2024 Advent Devotion Book-Glory in His Grasp by Martin Luther College

GLORY GRASP IN HIS

A gift to you from Martin Luther College, the WELS College of Ministry

GLORY GRASP IN HIS

As we gather around the manger this year, we’ll meditate on that ancient hymn Paul writes in Philippians 2:6-11. We’ll contemplate how Christ “emptied himself . . . being born in the likeness of men.” We’ll stand in awe at how the Son of God, co-equal with the Father, chose for a time not to cling to the full and constant use of his glory and power: “He did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped.” And we’ll rejoice in the Second Advent, when our Lord in all his glory will come once again.

Theme & text selections: Rev. Luke Thompson

Devotions: MLC faculty members

Artist: Tom Plamann

A devotion booklet produced by Martin Luther College

Editor: Laurie Gauger

Copy editor: Heidi Schoof

Digital media: Valerie Fischer

Coordination team: Tami Board, Allison Bovee, Beth Scharf

Hymns: Christian Worship (Northwestern Publishing House, 2021)

Bible translation:

True God

What does it mean that Jesus Christ was “in the form of God”? Some of the resources that I looked at point out that the phrase “in the form of God” is contrasted with the phrases in verse 7: “the form of a servant,” “born in the likeness of men,” and “being found in human form.”

During Jesus’ earthly ministry, he often looked like any other human. But on the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus revealed his true form. Matthew says that “his face shone like the sun” (Matthew 17:2).

The phrase “in the form of God” shows that Jesus really did have glory in his grasp. In John 17, Jesus prays: “And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed” (John 17:5).

Jesus had the glory of God because Jesus is true God. John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” After Thomas had seen the risen Jesus, he called Jesus “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). Jesus truly has always had “equality with God” (Philippians 2:6).

In the verses right before Philippians 2:6-11, Paul told the Philippians, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit” (2:3). When we do things from selfish ambition and conceit, we often try to make ourselves look better than we actually are. For Jesus, there is no

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need to pretend. He really is 100% God. But instead of acting from selfish ambition or conceit, Jesus humbled himself.

Oftentimes we find ourselves grasping after glory. Jesus did not have to grasp after glory. It was already in his grasp. The glory of God was his from eternity. But he gave up the full enjoyment and use of that glory in order to save us.

We have no need to do anything from selfish ambition or conceit. We have no need to grasp after glory. Because Jesus laid aside the glory that was in his grasp, someday glory will be in our grasp.

Lord Jesus, though you are truly God, you humbled yourself. Please help me to humble myself, because I know that someday I will be with you in the glory of heaven. Amen.

Rev. Daniel Waldschmidt serves Martin Luther College as a professor of Greek.

[Christ,] who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Loosening His Grasp

Depending on which poet or songwriter you read or listen to, there will be different reasons for holding on to people, things, or ideas. The one that strikes a chord with me speaks of not knowing what you’ve got till it’s gone. It’s the fear of not getting what you think the idea, person, or thing is supposed to give you. You want a different ending than the one that you imagine if you let go.

For this Advent devotion, I want us to start at the end. It was at the empty tomb that Mary sat, not wanting this to be the end. She sat there weeping because she had lost her Savior and friend. Jesus reveals himself to her and says in John 20:17: “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

Mary was trying to hold on because she didn’t know—she didn’t understand—that the victory was won. She didn’t understand that the babe born in Bethlehem had done all that he was supposed to do, all that the Father willed. But Jesus did.

Christ, the second person of the Trinity, knew exactly what he was doing the entire time. By “entire time” I mean since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. It was way back in that garden that God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—promised that a seed of the woman

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would crush Satan. It was in a promise to Abraham that God said the whole world would be blessed through Abraham’s offspring.

Jesus willingly humbled himself because he knew what he came to do for the world. He didn’t come to be an earthly king. He didn’t come to be the most famous physician of his time. He didn’t come to build wealth that would have made Solomon look poor.

Jesus could have done all those things. But instead, he did more than all those things. He didn’t come to chase equality with God. Instead, he “did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped” (Philippians 2:6). He humbled himself for our sake.

Dear God, we thank you for loving us enough to carry out the plan that saves us. As we celebrate the coming of the baby in the manger, let us not forget the willing obedience Jesus showed throughout his life, even unto death. Amen.

Rev. Aaron Robinson serves Martin Luther College as cultural diversity coordinator and professor of English.

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Do you remember wrestling with your dad on the living room floor when you were 4? You probably won that wrestling match! You put your dad in a headlock and pinned him to the floor. You both were laughing the whole time.

Was your father a total weakling? No. For a little while your father refrained from using his strength. Why? He loved you. He wanted you to have fun. He “emptied” himself of his strength for a time to demonstrate his love for you.

In Philippians 2, the Holy Spirit led Paul to write that Jesus “did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself.” Jesus was God and man in one person. But while he walked on earth, he “emptied” himself. Jesus refrained from using his power and hid his glory.

Jesus was more powerful than everyone. Yet he was weaker than everyone. Jesus possessed all things. Yet he owned nothing. How could Jesus be both stronger and weaker than all simultaneously? We cannot comprehend this mystery. We believe this because Scripture says it is so.

We see a good example of this when Jesus allowed himself to be bound by the soldiers and led away for trial. Yet only moments before, his words “I am he!” caused those same soldiers to fall to the ground (John 18).

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Jesus emptied himself. He still had all the power and glory of God. But he didn’t use it. Except when it mattered. Except when it came to saving you. Just like your father, who allowed you to win that wrestling match, Jesus kept his divine power concealed.

Why? Jesus loves you.

If he had used his divine power and majesty, no one could have bound his hands and led him to the cross. No one could have driven nails into his hands and feet. Without submitting, Jesus could not have suffered the punishment of hell in your place.

But he emptied himself for a little while. He refrained from using his power so he could be your Savior. We are weak, and we often fall into sin. But Jesus made himself weak to suffer in our place and take away our sins. Now you are forgiven, and heaven belongs to you.

Dear Jesus, in this Advent season, help me to believe and rejoice in what I cannot fathom. You are the all-powerful Lord who made himself weaker than all to take away my sin. Amen.

