Today’s Reflection:
A high unemployment rate, tensions and wars around the world, soaring gas prices, job stress…Are today's anxieties shrinking your Christmas spirit, your sense of joy, your purpose, your song?
This Advent, expect the unexpected.
Reconnect with the Christmas story, the arrival of Christ's biblical message of hope and healing for this world.
Expecting the Unexpected is a spiritual feast for the mind and imagination. Use it each day of the four-week Advent season. Open it and find:
- vivid day-by-day biblical images and reflections on Jesus' life and message
- small-group discussion themes and prayers
- a featured weekly Christmas hymn by Charles Wesley, whose lyrics ("Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" and others) witness to a faith of gusto and courage
"I often wonder how we can decorate our tree, haul out the nativity set, sing 'Away in a Manger' once or twice, pack it all away again, and think we have celebrated Christmas adequately," writes Meeks. "The season holds so much more for us…God's work through Jesus Christ only begins in the manger. Our joy in God's gift of Jesus to us should be part of our lives every day."
With Meeks as your companion and guide, reclaim excitement and refreshment. Expect Christ's reign in your life—today.
[Blair Gilmer Meeks, Expecting the Unexpected]From pages 79-80 of Expecting the Unexpected: An Advent Devotional Guideby Blair Gilmer Meeks. Copyright © 2006 by Blair Gilmer Meeks. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Upper Room Books. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.Today’s Question:
Where do you see God’s kingdom unfolding?
Today’s Scripture
Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise him in the heights![Psalm 148:1, NRSV]
This Week: pray for someone feeling alone.
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Did You Know?
In need of prayer? The Upper Room Living Prayer Center is a 7-day-a-week intercessory prayer ministry staffed by trained volunteers, call
1-800-251-2468 FREE or visit The Living Prayer Center web site.
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Saints, Inc.:
This week we remember: John (December 27).
John, son of Zebedee and Salome, and brother to James, was one of the first disciples Jesus called. James and John were "in the boat with their father ... mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him" (Matthew 4:21-22). Along with Peter, James and John formed the disciples' inner circle.
Saints, Inc.:
This week we remember: John (December 27).
John, son of Zebedee and Salome, and brother to James, was one of the first disciples Jesus called. James and John were "in the boat with their father ... mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him" (Matthew 4:21-22). Along with Peter, James and John formed the disciples' inner circle.
Jesus nicknamed the brothers "Sons of Thunder." Along with Peter, James and John formed the inner circle of the disciples. They accompanied Jesus when he healed Jairus' daughter, were present at the Transfiguration, and triggered a discussion on who would sit at Jesus' right hand (Matthew 20:20-23, Mark 10:35-45.) James and John stayed with Jesus while he prayed in Gesthemane but fell asleep.
After the death and resurrection of Jesus, John was a leader in the Jerusalem church community. He preached with Peter, was arrested, and later traveled with Peter to Samaria. John is credited as the author of the fourth gospel (thus, the repeated references to John as "the Beloved Disciple" and the one Jesus loved best). He may also have written two epistles and the Book of Revelations.
The New Testament gives no evidence of John's death.
If John had taken the Spiritual Types Test, he probably would have been a Lover. John is remembered on December 27.
Image is oil on canvas by Piero di Cosimo (1462–1521).
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(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
This Week's Lectionary
1st Sunday after Christmas Day – White or Gold
1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26
Luke 1:47-55
Hebrews 10:5-10
Luke 1:39-45
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1st Sunday after Christmas Day – White or Gold
1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26
Luke 1:47-55
Hebrews 10:5-10
Luke 1:39-45
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Lectionary Texts:
1 Samuel 2:18 But Sh’mu’el ministered in the presence of Adonai, wearing a linen ritual vest even though he was only a child. 19 Each year his mother would make him a little coat and bring it when she came up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice. 20 ‘Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May Adonai give you children from this woman because of the boy you have loaned to Adonai”; then they would go home.
26 The child Sh’mu’el kept growing and gaining favor both with Adonai and with people.
Luke 1:47 and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior,
48 who has taken notice of his servant-girl
in her humble position.[Luke 1:48 1 Samuel 1:11; 2:1]
For — imagine it! — from now on, all generations will call me blessed!
49 “The Mighty One has done great things for me!
Indeed, his name is holy; 50 and in every generation
he has mercy on those who fear him.[Luke 1:50 Psalms 103:17; 111:9]
51 “He has performed mighty deeds with his arm,
routed the secretly proud,
52 brought down rulers from their thrones,
raised up the humble,
53 filled the hungry with good things,
but sent the rich away empty.
