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December 27 Worship

12/21/2015

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This Sunday after Christmas brings us to the time of Mary and Joseph along with Jesus attending the festival of the Passover. When the Passover has concluded and they are making their way home, the parents discover that their son is missing.  After searching for him for three days, they discover he is in the temple conversing with the teachers there.  Mary and Joseph obviously are quite upset that he stayed behind; yet Jesus comes back to them with this remark:

"Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"  Luke 2:49

But note how Luke comments as this story unfolds:

"But they (the parents) did not understand what he said to them.  Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them.  His mother treasured all these things in her heart.  And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor." Luke 2:50-52

Jesus' comment that he must be about his Father's business already at his young age communicated to his parents what his mission was to be.  Luke indicated that Jesus then obeyed his parents and Mary must have thought seriously about how Jesus had replied to her.

What ought to be of interest here to us is that Jesus "increased in wisdom and divine and human favor."  We can translate this to us today that we also ought to continue to grow spiritually in our lives and how we relate to others.  I believe we must be lifelong learners, which would involve study of Scripture and also being in continual communion with Jesus.  The 'human favor' part might mean how we are living out Christ's way of life to others - such as with compassion and forgiveness in order to gain human favor.

You might want to read the full text of the Gospel which is Luke 2:41-52.  May God's blessing be upon your meditation of these words and your worship this Sunday.  Also, may you have a blessed Christmas celebration!

Pastor Marty




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December 20 Worship

12/14/2015

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This Sunday we continue in the songs of praise which revolved around the birth of Jesus.  Our Gospel reading is what has been known as the Magnificat, or Mary's song of praise. Her song begins with these words:

"My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will all me blessed."  
Luke 1:46-48

Mary has received all kinds of attention through the years.  She is depicted in paintings and in sculpture.  She is prayed to and also "sightings" of her have been recorded. For us as Lutherans, while we do not pray to her, we do seek some sort of balance of honoring her for being the mother of our Lord and also for her desire to be part of God's plan to bring the Messiah into our human context.

What ought to stand out for us is Mary's faith and how she breaks out in praise to God.  I wonder if we have this same enthusiasm as we approach the time to remember our Lord's birth? While we can get caught up in gift giving and parties, can we also draw our attention to the greatness of God?  It is where nothing else can compare to what God is doing in sending Jesus into our world.

I would invite you to reflect on these words or possibly read through the entire Magnificat as recorded in Luke 1:46-55.  You might also want to listen to a musical recording of the Magnificat and let that be part of your preparation for Sunday's worship.

Pastor Marty




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    I invite you to reflect on these words of Scripture in preparing for worship.

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    Pastor Marty Pauschke

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