Joy Lutheran Church Ocala, Florida

I don’t think you’ll see the moon in the sky tonight.  It’s in the phase called “New Moon.”  If the sky is clear, it will be darker than usual, the stars may appear brighter.   Wait until tomorrow night and you’ll begin to see a very narrow crescent appear as the moon begins going through its phases once again.

In Biblical times the new moon was very significant.  It marked the beginning of a new month.   It was a time when the Israelites were to bring an offering to God. The beginning of the month was known not by astronomical calculations but by the testimony of messengers appointed to watch for the first visible appearance of the new moon. As soon as the first sliver was seen, the fact was announced throughout the whole country by signal fires on the mountaintops and the blowing of trumpets.

Our Chistian calendar does not follow lunar based months, but our holiest of celebrations, Easter or Resurrection Sunday is “lunar-based.”  The Council of Nicaea established that Easter would be held on the first Sunday after the first full moon occurring on or after the vernal equinox.  I agree that sentence is confusing, but that’s it folks.  For that reason, Easter can fall on any date from March 22 through April 25.

If you see the “no moon” tonight and the first “new moon” tomorrow night, think about the early Christians who celebrated that occasion with special offerings.  And if you ever wonder why Easter is “so early” or “so late” in the spring, well, now you know.

The moon was created by our Almighty God, and the phases of the moon were all part of his plan. Genesis 1:16-17 On the Fourth Day. . . God made two great lights: the greater light to rule by day and the lesser light to rule the night. And he made the stars as well. God set these lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth.

Praise the Lord for his wonderful gifts.

Judy

Personally, I have had dogs my whole life. Our last dog, Geoffrey, was a small, Italian Greyhound, who was handsome, smart and uniquely special to us! From some random airborne dog virus, that had, at that time, been in 20+ states, Geoffrey went from playing, eating, taking a walk, to dead within 3 hours. We were devastated.  This scenario of losing a pet is not just our story. So many of you have lost a pet and your heart aches.  As our Lord loves us unconditionally, I think our pets, in many ways, love us unconditionally also.

Condolences were sent and spoken. Like-minded pet owners conveyed their feelings of understanding,…..but will we see our sweet pets in heaven.  Here are my thoughts.  I have not found a Biblical reference assuring me of their presence in heaven, but I ponder the Bible story of Jesus leaving the flock to search for the one lost sheep, that one lost sheep mattered. As humans made in God’s likeness, we have a soul.  Do I know if pets do? No, I do not.

I derive comfort from Psalm 34:18: “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” God understands each of us so completely.  Jesus in His sermon on the Mount, taught the Beatitudes.  The fourth one states: “Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Knowing God understands, cares and will comfort me is enough. If we see our wonderful pets, it will be a bonus on our arrival in heaven. Until then, I am blessed that He understands and comforts all of us in our losses.

(FYI: Netflix has a documentary INSIDE THE MIND OF A DOG.  Quite informative)

Jill

What will 2025 bring for us?  The possibilities of what the future might bring are countless and we in fact can’t predict with much accuracy what the events will be. 

 When speaking of the future, Spanish-speaking people often use the expression “si Dios quiere” which if translated can mean “if God wishes”. This is really a good lesson about the future and how little control we have over what will happen and how poor we really are at predicting what lies a head for us.  Meteorologists are much better at forecasting the weather than they did 100 years ago because of technology, but technology can’t foresee what will happen in our lives or how our plans for ourselves will turn out.

I think it would be wise to have some humility and recognize who is really in charge of our futures. If God wishes it to happen it will and it will be as it should be because of His plans for us.

For I know the plans I have for you, plans for welfare and not for evil, plans to give you a hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

This doesn’t mean we should not try to help ourselves move toward good goals for our lives. We have to help ourselves by following God’s guidance.

German poet Rainer Marie Rilke penned these words.

And now, let us believe in a long year that is given to us, new, untouched, full of things that have never been.

Listen to God through the Holy Spirit, remember He loves you unconditionally and ultimately the future of almost everything depends on if God wishes it to be.  Thanks be to God!

