December 4 | John 3:1-6

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DAILY READING

John 3:1-6

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REFLECTION

Increase the Sounding Joy

By Katie Borden

I love this time of year. As a child of God, I get to look forward to the best birth announcement ever made for Jesus. As a people person, I have an abundance of opportunities for connection and cherished time with loved ones. As a musician, I can experience a plethora of amazing music being made.

One of my favorite Christmas choral pieces is actually being presented on Sunday at the Celebration of Advent. The particular arrangement of O Come All Ye Faithful that we will hear is incredible. Everything–from the piano part, to the vocal harmonies, to the range of instruments entering in–builds in one giant swell from beginning to end. This piece echoes joy in ever-increasing measure.

I think this may be how we experience life with Jesus in the Spirit. The Spirit rebirths us. He breathes life into us. The Spirit enters us and we have a deeper, more vibrant, eternal kind of life. And his work doesn’t stop there. God is pouring ever more into us, making us ever more like him and giving us ever more revelation into the true fullness of who our God is.

When Nicodemus comes to Jesus in today's text, he sees Jesus as a teacher who has come from God. He’s not wrong per se, but he doesn’t have the full picture of who Jesus is. By the end of the Gospel of John, however, we see Nicodemus again and learn that his understanding of the enormity of who Jesus is has expanded. This happens for us as well. The Spirit gifts us with an ever-expanding vision of our God and cultivates in us an ever-deepening relationship with our good Lord. Someday, in the age to come, we will know the fullness of God, and be filled to the brim with his presence and love. Oh, how we long for that day!

In this season of Advent, we wait for that day to come quickly. But we wait with hope as our love and joy in Christ crescendo to their fullness as that draws ever nearer, thanks be to God.

PRAYER

Holy God, as we wait for Christ's appearing on Christmas, we also wait for the coming day when we will know you in your fullness. By the power of the Spirit, cultivate the eternal kind of life in us in ever-increasing measure, that we may know and love you and your beloved all the more until the day of your appearing. Amen.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

KATIE BORDEN

I’m a lifelong member of UALC and have had the privilege of serving our community in both volunteer and staff roles over the years. I love learning, OSU football, good conversations, chocolate croissants, laughter, and sharing about the good news of Jesus in whatever capacity I can.

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December 3 | 2 Kings 1:5-8; 2:1-14

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DAILY READING

2 Kings 1:5-8

2 Kings 2:1-14

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REFLECTION

Extraordinary God

By Pam Mann

Malachi 4:5 says: “I will send you Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes.”

Then, in Luke 1:17, the angel declares that John the Baptist “will go in the spirit and power of Elijah.” In Matthew 11:14, Jesus says of John the Baptist, “He is Elijah who is to come.”

Now, in Advent as we ponder John the Baptist’s wilderness plea to prepare the way of the Lord, let’s ponder this 2 Kings passage to see how God worked in the prophet Elijah.

Don’t you love how God sends Elijah to stop King Ahaziah’s messengers in their tracks? They’re on their way to seek the counsel of a false god when the living God Almighty dwells in Israel! When the chided messengers return to the king, how does Ahaziah figure out who this bold prophet of Yahweh is? By his signature fashion look of haircloth with leather girdle. No surprise that John the Baptist also opts for the same wild wilderness look when he preaches along the Jordan. Likewise, no surprise that John the Baptist in his own day does not back away from confronting royals who defy God. John the Baptist is definitely a guy going “in the spirit and power of Elijah.”

As we continue in 2 Kings 2, we read what a tough time Elisha has as prophet groups in Bethel and in Jericho warn him that God is soon taking Elijah up into heaven. How mightily God has used Elijah throughout the prophet’s life! Elisha knows that the end has come for Elijah’s work, but who wants that? Elisha refuses to leave Elijah’s side. He sees Elijah roll up his cloak and strike the Jordan River so that the water parts. He sees the chariot and horses of fire that take Elijah up in a whirlwind to heaven. Elisha tears his own clothes in his grief and then picks up Elijah’s dropped mantle from the ground. This is the sign of the spirit and power that God gave to Elijah. When grieving Elisha touches it to the surface of the Jordan River, that very garment parts the water. Elisha had asked, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elisha?” Clearly, the Lord God is with Elisha. Elisha has lost his dear mentor, his father in the faith. But Elisha is not alone. Nor are we alone.

The living God Almighty is our God. We do not have a cloak. We have the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. (Isaiah 11:2)

PRAYER

Lord God Almighty, our heavenly Father, we are thankful for the faithful work of Elijah, Elisha, and John the Baptist. It’s likely they were ordinary guys with an extraordinary God, as are we. Thank you for being God with us. Be our extraordinary God. Use our ordinary ears, our ordinary mouths, and our ordinary hands. Be Lord of our ordinary lives. Amen.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

PAM MANN

I first joined UALC when my husband (then my fiancé) and I were college students involved in youth ministry. God has used UALC to nurture our family’s faith, even in our years outside the U.S. I’ve participated in UALC ministries with kids, art, prayer, exercise, ESL, and Bible teaching. I do all the fun church things.

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December 2 | John 1:6-13, 23-30

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DAILY READING

John 1:6-13

John 1:23-30

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REFLECTION

Stay in Your Lane

By Dave Mann

John the Baptist played an important role in the mission of God during his time.  John knew what he was called to do – to witness to the Light that was to come. “He came as a witness to testify concerning that light” (1:6).  His role was key.  He preached about repentance.  He got all the people of Jerusalem, and the surrounding area, accustomed to repenting of their sins.  Of course, people are not intrinsically favorable toward the idea of repentance.  No one likes to admit that they are wrong.  So, bringing people to the point where they admit that they are outside of God’s way is a challenge.  John did this well.  See Matthew 3:5-6.  John even addressed those who were already religious and thought they did not need to repent.  See Matthew 3:7-9.

John was successful in his ministry, and being successful is risky.  You can think that you deserve to be honored more highly than is appropriate. But John did not let success go to his head.  “He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light” (1:8).  He knew that his role was to point to Jesus. 

John, in a self-demeaning way, announced to his large audience, “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie” (John 1:26-27).

Even John’s own disciples were irritated that Jesus appeared to be gaining more disciples than their leader.  In John 3:22-30, John’s disciples complained to him that Jesus was overshadowing John.  His reply was simple, “He must become greater; I must become less.”

Then later, once he was thrown in prison and his ministry was nearly finished, he had his own doubts.  He sent messengers to Jesus to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” (Matthew 11:2-3).  Not long after that, John’s earthly ministry came to an ignominious end – bloody martyrdom. John knew his role in God’s design – preparing the path for people to repent and to come to Jesus – and then to fade away.  John played his part well. No doubt by grace, he was welcomed into the eternal celebration at Heaven’s gates.

Whether we have success, or not, may we seek God’s will to do what he has called us to do – no more, no less.

PRAYER

Lord God, who has a plan for this world and everyone in it, help me to be sensitive to the call of your Spirit and to do what you have called me to do.  When, by the grace of God, I meet some measure of success, grant, Lord, that I not be swayed to believe more highly of myself than what you have called me to, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

DAVE MANN

I am a Pastor for Internationals (retired) in the UALC community. I am married to Pam, father of four, and grandfather of six. Pam and I have lived twenty of our years in other countries including France, Cameroon, Haiti, and Morocco. In retirement, we continue to enjoy writing devotionals, learning languages, and teaching English to internationals.

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