ASLC Devotions -- Christmas Day

Hebrews 1:1-3a

Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, ²but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. ³He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word.

Merry Christmas, to you! 

Peace,
Pastors Jenn & Seth

ASLC Devotions -- Christmas Eve

Titus 2:11-14 (NRSV)

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.

On this Christmas Eve, we pray as we wait, once again, for the grace of God to be born into the world.

Of course, God's grace doesn't take a break -- but it is my hope that we are reminded today and in the days that follow of this most amazing gift.

Peace,
Pastor Jenn

 

ASLC Devotions - Friday

Isaiah 42:16 I will lead the blind
   by a road they do not know,
by paths they have not known
   I will guide them.
I will turn the darkness before them into light,
   the rough places into level ground.
These are the things I will do,
   and I will not forsake them. 

Again, we read of the promises of God for the time of the Messiah. These are the promises that Mary and Joseph and all the people they knew would have heard from the time of their childhood. These are the promises that sustained God's people through war and violence, through slavery and prosperity. These are the promises we believe have been fulfilled in Mary's boy Jesus.

And yet we still look forward. We look forward to the time when the fulfillment of the promise will be made even more full. We look forward to the day when all darkness is turned into light. We pray and we look forward to the time when all ground is level and all people can move and live freely in the joy of God. We look forward and we pray the Advent prayer: Come, Lord Jesus!

In Christ,
Pastor Seth

This Sunday (4th Sunday of Advent), we worship at 8:30 and 11. Then, our Blue Christmas service is at 4 pm. On Monday, Christmas Eve, we worship at 3 (Family Service), and 5 and 11 (both Holy Communion with candlelight). See you there!http://www.allsaintspalatine.org

 

Lenten Devotional

 Once again this year, we will be preparing a daily Lenten devotional written by YOU! If you would like to share your thoughts about a particular assigned Bible passage (about 200-250 words) please let Pastor Seth know (pastorseth@allsaintspalatine.org) for inclusion on our writer's list. The pastors and others will be available to help and consult. You have something to say.

ASLC Devotions - Thursday

Jeremiah 31:33-34 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, ‘Know theLord’, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.  

When the promises of God are finally fulfilled, there will be no more Sunday School There will be no more Confirmation or Youth Group or Adult Forum. No need for Bible Studies or any of those things. We won't have to learn anything about God, because we will know it clearly. We'll see it clearly. We'll  be there.

It sounds awesome. Except I'd be out of a job - which is fine with me. I look forward to that era, when all see clearly, when we all have the answers to all our why questions, when we finally know God as God has always known us. Again... come, Lord Jesus!

In Christ,
Pastor Seth

This Sunday (4th Sunday of Advent), we worship at 8:30 and 11. Then, our Blue Christmas service is at 4 pm. On Monday, Christmas Eve, we worship at 3 (Family Service), and 5 and 11 (both Holy Communion with candlelight). See you there! http://www.allsaintspalatine.org
 

ASLC Devotions - Wednesday

Isaiah 11:9 They will not hurt or destroy
   on all my holy mountain;
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord
   as the waters cover the sea. 

This is a part of the promise of Isaiah for the day when the promised king of God would reign. Isaiah refers to this king as a shoot from Jesse's tree - Jesse was the father of King David in ancient Egypt, so it's a comment on the family heritage. Of course, we know One whose parents had to travel with him in utero to Bethlehem, the city of David, because they were of the house and lineage of David. We know that we celebrate that One's birth very soon. This is a promise about the reign of Jesus.

When I read these promises, the promises that have held God's people together for centuries, even millenia, I lean into them as well. I lean into teh promise with the hurts and pains of my own life, and the hurts and pains of this world. When I read a promise of a time when the earth is full of the knowledge of the Lord and "they will not hurt or destroy" anymore... all I can say is "Come, Lord Jesus! Come!"

In Christ,
Pastor Seth

Tonight (Wednesday) is our final midweek Advent worship service. We gather for dinner at 6:15 and worship at 7. Worship featured the Christmas story from the perspective of Troy the angel. http://www.allsaintspalatine.org 

ASLC Devotions - Tuesday

Acts 28:30-31 He [Paul] lived there for two whole years at his own expense and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.

The phrase "without hindrance" interests me here. My first instinct is that Paul taught about the Lord Jesus Christ and didn't teach in a way that put any hindrances before people coming to believe. He taught them about a God of grace and mercy and love, that wouldn't build up any hindrances. He taught them of a God who moves beyond the Law to the Gospel. Without hindrance. That's the way people should be taught about the Lord Jesus Christ. But then another thought struck me: maybe grammatically what's being said is that Paul taught without hindrance - as in, there was no hindrance to his teaching. Nobody tried to hinder him from teaching for the entire two years he was there. Interesting.

It becomes more interesting if you read the context: the "there" where Paul was for two whole years preaching without hindrance about Jesus Christ was in Rome. And he wasn't in Rome as a guest. He was in Rome as a prisoner, brought to have a hearing before the emperor. Obviously the Roman judicial system moved slowly, if he was there for two whole years waiting and had time to preach. But it's intriguing for me to think of a prisoner preaching without any hindrance to his preaching. It reminds me that God finds a way to get God's work done no matter what kinds of hindrances we try to build. They put Paul in chains: he taught without hindrance. Amazing grace!

In Christ,
Pastor Seth

Join us tomorrow (Wednesday) evening for our final Midweek Advent service: dinner at 6:15 and service at 7. We'll hear from the angel who was left out of all the fun on the first Christmas Eve.