54 “He has taken the part of his servant Isra’el,
mindful of the mercy
55 which he promised to our fathers,
to Avraham and his seed forever.”
Hebrews 10:5 This is why, on coming into the world, he says,
“It has not been your will
to have an animal sacrifice and a meal offering;
rather, you have prepared for me a body.
6 No, you have not been pleased
with burnt offerings and sin offerings.
7 Then I said, ‘Look!
In the scroll of the book
it is written about me.
I have come to do your will.’”[Hebrews 10:7 Psalm 40:7–9(6–8)]
8 In saying first, “You neither willed nor were pleased with animal sacrifices, meal offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings,” things which are offered in accordance with the Torah; 9 and then, “Look, I have come to do your will”; he takes away the first system in order to set up the second. 10 It is in connection with this will that we have been separated for God and made holy, once and for all, through the offering of Yeshua the Messiah’s body.
Luke 1:39 Without delay, Miryam set out and hurried to the town in the hill country of Y’hudah 40 where Z’kharyah lived, entered his house and greeted Elisheva. 41 When Elisheva heard Miryam’s greeting, the baby in her womb stirred. Elisheva was filled with the Ruach HaKodesh 42 and spoke up in a loud voice,
“How blessed are you among women!
And how blessed is the child in your womb!
43 “But who am I, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy! 45 Indeed you are blessed, because you have trusted that the promise Adonai has made to you will be fulfilled.”
26 The child Sh’mu’el kept growing and gaining favor both with Adonai and with people.
Luke 1:47 and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior,
48 who has taken notice of his servant-girl
in her humble position.[Luke 1:48 1 Samuel 1:11; 2:1]
For — imagine it! — from now on, all generations will call me blessed!
49 “The Mighty One has done great things for me!
Indeed, his name is holy; 50 and in every generation
he has mercy on those who fear him.[Luke 1:50 Psalms 103:17; 111:9]
51 “He has performed mighty deeds with his arm,
routed the secretly proud,
52 brought down rulers from their thrones,
raised up the humble,
53 filled the hungry with good things,
but sent the rich away empty.
54 “He has taken the part of his servant Isra’el,
mindful of the mercy
55 which he promised to our fathers,
to Avraham and his seed forever.”
Hebrews 10:5 This is why, on coming into the world, he says,
“It has not been your will
to have an animal sacrifice and a meal offering;
rather, you have prepared for me a body.
6 No, you have not been pleased
with burnt offerings and sin offerings.
7 Then I said, ‘Look!
In the scroll of the book
it is written about me.
I have come to do your will.’”[Hebrews 10:7 Psalm 40:7–9(6–8)]
8 In saying first, “You neither willed nor were pleased with animal sacrifices, meal offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings,” things which are offered in accordance with the Torah; 9 and then, “Look, I have come to do your will”; he takes away the first system in order to set up the second. 10 It is in connection with this will that we have been separated for God and made holy, once and for all, through the offering of Yeshua the Messiah’s body.
Luke 1:39 Without delay, Miryam set out and hurried to the town in the hill country of Y’hudah 40 where Z’kharyah lived, entered his house and greeted Elisheva. 41 When Elisheva heard Miryam’s greeting, the baby in her womb stirred. Elisheva was filled with the Ruach HaKodesh 42 and spoke up in a loud voice,
“How blessed are you among women!
And how blessed is the child in your womb!
43 “But who am I, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy! 45 Indeed you are blessed, because you have trusted that the promise Adonai has made to you will be fulfilled.”
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John Wesley's Notes-Commentary for
1 Samuel 2:18-20
Verse 18
[18] But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.
Ministered — That is, performed his ministration carefully and faithfully.
Before the Lord — In God's tabernacle.
Ephod — A garment used in God's service, and allowed not only to the inferior priests and Levites but also to eminent persons of the people, and therefore to Samuel, who, though no Levite, was a Nazarite, from his birth.
[18] But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.
Ministered — That is, performed his ministration carefully and faithfully.
Before the Lord — In God's tabernacle.
Ephod — A garment used in God's service, and allowed not only to the inferior priests and Levites but also to eminent persons of the people, and therefore to Samuel, who, though no Levite, was a Nazarite, from his birth.
