CREDIT: DieselDemon on Flickr

Dear Friends and Family of First Lutheran,

In the days before video-on-demand and streaming, you usually had one chance to catch your favorite Christmas shows. But one show seemed to show up dozens of times each year, “It’s a Wonderful Life.”  This classic movie portrays a man, George Bailey, who’s a banker without hope. Why? Because he’s lost a lot of money. He’s so hopeless that he decides to end it all … until Clarence the Angel gives him hope that saves his life. His life saved, his neighbors – who’ve benefitted from George’s generosity – come to George’s rescue in his time of need.

As we begin the season of Advent, we’re all hopeful too. Some of us are hopeful for the amazing gifts we hope will make us happy. Some of us are hopeful for the visits and celebrations we hope will be joyful. But we’re also hopeful for another, more important reason. The arrival of Jesus … His return in glory.

Usually, we associate Jesus’ triumphal entry with Holy Week, not the start of Advent, right before Christmas. But Jesus’ triumphal entry points to the entire reason He was humbly born of a young, powerless woman named Mary on the first Christmas. 

The people of Jerusalem, after enduring centuries of oppression at the hands of other nations, shouted, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” (Mark 11:9-10) They hoped, “Maybe Jesus is the Messiah! Maybe He’ll crush our oppressor and restore Israel to greatness like in the days of King David!” 

They were right! But not in the way they thought. We celebrate Jesus’s birth because – by His death, He crushed sins power over us. By His resurrection, He’s restored us to eternal life. And when He returns, riding not on a humble donkey, but as a mighty king, our hopes will become reality. Jesus will bring us all into eternal life in His kingdom. That’s our hope now and each day of our lives.

Your Brother in Christ,

Pastor Jim