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Advent reminds us Jesus came once and that He is coming again. Yesterday I spoke about being prepared for that second coming with faith that believes in Jesus. This was based on 2 Peter 3.

2 PETER 3:10-14  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.  Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed it coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with His promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.  So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless, and at peace with him.

After describing this scene of destruction in our text, which we will avoid because of our faith in Jesus, Peter asks what kind of people ought you to be? Since you will be spared the suffering described, as you wait for Christ’s return, what kind of people should you be? You ought to be prepared people. And prepared people, those who have faith in Jesus, are happy in the knowledge of their salvation. They do not say, “Yeah, I’m saved,” and then sit on their hands. No, they are busily at work doing the Lord’s will, conforming their lives to God’s pattern, anticipating His return. They try to live holy and godly lives, not by their power, but by God’s Spirit working in them.

To live holy and godly lives means not only doing good, but also avoiding sin. One of the words Peter used to describe the way we should be is blameless. What a precious thought, to be blameless in the sight of God, to be able to stand before God and know that no accusation against you would stand. You should be found blameless in the day of Christ’s return–what an awe-inspiring declaration. Until we ask, “How do I do that? How can this be?  How can I, one who sins daily, hope to stand before the gaze of our righteous God and be found blameless?”

In one of his most famous sermons, Luther spoke to this very paradox–being sinful yet also blameless. And his words are so up to date. They speak directly to the thoughts and perplexities that we experience. Listen to a portion of his Easter Sermon based on Luke 24:36-48:

A Christian is at once a sinner and a saint; he is wicked and pious at the same time. For so far as our persons are concerned, we are in sins and are sinners in our own name. But Christ brings us another name, in which there is forgiveness of sins, that for his sake sins are remitted and pardoned. So both statements are true: there are sins, for the old Adam is not entirely dead yet; yet the sins are not there. The reason is this: For Christ’s sake God does not want to see them. I have my eyes on them. I feel and see them well enough. But there is Christ, commanding that I be told I should repent, that is, confess myself a sinner and believe the forgiveness of sins in His name. For repentance, remorse, and knowledge of sin, though necessary, is not enough; faith in the forgiveness of sins in the name of Christ must be added. But where there is such faith, God no longer sees my sins; for then you stand before God, not in your name, but in Christ’s name. He adorns you with grace and righteousness, although in your own eyes and personally you are a poor sinner, full of weakness and unbelief.

Can the mind even begin to comprehend this awesome message? There is a tension and a conflict here, but it is resolved by God’s decree. The very Christ who will one day return to judge the world in righteousness entered our human experience ages ago. He lived the blameless life we are incapable of living. He took our punishment on Himself and paid the price of death. He did that as our substitute so that you and I could be spared. And He gives His blamelessness to those who believe that He did this for them. I know I am not blameless, but God sees me that way because of my faith in Jesus. You know that you are not without sin, but God sees you that way by virtue of your faith in Christ. Astonishing! Awesome! Amazing! Astounding! And absolutely true! Yes, this is most certainly true. And this is how you prepare for His return: Believe this Good News.

How are your preparations for Christmas going? That question brings to mind  family get-togethers and gift exchanges, putting up lights and decorations and going shopping. In some homes a lot of baking and candy-making is taking place. People are at different stages of preparedness for the celebration of Christmas.

Notice that when I asked about being prepared for Christmas, how natural it was to think  about lights and decorations and shopping and baking. I wonder if that is what John the Baptizer meant when he cried out: “Prepare the way for the Lord?”

All the outward preparation is fine, as long as you make sure that you are also prepared inwardly. That is what this season of Advent is about: preparing your hearts. How? As far as Advent is concerned, “Prepare” and “Believe” are synonyms. If you believe, you are prepared, and you prepare for the coming of Christ with faith. Remember that in Advent, our preparation is not just to remember the first coming of Jesus, but to anticipate His Second Coming as well. Keep this in mind as you read this passage.

2 PETER 3:10-14  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.  Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed it coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with His promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.  So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless, and at peace with him.

Peter speaks of the return of Christ, the day of the Lord, as being something that will take us by surprise. So be prepared in faith. That is what the ministry of John the Baptist was all about, preaching preparation to the people. We also have the example of Mary, who when told she would give birth to the Son of God, believed. Both John and Mary, as well as others, were prepared for the Coming of their Savior with their faith. They trusted the promise of God, and through that trust were saved. The same is true for you and me. Faith that trusts that God sent Christ to pay for sins, faith that knows He died the death you deserve, faith that believes He is risen from the dead and lives and reigns to all eternity is a faith that saves, a faith that is prepared for His return.

