God’s Word, along with various images, will be presented on this devotional website page, along with occasional historical emphasis. “Blessings Remembered” will hopefully prompt not only memories of past Prince of Peace blessings, but of the many personal blessings from God in your lives. May you always trust in God’s promised blessings, past, present, future and for all eternity.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8 ESV)
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“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8 ESV)
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"This is the LORD's sign to you that the LORD will do what he has promised."(Isaiah 38:7 NIV)
Photo by Rev. Bill Van Nostrand
A neglected sign on a gravel road once warned of a country school at the corner ahead. It still remained long after the school was no longer standing. For travelers who would heed, it alerted the need to slow down as they approached the corner. Like all signs, this sign was placed for a specific reason. With a word, it declared that something should be done in order to save or spare the possibility of trouble and harm.
A popular song from the early 1970's by the group Five Man Electrical Band, and had a comeback in the 1990’s when it was covered by the group Tesla, was a song titled "Signs." The song laments about all the signs we encounter in our lives. The refrain of the song ends with the words; "do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?"
Our world certainly seems dependant on signs. Signs direct us to where we want to go and how to get there. Signs tell us what to do and what not to do. Signs alert us to points of interest and warn us of dangers. Signs tell us who or what we ought to support, or condemn. Signs contain messages on how to live, or how not to live.
Like the above mentioned song, we often complain about signs. Yet, at the same time, we want signs. We especially want signs from God. We want to know if God really exists. We want to know if He really cares about us and loves us. We want to know if we can depend on the things He promises us. We want to know if there is something good to look forward to, at the end of our often trouble-filled lives. We want to know that He hears our prayers and that He answers them. In other words, we want some sort of sign, to assure us, to guide us, a sign we can confidently trust.
The people of Jesus' day were no different. They constantly wanted, and expected, Jesus to give them signs. They wanted proof of His claims, and of His teachings. Wherever He traveled, people followed Him in the hope of seeing a sign that they could truly believe.
As it was for the people then, the "Good News" for us is that God has given a sign for us to believe in and to follow, a sign to place our hopes upon. Throughout the Word that God spoke through His prophets, He told of the sign that would come. To those who believe, this sign would be the fulfillment of the promise God has made. This sign was declared long before the fulfillment took place. God gave His sign to alert people to what was coming.
Through the birth, suffering, death, resurrection, and the promised coming again, of Jesus Christ, God gives us the sign of His fulfilled promise. His sign is given, so that, by faith, we would be assured that God is truly with us, and remains for us, forgiving our sin, giving His peace and strength, granting eternal life with Him and all His faithful people. This promise is freely and graciously given, solely for the sake of Jesus.
Psalm 86:17 prays: "Give me a sign of your goodness..." The redeeming work of Jesus Christ on the cross stands as God's sign, the sign of which the prophet Isaiah spoke, in the words of Scripture first quoted above.
Below are additional words concerning the sign of God's merciful goodness toward us in His Son Jesus.
"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14 NIV)
"This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." (Luke 2:12 NIV)
"It will be a sign and witness to the LORD Almighty... he will send them a savior and defender, and he will rescue them." (Isaiah 19:20 NIV)
"Jesus answered, 'The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.' So they asked him, 'What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.' Jesus said to them, 'I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.' 'Sir,' they said, 'from now on give us this bread.' Then Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.'" (John 6:29-35 NIV)
Further confirmation of God’s promised redemption for all people in Jesus Christ is found in Jeremiah and Daniel.
"You performed miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt and have continued them to this day, both in Israel and among all mankind, and have gained the renown that is still yours." (Jeremiah 32:20 NIV)
"How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation." (Daniel 4:3 NIV)
As we remember our Lord’s blessings in Word and Sacrament, I pray you would always heed the only certain Sign of the Risen Lord Jesus, Who has so wondrously and graciously spared us from the eternal trouble and harm of our sin.
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Rev. Bill Van Nostrand
Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™
A popular song from the early 1970's by the group Five Man Electrical Band, and had a comeback in the 1990’s when it was covered by the group Tesla, was a song titled "Signs." The song laments about all the signs we encounter in our lives. The refrain of the song ends with the words; "do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?"
Our world certainly seems dependant on signs. Signs direct us to where we want to go and how to get there. Signs tell us what to do and what not to do. Signs alert us to points of interest and warn us of dangers. Signs tell us who or what we ought to support, or condemn. Signs contain messages on how to live, or how not to live.
Like the above mentioned song, we often complain about signs. Yet, at the same time, we want signs. We especially want signs from God. We want to know if God really exists. We want to know if He really cares about us and loves us. We want to know if we can depend on the things He promises us. We want to know if there is something good to look forward to, at the end of our often trouble-filled lives. We want to know that He hears our prayers and that He answers them. In other words, we want some sort of sign, to assure us, to guide us, a sign we can confidently trust.
The people of Jesus' day were no different. They constantly wanted, and expected, Jesus to give them signs. They wanted proof of His claims, and of His teachings. Wherever He traveled, people followed Him in the hope of seeing a sign that they could truly believe.
As it was for the people then, the "Good News" for us is that God has given a sign for us to believe in and to follow, a sign to place our hopes upon. Throughout the Word that God spoke through His prophets, He told of the sign that would come. To those who believe, this sign would be the fulfillment of the promise God has made. This sign was declared long before the fulfillment took place. God gave His sign to alert people to what was coming.
Through the birth, suffering, death, resurrection, and the promised coming again, of Jesus Christ, God gives us the sign of His fulfilled promise. His sign is given, so that, by faith, we would be assured that God is truly with us, and remains for us, forgiving our sin, giving His peace and strength, granting eternal life with Him and all His faithful people. This promise is freely and graciously given, solely for the sake of Jesus.
Psalm 86:17 prays: "Give me a sign of your goodness..." The redeeming work of Jesus Christ on the cross stands as God's sign, the sign of which the prophet Isaiah spoke, in the words of Scripture first quoted above.
Below are additional words concerning the sign of God's merciful goodness toward us in His Son Jesus.
"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14 NIV)
"This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." (Luke 2:12 NIV)
"It will be a sign and witness to the LORD Almighty... he will send them a savior and defender, and he will rescue them." (Isaiah 19:20 NIV)
"Jesus answered, 'The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.' So they asked him, 'What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.' Jesus said to them, 'I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.' 'Sir,' they said, 'from now on give us this bread.' Then Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.'" (John 6:29-35 NIV)
Further confirmation of God’s promised redemption for all people in Jesus Christ is found in Jeremiah and Daniel.
"You performed miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt and have continued them to this day, both in Israel and among all mankind, and have gained the renown that is still yours." (Jeremiah 32:20 NIV)
"How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation." (Daniel 4:3 NIV)
As we remember our Lord’s blessings in Word and Sacrament, I pray you would always heed the only certain Sign of the Risen Lord Jesus, Who has so wondrously and graciously spared us from the eternal trouble and harm of our sin.
+ + +
Rev. Bill Van Nostrand
Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™
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Prince of Peace Lutheran Church
1023 S 27th St Fort Dodge, IA 50501 515-573-8618 [email protected] Schedule Sunday Worship: 9:15 a.m. Sunday School: 10:15 a.m. Sunday Bible Class: 10:15 a.m. Wednesday Bible Study: 10:00 a.m. |