Rev. Joel Thomford serves Martin Luther College as an admissions counselor.

The Form of a Servant

Let’s pick our roles for the Christmas pageant:

“I want to be Mary!”

“I get to be Joseph!”

“Aw, do I have to be a shepherd again?”

“Well, I’m going to be an angel this year, the one who gets to sing ‘Gloria.’ Yes, I can handle the high parts.”

“What’s left for me? Can I be one of the wise men?”

“No, you have to be the donkey!”

If you do end up being the donkey this Christmas, join the club. Realize and rejoice that Jesus took the lowest roles when he took the form of a servant or slave. He became a vulnerable, tiny baby, born in a stable for animals. He became truly human, quite a step down from being truly and fully God.

When Jesus took the form of a servant, he wasn’t just pretending or acting like one of us. Jesus wasn’t just playing a cameo role.

He was a servant and suffered all the pains and shame of that low position.

Here’s a partial filmography of Jesus, the list of the forms or roles he took on:

The Daystar also was a rock people stumbled over.

The Creator of the cosmos was also a road and a gate.

The First Letter of the alphabet was also the last one. The Lion of Judah was also a tender shoot rising from a stump.

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The Holy, Spotless One also washed feet.

The Provider of all things was also the bread and the water.

The Good Shepherd was also the lamb, the lamb sacrificed.

The Lord our Righteousness became sin, our sin, the whipping boy, the donkey who carried the load, all our lashes, all our wounds.

Again, Jesus did not just pretend or play the role, like an actor dying on stage but not really dying. No, Jesus was cast as a servant, and in love he died, so that we might become what he still was, stars shining in the dark sky, the full righteousness of God. This gift of holiness is not just a role we play. It is the form Jesus has given us to take.

So, what role do you want this Christmas? A pearl of great price? A treasure hidden in a field? An angel who can hit the high notes. A branch of the vine, pruned and fruitful. A patient donkey who enjoys watching the gift of God asleep on the hay.

Dear Jesus, thank you for coming to us not to be served but to serve, to give your life as a servant to save us. Help us in joy and gratitude to serve you and all those around us. Amen.

Rev. Brian Dose serves Martin Luther College as a professor of English.

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Emptied

5 True Man

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Much of the time, caring for an infant revolves around eating, sleeping, and cleaning up. Fussy times often occur when the baby’s routine is disrupted or when too little of a baby’s need is met or the need is met too late.

As adults, we can handle longer periods of waiting and additional stresses to ourselves and our schedules.

We still have physical needs for food, water, and rest, of course. We also face sorrows, disappointments, and frustrations. Sometimes we experience moments of weakness and, even though we know better, we give in to temptations to speak words or take actions we normally wouldn’t. We sin against other people, and we break God’s commands to show love to him and others.

This human state is what Jesus lived for us.

As he takes on humanity for us, we celebrate his birth, not as an earthly prince, but as the child of poor travelers in a livestock shelter. Jesus took on humanity, but in a most humble way.

As he grew up, he faced the same physical limitations as all humans. He felt hunger, thirst, and weariness. He sorrowed over his friends, his disciples, and Jerusalem.

As God, he knew what the future held for Lazarus, Judas, and God’s people. He also knew that his life

would end with all the pain and suffering that came as punishment for sin. He knew that his death would mean taking on the sins of the world and freeing us from sin to live in eternity.

Jesus did not use his power as true God except when he performed miracles. He did not use his power to sidestep temptations or avoid the weak moments that could result in sin. This idea is repeated in Hebrews 4:15: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

Jesus’ birth, life, and death earned salvation for us. He took on the punishment for our sins and gave us his perfect life. While he lived, he also demonstrated how to bear up under temptation—how to resist sin, how to ask God for strength, and how to praise God in all things.

Thanks be to God and Jesus for taking on humanity to be our Savior from sin and for being our example in resisting temptation. Amen.

Professor Greg Diersen serves Martin Luther College as a professor of science.

Human Form

Did you watch the Olympic games this past summer?

The Olympic motto of Citius, Altius, Fortius (Latin for “Faster, Higher, Stronger”) was certainly on display as we witnessed world-class athletes breaking Olympic and world records in dozens of events.

The Olympic Games are a celebration of the human form, but even as we see the human form at its peak, we also get to see athletes struggle with the disappointment of injury and even illness while competing. How crazy was it to see the newly crowned “World’s Fastest Man” be not quite so fast just a few nights later, thanks to contracting COVID?

Crazier and more amazing is that our God, the almighty Creator of the heavens and the earth, would take on human form. In Advent we look forward to Christmas, the celebration of the human birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As Christians confess in the Nicene Creed: “He [Jesus] came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and became truly human.”

In his three-plus decades of “being found in human form” on this earth, Jesus experienced all the joys and struggles of human life. He was an infant who needed care. He was a child who had to learn and grow and be nurtured by earthly parents. He felt hunger, he felt thirst, he felt sadness, he felt disappointment, he felt

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loneliness, and he felt exhaustion. He experienced pain and suffering.

Why? Remember the phrase that leads into the portion of the Nicene Creed you just read: “For us and for our salvation.”

Jesus endured the whole gamut of the human experience, save for one thing: the shame of his own sin. Instead, the only shame he felt was the shame and punishment we deserved because of our sins—as he shed his innocent blood on the cross to pay the price for our salvation. He died, as human beings do. But in an amazing, miraculous feat, he rose from the dead! Jesus’ gold-medal performance conquered sin, death, and the devil once and for all, and now he places that medal around my neck and yours, guaranteeing that we have an eternal home waiting for us with him in heaven.

Dear heavenly Father, we are constantly amazed by your creation and enjoy celebrating the incredible things you allow the human body to do. We are more amazed that you would send your Son Jesus to take on human flesh for us and for our salvation.

Amen.

Professor Paul Huebner serves Martin Luther College as head football coach and a professor of mathematics.

He Humbled Himself

In Luke chapter 15, Jesus tells the parable of the prodigal son. In this story one son demanded his inheritance from his father and squandered it with reckless living. He demanded what he thought was rightfully his, but in short order he spent everything. He was confident at the start, but his own foolishness and the trials of the world humbled him in the end, when he found himself longing to eat pig food and returning to his home in remorse.