26
Luke 1:47-55
Verse 47
[47] And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour — She seems to turn her thoughts here to Christ himself, who was to be born of her, as the angel had told her, he should be the Son of the Highest, whose name should be Jesus, the Saviour. And she rejoiced in hope of salvation through faith in him, which is a blessing common to all true believers, more than in being his mother after the flesh, which was an honour peculiar to her. And certainly she had the same reason to rejoice in God her Saviour hat we have: because he had regarded the low estate of his handmaid, in like manner as he regarded our low estate; and vouchsafed to come and save her and us, when we were reduced to the lowest estate of sin and misery.
Verse 51
[51] He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath wrought strength with his arm — That is, he hath shown the exceeding greatness of his power. She speaks prophetically of those things as already done, which God was about to do by the Messiah.
He hath scattered the proud — Visible and invisible.
Verse 52
[52] He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
He hath put down the mighty — Both angels and men.
Verse 54
[54] He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
He hath helped his servant Israel — By sending the Messiah.
Verse 55
[55] As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
To his seed — His spiritual seed: all true believers.
Hebrews 10:5-10
Verse 5
[5] Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
When he cometh into the world — In the fortieth psalm the Messiah's coming into the world is represented. It is said, into the world, not into the tabernacle, Hebrews 9:1; because all the world is interested in his sacrifice.
A body hast thou prepared for me — That I may offer up myself. Psalms 40:6,etc.
Verse 7
[7] Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
In the volume of the book — In this very psalm it is written of me. Accordingly I come to do thy will - By the sacrifice of myself.
Verse 8
[8] Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;
Above when he said, Sacrifice thou hast not chosen — That is, when the Psalmist pronounced those words in his name.
Verse 9
[9] Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
Then said he — in that very instant he subjoined.
Lo, I come to do Thy will — To offer a more acceptable sacrifice; and by this very act he taketh away the legal, that he may establish the evangelical, dispensation.
Verse 10
[10] By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
By which will — Of God, done and suffered by Christ.
We are sanctified — Cleansed from guilt, and consecrated to God.
Luke 1:39-45
Verse 39
[39] And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;
A city of Judah — Probably Hebron, which was situated in the hill country of Judea, and belonged to the house of Aaron.
Verse 41
[41] And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
When Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary — The discourse with which she saluted her, giving an account of what the angel had said, the joy of her soul so affected her body, that the very child in her womb was moved in an uncommon manner, as if it leaped for joy.
Verse 45
[45] And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
Happy is she that believed — Probably she had in her mind the unbelief of Zacharias.
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The Upper Room Ministries
Verse 47
[47] And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour — She seems to turn her thoughts here to Christ himself, who was to be born of her, as the angel had told her, he should be the Son of the Highest, whose name should be Jesus, the Saviour. And she rejoiced in hope of salvation through faith in him, which is a blessing common to all true believers, more than in being his mother after the flesh, which was an honour peculiar to her. And certainly she had the same reason to rejoice in God her Saviour hat we have: because he had regarded the low estate of his handmaid, in like manner as he regarded our low estate; and vouchsafed to come and save her and us, when we were reduced to the lowest estate of sin and misery.
Verse 51
[51] He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath wrought strength with his arm — That is, he hath shown the exceeding greatness of his power. She speaks prophetically of those things as already done, which God was about to do by the Messiah.
He hath scattered the proud — Visible and invisible.
Verse 52
[52] He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
He hath put down the mighty — Both angels and men.
Verse 54
[54] He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
He hath helped his servant Israel — By sending the Messiah.
Verse 55
[55] As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
To his seed — His spiritual seed: all true believers.
Hebrews 10:5-10
Verse 5
[5] Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
When he cometh into the world — In the fortieth psalm the Messiah's coming into the world is represented. It is said, into the world, not into the tabernacle, Hebrews 9:1; because all the world is interested in his sacrifice.
A body hast thou prepared for me — That I may offer up myself. Psalms 40:6,etc.
Verse 7
[7] Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
In the volume of the book — In this very psalm it is written of me. Accordingly I come to do thy will - By the sacrifice of myself.
Verse 8
[8] Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;
Above when he said, Sacrifice thou hast not chosen — That is, when the Psalmist pronounced those words in his name.
Verse 9
[9] Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
Then said he — in that very instant he subjoined.
Lo, I come to do Thy will — To offer a more acceptable sacrifice; and by this very act he taketh away the legal, that he may establish the evangelical, dispensation.
Verse 10
[10] By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
By which will — Of God, done and suffered by Christ.
