Advent 2025
Stir up your power, O Lord, and come.
Protect us by your strength and save us from the threatening dangers of our sins, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Sunday, November 30
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Amos 1:1–5, 13—2:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11; Luke 21:5–19; Psalms 24 & 150 (AM); Psalms 25 & 110 (PM)
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Luke 21:5 – Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, 6 ”As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.”
7 ”Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?”
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8 He replied: ”Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. 9 When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”
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10 Then he said to them: ”Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven. 12 ”But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. 13 And so you will bear testimony to me. 14 But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. 15 For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 Everyone will hate you because of me. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 Stand firm, and you will win life.”
– Luke 21:5–19 NIV1984
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Dear friends, greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus as we begin a new year in the life of the Church. It has often struck me that as move into the season of Advent, looking forward to the celebration of our Lord’s birth, that we are also encouraged, if not challenged, to look forward to the day when He will return.
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Today’s passage is one that does just that. It speaks of the destruction of everything in this life that is not of God, and of the kind of events that will take place as the world, as we know it, comes to an end.
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Apocalyptic literature is what we often call it—passages that speak of cataclysmic events, ones that can only be seen as signs of the beginning of the end. Today’s passage is certainly apocalyptic. It speaks of the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple, of nations rising against nations, of wars, of earthquakes, of famines and plagues, and of how followers of Jesus will be persecuted and betrayed. Before the end is to come, Jesus says, all kinds of apocalyptic events will take place.
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At the same time, our Lord also tells His disciples to never lose sight of the calling we have in Him, and to never forget the promises that belong to us through faith. When the world begins to fall apart, Jesus says, remember whose world it is. When life begins to turn upside down, use it as an opportunity to tell the world where to turn. More than anything, as we look forward to our Lord’s return, make sure you are building your life on a foundation that will last.
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The disciples of Jesus were as vulnerable as people are today. They looked at the temple, they looked at the foundations set in stone. They could not imagine the possibility of anything being more solid and secure.
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In our day, is it any different? Things like good health, a solid stock portfolio, job security, money in the bank? World history is filled with stories of people who have built their lives on the wrong foundations. People whose life’s details are vastly different from one another, but whose stories end up in the same place. Jesus says, “Be careful where you are building. Do not forget what will last and what will not.”
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The lesson is clear. “If it is of this world,” Jesus says, “then it is of this world. And if it is of this world, then it will not last.” Not one stone in this life will be left upon another! Every one of them will be thrown down!
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As we begin this season of Advent, take our Lord’s words to heart. Build your life on the foundation of His word. Secure your life on a foundation that will last.
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Prayer: Lord Jesus, as we prepare to celebrate Your birth into this world and as we look forward to that day when You will return, help us to build our lives on foundations that are secure: Your Word, Your promises, the work You have accomplished for us on the cross and in the empty tomb. Amen.
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Devotion written by the Rev. Dr. Daniel W. Selbo (dselbo@thenalc.org)
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Monday, December 1
Nicholas Ferrar, Deacon, 1637
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Amos 2:6–16; 2 Peter 1:1–11; Matthew 21:1–11; Psalms 122 & 145 (AM); Psalms 40 & 67 (PM)
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Matthew 21:1 – Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 ”Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’ ”
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6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. 8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” 10 And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”
– Matthew 21:1–11 ESV
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Advent is a time of waiting and watching for the Christ-child to be born in a stable as well as Christ’s imminent return to our world where He will complete the process of making all things new. In Lutheran theology we talk about “the already and the not yet,” which describes this process of waiting. Waiting for the Lord can be a peaceful experience, but it can also arouse some anxiousness within us. It’s good to settle down and wait. We don’t wait aimlessly, however. We wait with the hope of the promise that was given, that Christ will come again. As Jesus told his followers about the timing of his return, “No one knows but God” (Matthew 24:36). So we wait with hope and great expectation, and we continue to worship and praise our Lord Jesus as we ponder His words and deeds.
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One of our lessons for today is the Palm Sunday Gospel, Matthew 21. Jesus tells His disciples to go and fetch a donkey in the next town over. This donkey will be tied together with her offspring. Jesus tells the men, “Let them loose and bring them to me.”
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Have you ever noticed this? In Matthew’s Gospel Jesus didn’t have only one donkey, there were two—a mother and her offspring. We typically see this image in art as one donkey with Jesus riding on its back.
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It’s interesting to think about Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem during the season of Advent. This is a Holy Week story! It is recounted in Advent because there is a strong connection between Jesus’ birth and His journey to Jerusalem where He will die for the sins of many. Birth and death. They are intricately tied together. We take our first breath when we are born and exhale our last breath at our death. You can’t have one event without the other.
