“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel,” (Isaiah 7:14) One thing our church likes to do this time of year is to have an Advent and Christmas hymn sing. In place of our opening hymn we sing a…
The third Sunday in Advent focuses on joy in an otherwise subdued and penitential season. Isaiah 35:1–2 describes a joy that bursts forth dramatically: “The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; [2] it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory…
Snakes are not something I normally associate with Advent but maybe I should rethink that. Two of the most common Biblical texts read during the season of Advent mention snakes. First, there is Isaiah 11:8–9: “The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on…
“In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’” (Jeremiah 33”16) As Christians prepare to celebrate Christmas during the season of Advent (which means “coming”), our focus is on repentance. We are preparing for the coming…
The third Sunday in Advent is set aside to focus on joy. We are not quite to the joy of Christmas yet but we are getting close. For believers we have a certain kind of joy. It is the joy that follows sorrow and mourning. The pattern is pretty common in Scripture. In Isaiah 61…
Mirror Neurons 