Dear Christian friends:

During Advent we prepare to meet our savior who comes. We must be prepared or better yet let Him prepare us by His Word. Today's text is a good one to let the Lord prepare us.


The people to whom Paul wrote these words were proud and criticising one another. Some said we follow Peter. He is a better preacher than Paul. Others said we follow Apollos. Apollos is the best preacher of all, better than Peter or Paul. So Paul wrote and told them they were not acting like Christians but like the blind world.

He says all pastors are servants of Christ and stewards of the mystery of God. If you love Jesus, you will love your pastor whether he is strong or weak. God makes us what we are. You should honor your pastor because he is the servant of Jesus and a teacher of the secrets of God! "Great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh", 1 Timothy 3:16.

Not only the pastors, but all Christians should humbly think of the themselves in this way. Then we will not have quarreling and separations in the Church, but harmony and unity. Then also we will be fully prepared to meet our glorious Savior when He comes again, whether He comes to our hearts through the word and Lord's Supper or on clouds triumphant when the heavens shall pass away.

We can't judge one another. We can't even judge ourselves, verse 3. We deceive ourselves often. Only Jesus is the perfect judge. His light makes light the darkness of our hearts. His Word is the light that discloses the purpose of the heart. That is important. What is your purpose? God sees, knows and judges are reasons and motives for what we do.

If you are wise and as smart as I think you are you will say, "Wow!" I am lost! Yes, if we try to argue our own goodness by the law we are surely lost. We must give up our own righteousness and plead Jesus' blood and righteousness accepting Him for our only Savior as He came the first Christmas as stated in Galatians 4:4-5: "But at the right time, God sent His Son. A woman gave birth to Him under the Law. This all happened so He could buy with His blood and make free all those who were held by the Law. Then we might become the sons of God."

Jesus is our only hope. If we confess this and believe this we are ready to meet Him when He comes to judge. We will not fear the things happening but we can stand with hope and joy knowing that He will accept us into His everlasting kingdom.

Knowing and believing these things should make our celebration of Christmas much more precious. This year, even more precious than last year because we are a year nearer to the day of the Lord when we shall be freed from all the troubles of this world.

Amen.