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These two events in Jesus’ life were intricately tied together, His birth and His impending death. Both accounts contain a donkey which seems like an interesting coincidence. But the donkeys are not the hinge, the hinge that holds the stories together are the two triumphal entries. Jesus’ birth was a triumphal entry into the world as God took on human flesh and dwelt among us, the ones He created in His own image.
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Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem was the beginning of the fulfilment of God’s plan for salvation for all humanity. It was a marvelous miracle that changed everything for humanity. At His miraculous birth, the angels sang and the shepherds worshipped. At His triumphal entry into Jerusalem Jesus made His courageous march toward the cross of Calvary where He would defeat our last enemy, death, and rise from grave to live eternally. Songs of hosanna were shouted and prayers were said for the King of kings, the Son of David who would take away the sins of the world.
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These two triumphal entries signify the Lord’s victory over sin and death. As we walk through the season of Advent, may we ponder anew the beginning of God’s plan for salvation at Christ’s nativity in Bethlehem and His final journey into Jerusalem. May we be reminded of His promise to come again in glory on the last day. Amen.
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Prayer: Loving God, grant that we may patiently wait for the return of Your Son, Jesus, at the end of the age. In the meantime, help us to be ready for that day by living and serving in Your name. We ask Your blessing on all who are at the beginning or end of life, that Your grace and mercy would surround them and Your promises would be spoken to them. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Devotion written by the Rev. Dr. Amy C. Little (alittle@thenalc.org)
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Tuesday, December 2
Amos 3:1–11; 2 Peter 1:12–21; Matthew 21:12–22; Psalms 33 & 146 (AM); Psalms 85 & 94 (PM)
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Matthew 21:18 – In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. 19 And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once.
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20 When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” 21 And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”
– Matthew 21:18–22 ESV
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When I read about the fig tree that withered under Jesus’ word, my mind often goes back to Iowa, where I served most of my ministry. Walking fields of corn and soybeans, you quickly learn the difference between healthy plants and empty stalks. Green leaves alone don’t mean much...what matters is whether there’s healthy corn under the husks or ripe soybeans in the pods. Jesus came to the fig tree looking for fruit, but there was none. It looked alive, but it was barren.
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Now I live and serve in Fort Worth, TX, a very different setting, but the lesson still speaks. In Advent, I have to ask myself: am I just showing leaves—busy with Christmas activities, programs, and appearances—or am I bearing the fruit of repentance and faith? The Augsburg Confession VI says that good works don’t earn salvation, but they are necessary fruits of true faith. Without Christ, I’m as barren as that fig tree.
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And yet, Advent isn’t about despair—it’s about celebration. Jesus came once in Bethlehem, He comes now in Word and Sacrament, and He will come again in glory. By faith, as the Apology IV says, we are counted righteous for Christ’s sake, and that faith bears fruit. What a joy that Christ comes to fill the empty branches of our lives with His life, His forgiveness, and His love.
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Prayer: Lord Jesus, as You come this Advent, forgive our barren hearts. Root us in Your Word, and make our lives fruitful in faith and love, until the day we celebrate Your coming in glory. Amen.
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Devotion written by the Rev. Tony D. Ede (tede@thenalc.org)
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Wednesday, December 3
Francis Xavier, Missionary to Asia, 1552
Ordination of Jantine Auguste Haumersen, First Ordained Female Lutheran Pastor, 1929
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Amos 3:12–4:5; 2 Peter 3:1–10; Matthew 21:23–32; Psalms 50 & 147:1–12 (AM); Psalms 53 & 17 (PM)
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2 Peter 3:8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
– 2 Peter 3:8–10 ESV
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How long, O Lord? How long must we wait for You to return and fulfill all Your promises? It’s been over two thousand years already! When are You coming again?
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St. Peter tells us that the delay in Jesus’s return is not just because Jesus is taking his time, because time is different for Jesus. A thousand days is like one day…or one day is like a thousand. Jesus doesn’t think about time. Instead, He is thinking about all those who are lost and need to be found; those who do not yet know about Him and how much He loves them.
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Notice that our text says that the Lord is not slow, “but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” The Lord is patient toward you and me because we still have work to do—the work He gave us by commissioning us to go and proclaim His love to all the nations of the world.
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This is a great passage for someone who works in missions as I do. One of the most powerful motivations for proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who have never heard it is love! Jesus’s love for all people everywhere on this Earth. A love that is made manifest in His desire that no one should perish, but that every man, woman and child may be given the chance to know Him that they may turn to Him in faith and love. He desires that all those He loves may repent of the ways of this world and live instead according to His ways.
