Today's Reading: Introit for Advent 1
Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 1:1-28; 1 Peter 1:1-12
Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.” (Psalms 25:4-5)
In the name + of Jesus. Amen. We’re almost there. The First Sunday in Advent is tomorrow and with that we will start waiting and anticipating Christmas night. On that night, Jesus was born so that He could die. That’s why He came. He came because He is the God of your salvation. For your salvation, the baby is born to die.
Christmas is wonderful. Angels, shepherds, magi, and a manger are beautiful things. Christmas carols, Christmas decorations, and Christmas presents are a lot of fun. Enjoy it! Enjoy the season. Enjoy Advent as we wait for that birth. Enjoy singing “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” Remember, though, the reason He came is so that He could die for you. For your salvation, the baby is born to go to the cross. For your salvation, the Christ Child is born to die.
Our prayer as we enter into the Season of Advent is this, “Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.” His path is from heaven to earth. His path is from the manger to the cross. His path is from Mary’s womb to Joseph of Arimathea’s tomb. His path is from being born of Mary to being the firstborn from the grave. His path is for you.
This is the start of the Church Year. As we move through it, Jesus makes His path known to us. He was born. He was baptized. He was betrayed. He was crucified. He was raised.
All of this, Jesus does for you. All of this, Jesus gives to you. He gives you His perfect life and His salvation. He becomes your sin on the cross, and He gives you His perfection. He is born of Mary so that you can be born from above in Baptism as a child of His Father.
He does this because He is the God of our salvation. He goes on His path for you. As we enter into Advent, we pray, “Come, Lord Jesus!” In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.
“O come, Thou Wisdom from on high, Who ord’rest all things mightily; To us the path of knowledge show, And teach us in her ways to go. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel!” (LSB 357:2)