The world has a way of humbling everyone. Since the fall of Adam and Eve, sin has infected this world so that plans become frustrated, disease attacks the healthy, and death continues to strike. The famine that entered the land humbled the prodigal son. But it was not only the sinful world that caused it. His own arrogance and pride humbled him too.

The same happens to us. It is often when we think we have our own lives in control, when we are filled with pride, that we are reminded how lowly we are. Without the blessing of God, we are not able to accomplish anything. Even worse, because of our sinful natures, often there are times when we know what God’s will is, but we find ourselves choosing sin, which only brings more pain. And this is the same state and fate for everyone who has walked in this world of sin.

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But this is what is so remarkable about Christmas and the incarnation of Christ. Here was one who was not humbled by the world—because he created the world and continues to control it. Here was one who was not humbled by his nature—because he was not subject to sin. He was tempted like everyone else, but he never strayed from God’s will.

And yet in spite of all this, he humbled himself. Jesus chose, for a time, not to use his full power as God or regularly display his full glory, so that we would be rescued from our humble state and be united with him forever in heaven. There is no greater display of unfathomable love of God—that he would willingly humble himself to redeem you from sin and make you his own child.

Dear Lord, we praise you for humbling yourself to be our Redeemer and Savior. Empower us with your Spirit to not become conceited in ourselves, but to rely solely on your grace and mercy. Amen.

Rev. Nicolas Schmoller serves Martin Luther College as a professor of theology and foreign language and co-head men’s soccer coach.

Humbled in Conception

Solomon stated, “There is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). Yet in eternity my gracious Father planned my rescue, declaring to Satan, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15).

God initiated my rescue and brought it to completion. When the set time had fully come, God sent his Son to be born of a woman, so that he would be born under the law, in order to redeem those under the law, so that we would be adopted as sons (Galatians 4:4-5).

God did something miraculous and completely new. A virgin became pregnant, and the eternal Son of God entered time as a fertilized egg. The angel explained that the child “which is conceived in [Mary] is from the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:20).

Jesus took on flesh and blood as my Substitute—my body double—setting aside the full use of his almighty power, living perfectly in my place, suffering my damnation, and earning for me the opposite of what I deserve (John 3:16). And all this began at that moment of conception.

Luther wrote, “We are so horribly corrupted by sin that, on our own, we are no longer aware of God. We have strayed from the righteousness of the law and fallen into

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a pit of lies. We think we can reconcile ourselves to God through the works we invent.” I’m not a sinner because I sin; rather I sin because I’m a sinner. It’s God alone who can and did rescue me.

Scripture states, “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, [Jesus] himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. . . . Therefore, he had to be made like his brothers in every respect . . . to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” (Hebrews 2:14, 15, 17)

In Jesus’ conception, I see my Father’s unfathomable love for me. God made him, who did not know sin, to become sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Jesus, Savior, wash away all that I’ve done wrong today. Make me ever more like you, good and gentle, kind and true. Amen. (CW 784:2)

Professor Alan Uher serves Martin Luther College as a professor of education.

Humbled in Birth

In the 1961 children’s novel Where the Red Fern Grows, Wilson Rawls’s main character desperately wanted to own, raise, and train a pair of hunting dogs. In order to do so, he needed a raccoon. With the help of his grandfather, he drilled a hole into a log, placed a shiny object at the bottom, and angled nails down into the hole from each side. The theory was that a raccoon couldn’t resist a shiny object, and once selfishly clenching its fist around it, would stubbornly not let it go to escape the trap.

We can relate. The devil, the world, and our sinful flesh ply us with temptations. Selfishly, we give in. Stubbornly, we don’t let go. These traits have been handed down across generations, beginning with our first parents in the Garden of Eden.

We are eternally grateful that Jesus was not selfish or stubborn. Imagine having created the beauty, amazement, wonder, and perfection of heaven. Who would leave? And yet our Savior King denied himself, humbled himself, and triumphed through conflict to release us from the trap of our sins. “And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:6-7)

This humiliation displays God’s perfect plan of salvation. Jesus willingly answered his Father’s call,

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denied himself the continued glory of heaven, and came down to earth to save us all from our selfish, stubborn, sinful natures. There was no selfishness in him. No stubborn clinging to something he was unwilling to let go. No sin. Paul verifies this in 2 Corinthians 8:9, where he says, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich,” and also in Philippians 2:7, where we read, “[Christ] emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.”

Because of his sinless work on our sinful behalf, we cling tightly (dare I say stubbornly?) to the salvation won for us on the cross. This gift is ours by faith. May we never be selfish with it, but instead share it with all who will listen.

Gracious Savior, we are selfish and stubborn. We thank you that you were not. Help us express our joy and thankfulness always. Amen.

Dr. Jeffery Wiechman serves Martin Luther College as vice president for academics.

Humbled in Circumcision

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God instituted circumcision as a sign of the unconditional gospel promise he made to Abraham. Circumcision reminded Abraham and the Israelites after him that God would send a Savior.

Luke tells us that Jesus’ parents had him circumcised, just as God had instructed. “And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb” (2:21).

When Jesus received his circumcision, all seemed ordinary. He received the physical sign that was given to all 8-day-old Jewish boys. He also officially received his name—a common name for the time, Jesus, which means “The Lord saves.” While all seemed normal, this child could not have been more extraordinary.

Yes, Jesus received the fleshly mark of God’s covenant, but not for his own sake. He was under the law of God, but he never broke the law like everyone else. Jesus was human, yes, but he was also God.

The one who established circumcision as a sign of the promise of salvation willingly allowed the same sign to be placed upon his human flesh. Jesus gave up his position as promise-giver to be our perfect promisekeeper. He bore on his body the sign of circumcision so that we’d never bear the marks our sins deserved.

Jesus continued to bear the physical emblem he received on the eighth day after his birth throughout his guiltless life. He took upon himself more marks on the cross—nail-marked hands and feet, a pierced side. Even after rising from the grave, Jesus continues to bear the bodily signs that he kept God’s promise of salvation for all nations. By being the perfect, sinless human in our place, Jesus fulfilled the promise that circumcision envisaged. No longer must believers receive the same sign, since salvation has been completed. We are now able to live freely for the Lord.

