The Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour 0f Saint Louis, Missouri, United States "A Living Nativity" for Wednesday, January 13, 2016

The Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour 0f Saint Louis, Missouri, United States "A Living Nativity" for Wednesday, January 13, 2016

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.[Luke 2:15-16]
"Come and drive through our congregation's living Nativity."
That was one congregation's invitation to its members and guests. It was an invitation which Pam and I accepted. We were pleasantly surprised to see the church had put on a series of scenes from the Savior's birth. Congregation members held their poses as we were able to see Gabriel make his announcement to Mary, watch the couple being turned down for a room in the inn, and stand in awe as a heavenly host made a proclamation to the shepherds. The final scene showed both shepherds and magi offering their gifts and praise to the newborn King.
From the number of cars that were ahead of and behind us, it would appear that people were being most supportive of this wonderful witness, this living Nativity.
Of course, not all Nativities turn out the way the sponsoring congregation expects.
For example, there is a church in Yorkshire, England, that set up its Nativity. When an inebriated motorist crashed his MINI Cooper into a barrier, he tried to avoid arrest by the police. Looking for a place to hide, the man decided he would seek refuge in the congregation's manger scene. It didn't take long for the officers to distinguish his dress from the robes and sandals of the statues.
Then there was the janitor in New York City who thought he heard a baby crying. Listening carefully, the man found himself standing before the church's Nativity scene. There, placed in the manger he found a real, newborn baby ... a little boy with its umbilical cord still attached. As far as I know, the police are still looking for the parents of the child.
When I first read those stories, I shook my head in unbelief at people who would use a Nativity this way. It was discouraging and dangerous.
And then ... and then I had some second thoughts.
I started to wonder how wonderful it would be if every sinner, like that drunk, came to Jesus for assistance. How blessed it would be if all of us took our troubles to the Christ who was born, lived, suffered, died and rose so our lives might be changed.
I asked, wouldn't it be a grand thing if every parent brought their children to Jesus? How much more blessed would be our homes and our families if every little boy and girl knew the Savior who gave His life so they would be forgiven of their sins and granted eternal life?
All of these musings led me to wonder: wouldn't it be fantastic if all of us were part of a living Nativity which gave a grand witness to the wonders of Christ our Lord?
Well, why not?
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, may my life be a witness to the Christ of the manger, the Savior of the cross, the Redeemer of the empty tomb. This I ask in Jesus' Name. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Through the Bible in a Year
Today Read:
Job 11:1 Next Tzofar the Na‘amati spoke up:

2 “Shouldn’t this torrent of words be answered?

Does talking a lot make a person right?

3 Is your babble supposed to put others to silence?

When you mock, is no one to make you ashamed?

4 “You claim that your teaching is pure;

you tell [God], ‘I am clean in your sight.’

5 I wish that God would speak,

would open his mouth to answer you,

6 would tell you the secrets of wisdom,

which is worth twice as much as common sense.

Understand that God is demanding of you

less than your guilt deserves.

7 “Can you penetrate God’s depths?

Can you find out Shaddai’s limits?

8 They’re as high as heaven; what can you do?

They’re deeper than Sh’ol; what can you know?

9 Their extent is longer than the earth

and broader than the sea.

10 If he passes through, puts in prison

and assembles [for judgment], who can prevent him?

11 For he knows when people are worthless;

so if he sees iniquity, won’t he look into it?

12 “An empty man can gain understanding,

even if he was born like a wild donkey.

13 If you will set your heart right,

if you will spread out your hands toward him,

14 if you will put your iniquity at a distance

and not let unrighteousness remain in your tents,

15 then when you lift up your face, there will be no defect;

you will be firm and free from fear.

16 “For you will forget your misery;

you’ll remember it like a flood that passed through long ago;

17 your life will be brighter than noon;

even its darkness will be like morning.

18 You will be confident, because there is hope;

you will look around you and lie down secure;

19 you will rest, and no one will make you afraid.

Many will seek your favor;

20 but the eyes of the wicked will fail [to find comfort].

They will find no way to escape,

and their hope will turn to complete disappointment.”

12:1 Iyov responded:

2 “No doubt you are [the only] people [that matter];

and when you die, so will wisdom.

3 But I too have a brain, as much as you,

In no way am I inferior to you.

Besides, who doesn’t know things like these?

4 “Anyone who calls on God,

and he answers him,

becomes a laughingstock to his friends —

they make fun of an innocent, blameless man.

5 Those at ease have contempt for misfortune,

for the blow that strikes somebody already staggering.

6 The tents of robbers prosper,

[the homes of] those who anger God are secure,

those who carry their gods in their hands.

7 “But ask the animals — they will teach you —

and the birds in the air — they will tell you;

8 or speak to the earth — it will teach you —

and the fish in the sea will inform you:

9 every one of them knows

that the hand of Adonai has done this!