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For you and me, this is a call to tell our neighbors, near and far, all about the amazing love of our Lord Jesus who came to dwell with us as a helpless infant at Christmas. And, though He was the Son of God, for our sake He was willing to become vulnerable like us, to suffer like we do, and to die just like us. By rising again beyond the grave, overcoming sin and death and all the forces of evil, He has opened the way for all people to have life in Him and with Him forever. Now, in the time we have left to us, Jesus send us all on a mission to help Him seek the lost and bring them home to Him, that none of His beloved children should perish.
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In this season of Advent, we wait with hope and longing for the fulfillment of the promises that will come when Jesus returns. But we cannot wait in idleness, doing nothing. No, we must wait with purpose, with patience, and with love for all those who have not yet heard that Jesus has come for their sake too! Even so, come Lord Jesus!
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Prayer: Stir up Your power, O Lord and come! Stir up Your Spirit in us and in all the baptized that we might faithfully carry out the mission You have sent us to do. Help us as we reach out to those who do not yet know You. Help us to teach them about Your great love. Make us the bearers of Your life-giving light in the midst of this dark world, so that all may know Your love and turn to You in repentance and in faith.
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Help us to build up Your Church here on Earth even as we anticipate the coming of Your heavenly kingdom. Come, Lord Jesus, Amen.
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Devotion written by the Rev. Carol E. A. Fryer (cfryer@thenalc.org)
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Thursday, December 4
John of Damascus, Priest, c. 760
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Amos 4:6–13; 2 Peter 3:11–18; Matthew 21:33–46; Psalms 18:1–20 & 147:13–21 (AM); Psalms 126 & 62 (PM)
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Amos 4:6 I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and lack of bread in all your places,
yet you did not return to me, says the Lord.
7 And I also withheld the rain from you
when there were still three months to the harvest;
I would send rain on one city,
and send no rain on another;
one field would be rained upon,
and the field on which it did not rain withered;
8 so two or three towns wandered to one town to drink water
and were not satisfied;
yet you did not return to me, says the Lord.
10 I sent among you a pestilence after the manner of Egypt;
I killed your young men with the sword;
yet you did not return to me, says the Lord.
11 I overthrew some of you,
as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,
and you were like a brand snatched from the fire;
yet you did not return to me, says the Lord.
12 Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel;
because I will do this to you,
prepare to meet your God, O Israel!
– Amos 4:6–12 NRSV
Have you ever heard someone say, “We need to talk”? Your stomach drops. The room feels smaller. Those words rarely mean good news. They are the kind of words that stop you in your tracks, because something serious is about to be revealed.
That’s the same shock Amos delivers: “Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!” (Amos 4:12). Israel had faced famine, drought, pestilence, even war. Each was a summons, a wake-up call woven into daily life. Yet the people would not return. Shadows thickened, but hearts grew stubborn.
Jesus tells the story again with a vineyard. God planted it with care, yet the tenants beat the servants and killed the son. It is Israel’s story. It is humanity’s story. It is our story too—we grasp at what belongs to God and live as if the vineyard were ours.
But then comes the surprise: “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone” (Matthew 21:42). The very act of rejection becomes the foundation of salvation. The Son cast out becomes the bedrock of God’s new creation. The warning, “Prepare to meet your God,” is not erased. It is fulfilled. And in Christ, we do meet our God—and live.
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Peter reminds us: the Lord is not slow but patient. He holds back judgment so that more may turn and find life. Advent is that pause, that merciful space. Shadows are real, but a candle is lit. Its flame burns steady, defying the night.
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Today, we remember John of Damascus, who taught the church to confess Jesus as true God and true Man. His witness reminds us that in Christ, the invisible God has become visible. This is Advent’s hope: the Word made flesh, the Light unshaken, the darkness overcome.
Prepare to meet your God—and rejoice.
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Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, prepare our hearts to meet You with faith and joy. Soften what is stubborn within us, awaken what is weary or asleep, and heal what is wounded. Teach us to live as children of light even when shadows linger. Renew in us the hope of Your coming, and let that hope steady our steps until the day we see You face to face. Amen.
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Devotion written by the Rev. Dcn. Andrew S. Ames Fuller (aamesfuller@thenalc.org)
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Friday, December 5
Clement of Alexandria, Priest, c. 210
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Amos 5:1–17; Jude 1–16; Matthew 22:1–14; Psalms 102 & 148 (AM); Psalms 130 & 16 (PM)
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Matthew 22:1 And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come.
