoticed or unappreciated. But after, their faithful sharing of the news they had heard may have been the compelling reason we know of and coninue the the tradition of celebrating the arrival of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
SUNDAY 12/15: THE MAGI
BY SAMANTHA BENDIG, LUTHERAN EAST FACULTY
During the Christmas season, one of the most popular Biblical stories begins to take shape as year after year, we are told the good news that is the birth of Jesus. There are many who are integral in the story of the birth of Christ, three of whom are referred to as the “Magi” or, in translation, “wise men.” God spoke to these men to lead them toward the birth of Christ, taking them on a lengthy journey. When they arrived and began to seek out Christ, most did not know of whom they spoke. Through their eager hearts and seeking eyes, they were able to follow the light of God to the chosen Messiah. They came with one goal and one goal only: to worship the newborn king.
Matthew 2: 1-11 states, “ After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out o f you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child
was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.”
There is much to be learned through the story of the Magi. One big takeaway from their journey, and one that remains applicable today, is that God will always guide you toward the path on which you are meant to be. Just like the Magi, we often don’t know the specifics of the journey we are on, or where that path will take us, but we must trust in the Lord that it is a path worth taking. If the Magi would’ve ignored the call of the Lord, they never would have found their way to Christ. Similarly, we all can feel pulls from God, often guiding us towards the journey we need to take and the paths that we must discover. It is often easy to turn from that call rather than venture headfast into it, but if we ignore the call, we will miss the wonderful things that the Lord has waiting for us at the end of the journey.
Secondly, the Magi show us that God speaks to us—but we must be will ing to listen. The Magi specifically listened to the call of the Lord and followed his light to lead the way. If they had not been willing to listen, then they would not have undertaken their journey of discovering Christ. They found Christ in a literal, human sense—but today, we are all still on a journey just like theirs; a journey that requires us to listen and trust, so that we might find Christ.
Finally, the Magi in Matthew sought out a king who didn’t ‘belong’ to them, but they were able to seek him out through the love and mercy that we as Christians know and
cherish. This group of men set out to find a king that they
didn’t know; additionally, they are thought to be of a group who was specifically doing things that directly go against biblical teachings. However, they still were still called to and able to seek out Christ by the mercy that is the God that we serve. Just like the Magi, Christians will come to know Christ from all walks of life and they will come to him in an infinite number of ways. All that matters is the end result of seeking him out and establishing a relationship with him as one of his chosen people. 1 Peter 2:9 states, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a
WEDNESDAY 12/18: HEROD
BY PASTOR JEFFREY STEELE-STEEBER
CAMPUS PASTOR, LUTHERAN WEST
There are some questions one might ask, upon seeing that an Advent Devotion has been written using King Herod as its theme. “Why would you choose to write anything that highlights King Herod?” “Is this like The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, and we find out that the tyrannical king, who had horrible plans for Jesus, ended up realizing the error of his ways by the end of the story, thus giving us the warm and fuzzy feelings we all long for at this time of year? Did King Herod’s heart triple in size as well?” “Did you run out of other Nativity story characters and you were forced to use King Herod because you had to fill up every week of Advent for this year’s devotional booklet?” “Is your boss mad at you, and is he choosing to display that anger in a subtle way such as assigning you King Herod as a focal point of your devotion?”
I realize that some of these questions might be a little specific to me. However, I would be surprised if at least one person who is reading this did not question why they were seeing King Herod’s name as a subject in the devotional. I know that I was. The logic behind the question is quite simple: There is not one single detail of King Herod’s actions or words in Matthew’s Gospel that glorifies God, inspires us to have greater faith, shows us an example of what it means to fear and love God, or gives us those warm and fuzzy feelings. Even if a person were to go to extra-biblical historical sources to conduct their own research on King Herod, they still would be hard-pressed to find any redeeming qualities that were displayed by this ruthless king—even his own family members were terrified of him and despised him.
How then might we glean something from King Herod if we are nothing like him? Well, the first thing we are called to do is accept that there is a chance that we are a little like him. Maybe you are not; I do not want to project my sin onto any readers. Therefore, I will only remark on my sin of being similar to King Herod, and you all can learn from my errors.
As soon as King Herod learns of Jesus’ birth from the traveling wise men bearing gifts for this new king, Herod knows that he must locate the child. Herod does not do this to pay homage to the Anointed One, but for nefarious reasons. We see this in Matthew 2:1-8, 16, “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard this, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 So he assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people and asked them where the Messiah would be born. 5 “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they told him, “because this is what was written by the prophet…7 Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you find him, report back to me so that I too can go and worship him.” 16 Then Herod, when he realized that he had been outwitted by the wise men, flew into a rage. He gave orders to massacre all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, in keeping with the time he had learned from the wise men.”
