revmattil.org

Devotions to help you Think about God’s Word and Apply it to your Lives.

Veni, Veni, Emmanuel

An “antiphon” is a psalm or verse that is sung responsively – one group sings one line and another group sings the second line. This back and forth continues all the way through. Somewhere around the sixth century someone wrote seven antiphons that became known as the “O Antiphons.” Each one began with the Latin “Veni” which means “O Come.” This was followed by a name or title associated with the Messiah. It became the practice in the church to use these seven antiphons in Vespers (Evening Worship) on the last seven days of Advent, December 17-24.  These “O Antiphons” are the basis for this very popular Advent Hymn.

O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O, come, Thou Wisdom from on high, Who ord’rest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show, and teach us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might, Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times didst give the Law,In cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Branch of Jesse’s tree, Free Them from Satan’s tyranny;
That trust Thy mighty pow’r to save And give them vict’ry o’er the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come And open wide our heav’nly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou day-spring from on high, And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Desire of nations, bind In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease, And be Thyself our King of Peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel!

I have included the text of this hymn as it appears in the Lutheran Service Book (#357). If you look at the page next to the hymn there, you will see English translations of the seven “O Antiphons.” Note the seven names/titles for Jesus. The one that is in the refrain of each stanza if the Hebrew word “Immanuel” which literally means “God with us.” The stanzas of this hymn affirm that the one we wait for is the one who is our ransom, will save us, give us victory over death, and open heaven for us. Jesus did all that.

We sing this hymn in joyful anticipation of celebrating our Savior’s first arrival and waiting for His return to take us to Himself.

Veni, Veni, Emmanuel2022-12-22T08:37:21-06:00

Mary and Joseph

Matthew 1:18–23 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.”

How did Mary tell Joseph she was pregnant? Scripture does not tell us. It could not have been an easy conversation. And his reaction is understandable. Joseph received what seemed to be devastatingly bad news. Betrothal was to make sure this did not happen! So no one would fault him for his decision to divorce Mary.

But God sent an angel to straighten Joe out. He heard and now knows the truth. This was God’s doing, the keeping of His promise. What appeared to be bad news was actually the best news ever for the world. God’s promised Messiah was about to be born. While it was still not an easy thing to accept, that he would be raising a child not his own, this knowledge changed his attitude and His behavior.

Hearing God’s Word and having it applied to our lives is not always ready to hear.

“The wages of sin is death.” Romans 6:23

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

“Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.” Ecclesiastes 7:20

But those words are needed. It may sound like bad news, and it would be if that was the entire message. But it is not. Because of the one who would be born to Mary and Joseph, we have certainty of forgiveness and everlasting life.

“But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”  Luke 2:10–11

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

Mary and Joseph2022-12-21T07:14:33-06:00

John Elijah

A few weeks ago I heard a preacher mention “Heroes of the Faith.” He spoke of how they seem to be holier that we can ever be. Then he pointed out that they were sinful, fallen creatures like the rest of us.

That made me remember the days when I was in parochial school and the teacher would tell us about Abraham and Sarah and Noah and Moses and David and Mary and Peter and Paul and I would marvel at these mighty people of faith. Surely these men and women of God were made of different stuff than I was! In my eyes, they were vastly superior to the person I was or could ever hope to be.

Nope. They were all sinners the same as me. Many of their failings are recorded for all time in Scripture.

Let’s think about John the Baptizer. We usually do that during Advent. We know He was the forerunner of Jesus, the voice of one calling out in the desert “Prepare ye the way of the Lord.” He was used powerfully by God to call people to repentance in preparation for the Messiah’s coming and work and ministry. Surely this guy was different, better than us all. Jesus even said of him:

Matthew 11:11 I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist;

That sounds pretty impressive. But read the rest of that verse:

Matthew 11:11 I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

He’s no better or worse than the rest of us. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. And these words were spoken after John, in prison, had voiced his doubts about whether or not Jesus truly was the Messiah.

Matthew 11:2–3 When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?”

Jesus told John’s disciples to tell him that He was doing the things the Messiah was prophesied to do. In other words, Jesus was saying “Yes, I’m the One.”

John didn’t know it all. He told the people what God told him to say. But he didn’t have all the answers. Malachi prophesied that before the Lord came, Elijah would return.

Malachi 3:1 “See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me.

Malachi 4:5 “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes.

So when John came on the scene the Pharisees asked, “Are you Elijah?” and John said he was not (John 1:21).  But in Matthew 11, Jesus said John was:

Matthew 11:11–15 I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. He who has ears, let him hear.

