Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America

Monday after Ad te levavi, The First Sunday in Advent

Posted on December 4, 2017 by Pastor Dulas under Devotions
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Scripture: St. Matthew 11:25-30 (NKJV)

25 At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. 26 Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.

27 “All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.

28 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Devotion

As we enter the season of Advent Matthew directs us to recall how God reveals Himself in the person of Jesus Christ so He might move us to trust Him and declare “Lord have mercy!”

What keeps a person from receiving the good news that God has atoned for the sins of the world? Or how God wishes all men to come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved? Or how the one true God reveals Himself through Jesus Christ, promising rest to those who are heavy laden? It is the same answer as it has always been: the rejection of God means the rejection of Jesus Christ, His teaching, His person, and His grace.

Without faith there is no reason to cry out “Lord have mercy,” for there is no repentance. Without faith there is no ability to come to the One who gives rest for the soul. Without faith there is no ability to see that the yoke of the Lord is easy and His burden is light. But with faith we acknowledge our sin, we believe Jesus entered Jerusalem to sacrifice His life for sin, once and for all. That gracious action enables a person through faith to declare “Lord have mercy!” This Advent thank God for His free gift of faith!

We pray: Stir up, we beseech Thee, Thy power, O Lord, and come, that by Thy protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins and saved by Thy mighty deliverance; who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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