More on this tomorrow.

Advent has a purpose. It is a time of anticipation, a time to get ready to celebrate God’s goodness in sending Christ Jesus. We think of how Christ came once to be our Savior, and that He is coming again to be our Judge. Each year during this season, the assigned Scripture lessons have a recurring theme. The same words appear over and over again in those readings. One of those theme words is “Watch!”

Luke 21:25-36 25 “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.  26 Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” 29 He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees.  30 When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near.  31 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.  32 “I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.  33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.  34 “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap.  35 For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth.  36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

So what is it we are to watch for? In the verses just prior to the passage above, Jesus had been speaking to His disciples about the End Times. He said Watch out that you are not deceived.  The disciples wanted to know what to look for, what signs would tell them the end was near. Jesus replies: The heavenly bodies would be shaken, False Prophets would appear, wars, earthquakes, famine, pestilence, persecution for the followers of Christ. All that leads up to this passage. Jesus describes a world coming apart. The sun, moon, stars, and even the sea will be out of control. The picture is frightening: A world out of control. We have all seen glimpses of this: devastating hurricanes, killer earthquakes, tidal waves, tornadoes, volcanoes, meteors crashing to earth. The God who is in control of all this, the God who is in control of nature is the one who warns us to watch. He issues a call to believe, a call to remain steadfast in faith.

So are you watching? Our lives are run by schedules and routines and time clocks and appointments. But where does God fit in? Your watchfulness should keep you focused on God. Does it? Are you watching? Do you keep your appointments to study His Word, to worship in His house, to spend time with Him each day?

Listen to this quote from President Franklin Delano Roosevelt: “We have had the lesson before us over and over again – nations that were not ready and unable to get ready found themselves overrun by the enemy.” That is why Jesus told His disciples and us to watch. That is why God issued the same warning through Peter: Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)

God wants you to watch for the Second coming of Christ because the devil wants to lead you away from God, to make sure you are not watching. The devil is trying to destroy you.

We need to remember that we are to watch for the Second Advent, the Second Coming of Jesus. If you remember that, you will remember that there was a First Advent, a First Coming. And therein lies our hope and confidence. Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners. When Jesus came to that Bethlehem stable, He did so in order to save you from your sins and your richly deserved punishment in Hell. He would accomplish that for you by living a life without sin, offering that life as your payment, letting Himself be crucified in your place. He took your penalty. And then He rose again and lives even to this day in triumph over sin, death and the devil. That victory is yours as well. This is the promise that is repeated throughout Scripture. All you need to make it your own is faith. Faith in Christ assures you of forgiveness and eternal life.

This same Jesus is coming again. That is why you need to Watch! God promises in His Word that the Second Coming will be for the purpose of judgment. Those who have faith in Jesus will be welcomed into His eternal kingdom. Those without faith will be excluded. So as you watch, believe! That’s all it takes. That is how God wants to find you when He comes: believing in Christ as your Savior.

Luke 3:2b-4 …the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert. He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one calling in the desert, `Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”

Preparing for Christmas? That’s what we do as followers of Jesus. I’m not just talking about sending cards and decorating our homes. And the preparation I mean is not going to make you feel anxious and stressed. In fact, if we use Advent to prepare for the birth of Christ, it will have the opposite effect. It will bring calm and peace. It is a readiness of the heart that God desires at his coming. That is why one of the historic prayers for this Advent season says: Stir Up Our Hearts, O Lord, to Make Ready the Way of Your Only-Begotten Son. This is speaking not just of our remembering His first coming, but being ready for His coming again.

Make ready the Way. Prepare the way. Make straight paths for Him. Are you doing that? Perhaps a better question is “How do you do that?” How do you make ready the way? How can we make it possible for everyone to see God’s salvation? There are a lot who have heard of Jesus and rejected Him, but there are also a lot who have never heard or who have been misinformed about who He is and what He has done.

When John the Baptist came on the scene, it says he went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Part of John’s preparation of the way of the Lord was to confront people in their sins and urge them to repent, to turn from them. If you are going to turn from sin, you have to know what it is. So what is sin?

The Greek word most often translated as sin in the New Testament is a term that comes from archery. This Greek word “amartano” means “to miss the mark.” So, sin is when you miss the mark in life. Sin is that which derails us in life. It causes us to get off track and miss the goal. Missing the mark. God says do and you don’t. God says don’t and you do.