Was John literally the prophet Elijah, who did not die but was taken up into heaven, come back to earth? No. But Jesus was telling His followers to think differently. He was the Elijah that was promised. That was even indicated in Gabriel’s announcement of his impending birth to Zechariah.

Luke 1:17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

Even though John did not recognize himself in this role, God used him as the fulfillment of Elijah coming again. I guess we could call John the Baptizer “John Elijah.” He was the prophet and forerunner of Christ, but he did not see Palm Sunday or Good Friday or Easter. Yet God used him to point others to the One, the Savior, the promised Messiah.

I tell you this today because God can and will use you, too, in ways you might not think possible. You may not even be aware of it when it is happening. But God wants all those who follow Him to be His witnesses, to let their light shine, to share what they know about Jesus. The one whose birth we celebrate in just a few days is your Savior, to be sure, but He is also the Savior of all people. God wants you to let others know about that.

You can be a hero to someone else by sharing this message.

 

 

 

 

John Elijah2022-12-20T09:32:24-06:00

Hark the Glad Sound

Hark the glad sound, the Savior comes, The Savior promised long;
Let ev’ry heart prepare a throne And ev’ry voice a song.

He comes the pris’ners to release, In Satan’s bondage held.
The gates of brass before Him burst, The iron fetters yield.

He comes, from thickest films of vice To clear the mental ray
And on the eyeballs of the blind To pour celestial day.

He comes the broken heart to bind, The bleeding soul to cure,
And with the treasures of His grace T’enrich the humble poor.

 Our glad hosannas, Prince of Peace, Thy welcome shall proclaim
And heaven’s eternal arches ring With Thy beloved name.
(The Lutheran Hymnal #66)

Hark? Does anyone uses that word anymore other than in a hymn or a Shakespeare play? But it is a good word for an Advent or Christmas hymn, and it is in several of them. It means “listen up,” “pay attention” “you are going to want to hear this.”

Like so many Advent hymns, this one speaks of the first coming of our Lord and His second coming as well. In both instances, we need to pay attention and can say it is indeed a glad sound to hear He is coming.

This little hymn affirms that the long-promised Savior will free us from Satan’s bondage. He comes with the treasure of grace, which is Good News for us all.

But what about that middle stanza  That one was left out of the latest hymnal our church body published.  Is this talking about His first coming or His second one? I think this is a good example of both/and. It is describing something historical while also pointing us to what will happen at the last day.

He comes, from thickest films of vice To clear the mental ray
And on the eyeballs of the blind To pour celestial day.

Christ came as a man to a world of sin and went through it sinless. He already went through the “thickest films of vice” on our behalf. He suffered the consequences our sin demanded. He showed us who were blind in our trespasses a new day was dawning.

It will happen again. Scripture says it will get worse here on earth before our Lord returns. But He will come again. He will come through even thicker films of vice when He comes on the last day. And the new day He will show us then will be even brighter, the dawn of a new heaven and a new earth.

Let ev’ry heart prepare a throne And ev’ry voice a song.

I’ll keep singing and try to keep my heart prepared to welcome Him.

Hark the Glad Sound2022-12-19T07:48:01-06:00

Love

Those who use an Advent Wreath in their homes and churches know that you light one candle on each Sunday in this season of preparation. During that first week, there is one candle lit, then two for the next week, three for third week, and then four during the last week of Advent until Christmas arrives and your light the Christ candle as well. The addition of lit candles is a visual reminder of the approaching celebration. The more candles lit, the closer you are to the big day.

There are various traditions associated with the wreath. One names the candles, in order, Prophecy, Bethlehem, Shepherd’s and Angel’s.  But the more widely used tradition these days names the Candles Hope, Peace, Joy and Love.

Some use three purple candles and one pink/rose colored one. Purple was the color associated with penitential seasons, which Advent was historically. The pink candle was a brief respite from the attitude of penitence, lit on the third Sunday in Advent, traditionally known as “Gaudete” which is Latin for joy.

Today is the Fourth Sunday in Advent. I was thinking about the significance of the Love Candle, and several songs came to mind: “Love Came Down at Christmas,” “Love Divine All Love Excelling,” “Of the Father’s Love Begotten,” and “Jesus Loves Me.”  All good songs for you to reflect on this week.

