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.
An Advent message from our NALC Bishop, the Rev. Dr. Daniel W. Selbo
December 14, 2025 | Third Sunday in Advent
John of the Cross, Renewer of the Church, 1591
Amos 9:11–15; 2 Thessalonians 2:1–3, 13–17; John 5:30–47; Psalms 24 & 150 (AM); Psalms 25 & 110 (PM)
John 5:32 There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. 33 You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 36 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. 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 5:32—36 ESV
I have always found the backdrop of a flickering candle on a dark night a beautiful picture of Christ’s presence with us. It reminds me of the countless processionals to “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” I have seen—peaceful, hopeful, and full of wonder.
While that imagery is lovely, the more I sat with this passage, the more it struck me that our candles, as meaningful as they are, only hint at the reality of Christ’s presence. In these verses, Jesus speaks about the testimony of John the Baptist: ”He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John.”
John’s witness was like a lamp—bright, passionate, and purposeful—pointing toward the true Light coming into the world. His testimony gave people hope, yet even John could not see the fullness of what God was doing through Christ. How much brighter, then, is Christ’s presence with us? His light is not limited to a single flame but is the very radiance of God revealed in human form. It exposes what is hidden, heals what is broken, and draws us out of the shadows into His marvelous light.
As I read our passage in John today, I’m reminded that Christ’s light doesn’t simply flicker in the darkness—it overwhelms it. And what a miracle that the same light now lives within us, bearing witness still.
Prayer: Ready our hearts, O God, to receive the glorious presence of Your Son. Fill us with wonder and awe at the mystery of Emmanuel—God with us, the Light of the world dwelling in the darkness.
Devotion written by Ariel Wicker (awicker@thenalc.org)
December 15, 2025 | Monday of the Third Week in Advent
Zechariah 1:7–17; Revelation 3:7–13; Matthew 24:15–31; Psalms 122 & 145 (AM); Psalms 40 & 67 (PM)
Zechariah 1:7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo. 8 During the night I had a vision, and there before me was a man mounted on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, brown and white horses. 9 I asked, “What are these, my lord?” The angel who was talking with me answered, “I will show you what they are.” 10 Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, “They are the ones the Lord has sent to go throughout the earth.” 11 And they reported to the angel of the Lord who was standing among the myrtle trees, “We have gone throughout the earth and found the whole world at rest and in peace.” 12 Then the angel of the Lord said, “Lord Almighty, how long will you withhold mercy from Jerusalem and from the towns of Judah, which you have been angry with these seventy years?” 13 So the Lord spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who talked with me. 14 Then the angel who was speaking to me said, “Proclaim this word: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion, 15 and I am very angry with the nations that feel secure. I was only a little angry, but they went too far with the punishment.’ 16 “Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there my house will be rebuilt. And the measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem,’ declares the Lord Almighty. 17 “Proclaim further: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘My towns will again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem.’”
– Zechariah 1:7–17 NIV2011
The prophet Zechariah spoke to a people who were discouraged and uncertain. Jerusalem lay in ruins, the temple was not yet rebuilt, and the people wondered if God had abandoned them. Into that discouragement came a vision of hope: the Lord had not forgotten His people. He declared, “I will return to Jerusalem with mercy…my house will be rebuilt.”
These words must have sounded almost too good to be true. Restoration? Mercy? A city once again overflowing with life? Yet this is what God promised. His presence would return, His dwelling place would be rebuilt, and His people would flourish again.
Advent invites us to hear these same promises in our own seasons of waiting and uncertainty. We know what it feels like to live in a world marked by unrest, brokenness, and longing. We see places in our own lives where hope feels fragile, where disappointment has taken root, where the future feels uncertain. Yet the Word of the Lord speaks over all of this: I will return with mercy. I am restoring what is broken. I am building something new.
What is most comforting is that this rebuilding does not depend on us. God Himself takes the initiative. He comes near, not because we have made everything ready, but because of His mercy. In Christ, we see this promise fulfilled most fully. Jesus came to dwell among us, to make His home in the midst of our broken world, and to assure us that the story does not end in ruin. It ends in restoration.