Patty

Today is St. Stephen’s day. Stephen was one of the first seven deacons appointed by the apostles and the first Christian to be martyred for his faith. I’m not sure how the day of his commemoration ended up smack in the middle of Christmas, but so it is.

However, the Feast of St. Stephen, is a neat time for singing the sort-of Christmas carol, “Good King Wenceslas.”

Good King Wenceslas looked out,
on the Feast of Stephen,
When the snow lay round about,
deep and crisp and even;
. . . . . . . . . . .
When a poor man came in sight,
gath’ring winter fuel.

The carol was written by Anglican priest John Mason Neale based on a legend about the 10th century saint Wenceslas, Duke of Bohemia. He set his words to a 13th century Spring carol. Most music scholars hate this carol, but I think it is great fun with its dialog between Wenceslas and his page as they go out in the snow to bring food, and wine, and logs to a poor man. It also has the hint of a miracle as the struggling page gains the strength to follow the monarch by walking in his footstep. I love the message:

Ye who now will bless the poor,
shall yourselves find blessing.

It’s important that we keep poor in our minds and we do what we can to help them, and not just at Christmas time, but at all times.

Here’s a version of the carol, and I didn’t know either that he did any Christmas songs other than “White Christmas.”

Read Acts 7:55-56  and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne

In 1986, Debbie and I made our first move as a married couple – to Guam. It was to be my second Navy duty station. It was pre-described to us as a “poor man’s Hawaii”. It was truly as beautiful as we imagined Hawaii to be, yet a little more – primitive.  The natives, or Chamorros, were the nicest people you could hope to meet.  Every weekend there was a fiesta in one of the villages. You didn’t need an invitation. Just show up and be fed.

A few months into our tour there, I was told that my band unit would be going to, among other ports of call, Perth/Fremantle, Australia — over Christmas.  Upon conveying this wonderful news to my bride of just two years, her response was: “Okay, then I’m going back to Mom and Dad’s”.  She had already had enough of our delightful little island paradise.

So yes, on Christmas Day, I was in the land down under. On the ship, I had taken the opportunity to sign up to be hosted by a local family. I was picked up at the pier by an Irish immigrant family. They had two teenage sons and a twelve-year-old daughter. They had even bought presents for me. We went to the beach on Christmas Day. For this native Floridian, that wasn’t much of a stretch! It was an unusual setting, of course, but for me it held just as much meaning as a future New England Christmas with snow.  Even on the other side of the world, far from any family for the first time, Christ had come.

I am certain that for each of you, every Christmas has had its one peculiarity. Sometimes home, sometimes not. With loved ones or grieving the loss of one. It is not necessary to remember all the details.  It is the same with THE story.  Matthew’s and Luke’s renditions vary slightly, as yours and mine do. Different experiences of the same astonishing, incredible news: unto us a Savior is born. God’s universal plan of salvation is a gift to us at all times and in all places. Wouldn’t it be nice to convey the joyful memories to all who are downtrodden? Whether or not there is any good news in our lives, this story remains to bring us peace, hope and joy. We give thanks today for a God who loves us unconditionally.

Pastor Art
Posted on Christmas Day 2018

Those of us who have lived in Florida for at least a year have been rudely acquainted with flying and crawling things we wish God had not created. Gnats, mosquitoes, roaches. They make themselves known via our necks, ankles, pretty much anywhere on our bodies that looks inviting. Our porches and patios may have “zappers” or citronella candles to ward them off.

The Lord has “no-see-ums” – we call them angels. Actually, we do see them sometimes, revealed in human form. There are many books with artist’s representations of these “secret agents.” An angel is the main character in the story we will hear again this evening. The angel Gabriel prepped the scene in his message of hope and promise to Mary. Angels are certainly a big part in our story, as they were in Jesus’. They tended to him after his temptation, and there was one sitting in his empty tomb declaring to the witnesses, “he is not here”.

For us, they are present when we pray; when we are in harm’s way; they fight our battles for us. It is also a reciprocal relationship. Hebrews 13:2 – “do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some have unwittingly entertained angels”. These are among my favorite stories to hear as a pastor.

Our “invisible allies” remind us of God’s unconditional love. Believing in what we cannot see is what faith is. We stand assured, convinced, and full of Christmas hope.