When you try to talk to people about sin, many will get very defensive: “You people say it is anything we do.” “You don’t want anyone to have any fun.” They know they have missed the mark, but don’t like to admit it to themselves or anyone else. So they get defensive. Negative reactions from those who feel guilty are a big reason so many people choose not to confront others with their sins.

However, they need to be confronted. It is part of preparing the way for the Lord. John confronts the sin of his hearers in no uncertain terms. He gives a harsh condemnation of their sins. They needed to know what the problem was in order to have it fixed. And John also shares the solution: with many other words John exhorted the people and preached the good news to them. (Luke 3:18)

The Good News that John preached is the same Good News we have heard, the same news the angels announced to the shepherds: To you is born this day…a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. The birth of Jesus is worth celebrating, but only because we know what else He did. He gave Himself up for us all. All that sin you and I and everyone else have done had a price. And that is why Jesus came. He paid the price for the sins of everyone when He offered His sinless life on that cross on a hill just outside Jerusalem.

Those who trust in Jesus have been brought to the point in their lives where they have confidence and certainty of salvation because someone shared the message with them. Someone prepared the way for the Lord. For whom are you preparing the way? How will you share this Good News? As we rejoice in the gift God has given again this year, may each of us pray that God will use us to share this wonderful message with someone who has not yet believed in Jesus. Prepare the way!

Today has been known as “Black Friday” for as long as I can remember. It even has that designation on my Facebook calendar, and I did not put it there. Traditionally, it marked the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. Retailers would have sales with huge discounts to get people into their stores the day after Thanksgiving and jump start their yearend profits.

I learned a long time ago not to shop on that day. The Thanksgiving before our middle daughter was getting married, my wife saw that one store had the mixer she wanted to give her marked down 60% on Friday only. The store opened at 5 a.m. and she told me I was to go and get one for her. I did as I was told, found the mixer, and waited in line an hour and a half to pay for it. I’m not sure it was worth the savings.

Today, Black Friday sales start long before the day after Thanksgiving, and even are available online. But there will still be a lot of folks observing this event today.

When I hear the term “Black Friday,” it reminds me of something else, the day we usually call Good Friday. It was a dark, black day when Jesus willingly put Himself in the position of being the sacrifice for the sins of the world. And that day marked the biggest savings ever: God was saving the world. Jesus was the substitute, taking our sins and giving us His righteousness. And from God’s perspective, it was totally worth it. It was not small price, no minor inconvenience that earned our salvation. Yet Jesus endured it willingly for our sake.

What better way is there to start what the world calls “the Christmas season” than to remember why Jesus was born? And we should take a hint from the retailers and expand this remembrance to much more than just one day. In fact, it should be everyday that we remember the Friday that brought about the Good of our forgiveness and life and salvation.

2 Corinthians 5:17–21 ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! ¹⁸ All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹ that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ 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. ²¹ God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

May this be the message we share with the world as we prepare to remember Christ’s birth.

On this National Day of Thanksgiving, I’m going to share some reflections on Psalm 136.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.

“God is good, all the time, he put a song of thanks in the heart of mine.” How true are the words of that song in your life? If you are grateful people, to whom is that gratitude directed? Family? Employment? Nation? This Psalm begins by reminding us that our gratitude should be directed toward God.

Give thanks to the God of gods. Give thanks to the Lord of lords:

We call Him “God of gods” because He is the only true God. People try to make other things into their gods. Power. Wealth. People. Things. But there is only one true God, the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And He is to be our Lord, our master, because He is the one who is really in control. The question is whether or not we always realize that He is the one in control.

to him who alone does great wonders,

Can any of the idols people put first in their lives compare to the author of creation? Can money create the beauty of a golden sky at sunset?

who by his understanding made the heavens,

The vast expanse of the universe, which men struggle to comprehend and understand,  is the handiwork of our all-powerful God.

who spread out the earth upon the waters, who made the great lights— the sun to govern the day, the moon and stars to govern the night;

We enjoy the wonders of this earth with its seas, lakes, rivers and streams. The bounty of the earth is ours to enjoy. The created lights overcome the darkness. In the same way this closest and brightest of the stars overcomes darkness for us, our loving God sent His only Son into the world, to be close to us, to overcome the darkness of sin for us. And as the moon reflects the light of the sun, so we are to reflect the light of Jesus for this world of darkness to see.

to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt and brought Israel out from among them with a mighty hand and outstretched arm;

The powerful story of the Exodus, in which God delivered His people from slavery in Egypt, culminated with the plague on the firstborn of those who did not have the blood of the lamb over their doorways. God delivered His people from their slavery in Egypt, and through Christ has delivered us from our bondage to sin. Moses was their earthly leader, but God brought the deliverance.