10 In his hand is the life of every living thing

and the spirit of every human being.

11 Shouldn’t the ear test words,

just as the palate tastes food?

12 Is wisdom [only] with aged men?

discernment [only] with long life?

13 “With God are wisdom and power;

he has [good] counsel and understanding.

14 When he breaks something down, it can’t be rebuilt;

when he imprisons someone, he can’t be released.

15 When he holds back water, there is drought;

when he sends it out, it overruns the land.

16 With him are strength and common sense;

both the misled and those who mislead are his.

17 He leads counselors away captive,

he makes fools of judges.

18 He removes authority from kings,

then binds them up [as prisoners].

19 He leads cohanim away captive

and overthrows those long in power.

20 Those who are trusted he deprives of speech,

and he removes the discernment of the aged.

21 He pours contempt on princes

and loosens the belt of the strong.

22 He discloses the deepest recesses of darkness

and brings light into shadows dark as death.

23 He makes nations great and destroys them;

he enlarges nations, then leads them away.

24 He removes understanding from a country’s leaders

and makes them wander in trackless deserts.

25 They grope in unlit darkness;

he makes them stagger like drunks.

13:1 “All this I have seen with my own eyes;

with my own ears I have heard and understood it.

2 Whatever you know, I know too;

I am not inferior to you.

3 However, it’s Shaddai I want to speak with;

I want to prove my case to God.

4 But you, what you do is whitewash with lies;

you are all witch doctors!

5 I wish you would just stay silent;

for you, that would be wisdom!

6 “Now listen to my reasoning,

pay attention to how I present my dispute.

7 Is it for God’s sake that you speak so wickedly?

for him that you talk deceitfully?

8 Do you need to take his side

and plead God’s case for him?

9 If he examines you, will all go well?

Can you deceive him, as one man deceives another?

10 If you are secretly flattering [him],

he will surely rebuke you.

11 Doesn’t God’s majesty terrify you?

Aren’t you overcome with dread of him?

12 Your maxims are garbage-proverbs;

your answers crumble like clay.

13 “So be quiet! Let me be! I’ll do the talking,

come on me what may!

14 Why am I taking my flesh in my teeth,

taking my life in my hands?

15 Look, he will kill me — I don’t expect more,

but I will still defend my ways to his face.

16 And this is what will save me —

that a hypocrite cannot appear before him.

17 “Listen closely, then, to my words;

pay attention to what I am saying.

18 Here, now, I have prepared my case;

I know I am in the right.

19 If anyone can contend with me,

I will be quiet and die!

20 “Only grant two things to me, God;

then I won’t hide myself from your face —

21 take your hand away from me,

and don’t let fear of you frighten me.

22 Then, if you call, I will answer.

Or let me speak, and you, answer me!

23 How many crimes and sins have I committed?

Make me know my transgression and sin.

24 Why do you hide your face

and think of me as your enemy?

25 Do you want to harass a wind-driven leaf?

do you want to pursue a dry straw?

26 Is this why you draw up bitter charges against me

and punish me for the faults of my youth?

27 You put my feet in the stocks,

you watch me closely wherever I go,

you trace out each footprint of mine —

28 though [my body] decays like something rotten

or like a moth-eaten garment.

Matthew 9:18 While he was talking, an official came in, kneeled down in front of him and said, “My daughter has just died. But if you come and lay your hand on her, she will live.” 19 Yeshua, with his talmidim, got up and followed him.

20 A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years approached him from behind and touched the tzitzit on his robe. 21 For she said to herself, “If I can only touch his robe, I will be healed.” 22 Yeshua turned, saw her and said, “Courage, daughter! Your trust has healed you.” And she was instantly healed.

23 When Yeshua arrived at the official’s house and saw the flute-players, and the crowd in an uproar, 24 he said, “Everybody out! The girl isn’t dead, she’s only sleeping!” And they jeered at him. 25 But after the people had been put outside, he entered and took hold of the girl’s hand, and she got up. 26 News of this spread through all that region.

27 As Yeshua went on from there, two blind men began following him, shouting, “Son of David! Take pity on us!” 28 When he entered the house, the blind men came up, and Yeshua said to them, “Do you believe that I have the power to do this?” They replied, “Yes, sir.” 29 Then he touched their eyes and said, “Let it happen to you according to your trust”; 30 and their sight was restored. Yeshua warned them severely, “See that no one knows about it.” 31 But instead, they went away and talked about him throughout that district.

32 As they were going, a man controlled by a demon and unable to speak was brought to Yeshua. 33 After the demon was expelled the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed. “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Isra’el,” they said. 34 But the P’rushim said, “It is through the ruler of the demons that he expels demons.”

35 Yeshua went about all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and weakness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were harried and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his talmidim, “The harvest is rich, but the workers are few. 38 Pray that the Lord of the harvest will send out workers to gather in his harvest.”

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