Now the marks we bear are internal. We bear a faith-filled heart eagerly preparing for the baby Mary bore in Bethlehem. He looked ordinary in appearance, circumcision, and name, just like all the other Israelite baby boys born before him. But we prepare for no ordinary child. He was and is and always will be our extraordinary Jesus, our salvation from the Lord.

Dear Jesus, at the name given to you at your circumcision, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess you as Lord. Make us bold to confess you, our brother in the flesh, as our only Savior from sin. Amen.

Rev. Aaron Bush serves Martin Luther College as an instructor and dormitory supervisor.

Perfectly Obedient

“I told you to listen to me!” You’ve heard that before. “Didn’t I tell you that there would be consequences if you didn’t obey?” I’ve heard that too. Whether from the viewpoint of parent or child, we can relate to the frustration, the downright irritation, of demanding obedience. Things often do not happen the way we think they should.

There’s the problem—too much self, too much disobedience. While we might like to pass this off as “that’s just the way I am,” we need to remember that, under God’s righteous will, our sinful attitudes and actions condemn us.

As we think about who Jesus was and what he did, we marvel at the consistency of his obedience. His mission began from the time that he entered this world as a human being. Jesus was sent to live life on God’s terms. Twice in close context, the disciple John records these explanations from the lips of Jesus: “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work” (John 4:34); and, “For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me” (John 5:36).

Jesus “humbled himself” to live our life—your life and my life. As God, he did not need to prove his perfection, but he took on human flesh so that he could be the perfect substitute for weak and sinful

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humans. It was a genuine life of real obedience. He loved and honored God’s will by confronting Satan’s temptations head-on with the truth of his Father’s word. And, as his crucifixion approached, he did not turn away. Instead he said, “Not my will, but yours, be done.” Jesus always did and said exactly what needed to be done and said. Consider all of his interactions with women and men, the young and old, the rich and the poor. He fed and healed and warned and comforted and served and honored with holy and perfect love.

What great comfort, that Jesus came to this world on a mission to live a life of obedience—every day in every way.

Lord God, you have proven your grace and mercy by mighty acts of rescue. Forgive our sin. We trust that your perfect obedience has saved us. Help us to reflect your love in how we live. Amen.

Rev. Paul Koelpin serves Martin Luther College as a professor of history and theology and as head tennis coach.

Humbled to Death

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The apostle John begins his report of Jesus’ final Passover meal by writing, “Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end” (John 13:1). Other appropriate ways to translate “to the end” would be “completely,” “fully,” or “to the highest extent.” Jesus demonstrated the full extent of his limitless love as Maundy Thursday faded into Good Friday, and “he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Jesus and his disciples went to the Garden of Gethsemane after they left the Upper Room. The exhausted disciples fell asleep, but not Jesus. He knows what lies ahead. By that time the next day, he will have been interrogated, scourged, and crucified. He will have become the final and complete sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. He will have been banished from his Father’s presence. He will have endured the unimaginable agony of absolute separation from God, the very essence of hell, that you and I deserve. So, he prays, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me” (Luke 22:42a).

But his prayer didn’t end there. Jesus continued “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42b). He was willing to do what we could not do. He paid the wages of our sin. He embraced the deepest agonies of hell on the cross for us and for

all people. In his unimaginable grace, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God”

(2 Corinthians 5:21).

As Martin Luther put it in a treatise published in 1519 as A Sermon on Preparing to Die, “Christ’s life has taken your death, his obedience [has taken] your sin, his love [has taken] your hell, upon themselves and overcome them.”

Advent is a season of anticipation. We look ahead and prepare for the celebration of the birth of God’s own Son. But let’s not let pastel-tinted Christmas cards obscure the reality that Jesus was born to die. The sins of the world have been paid for by the allatoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and God no longer counts our sins against us. That truth is what makes Christmas the most wonderful time of the year.

Father, thank you for the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ, who humbled himself to the point of death for our sake. Amen.

Dr. Lawrence Olson serves Martin Luther College as director of the Staff Ministry Program and the Congregational Assistant Program.

A Scandalous Death

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Written records report that Roman authorities crucified approximately 200 people each year. Experts estimate the Empire claimed between 100,000 and 150,000 lives using a cross. That said, archaeological proof of the practice is rare. How many bodies from that era have fieldworkers found showing signs of crucifixion? Less than five. Why? In this case, absence conveys contempt.

Rome reserved this despised death primarily for enslaved people and traitors. As a result, imperial rulers engineered a public spectacle. A disgraceful display to humiliate the worst of criminals. A horror to terrify potential rebels. So, soldiers typically secured the accused with inexpensive rope rather than nails. Instead of providing proper burials, officials often discarded the remains in mass graves. The dishonorable nature of crucifixion left few physical artifacts. Again, this absence conveys contempt.

Our Savior was among those subjected to this despicable death. At Calvary, however, the faithful found reason for thanksgiving in what was not present. The tomb was empty. That blessed absence testified to Jesus’ victorious resurrection and ascension.

But before that, another absence declared the Messiah’s everlasting love for you and for me. Facing suffering beyond all imagination, God’s Son refused the privileges of deity. No spectacle of his righteous might. No blaze of his omnipotent glory. Why? He instead

chose to endure the punishment for our sins. To satisfy his Father’s holy hatred of our evil, Jesus subjected his immortality to death. In this case, absence illustrates the ultimate act of love.

Christ embraced this vulnerability to earn salvation for you and me. He paid our debt. He won heaven for us. But our Redeemer’s miraculous sacrifice began long before his brutal murder. The Lord of the universe was born in a stable. For an earthly lifetime, the invincible Immanuel restricted his transcendent strength. In birth, as a holy infant. In death, as an innocent man. For us. Again, this absence illustrates love.

How might our grateful Christmas celebration use absence to reflect Jesus’ perfect generosity? The devil wants to stoke selfish flames in our hearts. Pride.

Resentment. Despair. Satan hopes these consume our focus on the manger. But God supplies all we need to extinguish these threats. The gospel in Scripture and sacrament. Private devotion and public worship. Only through these gifts can our faith grow and the Savior’s mercy remain present in our lives.