But as I was thinking about all of this, these are the words that came to my mind:

1 John 3:16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

The same one that was laid in a manger by His mother would lay down His life for us. He did so the pay for our sins, to keep us from being punished eternally for them, to give us instead the confidence of forgiveness and life eternal. That, indeed, is how we know what love is. And God help us to show that love to others.

Love2022-12-18T07:38:16-06:00

Blessing a Home

Today I will attend and participate in the Blessing of a home. It is a Habitat for Humanity Home here in Grayson County, Texas, where I live. I have worked with Habitat for Humanity for a number of years off and on, but I have been more involved the last several years. I was involved in most stages of this build, and am happy to see this family of seven finally take possession of their home.

This is the opening prayer I plan to use today.

Peace to this house, to those who will live here, and to those gathered here this morning. We pray.

Lord of all, as we prepare to celebrate the birth of your greatest gift to us, your Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ, it is in His most precious and holy name that we ask you to be with us as we have come together to dedicate and bless this home. We thank you that this day has arrived. We are grateful for all those who have worked and contributed of themselves, their time and resources to make this day a reality. May this family see this home as a gift from you and your goodness, and may this home be a place where you are not only welcome, but are also the Lord and Master. We thank you for the forgiveness and life and salvation that you have provided freely through Jesus for all who will believe in Him, and we pray all this in His Name. Amen.

A lot of other folks will speak after that, and then I will offer this blessing of the home.

Matthew 7:24–29 24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” 28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

Let us pray:  Almighty God, we ask you to bless this home, those who will live here, and their possessions. Make this a holy place, not just a building, but a home that is built on the foundation of Your Word and promises. Draw this family closer to you. Keep them safe. Lead them to live lives that show You and Your goodness to their neighbors. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

We consecrate and dedicate this home in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. May this one true God be and remain in this home and all who live here. Amen.

May this be true in your homes as well.

Blessing a Home2022-12-17T08:50:42-06:00

Let the Earth Now Praise the Lord

This week Cheryl and I attended the mid-week Advent Service where our son-in-law is the pastor. His services this year had the theme Ponder, Pray, and Praise. This service emphasized that we should indeed Praise the one who kept His promise to send Jesus, who accomplished our forgiveness, life and salvation through His life, suffering and death.

That reminded me of this Advent Hymn. Read – or sing – these words today and let this mind be in you.

Let the earth now praise the Lord, Who has truly kept his word
And at last to us did send Christ, the sinner’s help and friend.

What the fathers most desired, What the prophets’ heart inspired,
What they longed for many a year, Stands fulfilled in glory here.

Abram’s promised great reward, Zion’s helper, Jacob’s Lord
Him of twofold race behold Truly came, as long foretold.

As your coming was in peace, Quiet, full of gentleness,
Let the same mind dwell in me Which is yours eternally.

Bruise for me the Serpent’s head That, set free from doubt and dread,
I may cling to you in faith, Safely kept through life and death.

Then when You will come again As the glorious king to reign,
I with joy will see Your face, Freely ransomed by Your grace.
(Lutheran Service Book 352)

Let the Earth Now Praise the Lord2023-11-24T09:02:45-06:00

Follow the Science?

“Follow the science.” That seems to be a mantra in our world today. Science has all the answers.

I remember back in the 70s the scientific community told us we would run out of gas and an ice age was coming. Back then, Ecologist Kenneth Watt declared, “By the year 2000, if present trends continue, we will be using up crude oil at such a rate…that there won’t be any more crude oil. You’ll drive up to the pump and say, `Fill ‘er up, buddy,’ and he’ll say, `I am very sorry, there isn’t any.’” (Yes, back then someone filled the tank for you, checked your oil and washed your windshield. But I digress.)

Mr. Watt also made this prediction: “The world has been chilling sharply for about twenty years,” he declared. “If present trends continue, the world will be about four degrees colder for the global mean temperature in 1990, but eleven degrees colder in the year 2000. This is about twice what it would take to put us into an ice age.” Both of those predictions were made around the time of the first Earth Day in 1970.

In recent years, the scientific community has been warning us of global warming. And we keep discovering more and more oil reserves that the government won’t let us access.

When Covid hit, we were told masks would not help. Oh, wait, yes they will … Everyone must wear them. At the same time, multiple studies have determined that surgical masks do nothing to reduce the transmission of Covid or other viruses.

And what about those Covid-19 vaccines? We still hear ads telling us of the need to get yet another booster, that vaccines will lessen the intensity of Covid-19 if you still get it after being vaccinated. Some studies say it is effective, but other independent research says that the vaccines are ineffective.

