[continued from previous message]   
      
   3 (Ps 79:10; 80:5) Know that the Lord, He is God;   
   it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;   
   we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.   
   4 (Isa 30:29; Ps 62:8) Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,   
   and into His courts with praise;   
   be thankful to Him, and bless His name.   
   5 (Ps 42:11; 43:5) For the Lord is good; His mercy endures forever,   
   and His faithfulness to all generations.   
      
   Psalm 100   
      
   A Psalm of praise.   
   1 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.   
   2 Serve the LORD with gladness: Come before his presence with singing.   
   3 Know ye that the LORD he is God:   
   It is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves;   
   We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.   
   4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, And into his courts with praise:   
   Be thankful unto him, and bless his name.   
   5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting;   
   And his truth endureth to all generations.   
      
   )   
      
   b) Pray that the Lord will lead the Church in finding ways   
   to wisely and effectively respond to pressing social issues.   
   (   
   1 Chr 12:32   
      
   32 (Est 1:13) From the sons of Issachar,   
   those having understanding of times   
   and what Israel should do: two hundred of their captains   
   with all their brothers at their command.   
      
   32 And of the children of Issachar,   
   which were men that had understanding of the times,   
   to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred;   
   and all their brethren were at their commandment   
      
   )   
      
   Advent Day 17   
   From C.S. Lewis A grand Miracle by Joel Heck   
      
   "'It seems, then," said Tirian... "that the Stable   
   seen from within and the Stable seen from without are two different places."   
      
   'Yes,' said the Lord Digory. 'Its inside is bigger than its outside.'   
      
   "Yes,' said Queen Lucy. 'In our world too, a Stable once   
   had something inside it that was bigger than our whole world.'"   
      
   - C. S. Lewis   
      
   (Read this and more in The Last Battle, p. 141.)   
      
   Bigger than the Whole World   
      
   Lucy and some of her friends had come into Narnia, thinking that they were   
   going to rescue Narnia from its enemies. But when the battle turned against   
   them, they thought they were about to die. Narnia had been overrun   
   by Calormenes, and during the battle Lucy and her friends were forced   
   into a stable. They soon discovered that they had actually entered   
   the Narnian heaven. An apparent defeat turned out to be the ultimate victory.   
      
   During that moment Queen Lucy recalls, "In our world too, a   
   Stable once had something inside it that was bigger than our whole world."   
   The stable to which Lucy referred was, of course, the stable of Bethlehem.   
   It once had something inside it that was bigger than the whole world,   
   the baby Jesus. We will one day experience the same firsthand,   
   we who humble ourselves to receive this Christ child.   
   We know that big things come in small packages. Small towns.   
      
   Short people. Diamond rings. Babies especially. But also heart, courage,   
   determination, and faith. Faith can move mountains, but it doesn't need   
   to be big to do so. Jesus said, "If you have faith as small as a mustard   
   seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there'   
   and it will move" (Matt. 17:20).   
      
   Lord Jesus, your greatness comes in smallness.   
   Give us a small faith in a great Savior. Amen.   
      
   But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small   
   among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for   
   me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins   
   are from of old, from ancient times.   
      
   Micah 5:2   
      
   From Follow the Story by Marva J. Dean   
      
   TUESDAY, THIRD WEEK OF ADVENT   
      
   Did Mary Stay?   
      
   Mary remained with her about three months   
   and returned to her own house.   
      
   -Luke 1:56   
      
   The question of our title today lingers with me because the Gospel text is   
   ambiguous. We have been told by the angel Gabriel that Elizabeth was already   
   six months along in her pregnancy when Mary received the news of hers.   
   If we add the months that Mary remained with her, Elizabeth must have given   
   birth before Mary left-but we aren't specifically told that.   
      
   Because Mary had traveled so far, one doubts if she would have gone home   
   before the big event of the baby's birth. Besides, she surely would want   
   to assist her relative through her last days of pregnancy and first days   
   of motherhood.   
      
   Why does the question matter? Mary was getting to the time when she would   
   be scorned for being pregnant before marrying Joseph. Imagine that God   
   furnished Mary with extra courage   
      
   by granting her the privilege of witnessing the birth of her promised child's   
   Forerunner and by sharing in the ardent faith of Elizabeth and Zechariah.   
      
   prayer   
      
   Thank you again, Gracious Father, that these two women had   
   each other. Amen.   
      
   Read Luke 1:45-56.   
      
   45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a completion   
   to those things which were told her by the Lord."   
      
   The Song of Mary   
      
   46 And Mary said:   
   "My soul magnifies the Lord,   
   47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.   
   48 For He has regarded   
   the low estate of His servant;   
   surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed.   
   49 For He who is mighty has done great things for me,   
   and holy is His name.   
   50 His mercy is on those who fear Him   
   from generation to generation.   
   51 He has shown strength with His arm;   
   He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.   
   52 He has pulled down the mighty from their thrones   
   and exalted those of low degree.   
   53 He has filled the hungry with good things,   
   and the rich He has sent away empty.   
   54 He has helped His servant Israel,   
   in remembrance of His mercy,   
   55 as He spoke to our fathers,   
   to Abraham and to his descendants forever."   
   56 Mary remained with her about three months   
   and returned to her own house.   
      
   From The AH-Has of Advent by Rich Bimler   
      
   THIRD TUESDAY   
   AH-HA! Ambassadors of Health, Hope and ANCESTORS!   
      
   2 (Mt 14:3; 4:12) Now when John had heard in prison the works of Christ,   
   he sent two of his disciples,   
   3 (Heb 10:37; Jn 11:27) and said to Him, "Are You He who should come,   
   or should we look for another?" MATTHEW 11:2-3   
      
   Who has prepared you to receive God's love and t)ope in Jesus Christ?   
   Who has been telling his story to you in both word and action? I hope   
   there have been many people in your history. as well as in your present.   
   who continue to be like John the Baptist to you as they "prepare the way of   
   the Lord" in and for you!   
   And to whom are you John the Baptist? This question does not refer of   
   course, to the taste and style of your clothes or what weird diets you may   
   be on. I'm simply asking how you are preparing people to hear and see   
   God's presence in Christ Jesus in their lives as well as in yours.   
   The AH-HA of ancestors is not talking about our old relatives and the   
   "good old days" of the Bible or even of our lives. Instead, it is centering   
   us on the people around us, now and in the past, who have brought the   
   message of Jesus to us.   
   Thank the Lord today for your ancestors who have prepared you to know   
   and love the Lord. If they are still here on earth, tell them you love them. If   
   not, thank the Lord for giving them to you as a Christmas gift!   
   Lord, you have prepared us through Word and sacrament (and though   
   special people) to be your child. Thank you for the legion of ancestors   
   with whom you've surrounded us. And empower us to be like John   
   the Baptist as we help other people to "prepare the way" for you   
   to come into their lives. In Jesus' name. Amen ... and AH-HA!   
      
   Read Matthew 11:2-11   
      
   2 (Mt 14:3; 4:12) Now when John had heard in prison the works of Christ,   
   he sent two of his disciples,   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)