– Matthew 22:1–3 ESV
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You’ve heard people say it, haven’t you? “Jesus is the reason for the season.” You might respond, “Yes, pastor, but aren’t you a little early? It’s not Christmas yet.” Well, that’s exactly the point. It is Advent—and Jesus is the reason for this season too. In fact, He gives us a parable to guide us as we await His return and the fulfillment of the kingdom of heaven.
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At the heart of His parable is the idea of invitation. There is the invitation of the king, the servants tasked with delivering that invitation, and the invitees who refuse to come. This strikes home for me because I was one of those “refusers,” yet by the grace of God I finally came to the feast.
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I was raised in an unchurched home, and I was something of a loner in high school. I had been invited to church many times but never saw the point. Then one afternoon, a classmate unexpectedly invited me to a feast—a pizza party. I was thrilled to be included…until the adult leader gathered everyone together and began speaking about Jesus and His return. I realized I had been invited by Christians and was now stuck listening to them—trapped like a rat! But something took root that night. I started reading the Bible, eventually joined a youth group, and found deep friendships in Christ. They made a disciple of Jesus out of me. They also made me an inviter. We hosted more feasts and events and invited others, and the youth group grew. That is discipleship.
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That’s Jesus—constantly shaping His followers through parables, equipping us to live differently in this world for the sake of the kingdom. And when you think about it, there is far too little true hospitality today. People might be invited to entertainment or a meal, but our invitation is something far greater: life in Christ and fellowship with His Church.
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Yes—Jesus is the reason for the season. And Advent is the perfect time to invite others: into our homes, into our lives, and into our congregations. These are the marks of being—and making—disciples.
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Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, we thank You that in this season we can have true joy in knowing that we will be gathered to Your feast in Your kingdom. We remember this each time we gather for Holy Communion in our congregations. By Your Spirit, move us to invite others to follow You, that they too may enter into this feast of faith with joy. Amen.
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Devotion written by the Rev. Dr. Jesse J. Abbott (jabbott@thenalc.org)
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Saturday, December 6
Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, c. 342
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Amos 5:18–27; Jude 17–25; Matthew 22:15–22; Psalms 90 & 149 (AM); Psalms 80 & 72 (PM)
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Jude 1:2 May God give you more and more mercy, peace, and love.
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Jude 1:20 But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, 21 and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.
22 And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering.
– Jude 1:2, 20–22 NLT
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For some families, St. Nicholas Day is a celebration with family traditions of gift giving, filled stockings with small tokens of love. December 6th is known as the feast day of St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra who lived from 270 to December 6, 343 A.D. He is known for his reputation of generosity and kindness. Serving as Bishop of Myra (located in modern-day Turkey) during the days of the Roman persecution of Diocletian, Nicholas had opportunity to give testimony to the saving of his life through the kindness and generous mercy of Jesus Christ. It is only fitting that his generous gifts of mercy for his parishioners were kindnesses shown to those in need. There are legends surrounding St. Nicholas that describe his generous gifts to help those in need.
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According to legend, in medieval times, Christian nuns in Belgium and France began to deposit baskets of food and clothes anonymously at the doorsteps of the needy, which gave rise to the practice of gift giving on St. Nicholas Day.
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This is the time of year when mitten trees go up at churches and schools to hang the ornaments of handmade hats, mittens, and scarves for children in the colder regions so they can go out for recess. And it is the time when Angel Trees are erected with tags of needed items for families in local communities, sometimes coats, boots, a small toy, warm socks. It is the time when we hear Salvation Army bell ringers reminding us that this is a season of giving to those in need. But the Lord reminds us that it is not only at this time of the year when we are to show mercy.
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You and I need Christ’s mercy every day. He is the One who provides for our every need. He is the One who provides you with forgiveness and life through His sacrificial death and resurrection. So He, the Lord Jesus, invites you to acts of mercy and compassion for those throughout the year that need their snow shoveled, their leaves cleared, a few extra dollars to make the rent payment or the utility payment or gas money. Those small acts of kindness and compassion you do for others do not go unnoticed. They reflect Christ’s mercy to you.
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Prayer: Almighty God, in your love you gave your servant Nicholas of Myra a perpetual name for deeds of kindness both on land and sea: Grant, we pray, that your Church may never cease to work for the happiness of children, the safety of sailors, the relief of the poor, and the help of those tossed by tempests of doubt or grief; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
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(Proper for the Commemoration of Nicholas, Bishop of Myra)
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Devotion written by the Rev. Shelly D. Schultz (sschultz@thenalc.org)
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