Pastor Art

What a glorious Christmas song:  “O Holy Night the stars are brightly shining!”  There we are on the darkened hillside with the shepherds.  Only the stars light up the clear night sky.  The music builds and our voices go higher to that wonderful moment of “Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices.”  And as we sing, we share the shepherds’ thrill!

I first experienced “O Holy Night” as a little girl. On Christmas Day, after the turkey had been consumed and the dishes washed, all the aunts and uncles gathered in my grandmother’s cozy living room. The highlight of the afternoon came after the last gift had been unwrapped, when the whole family gathered around the old upright piano to sing. I sat at the piano, bungling many notes but doing my best. My dad and uncles enthusiastically threw in some tenor harmony and my aunt was proud of her good strong alto. On and on we sang. When we had sung most of the familiar carols, it was time for everyone’s favorite, “O Holy Night.”   To my young ear, it could have been the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing heartily behind me.

Well, they’ve all gone on to their eternal reward now, every one of them. Somehow in the parade of years, I’ve become the grandma. But those loved ones and their voices still sing in my heart and memory. When I hear “O Holy Night” again this Christmas, their voices will be joining in.

It is indeed a truly Holy Night. “It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth.”  It is the night God’s unconditional love became flesh — for me,  for YOU.

          “O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,
          It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth . . .
          Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!
          O night divine! O night when Christ was born!
          O night divine! O night, O night divine!”*

Judy, originally shared December 24, 2018

*Text Adolphe Charles Adams (1803-1856); tune Cappeau de Roquemaure

The time has come!   Merry Christmas everyone!   I’d like to share a poem with you this morning.  The author is unknown, but the message is beautiful.

If You Look for Me at Christmas

If you look for me at Christmas,
you won’t need a special star;
I’m no longer just in Bethlehem,
I’m right there where you are.

You may not be aware of Me
amid the celebrations.
You’ll have to look beyond the stores
and all the decorations.

But if you take a moment
from your list of things to do,
and listen to your heart, you’ll find
I’m waiting there for you.

You’re the one I want to be with,
you’re the reason that I came,
and you’ll find Me in the stillness
as I’m whispering your name.

Love, Jesus

Be still my friends and know that our Savior has come.  He’s come for you; he’s come for me.  He’s come to bring his unconditional love that we might be saved.  I wish you all a blessed Christmas.

Judy

Memes, social media avatars, snail-mail cards, gift baskets, email greetings.  So many varied ways to send wishes for a happy holiday season.  Ponder if you will, how Jesus was celebrated.  His parents wrapped Him in warm swaddling layers and tucked Him into a manger of straw. The anticipation was over.  They were as prepared as they could have been.  Our Lord arrived as a sweet, gentle, baby.  The shepherds stood in awe.  The Bethlehem scene of angels hovering over the Holy Family is in the minds of many believers.  God’s plan of sending His only Son to us was/is a reality. How do we even begin to fathom His unconditional love for us?

Yes, a season/day of celebration and traditions, but the reflective component remains.  We were gifted God’s only Son, to worship.  Learn of Him.  Study His Holy Word.  Share His good news.  Celebrate.  Dance.  Be joy-filled.  Jesus’ birth was long awaited and should be celebrated with love and adoration.  Let LOVE become your best gift to give.  Give it abundantly!

Jill

We all know and love the Christmas story. I’ve heard it and celebrated it my whole life.
It is the MOST AWESOME STORY EVER.

“And she gave birth to her firstborn son, and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” – Luke 2:7

But this year, after all the years of reading and listening, all the years of Christmas programs and Christmas caroling,
This year the Holy Spirit makes it new and different and written just for me . . .
“There was no room for them…”

Will it be another season of hustle and bustle, shopping and wrapping, cooking and baking, cleaning and entertaining, weeks of feeling so busy that I’m not sure I’m going to make it . . .

Or this year, will I “make room for HIM.”

So simple, so cut-to-the-chase, so clarifying . . .
This Christmas season, this life, I’m called to “make room for HIM.”

And the MOST AWESOME STORY EVER touches my heart in a new way . . .
He loves us unconditionally.

Patti
Posted in December 2018