This Advent, as we light candles and wait for Christmas, let us remember that God is still at work. His presence is among us, His Spirit is renewing His Church, and His mercy continues to overflow into our lives. The God who once promised, “My house will be rebuilt,” now promises to make His dwelling with us through Christ, until the day He comes again and makes all things new.
Prayer: Merciful Lord, thank You for being the God who restores what is broken and breathes life into what seems lost. Help us to trust in Your promises, to rest in Your presence, and to hold fast to the hope we have in Christ. As we wait in this Advent season, strengthen our faith that You are even now making all things new. Amen.
Devotion written by Jessica Spohr (jspohr@thenalc.org)
December 16, 2025 | Tuesday of the Third Week in Advent
Zechariah 2:1–13; Revelation 3:14–22; Matthew 24:32–44; Psalms 33 & 146 (AM); Psalms 85 & 94 (PM)
Matthew 24:36 But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
– Matthew 24:36–44 ESV
“It’s gonna happen,” she said, quietly, like she’s sharing her bank account information. “It’s gonna happen October 2033.”
We were talking about the Second Coming of Jesus.
And she is probably still convinced of that date. False prophets rise and fall. Like the guy on TikBook (FaceTok? YouGram?) who said the rapture—that’s the taking up of Christians to meet Jesus in the air—yes, that rapture was going to happen on September 23rd or 24th.Well, it is well past that day, and we are all still here. And, I imagine, that come November of 2033, we will still be here. Unless, that is, Jesus returns before that.
No matter how we dissect the Bible, reading Hebrew and Greek words into numbers and signs and omens and earthquakes. No matter what cast bones say, or tea leaves, or augury—which is the reading of omens from bird flocks, or haruspicy or extispicy—which is fortunetelling by the examination of sheep innards—no matter what these say, we know this: we do not know when Jesus will return. Jesus said, “But concerning that day and hour no one knows.”
We know He will come again, because He promised He would in His Word. Just as we knew He would come the first time—by the Word.
Way back in Genesis 3, to the serpent God said the offspring of Eve “shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” And from Zechariah 2, God says He is coming: “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold, I come and I will dwell in your midst, declares the LORD.”
And the offspring, even the Lord who came? It’s God the Son. It’s Jesus, who came and dwelt among us.
And He is coming again.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You that You will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and Your kingdom will have no end. Remember us with the favour You bear for Your people. Amen.
Devotion written by the Rev. Peter Lurvey (peterlurvey@gmail.com)
December 17, 2025 | Wednesday of the Third Week in Advent
O Sapientia/O Wisdom
Zechariah 3:1–10; Revelation 4:1–8; Matthew 24:45–51; Psalms 50 & 147:1–12 (AM); Psalms 53 & 17 (PM)
Revelation 4:1 After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. 3 And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, 6 and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: 7 the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. 8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”
– Revelation 4:1–8 ESV
The book of Revelation is often misused as a decoder ring for the news. Verses and images are plucked out that assure us that more suffering is around the corner. But today, John’s prophecy provides us with an image unlikely to be found in any headline. In a room of singing angels and beasts, with crystalline seas and emerald rainbows, John stands before the Lord.
In front of God, whose presence rattles our bones like thunder, our despair is revealed. There is no hiding our grief for the absences around our tables. There is no swallowing our rage for the chaos of this world. There is no denying our own brokenness. We tremble as a voice like a trumpet invites us forward, that we may see “what must happen after.” We approach the throne, where we discover hope.
The Father, who settled on the Mount Sinai to give us His law while wrapped in a raging storm, sits upon the throne. The Son, who took on flesh to fulfill this law wrapped in swaddling clothes, sits upon the throne. The Spirit, who was poured out into us in Baptism, wrapping us in the grace of God so that we no longer fear the law, sits upon the throne. The world seeks to convince us that Herod or wealth or sin rules over our lives, but Revelation reminds us that this has never been and never will be true. It does not prompt us to see suffering as inevitable, but to rest in the promise that suffering will end in the outstretched arms of our Lord.