Lord, keep arrogance, anger, and misery absent from my Advent. Fix my thoughts on how your birth and triumph over death rescued me from hell. Let my actions always testify to your love. Amen.

Professor Paul Grubbs serves Martin Luther College as a professor of English.

Exalted by the Father

They thought they could get away with it. Jesus stood bruised and beaten, with spit running down his face as they laughed at him. Jesus had warned them, “You will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven” (Mark 14:62). But the Jewish leaders weren’t afraid. They condemned him to death on a cross.

Jesus did not resist or retaliate. This was why he had come. Each day he had perfectly obeyed his heavenly Father. The hardest part was left, to drink the cup of God’s wrath over people’s sins. He took the beatings, the whipping, the crucifixion, and the separation from God until every drop of that cup was gone. He loved you, me, and even those who condemned him, too much to quit.

Forgiveness and eternal salvation are freely given to all who believe this good news.

Having accomplished everything needed for our salvation, God “highly exalted him” (Philippians 2:9). God raised him from the dead and gave him authority and power over everything. From his heavenly throne, Jesus jealously protects his believers and promises that nothing can snatch them out of his hand. Jesus is in charge.

But not everyone appreciates what Jesus has done. Many today still hate Jesus. They make fun of him and

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try to eliminate him from the public square. As they take out their contempt for Jesus on those who follow him, it may seem like they are getting away with it.

Who would have guessed that the baby in the manger is the Savior who reigns at God’s right hand? The exalted Jesus watches over us now and will return on the clouds of heaven to bring salvation to all who believe and judgment to all who refuse to repent. During Advent, we are reminded to wait patiently for our triumphant Savior to return while we proclaim his love to those who still reject him.

Dear Jesus, you are the King of heaven and earth. We cannot fathom the depth of your love, which caused you to willingly take the sins of all people to the cross. Watch over us each day and empower your church to proclaim your salvation to the ends of the earth until you come again in all of your glory. Amen.

Dr. John Meyer serves Martin Luther College as director of Graduate Studies and Continuing Education.

[Christ,] who, though he was in the form of God,

The Highest Name

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There was a teacher who never awarded an A+ on writing assignments. That highest possible grade was reserved for the highest possible performance, and his view was that it’s always possible to produce a paper that’s a little bit better. From other teachers, an A+ might be just another good grade, but from this teacher, it would be the highest honor.

God bestowed on Jesus the name that is above every name. It’s not just another good name. It is the highest possible name, the highest possible honor. What name is it? God said in the book of Isaiah, “I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other” (42:8). And Psalm 83:18 says, “You alone, whose name is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth.” This name, the Lord (or Yahweh), was the special name God gave himself in the Old Testament, the name Old Testament believers held in the highest regard, the name above every name.

Jesus is the Lord. There is no name and no honor higher than the name and honor that the Father has given to Jesus. He alone is to be worshiped and obeyed above all other people and ideas.

We don’t always treat him that way though. Many people hold society’s latest ideas above the eternal will of God. We also like to put ourselves above God. When you know something is wrong but do it

anyway—whether that’s a physical act, a harsh verbal reaction, or a lingering immoral thought—you honor and obey yourself above the highest name.

That brings us back to the reason God has bestowed on Jesus the highest name. Jesus humbled himself to do the work he was born to do, and he did it so well that it couldn’t have been done better. His obedient life and death in your place changed you from an object of God’s wrath to an object of God’s favor. Therefore, although Jesus already was true God, the Father gave even the human nature of Jesus the highest name—to reveal his approval of Jesus and his saving work. It is the highest approval possible. A+.

This Advent, we can respond accordingly. Worship and obey above all else the one who has received the highest name: Jesus, the Lord.

Lord Jesus, protect me from the devil, the world, and my sinful flesh, that I may honor and obey you alone. Amen.

Rev. Aaron Dolan serves Martin Luther College as a professor of theology.

The Name

“Wonderful Counselor”

In a moment of transparency, someone I admire said to me, “People think I have it all figured out. Guess what. I don’t have it all figured out.”

I was grateful for it. It’s a relief to own it.

The simple truth is that there is only one who is never confused, never unsure of his next move. Only one who sees to the heart of every matter, who sees to the heart of me, sees what is really wrong, calls things as they are, and always knows what to say.

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given . . . and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor” (Isaiah 9:6).

The word Wonderful in the name Wonderful Counselor speaks of a guide for life and death who is unspeakably good at what he does.

As a 12-year-old boy, the child of prophecy made himself at home in the temple courts. As he spoke, the wisest of the wise could barely keep up.

The glory he showed Peter, James, and John on Transfiguration Mountain, he will show you too one day. But for now, let him tell you. “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him” (Luke 9:35) booms the Father, and life itself is distilled.

Hulking Benjamite guards were asked why they didn’t arrest him when they had the chance. They answered

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in hushed tones, “No one ever spoke like this man” (John 7:46).

No one.

Yet there is nothing here to prepare us for the piercing cry: “My God, my God, why!” (Matthew 27:46)

We hear it from behind some dreadful veil of not knowing, from a place we cannot fathom, and to which he would never ask us to come. He let go of any light that would relieve the human despair.

You ask for his qualifications? What does he know? What does he understand? The Man, the Son of God, has been through death. He has come out the other side.

It is ours now to hang on his every word. Your life is no longer about a plan to follow. In fact, it never was. It has always been about a person to trust.

Oh, Jesus, Wonderful Counselor, blessed be your name. You have it all figured out.

Dear Savior, King of the Universe, you are Wisdom from God. With gladness we own you. Our desire is to follow you in love and trust through life, through death, and to the glory that awaits. We ask you by Word and Spirit to help us. Amen.

Dr. Mark Paustian serves Martin Luther College as a professor of English and Hebrew.

The Name “Mighty God”

The book of Revelation describes the majestic return of Christ to earth to bring an end to this present evil age and to rescue his people. What’s interesting, though, is how Christ will return, as described by John. And how is that? Jesus will return as a warrior, riding a white horse, with a sword drawn to make war on hell itself.

That image is in stark contrast to the Jesus we welcome at Christmas, isn’t it? Isaiah speaks of a “son” and a “child.” We see him quietly lying in a manger while Mary ponders everything in her heart. It’s a tender scene, a peaceful scene.