This is my sinful truth: I too have wanted the celebration of Jesus’ birth to be more about me, and less about Jesus. As a child, all I cared about was seeing a bunch of presents under our tree on Christmas morning, and praying that I had at least one more than my older brother. When I was “good” in the weeks leading up to Christmas, it was not out of some sense of morality, or epiphany that I needed to follow the example of Jesus and his earthly
ministry more closely. Nay, it was because I wanted to ensure that I’d receive presents! I did not write a note to Jesus thanking him for being willing to come incarnate to a world dying in its sin. Instead, I wrote a list of presents that I wanted to a guy in a red suit who, apparently, was watching me at all times, but for some reason starting each year only after Thanksgiving.
“But PJ, you were but a child when you lived such a conceited life. Now you are a man, and a pastor at that. Certainly you live a life much more in line with our Savior, now.”
That is a very kind statement, hypothetical reader; alas, it is not entirely true. While it is accurate that I am less selfish than I was as a child, I am still self-centered. Each Christmas I help to decorate my house, not for Jesus, but to make my wife happy, which will make me happy. I buy ( fact check: My wife buys. I collect Amazon packages from overtaking my front door) presents for my kids, so that I can make them feel good…which will in turn make me feel good. I go to church not only to praise God, but because I love the feeling of being surrounded by fellow believers, singing songs that take me back to my childhood, and seeing the glow of candles in a darkened church and experiencing the blissful peace that accompanies it.
The truth is, I know that Lutherans do not just celebrate the birth of Christ during Advent, but that we look forward to the return of our Savior, who will at once make everything new as only He can. And yet, even though I want Jesus to come back, there is a part of me that wants him to come back when it suits my timetable. I would like to see my kids get married. I would like to meet any potential grandkids that I might have. I would love to grow old with my wife and celebrate over fifty years of marriage. I would love to keep working with youth and serving God until I am no longer able to be relevant. To be honest, it would be great if Jesus came back, but it would be perfect if he did it as I was taking my last breath. You see, my sin is that I am overjoyed that Jesus was born, and I want him to return, but I still kind of want to be the god of my life. In that way, I am like King Herod.
As we celebrate Advent and Christmas this year, I pray that I will become more like the other characters in the Nativity story. I pray that I will focus less on myself, and more on Christ. I pray that I don’t allow my will to overtake God’s will.
If nothing I have written resonates with you, keep on fighting the good fight and being a faithful example for others. If any of it does resonate, let our prayers rise up together.
SUNDAY 12/22: LUKE
BY JOSHUA MALAVE ’08 DIRECTOR OF THE LUTHERAN SCHOLARSHIP
“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger because there was no guest room available for them.” (Luke 2:1-7)
Blessing and peace be upon you and your families during this holiday season.
As we enter this time of year, a swirl of emotions often envelops us. We find joy in celebrating the birth of our Savior and in gathering with those dearest to us. Yet we may also feel the weight of expectations—those from family, society, and even ourselves. Luke’s words, simple and powerful, ground us in the truth—something valuable during all seasons, but especially at this time of year.
The Lord arrived on this earth, through humble means, amidst chaos and turmoil, to defeat death, create, and nourish. Through his birth and victory over death, he has delivered eternal salvation. Through his teachings, hope and nourishment.
Luke, the author, is an interesting character because, like us, he did not know Jesus Christ personally. Instead, he became a believer through the Apostle Paul’s evangelism, possibly participating in some of his mission work. Through his travels, he would have had the opportunity to talk with many of the eyewitnesses and those closest to the Lord. We can attribute his detailed and compassionate writing style to his medical background, as outlined in Colossians 4:14. Luke is often considered the only Gospel writer who was a Gentile, which may contribute to his unique perspective and appeal to a broader audience. These experiences provided him with all the pertinent information needed to prepare a detailed and orderly account, structured so that non-believers and Christians alike could know the Lord more, revealing to us all definitively who the Lord is.
As Luke opens his message, there is some debate over to whom Luke is writing. Considering he addresses “Theophilus”, there is some speculation that he is addressing an actual person. Others have regarded this as an open letter to the Church as a whole, that we all are Theophilus. The historian in me prefers the former, while the romantic in me prefers the latter. Regardless, the importance of Luke’s message holds eternal significance. The promises of the Old Testament are professed and completed in Jesus Christ. The Lord was working then, and the Lord is working now.
At the Cleveland Lutheran High School Association, and on the ground at Lutheran East and Lutheran West, I believe we share a similar goal to Luke: to create and nourish Christians.
As I have grown older I have become more aware and humbled by the grace and intentionality of the Lord. Through Luke, a Gentile, this is on full display. The beauty of his message is in his ability to make the Lord, and the salvation he provides, accessible to us all regardless of origin.
The Christmas story connects us to something real: the Love of God. This love transcends all barriers and unites us all. In the same way that St. Paul, as Theophilus (the Church on Earth), impacted Luke through his ministry and delivered him to the Lord, Luke in turn has delivered countless others, through work, to salvation. I hope that during this time, you connect to the love of God and the love of your families, and that you take some time to nourish yourselves and others with the Gospel.
BLESSINGS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY FOR A AND A
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