Four Things on Friday
December 20, 2019
An Interesting
Article/Podcast
This is part of a Christmas sermon that Luther preached
in 1521 or 1522. It was originally published in English by Lutherans in All
Lands Press, but it is now part of the public domain. As I said, it is part of
a sermon, and in this part Luther re-tells the Christmas story. If you would
like to read the whole message, there is a link at the bottom of the page to
the full text.
Quote I’m
Pondering
These are the two things in which a Christian is to
exercise himself, the one that he draws Christ into himself, and that by faith
he makes him his own, appropriates to himself the treasures of Christ and
confidently builds upon them; the other that he condescends to his neighbor and
lets him share in that which he has received, even as he shares in the treasures
of Christ. – Martin Luther, The Story of the Birth of Jesus; and the
Angels’ Song, paragraph 33.
One Good Thing
This Week
The good thing I would share with you this week is Key of
Hope. Key of Hope is a ministry from Durban, South Africa that was started by a
family, the Smithers, that I know through my ministry in Michigan. I am
inspired by Dan and Rachel Smither because they sensed God’s call to work with
orphans of the AIDS epidemic in one of the hardest communities in South Africa,
and they went. I am in awe of the difference they make in the lives of the
children in the slums of Durban – or perhaps better said, the difference God
makes through them.
In all honesty, I was not thrilled to get the call that
they needed a place to stay. I was frustrated with the last minute nature of
their request and the timing. (Why can’t people be more considerate in
scheduling their crises?) But I was convinced it was the right thing – the loving
thing – to help a friend, a partner in ministry, and to show hospitality to
these brothers and sisters in Christ. The concert was wonderful, and I hope and
pray that all who attended were blessed.
It was not just the Smithers and the choir, however, that
make this event a good thing. It was also the families who hosted the choir,
the people who donated food, and those who set up, cleaned up, put a story in
the newspaper, and more.
I like to think about what qualities I want our
congregation to exemplify. Often I think about things like devotion, commitment
to God’s Word and prayer, and worship style. I also think about things like hospitality,
flexibility, compassion, and commitment to the saints. I think we displayed
those qualities well this week, and I thank God for Gloria Dei’s kind and
generous spirit.
Our Scripture
readings for the Fourth Sunday of Advent are:
Over the years I have learned that those who read the
Scripture lessons and spend a little time thinking about them before church on
Sunday get more out of the service.
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