But—make no mistake about it—that infant in a manger is also the “Mighty God.” There are several Hebrew words that translate as “mighty,” but here in Isaiah 9:6, “and his name shall be called . . . Mighty God,” the Holy Spirit chose to use gibbor, “mighty” in the sense that God is the one who makes war for his people. “Who is this King of glory?” the psalmist David asked. “The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle!” (Psalm 24:8) Sending this infant is how God, in his wisdom and power, chose to counter spiritual terrorism and carnage, the devastating results of Satan’s work in the world.

Another detail from that image in Revelation of the warrior Messiah catches our eye: only Jesus has blood on his clothes; the hosts of heaven following him

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shimmer in spotless white. And that’s right. Jesus can fight sin, death, and hell. None of us is—nor could ever be—strong enough to take the field against this foe, this roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8), this ancient dragon set on destroying God’s people (Revelation 12). Trying to do so with some kind of misguided spiritual bravado and lack of understanding will only end in our eternal destruction.

But “to us a son is given.” He is the Mighty God, the warrior who comes to fight for us against his enemy and ours. We know from Scripture that he did not fail on his mission.

Nor will he fail on his future mission to deliver you from all evil. For the Mighty God not only has power to destroy, but especially to protect and save you who, by faith, trust in him and long for his appearing.

Mighty God, as we celebrate your coming, lead us to rejoice in your power that crushed the foe and to trust that your power will also bring us safely into your heavenly kingdom. Amen.

Dr. Keith Wessel serves Martin Luther College as a professor of Greek.

The Name

“Everlasting Father”

As we read Isaiah 9:6, we see names given to Christ that evoke images of power and might, titles that only Christ can hold. But sandwiched between these lofty titles is one that doesn’t seem to fit at first glance. Christ is heralded as our “Everlasting Father.”

How is Christ our Everlasting Father? Biologically speaking, the function of a father is to beget children. Christ has earned for us the privilege to be God’s children rather than God’s enemies. And Christ continues to make people from all nations, tribes, and languages God’s children.

Fathers do much more than perform a biological function though. Fathers also love, protect, and provide for their children. The image of fathers has undoubtedly been tarnished in our society, but Christ fulfills this role perfectly. He doesn’t leave us to fend for ourselves but walks with us, guiding and guarding us during this life while preparing us for the next. He provides for us, sustaining us through our walk on earth. And he demonstrates his perfect love by offering himself in our place to remove our sin and guilt.

Notice that the term “Everlasting” is attached to “Father.” My children have grown up and moved away. While I’m still their father and continue to help them and pray for them, I’m much more removed

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from their lives than when they were toddlers. If things follow the usual course of events, when I die, my care for them will end. This isn’t the case with Christ. Christ is always there, being my Father. Christ will never leave me for any reason. His care remains constant, whether I am 6 or 106.

There is a blessed irony, however, in our heavenly Father’s actions. God the Father was willing to sacrifice his perfect Son so that I, an enemy of God and wretched sinner, could be saved and be adopted as his child. I can’t imagine sacrificing one of my children for the sake of someone else, especially if that someone is a sworn enemy of mine. But that’s precisely what God did! Why? So he could become my Father, and I his child. God would rather sacrifice his Son than not have you with him in heaven!

Our experiences with our earthly fathers may be different—some very good, others not. But in Christ we have a perfect, Everlasting Father who is also the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, and Prince of Peace. Christ is our Father. We are secure.

Our beloved Father, thank you for making us your children. Amen.

Professor Daniel Fenske serves Martin Luther College as a professor of science.

[Christ,] who, though he was in the form of God,

The Name

“Prince of Peace”

One of the most familiar Christmastime Bible verses is Isaiah 9:6 “And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

For many modern Christians, Christmas may be synonymous with peace, but when Jesus humbled himself to be born into the world on the first Christmas, it was anything but peaceful. Although Roman rule quelled fighting between tribes and minor nations, the Pax Romana was enforced by the sword. God’s people lived as subjects to a foreign power, a rule some in the province of Judea resented, producing tensions between religious and political factions.

Most terrifying, Israel’s spiritual leaders believed and taught that righteousness could be earned by following the law, leaving their followers desperately struggling at the impossible task of making themselves right with God through their works.

Jesus did not come to enact earthly ideas of how the Messiah might bring peace, like overthrowing Rome or reestablishing a Jewish nation. Instead, Jesus brought true peace by fulfilling the law and paying the price for sin. His work of redemption brought peace to believers as his righteousness covered them, and his church on earth grows unhampered by earthly borders or national sovereignty.

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Today we wish for peace—from wars in the world, from division in our country, from strife in our homes, from guilt in our hearts. Christmas refocuses our attention on true peace, peace with God through Jesus. His birth on the first Christmas is a prophecy fulfilled, a promise kept.

He warns us that until he comes again, there will be wars and rumors of wars, and believers will face persecution for proclaiming his truth. Since perfect peace cannot exist in this fallen world, Jesus is also the hope to cling to as we look for ultimate fulfillment on judgment day, when “He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes,” when “nation shall not lift up sword against nation” (Isaiah 2:4), and when “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9).

Jesus brings true peace to our troubled hearts right now—through forgiveness and salvation. In the assurance of his love and promises, we look to his second coming with as much joyful anticipation as we do when we celebrate his first arrival on Christmas. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, reigns in our hearts and in eternity.

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for bringing peace to our hearts by reconciling us to the Father. Amen.

Dr. Benjamin Clemons serves Martin Luther College as academic dean for education and staff ministry.

[Christ,] who, though he was in the form of God,

The Name “Immanuel”

God could have entered his world in the glory that is uniquely his right and his nature. Stoked by Scripture’s record, we can imagine God descending behind angel regiments, their shouts shaking the earth, their splendor splitting the sky, his light utterly defeating even a noonday sun. Instead, we read, as disciple Matthew quotes prophet Isaiah, “‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel’ (which means, God with us).”

