Christmas: December 3

Old Testament Lesson

1 Kings 17: 17-24

Elijah comes and stays with a widow woman and her son. She only has enough food to last the two of them for a short time, yet the Lord performs a miracle, and the food never runs out. Today, her son dies, and she gets mad at Elijah, saying his presence caused this to happen. He takes the boy upstairs prays over him, and he is brought back to life. She says, now I know you are a man of God. That stuck with me. Now I know. The miracle of the food never running out didn’t convince her. The fact that Elijah told her about being fed by ravens didn’t convince her. It wasn’t until something near and dear to her heart was brought back was she was truly convinced. So it is for us as well. It is all well and good for us to watch Billy Graham and see thousands get saved. It is nice to hear testimonies in church about how folk’s lives are changed by God. But, are we convinced? Have we experienced God in our own lives in powerful ways? Have we seen God bring to life our own heart or the heart of someone what we love? It wasn’t until God made a personal imprint on her life that she believed. What about us? Do we believe in God personally because of what He’s done for us, or is God more of the just the guy up in heaven that watches us. It took a change in her life for her to believe. What does it take for you and me to believe?

New Testament Lesson

3 John 1-15

Hospitality is important, but is it something that is so easily forgotten, especially in our busy age. Jesus stands at the door and knocks, but we have to let him in. Jesus sent out the apostles and told them to stay only where they were welcomed, and if they were not, to shake the dust off their feet. He said as you have done the least of these, so have you done unto me. Acts of kindness and hospitality are the very heart of what it means to live a holy life. These simple things might not get you put on the front page of the paper, but they are the heart of the holy Christian life. God doesn’t always ask us to do what we think of as great things, He asks us to be faithful. But in these “small” acts of kindness, we find the great grace of God.

Gospel Lesson

John 4: 46-54

In this text, the father of the sick child took Jesus at His word and he was healed. Right before that, Jesus had said that it would take signs and wonders for people to believe, but this man took Jesus at His word. What a wonderful reminder of what faith looks like. Faith is believing; even without sight. So often, we tell God, just a sign, and we will believe. He has given us His word; He has given us His son. He has given us example after example. When will we take Him at his word? When we will believe simply because He has said? Trust daily in Him and His word. Know that He is faithful and true. Know that the same Jesus that healed this son is the same Jesus that through the power of the Holy Spirit walks with you and me each day. Trust in Him, trust in His word. That is the heart of faith.