to him who divided the Red Sea asunder and brought Israel through the midst of it, but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;

Moses raised his staff, but God parted the waters so His people could walk across on dry ground. They walked through those two walls of water, marveling at the sight, knowing that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was with them. Their pursuers tried to follow, but part of God’s deliverance was to overwhelm the enemies of His people. In the same way, He overwhelms our enemies still today.

to him who led his people through the desert, who struck down great kings, and killed mighty kings— Sihon king of the Amorites and Og king of Bashan— and gave their land as an inheritance, an inheritance to his servant Israel;

Even though their disobedience meant the children of Israel must wander 40 years in the desert, God was still with them, in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.  His people encountered enemies that wanted to destroy them. What power did they have against the God of the universe? Do you know anything about Sihon or Og? You have probably never heard of them. You never remember who came in second or third place. You remember the winner. And that is God. He is the one who gave that land to His people, just as He had promised to Abraham.

In the same way, He gives us heaven, which is not rightfully ours due to our sin and corruption and disobedience. Through faith in Jesus, we, the new chosen people of God, know that it has been given to us as our inheritance. Not something we have earned, but a gift freely given by the one whose love endures forever.

to the One who remembered us in our low estate and freed us from our enemies,

God sees us with all of our problems. He knows your hurts, your fears, your needs. And He remembers you. He is with you. Just as He was able to overcome the enemies His people faced in the wilderness, fierce though they were, He is able to overcome your enemies. And He has already overcome your greatest enemy, which is death. By sending His Son to suffer and die and rise again, God has freed you from the everlasting death and torment you deserve.

and who gives food to every creature.

In addition to our spiritual need, God meets all our bodily needs as well. His ongoing care and providence for us here on earth is a sign of how great and good and loving He is. By using our wealth to help meet the needs of others, we are showing God the proper gratitude.

Give thanks to the God of heaven.

That is what you should be doing today. And as disciples of Jesus, every day is to be one in which we give thanks to the God of heaven. “God is good, all the time, he put a song of thanks in the heart of mine.” Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever. Amen.

Like many of you, I am travelling this week to be with family for the celebration of Thanksgiving.  I continue to be amazed at how richly God has blessed me, allowing me to be able to do this.

Of course, I know my greatest blessing is found in Jesus. He took the initiative, He did all the work, so that I could be rescued from the death and destruction my sins deserve. So to get myself in the proper mindset for giving thanks, I have been reading some of the Psalms. I share one with you today to hopefully get you into the attitude of gratitude as well.

Psalm 149  ¹ Praise the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints. ² Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King. ³ Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp. ⁴ For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation. ⁵ Let the saints rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds. ⁶ May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands, ⁷ to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, ⁸ to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron, ⁹ to carry out the sentence written against them. This is the glory of all his saints. Praise the Lord.

Let’s sing God’s praises so loudly with our words and our lives that those who don’t yet know Him as Lord and Savior will wonder what all the fuss is about, and we can tell them about our Jesus.

We all have our demons. They are real. We may not always identify them as such, but they are there. Some folks say they hear them talking and we label them as a little kooky. Many don’t even realize they are all around us. They whisper temptations into our hearts and minds, staying under the radar and out of sight, because that has proven to be a successful tactic for them. But they are all too real.

Ephesians 6:10–13 (ESV) ¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

Cosmic powers and spiritual forces of evil. Most folks read that quickly and keep going because they don’t want to think about the minions of the devil operating in their lives. And yet they do.  When you are just minding your own business and everything seems to be going great and suddenly a sinful thought or a temptation to do what you know is wrong enters your mind, where do you think that comes from?

Demons spend a lot of time “working” in the lives of the followers of Jesus. They want to distract you from your life and calling as a disciple. They want to take your focus off of the cross and the empty tomb, planting seeds of doubt in your mind, hoping you will fall away from your faith.

1 Peter 5:8–9 (ESV) Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

You are told to resist the devil and his evil angels. But you do not have to do this in your own strength or might. God has given you the promise of His presence. Always.

Joshua 1:9 (ESV) Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

But wait. There is more.

Psalm 91:11–12 (ESV) For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.

Yesterday was “Christ the King” Sunday. Our King is the Victor, He has already defeated Satan.

Colossians 2:15 (NIV84)  And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Through the cross Christ paid our debt, freed us from death’s grasp, satisfied the judgment that stood against us, and was victorious in every way. That includes defeating the Satan and his demons. Our faith in Jesus claims all that He did and gives us the certainty of life now and life forever. Keep your focus there.

Hebrews 12:2 (NIV84) Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.