It is the proclamation of truth already revealed and longed for. The truth that from creation, to cradle, to crucifixion and resurrection, God is the ruler of all of time and creation, so even now while we await the Savior who will be laid in a manger and the Savior who will return to us upon a cloud, we join our voices to the choirs of angels and beasts and John and sing, “Holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” Amen.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, who heals the brokenhearted and binds up our wounds, we ask that You free us from our despair and welcome us into Your presence. Allow us to sing of Your eternal reign with joy and anticipation as we await the final, triumphant entry of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
Devotion written by the Rev. Taylor M. Rister-Stempniak (ptmarie96@gmail.com)
December 18, 2025 | Thursday of the Third Week in Advent
O Adonai/O Lord of Might
Zechariah 4:1–14; Revelation 4:9—5:5; Matthew 25:1–13; Psalms 18:1–20 & 147:13–21 (AM); Psalms 126 & 62 (PM)
Matthew 25:1 ”Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ’Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
– Matthew 25:1–13 ESV
When I served a parish in rural Wisconsin, it was not uncommon if you were trying to get from one side of town to the other to have to wait at a train crossing for one of the freight trains to pass through our little town. Sometimes, the wait times were just a couple of minutes. Other times, for longer trains, or when the trains slow down, or stop on the tracks for whatever reason, your wait would be longer. Most of the time, you had no choice but to sit there and wait for the train to pass. But it wouldn’t be uncommon to see someone turn around and try to find another way to get from one side of town to the other, oftentimes unsuccessfully because there were few, if any, alternate routes in our little town for a motorist to use.
In today’s reading from Matthew, we meet 10 virgins who were chosen by the bride, to be part of a festive procession, using torches to escort the bridegroom from the home of the groom to the place of the wedding banquet. In this parable, Jesus tells us all ten were waiting for word that the promised arrival of the bridegroom was coming, but only five of them were finally ready and prepared to participate when the time came for the procession to actually begin, and they are the ones who are, in the end, participating in the joy-filled celebration of the wedding feast!
As we draw ever closer to Christmas, we are reminded of the reality that Jesus Christ is coming, both in the flesh at Christmas, and again at the end of time. Both are joyful events that tell us our Savior from sin, death, and the power of Satan are here! Today’s reading gives us the opportunity to ask the important question: are we ready? What must I do to be ready to celebrate the miracle of the Incarnation, of God taking on our human flesh that’s laid to rest in the wood of the Christmas manger, and crucified on the wood of Calvary’s cross for my salvation? What must I do to be ready for when our Lord returns on the last day to usher in the great marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom? We do so by staying in God’s Word through weekly worship and daily Scripture reading and prayer. As we stay immersed in the Word and the Sacraments, we are strengthened to face those days when it seems that the coming of Christ is delayed, or we’re tempted to believe it isn’t coming at all. In these closing days of Advent, let’s stay in the Scriptures, and find our joy, hope, and salvation in our coming Lord and Savior, Jesus!
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the gifts You freely give me through Your Word and the Sacraments that reveal to me that You came into the world in flesh and blood to deliver me from sin and death, and that You are coming again to bring me to the eternal wedding feast of Your kingdom that will have no end. Give me Your Holy Spirit, so that my faith may be strengthened, and I might share the joy of Your promised coming into our world with those in my life. Amen.
Devotion written by the Rev. Christopher W. Martin (pastorcwmartin@gmail.com)
December 19, 2025 | Friday of the Third Week in Advent
O Radix Jesse/O Root of Jesse
Zechariah 7:8—8:8; Revelation 5:6–14; Matthew 25:14–30; Psalms 102 & 148 (AM); Psalms 130 & 16 (PM)
Zechariah 8:3 Thus says the Lord: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts, the holy mountain. 4 Thus says the Lord of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of great age. 5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets. 6 Thus says the Lord of hosts: If it is marvelous in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my sight, declares the Lord of hosts? 7 Thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country, 8 and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.”