Follow the science? How? There are conflicting reports and “Science” is constantly changing! The confusion should not be surprising. We live in a fallen world, a world in a state of decay, which will eventually wear out. Scientists use the empirical method to draw conclusions, but we have seen that the evidence changes over time. While science has made invaluable contributions for the betterment of our world, it is not infallible.

Let me suggest something better. Follow the star. The star of Bethlehem. That is what some Magi, who could be classified as scientists, did a long time ago.

Matthew 2:1–2 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 in the east and have come to worship him.”

They knew something was up. They followed the star to the real Star of Bethlehem. They used the empirical method, too, going to see this newborn king for themselves. His name is Jesus. And when they found Him, they worshipped Him and presented gifts to the King.

Matthew 2:10–12 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. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

You can follow Him knowing He does not change. Sure, there are those who have tried to change the message by adding to it or subtracting from it, but we can go back to the source, the Bible, and read it for ourselves. God’s love incarnate, born as one of us to take the punishment our sins deserve and conquer death for us as well. The one born “King of the Jews” is the Savior of all people. That does not change. It is a gift God offers and gives freely to any who will take Him at His Word and believe.

Follow the star.

Follow the Science?2022-12-15T08:59:14-06:00

This is Christmas

A band formed at Warner Pacific College in 1999 under the name “Call Box.” They were a campus worship band.  The Band changed their name to “Kutless” in October 2001. They chose their name because of Romans 6:23 — “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (NRSV). Because of this, the band says, “He took our cuts for us… leaving us ‘Kutless’.

Like most bands, they released a Christmas album. It contained a couple of original songs, one of which is below. It reminds us of the real purpose and meaning of Christmas, which I think is important for us to remember in our Advent preparations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20HoJZecNqM

THIS IS CHRISTMAS

Do you find it hard to sleep tonight
Resting by the Christmas lights
Could there be something you forgot
Beyond the bows, and mistletoe
The tree with presents wrapped below
There’s more to this than you had ever thought
Have we lost the reason that we celebrate each year

What is Christmas If there never was a Savior wrapped in a manger
What is Christmas without Christ

Remember how the story goes
God’s gift was wrapped in swaddling clothes
Beneath the star, one great and holy night
The shepherds heard the angels sing
The wise man brought an offering
Peace on Earth began in Bethlehem
Have we lost the reason that we celebrate each year

What is Christmas If there never was a Savior wrapped in a manger
What is Christmas If the angels never sang ‘Glory to the new born King’
What is Christmas without Christ

There’d be no gloria In excelsis deo
Gloria In excelsis deo

What is Christmas If there never was a Savior wrapped in a manger
What is Christmas without Christ
This is Christmas It’s all about a Savior wrapped in a manger
This is Christmas Because of Jesus Christ
This is Christmas Because of Christ
Because of Christ

During your preparation this Advent, especially today, remember these words:  “This is Christmas It’s all about a Savior wrapped in a manger.”

 

This is Christmas2022-12-10T13:18:00-06:00

Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus

Come Thou long expected Jesus, Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us, Let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel’s strength and consolation, Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear desire of every nation, Joy of every longing heart.

Born Thy people to deliver, Born a Child and yet a King;
Born to reign in us forever, Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal Spirit, Rule in all our hearts alone;
By Thine all sufficient merit, Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

(Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus, Lutheran Service Book #338)

Another Advent Hymn for you consideration as you prepare to celebrate our Savior’s birth again this year. This one was written by one of the most prolific hymn writers, Charles Wesley. A hymn that alludes to many Scripture passages in every phrase, it was written to reflect the dual purpose to the Advent season: remembering that Jesus came once as we pray and prepare for His coming again.

The repetition of the word “born” emphasizes that our Lord already came once, what we celebrate at Christmas. We should remember that God’s people waited for His first coming longer that we have been waiting for His return. But we can be assured that He will come again, because God is faithful to His promises. In our preparation for His long-expected return, we recall that He was born to:

  • Set us free
  • Release us from sin and fear
  • Give us deliverance
  • Be a child and a King
  • Reign forever

I especially appreciate the grace-filled proclamation in the last line: “By thine all sufficient merit, Raise us to Thy glorious throne.”  Jesus came to do what we could not do, and earn what we could not earn. His merit is imputed to us through faith, which gives us the assurance of forgiveness and being raised to live in His presence forever.

Come, Lord Jesus, Come.

Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus2022-12-10T11:34:32-06:00

revmattil.org

Go to Top