We are sanctified — Cleansed from guilt, and consecrated to God.
Luke 1:39-45
Verse 39
[39] And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;
A city of Judah — Probably Hebron, which was situated in the hill country of Judea, and belonged to the house of Aaron.
Verse 41
[41] And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
When Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary — The discourse with which she saluted her, giving an account of what the angel had said, the joy of her soul so affected her body, that the very child in her womb was moved in an uncommon manner, as if it leaped for joy.
Verse 45
[45] And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
Happy is she that believed — Probably she had in her mind the unbelief of Zacharias.
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The Upper Room Ministries
PO Box 340004
Nashville, Tennessee 37203-0004, United States
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Sermon Stories "Children in Ministry" by Gary Lee Parker for Sunday, 27 December 2015 with Scripture Text 1 Samuel 2:18 But Sh’mu’el ministered in the presence of Adonai, wearing a linen ritual vest even though he was only a child. 19 Each year his mother would make him a little coat and bring it when she came up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice. 20 ‘Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May Adonai give you children from this woman because of the boy you have loaned to Adonai”; then they would go home.
26 The child Sh’mu’el kept growing and gaining favor both with Adonai and with people.
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We have come to the time when Hannah released your son, Samuel, to the service of God after God gave her the promised son w\she so requested. Children in ministry for and to God with adults is unlike the child labor that we have had in the past and even today where the children are denied their rightful education, nourishment, love, and chance to grow as a child into adulthood the way God has create His people to do in emotional, physical, and spiritual ways. Here we have Samuel who was dedicated to God before he was even conceived by his parents serving in the Temple or Tablenacle under the guidance of Eli the Head Priest. Eli too care of Samuel's education, physical nourishment, and spiritual growth while his mother still took care of his emotional growth through providing for his clothing as he physically grew. Today, we become so scared about the child labor laws or the abuse of children that we do not understand that children are able to minister to God and others as children while they mature emotionally, physically, academincally, and spiritually. We see a little of this when Jesus was found listening to and questioning the religious leaders of His day when he was left in Jerusalem by his parents accidentally. We see that there are all children are able to inister with adults no matter what their abililties may be. I have seen children with down syndome minister with their ability to love unconditionally or even autistic children minister with their presence and ways to praise God or even children who are slow learners begin to allow others the ability to slow down and see who God really is. Where we seek God's ways to allow all children minister for the growth of God's KIngdom we come with them in taking the Body of Jesus and eating it and taking the Blood of Jesus and drinking it through the Holy Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. We come with our children to receive from God His blessings singing the Hymn "JESUS LOVES THE LITTLE CHILDREN" by C. Herbert Woolston (1856-1927)
1. Jesus calls the children dear,
“Come to me and never fear,
For I love the little children of the world;
I will take you by the hand,
Lead you to the better land,
For I love the little children of the world.”
Refrain:
Jesus loves the little children,
“Come to me and never fear,
For I love the little children of the world;
I will take you by the hand,
Lead you to the better land,
For I love the little children of the world.”
Refrain:
Jesus loves the little children,
All the children of the world.
Red and yellow, black and white,
All are precious in His sight,
Jesus loves the little children of the world.
[Alternate refrain:
Jesus died for all the children,
All the children of the world.
Red and yellow, black and white,
All are precious in His sight,
Jesus died for all the children of the world.]
2. Jesus is the Shepherd true,
And He’ll always stand by you,
For He loves the little children of the world;
He’s a Savior great and strong,
And He’ll shield you from the wrong,
For He loves the little children of the world.
Refrain:
Jesus loves the little children,
All the children of the world.
Red and yellow, black and white,
All are precious in His sight,
Jesus loves the little children of the world.
[Alternate refrain:
Jesus died for all the children,
All the children of the world.
Red and yellow, black and white,
All are precious in His sight,
Jesus died for all the children of the world.]
3. I am coming, Lord, to Thee,
And Your soldier I will be,
For You love the little children of the world;
And Your cross I’ll always bear,
And for You I’ll do and dare,
For You love the little children of the world.
Refrain:
Jesus loves the little children,
All the children of the world.
Red and yellow, black and white,
All are precious in His sight,
Jesus loves the little children of the world.
[Alternate refrain:
Jesus died for all the children,
All the children of the world.
Red and yellow, black and white,
All are precious in His sight,
Jesus died for all the children of the world.]
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Gary Lee Parker
4147 Idaho Street, Apt. 1
San Diego, California 92104-1844, United States
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