The Son of God emerged from the virgin’s womb on a dark night, perhaps outdoors, maybe on the bare ground, definitely not far from a feed trough. God arrived as a strengthless baby. Once his cord was cut and his mother’s blood cleaned off, he was swaddled in everyday cloth—no royal purple—and placed in that manger. God’s Son, Jesus, entered this world the way you did, though your birth was probably professionally attended, and likely not by a carpenter.

Our Savior came not merely as we did, but as one of us. He came not to parade before us or to pass among us or to part our crowd. God’s Son came to be with us. True God became true Man, so that he might live our life, die our death, and empty our grave.

He became God With Us, in order to be God instead of us. All that Jesus did—live, die, rise—is ours by

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faith in him. He did what we couldn’t and can’t, so that we could, can, and have become the sons and daughters of God.

But let mind and soul settle on “Immanuel”—God

With Us. God, who is beyond time and space, past comprehension, chose to take his place alongside us, right next to you. When God’s law would condemn you, he stands at your side in court and says, “No, count my life as his. Yes, my death paid for her sins. I, their brother, took their place, bore their guilt, and absorbed their punishment. See the scars. I stand with her. I’m with him.”

And always is. True to the promise he made, Jesus remains God With Us. What’s more, he knows this life personally—as a fellow human being. Jesus promised to be God With Us in the time he grants us, in the life we live. Even now Immanuel, our Brother, is with us, until—forever in heaven—we are with him.

Gracious Savior, thank you for being my Immanuel. Be with me always, until I am with you forever in heaven. Amen.

Rev. Daniel Balge serves Martin Luther College as a professor of Greek.

[Christ,] who, though he was in the form of God,

The Name

“Christ the Lord”

Soon we will celebrate Christmas. We will hear again how an angel appeared to shepherds in the fields outside Bethlehem and announced: “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11).

Why is this startling announcement from an angel to shepherds even necessary? From the preceding devotions, you know. God’s Son, though true God, chose not to hold on to the glory that was rightly his as true God. So ingloriously did he enter this world as true man, who besides his parents would even notice?

God ensured that others noticed and recognized this monumental moment. A baby was born—but no ordinary baby! God’s angel calls him Christ the Lord. Christ means “Anointed One” (Messiah in Hebrew). Whenever God anointed someone in the past, it signified that he had chosen that person for a special task. Some were anointed prophets, some priests, and some kings. Some carried out their tasks with dazzling displays of glory. Kings David and Solomon come to mind. But their glory was fleeting and ultimately failed.

Not this baby. His glory would last forever because he would accomplish his task perfectly. And his task? The

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most important of all: to save lost sinners from their sins and win for them eternal life instead of the eternal death they deserved. As the angel announced: “Unto you is born this day . . . a Savior.”

Many won’t recognize this baby as their Savior. They look for earthly glory that in the end cannot save. But Jesus’ work is glorious because it assures us that we are God’s forgiven children, heirs of eternal life with him.

Therefore, we joyfully also call him the Lord—our Lord. He rules! Over me, over you, over all. This is good news of great joy. So, “Fear not!” The angel’s words apply not only to those shepherds frightened on that night in the fields outside Bethlehem. They apply to us too. Thanks to Jesus, this baby born in the city of David, sin and death and all the evils they bring have been defeated. “Oh, come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!”

Dear Jesus, my Lord, grant me peace as I ponder this good news of great joy and how it applies to whatever fills me with fear in this sinful world. Calm my heart with the fact that you, the Christ, rule. To you be all glory. Amen.

Rev. Ross Stelljes serves Martin Luther College as a professor of theology.

[Christ,] who, though he was in the form of God,

did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The Name Heaven Kneels To

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Bend the knee. It was a practice in medieval Europe whereby one showed respect for a superior by going down on one knee and remaining there until told to rise. Bending the knee is still a common practice when a man proposes marriage. It’s a beautiful gesture, one vowing allegiance to the other. In a sense, as Christians, we have made the same vow to Christ.

It’s hard to bend the knee, though, and not just because I’m getting older and the joints don’t cooperate like they used to. It’s hard because, by nature, I only have one sovereign in my life . . . and that’s me. When making choices in my life, I don’t always think of Christ’s way, but instead take up Frank Sinatra’s mantra: “I did it my way.” Instead of bending the knee, we try to take the throne.

But do you know there is a place where every knee is perfectly bent to the Savior? Where every thought is wrapped in love for Jesus, and every desire decorated with awe? That place is heaven. We think of the angels, of course. When God came down to dwell with us, the angels did not say, “What? Are you sure you want to do this? For them?” Instead, they shouted their life’s mantra: “Glory to God in the highest!” (Luke 2:14)

However, the angels are not the only ones in heaven. There with them is every believer who has finished their race and laid down their crown at Jesus’ feet. Isn’t that a beautiful thought? One day, each of us will perfectly bend the knee in heaven, our only thoughts being Jesus’ thoughts. It’s what our loved ones who died in the Lord are doing right now.

And why? Because Jesus, in his infinite love, chose to bend the knee to us, pledging his unfailing allegiance to winning our salvation. Though glory was his, he laid it aside to take a manger and a cross so that we might be kings and queens with him in heaven one day.

Gladly, dear Jesus, I bend the knee now and will do so perfectly in heaven.

Lord Jesus, the saints and angels in heaven bend the knee to you. This Advent, keep my eyes focused on you and my heart inclined toward you through your Word, that I gladly bend my knee with my life. In your precious name I pray. Amen.

Rev. David Scharf serves Martin Luther College as a professor of theology.

The Name Earth Kneels To

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C. S. Lewis called it an invasion. The King invades the enemy-occupied territory of this world. Only he lands in disguise. Yes, his own recognize him. They hear his voice. But the unbelieving world remains unaware.

Lewis goes on to point out that believers often wish that the King would invade in force, with a show of his power, so that everyone would have no choice but to admit who he is. Most of us have probably felt that way from time to time, as we see the way the world is going.

The season of Advent, however, gives us a time to remember why the Lord doesn’t invade that way, or, more accurately, why the Lord delays that invasion until the Last Day. He delays because he is gracious. He does not want sinners to perish before his righteous wrath but rather that they turn from their ways and live. He wants to remake enemies into his own sons and daughters.