– Zechariah 8:3–8 ESV
This passage from the Prophet Zechariah speaks of what God is one day going to do. It paints a beautiful image of God’s desire for His people, and the future He has designed for them. As Christians, our great privilege is to bear witness to what God has already done through His Son, Jesus Christ. Without a doubt, the light of the world has made His appearance, and even now, even today, that light, Jesus, is shining through Word and Sacrament and is bringing about the fulfillment of this promise of God we find in Zechariah.
Jesus, as the light of the world, is guiding His people into the new Jerusalem. Through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, we have been made righteous before God through faith and have had citizenship in the New Jerusalem bestowed upon us. The light of Christ shines across the globe, and many are coming into the new and eternal kingdom of God. This gives us who believe reason for great joy.
This joy we experience is not a temporary feeling, but an abiding disposition resulting from the firm and sure promises of God. Everything promised by God in Zechariah, and elsewhere, will be accomplished, has been accomplished, and is yet to be accomplished in and through Jesus Christ. The exuberance that comes from our joy compels us to share this Gospel message, that is, to shine light into the darkness of lost souls, broken homes and families, hurting communities, and everywhere else the Holy Spirit leads us. Brothers and sisters, do not be ashamed of this light, and certainly do not try to hide it, but let it shine with all its brightness, that the whole world would be illuminated by Christ and His Most Holy Spirit.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to bring light and life into the world. Grant us eyes to see this great light, and to hear the message of salvation through faith alone in the Scriptures which are a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path, as the Psalmist declares. Help us to share this light with others, and may we experience the joy that comes as benefactors of God’s gracious promises. Amen.
Devotion written by the Rev. Roland Weisbrot (pastorroland@victorylutheran.ca)
December 20, 2025 | Saturday of the Third Week in Advent
Katherina von Bora Luther, 1552,O Clavis David/O Key of David
Zechariah 8:9–17; Revelation 6:1–17; Matthew 25:31–46; Psalms 90 & 149 (AM); Psalms 80 & 72 (PM)
James 5:7 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. 9 Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! 10 Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
– James 5:7-10 NIV1984
Five days before Christmas! We’re almost there! But not yet. Christmastime is a season when God offers us a very precious gift – the gift of patience. Yes, we know that at the end of the Advent season we celebrate the Christ Child’s birth. But it is in the step-by-step process that the joy of the season is truly fueled.
In my youth, after Thanksgiving, the Advent wreath was placed on the television console as the first “decoration” of the season. The Sunday that followed was usually the First Sunday of Advent, and in the evening either my sister or I would light that first candle. During the week that followed, Mom would put up the living-room decorations, which included colored lights around the window. On the evening of the Second Sunday of Advent, we’d light the second candle, have pieces of peppermint, and watch a Christmas show.
That week, Mom and Dad would prepare the Christmas tree, which would eventually be filled with hundreds of lights and Mom’s handmade ornaments. On the evening of the Third Sunday of Advent, three candles would be lit, and again, we’d share in eating a peppermint stick and watch another television special, or perhaps go to church for the evening Christmas program. That third week usually included the senior choir caroling party as well as the high-school Christmas program.
That Saturday was the day of baking cookies — lots of cookies — many of which went to neighbors and friends. And, depending on the date of Christmas, that Saturday was a thorough-cleaning day, again in preparation for the big day ahead. On the evening of the Fourth Sunday of Advent, four candles were lit. That candlelight now filled the living room with its warm glow.
And then, a day or just a few more, it was Christmas Eve. Presents would be placed under the tree during the day. Uncle George would come in the evening for a sloppy-joe supper. Presents would be opened one at a time at first, then just a free-for-all. And then it was time. It was time for all of us to go to church—three of us in a final choir practice, one of us preparing the ushers, my uncle finding his seat in the sanctuary.
The decorations, the tree, the presents, the time for family—all led up to the moment when we shared with our larger family—our church family—the purpose of all the preparation: the coming of the Christ Child.
Prayer: Thank You for the season we call Advent and for teaching us, in varied ways, the gift of patience. Through this gift, teach us to stand firm in the Christian faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Devotion written by the Rev. David Schweppe (dlschweppe@outlook.com)