The door to God and the glory he has prepared for us stands wide open. However, he has mapped out a very specific pathway to that door. It is not an easy one. As it did with Jesus, this route takes us through opposition, suffering, and even death. While our human nature may cause us to want to take a detour around these things, Jesus’ own life shows us that no detour is allowed. His cross came before his crown. The same path lies ahead of us. However, at the end of it, through the open door, we are offered a reward far superior to anything the world can offer.

Whenever someone accuses us of doing wrong, it’s easy to get defensive. We make excuses. “I’m not that bad.” We try and balance the scales. “Okay, that was wrong. But look at all the good I do!” We play the comparison game. “At least I’m not like him!” When our defenses go up, repentance is impossible.

God, however, has a strategy for lowing our defenses. He assures us that his door is open, and that his home is the place where we don’t need to pretend to be something that we’re not—perfect. Our Father does not ask us to come to him and confess our sin so that he might know what we’ve done. He already knows. He asks us to repent so that we might fully know what we’ve done. Only when we grasp the true weight of our sin, will we call out to God for mercy. When we do, God is always quick to forgive.

Ash Wednesday marks the begging of Lent, reminding us of our mortality and calling us to repent. The ancient practice of imposing ashes on the foreheads of the faithful is what gives Ash Wednesday its name. The church father Tertullian (c. A.D. 160-215) writes of the practice as a public expression of repentance and of our human frailty that stands in need of Christ. Ashes can remind us forcefully of our need for redeeming grace as they recall words from the rite of Christian burial—“earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust…”—words that will someday be spoken over us all.

“Who is Jesus?” For the longest time, people thought the answer to that question was, “Mary and Joseph’s son” or “a carpenter from Nazareth.” While true enough, those answers do not adequately describe Jesus. But when Jesus was baptized, God the Father spoke, declaring Jesus true identity. Jesus was the dearly loved Son of God, chosen to be the Savior of the world.

“Who are you?” someone asks. Perhaps you would answer by providing your name. Maybe you would add additional information—where you are from or what you do for a living. Perhaps, in some dark corner of your mind, you would answer negatively. “I’m no one.”

We need to understand that none of those things really describes who we are. To answer that question—Who are you?—we must look to our baptism. Baptism is the cure for an identity crisis. There, just like he did with Jesus, our Father declares us to be his dearly loved child. Moreover, in baptism God anointed us with power for a life of selfless service. May God grant us this epiphany moment!

On Christmas Eve the angel told the shepherds, “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people” (Luke 2:10). One wonders if those words struck those Jewish shepherds as odd. For centuries, God had given special attention to one nation—Israel. There were Jewish religious leaders who taught that only members of that special people would be saved. Not according to the Christmas angel! The birth of the Savior was good news for all people.

Today we celebrate the Festival of the Epiphany. Epiphany comes from a Greek word meaning “reveal.” When the Savior was born, he was first revealed to Israelites: the shepherds, Simeon, Anna. But today, we see the Lord miraculously guides foreigners across countless miles so the Savior could be revealed to them as well. How did the magi respond? “They were overjoyed” (Matthew 2:10). The Festival of Epiphany is sometimes known as “The Gentiles’ Christmas.” We Gentiles (non-Jews) rejoice in the good news that this Jewish baby is not just a gift for the Jews. He is a gift for all people—the Savior of the world.

Have you ever opened a Christmas present and had to ask, “What is it?” Perhaps it was some new type of technology or perhaps a unique toy. You were grateful for the gift, but also not 100% certain what you were looking at. “What is it?” Today, as we look into the manger, we ask that question. In this case, the question is not quickly or easily answered. It requires both deep thought and humble awe. We are looking at the same God who once told the prophet Moses, “No one may see me and live.” Yet, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds all saw their holy God and survived. How? God became human, hiding his glory within our flesh, so that he might come to us without instilling fear or dread.

“What is it?” This gift is God and man in one person, exactly what humanity needed to deliver us from our greatest enemies: sin, death, and Satan. On the Festival of Christmas, we thank God for this greatest of gifts.

Welcome to worship today at Morrison Zion Lutheran Church.  We exist to glorify God.  We… read more

Pick an apple off its tree, and you have a great source of antioxidants and fiber. Pluck the fruit of an orange tree. It provides the daily supply of vitamin C. If you are fortunate to live in a climate where avocado trees grow, you get to eat that tasty fruit packed with healthy fats, B6, and potassium. Different trees with different fruits and different health benefits.

Image a tree that produced a fruit that enabled you to live forever. Such a tree once existed. It stood in the middle of the Garden of Eden. When mankind fell into sin, tainting all creation with the stain of death, God banned access to that tree. He did not want us to live forever in a world as broken as this one. But today, we see that through the work of Christ, access to that life-giving tree has been restored. We conclude our series on Christmas Trees by looking into paradise restored. There we find the Tree of Life, given to us once again by our gracious God. Eat up!

Advent marks the start of a new Church Year and helps us prepare for the coming our Savior. With family gatherings and shopping for presents, delicious food and Christmas songs, we feel the Christmas season is knocking at the door. The time to celebrate and remember the birth of the Savior is right around the corner. Let us come together this Advent and remember what His coming is really all about. A real Christmas results in knowing the real Jesus.

In recent years there has been an explosion of companies that help you trace your family tree. You can go back a dozen generations, uncovering the history of your ancestors. Tracing your family tree allows you to learn more about where you came from. . . who you are. Interestingly, St. Matthew’s Gospel begins by tracing Jesus’ family tree. There are multiple reasons for this. First, providing the genealogy of Jesus proves that he is true man, exactly what we needed our Savior to be if He was going to take our place. Second, it demonstrates God’s grace, for in Jesus’ family tree you will find individuals whose heinous sins are recorded in Scripture: murder, prostitution, etc. The Christ is not the enemy of sinners. He is our brother. Finally, this family tree shows that God keeps all his promises. God had promised multiple believers—Eve, Abraham, David—that the Savior would be one of their descendants.

This week, we look at a very different type of Christmas tree—the Tree of Promise. Christmas proves that what God says will happen happens. God promised He would become one of us to save all of us. He did just that! The Tree of Promise proves God shall keep every single promise He makes to us.