And so he lands in disguise. The Son of God comes wrapped in flesh, an infant laid in a manger, a King who chooses not to grasp onto his almighty power but instead lets it go to save us.

Still, the disguise doesn’t cover everything. How could it? It would be like trying to block the light of a

thousand suns. Even in disguise, Jesus is “a light for revelation to the Gentiles,” which God himself has “prepared in the presence of all peoples” (Luke 2:31-32).

Even in disguise, Jesus reveals the glory of God, and in this way, he allows us to see the glory that we otherwise couldn’t bear to see. He comes to us in Word and water, in bread and wine. He comes to us in the gentle whisper of his Word so that we can know and believe that the one who spoke the universe into being is also the one who is our brother, our brother who saved us from our sin and made peace between us and God.

Still, the Word goes out to the ends of the earth. Still, the kingdom of God’s rule in the hearts of his believers advances, as the Spirit reveals the hidden glory of the Savior to the nations of the earth. And he will continue to do so until the Lord reveals the fullness of his glory and every knee on earth bows before him.

Lord Jesus, use my mouth to speak your gospel and so share your light in this world. Amen.

Rev. Jacob Behnken serves Martin Luther College as dean of chapel.

The Name

All Will Kneel To

Recent interest in medieval Britain has led me to a number of historical books and a few historical movies. One thing I’ve noted was that the people of medieval Britain didn’t seem to have knee problems—at least not if measured by the amount of kneeling that they did. People knelt before kings and queens, before ealdormen and powerful landholders, before bishops, archbishops, and judges. Some of this kneeling was done willingly, some by custom, some in courtesy, some out of genuine respect. At times kneeling was forced and done against one’s will, perhaps before one’s enemies, perhaps in defeat and humiliation.

Modern America would seemingly have greater knee problems than medieval Britain—again, if measured by the amount of kneeling that we do. We don’t do any! We don’t kneel by custom or out of courtesy. We don’t kneel in deference to authority or important responsibility or noble position. We don’t kneel to show respect to others or to demonstrate our own humility. The very idea that we ought to kneel is repugnant to our American sense of pride. We have a knee problem.

Jesus had no knee problems. He was God Almighty, God Most High, equal in the majesty and mystery of the Trinity. Yet he willingly knelt to the saving will of the Father. The Creator knelt to receive the body and

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soul of a creature. The Holy One knelt to bear the burden of the whole world’s sin. The Innocent One knelt to die a criminal’s death in our place.

Then God raised him up, raised him off humiliated knees, raised him to glorious life again. God raised Jesus from his knees and exalted him and gave him the glorious name no one else could have—Savior of the world!

Advent is a time when knee problems can disappear. Just look at any manger scene: Mary and Joseph are kneeling, shepherds are kneeling, wise men are kneeling. As believers this Advent season we too can bend our knees in joyful amazement before the humble Christ Child. Moreover, we know a greater Advent is coming that is not merely a season, but the glorious reality of the exalted Christ. At his second Advent, there will no longer be any knee problems anywhere, but the whole of creation will bow the knee before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Strengthen my knees, Lord Jesus, so that I can kneel to you in joyful thanksgiving for forgiveness obtained, hope restored, and life enduring. Amen.

Rev. Jeffrey Schone serves Martin Luther College as vice president for student life.

All Will Know

DECEMBER 25

In these devotions, we’ve marveled at the Savior’s love. Though glory was in his grasp, he humbled himself to save us. That’s why we kneel this Christmas Day in wonder before the manger of a humble infant who’s also the universe’s Lord.

Yet, though he didn’t cling to the glory he possessed, nothing can rob him of the glory of having “every tongue confess” that he is “Lord.”

Yes, we grieve at Christmas that this isn’t now the universal sound filling his ears. Many live in unbelieving ignorance of their Savior’s glory. Many who have heard about him still refuse to believe.

Many, if they speak his name at all, use it as an angry curse, not an astounded confession.

Nevertheless, Philippians 2:11 will inevitably be true. A greater Christmas Day is coming. On the Last Day, Jesus will appear again on earth, not as a lowly infant but as heaven’s Lord. Then “every tongue” will “confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Tragically, most will speak this confession as an eternal regret. Too late, they will acknowledge that Jesus was all along their God and brother and the only name by which anyone can be saved (Acts 4:12).

But God’s grace taught you to make this confession with joy already now. Your heavenly Father’s

Christmas gift wasn’t only a Savior to adore, but the faith to confess him as yours. That’s your Christmas joy as you embrace the Christ Child. That’s your eternal joy when you welcome him on the last great Christmas Day.

Until then, our privilege is to speak and live as those who confess him. Already now the best Christmas gift we can give is to echo this confession in our homes, communities, and wherever God calls us to serve in his world. Our Christmas prayer is that our confession becomes the confession of many our lives touch. Then, whether on this Christmas Day or at the last great Christmas Day, they can join us in confessing that “Jesus Christ is Lord,” not in abject fear but astounded faith.

Thank you, Father, for the Christmas gift of faith that confesses the glory of your eternal Son, who humbled himself to save us. Give us courage to speak and live that confession in all our callings. Use us as your instruments, that many more may joyfully confess, “Jesus Christ is Lord.” Amen.

Dr. Richard Gurgel serves Martin Luther College as president.

THE ARTWORK

Tom Plamann’s watercolors capture the mystery of the incarnation, the wonder of the eternal Son of God who willingly enters our world as a human being—knowing full well what lies ahead of him.

The artist juxtaposes the bright holiness of the newborn Christ Child with marks of darkness, for the manger will lead to a cross, the straw will become a crown of thorns, and the bliss of Bethlehem will be followed by the blood of Calvary.

It is because of Christ’s love for the world—for each of us—that he loosens, for a time, his grasp of glory, only to take hold of it again, fully and forever, and invite us to glory with him.

THE ARTIST

Tom Plamann is a lifelong native of Appleton, Wisconsin. He graduated from Fox Valley LHS and began a career in architectural woodworking and home design. He switched to a career in church media 15 years ago and began working for 922 Ministries in Appleton.

He and his wife, Pam, have two grown children, Tim and Julian, and two grandchildren. He retired in January 2024 and now enjoys watercolor painting.

See more of his watercolor work at instagram.com/tomslooseart.