Posted in Ministry

The Hanukkah aisle at Hobby Lobby

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Early in December I was cruising the aisles of Hobby Lobby with my grandson when what to my wondering eye should appear but an endcap devoted to Hanukkah. I wasn’t surprised, yet in some ways I was.

Hobby Lobby makes no secret of being a Christian company, closed on Sundays like Chick-fil-A. Yet it has plenty of aisles devoted to Santas, reindeer, snowmen, and nutcrackers, as well as secular seasonal items for Halloween, Easter and pretty much every holiday in-between. So why not a nod towards a Jewish festival? At least items are 50% off, like most things in the store.

Even so, there are only fifteen items here, none of which look that appealing. I took this picture four weeks before the first night of Hanukkah, so I wouldn’t expect the shelves to be bare yet. It appears to be little more than an afterthought. Or a bone thrown to appease someone who complained that this tradition was excluded. Plus, is this what Jewish families shop for as the festival of lights draws near? I suspect not. Is this what one would expect to see in a typical Jewish family’s home? Not if the festival is more about family gathering, prayers and special foods than decorations and cookies.

I believe Jesus came down hard on those in the temple who capitalized on religious observance. I suspect he would do the same today.

Posted in memories

Some highlights from 2019

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by NordWood Themes on Unsplash

Keeping an electronic calendar makes it easier to go back and review the previous year. When I do, I’m amazed at all that happened and all the places I went.

Travel included:

  • Late January and mid-August trips to Springfield to see my Dad.
  • February and August trips to Dallas to see my son and his family, including the birth of our 6th grandchild, Josephine.
  • April trip to the graduate’s call service at Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne, IN.
  • May trip to Detroit for a spring pastor’s conference.
  • June trip to Orlando for Stephen Ministry Leader training.
  • July trip to Seven Devils, NC, to get away from some of the Florida summer to a nice cabin on the mountain.
  • July trip to Tampa for the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod convention.
  • August trip to Ridley Park for my Dad’s funeral at the church where we grew up.
  • 10 day September trip to Israel!

Family events included:

  • The birth of our 6th grandchild, Josephine on July 26 and her baptism on August 4.
  • The death of my father at the age of 95 on August 12. My brother, my son and I preached at his funeral on August 16.
  • Two of our grandchildren, Daniel and Cameron celebrated their first birthdays.
  • My son and his family from Texas came to visit in June and again in December.

A few other interesting tidbits:

  • I started holding some of my elder meetings by teleconference. Worked well, especially since some of the church elders live some distance from the church.
  • I got to preach a dialogue sermon with Pastor Brent Hartwig, the uncle of one of our confirmands in April. It was both fun to prepare and deliver.
  • I got to assist in the worship service where my son baptized his newborn daughter, Josephine.
  • I build a really cool wooden fort/swing set in our backyard for the grandkids.
  • Lots of trips to playgrounds, zoos, attractions, restaurants, and movies with the grandkids.
  • I announced my retirement from full-time pastoral ministry, effective July 26, 2020.

I could add to that all the weddings, funerals, baptisms and celebrations I was a part of, too. I am so grateful for a great year!

Posted in Advent devotions

The Cast of Advent: December 24 – All those the shepherds told

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Paweł Czerwiński on Unsplash

And [the shepherds] went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. (Luke 2:16-18)

They came, they saw and then they talked about it. The shepherds had quite a story to tell. Their shift that night had included angels, an announcement, and a baby lying in a manger.

Who did they tell? I’ll bet they talked about this over a drink with their buddies after their shift. Or whatever that looked like 2,000 years ago.

I’ll bet most days and nights as a shepherd were uneventful. Not many stories to tell. An occasional wolf to shoo off or a stray to recover. Shooting stars in the sky.

How many believed their story? It’s out there, for sure. The audience may have “wondered,” but they may have wondered whether it was true or whether the shepherds were simply spinning a tale or had started drinking before their shift ended.

At the beginning of the gospel, Luke tells us that his account is based eyewitness testimony (Luke 1:2). Do you think he sought and found those shepherds who recalled what they had seen years ago? If so, I’ll bet their story was just as compelling as the first time they told it. it’s still compelling when we hear the story!

Don’t forget: it’s just as compelling when you tell the story, too!

Thank you, Lord, for all who told the story and continue to tell the story of the baby lying in a manger. Amen.

Posted in Advent devotions

The Cast of Advent: December 23 – a multitude of the heavenly host

Posted on by William Douthwaite

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:13-14)

What a sight and what a sound that must have been! Though many think of the heavenly host as a musical ensemble, they are actually the angel armies of God. This is the same group who was there at creation, who Jacob saw ascending to and descending from heaven, who surrounded the enemy armies at Samaria. They are the same forces Jesus could have summoned to fight for him in Gethsemane.

Here, after the shepherds have heard the angelic announcement of the birth of the Savior, they do what angels do. They praise God. They proclaim peace. They announce that God is not angry but pleased with his people because of Christ who has reconciled us with him.

One angel would be enough to make my day. A multitude? That would be overwhelming! I guess I’ll be overwhelmed one day when I see them in heaven, too many to be counted.

I think it’s interesting that wherever our Lord shows up, he’s got an entourage of angels with him. Sometimes you see them. Sometimes you don’t.

I’ll never get to be an angel. But I can praise him, too.

Thank you, Lord, for all those who praised you then and praise you now. Amen.

Posted in Advent devotions

The Cast of Advent: December 22 – the angel who appeared to the shepherds

Posted on by William Douthwaite

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:8-12)

What a great assignment! As a messenger from the Lord and a ministering spirit to people, this angel got to make the announcement of all time. The savior has been born! The Christ has come! This is a unique moment in the history of the world and the salvation plans of God. Never before and never again would such news be the headline of the day.

Sometimes only a few people show up for church. I’ve done funerals for less than six people. Before we stopped gathering for New Years Eve worship, we only had about a dozen. I even showed up at church on Sunday morning as a hurricane was approaching and was the only one there. When you have the best news of all, the gospel, you always hope a few more people will be there to hear it.

This night, it was just some shepherds who found themselves in the presence of an angel bathed in the glory of the Lord. Angel usually show up and speak to individuals, like Mary and Joseph. It’s very personal. Yet, on this occasion, it was “good news of great joy for all the people.” It’s an announcement meant for a much wider audience.

Like you and I. Do you ever get tired of reading or hearing those words? Not me. And when I do, I sense the glory of the Lord surrounding me, too. That’s the power of God’s Word. It brings you into his presence, touches your heart, and makes you feel like he’s talking to just you.

Thank you, Lord, for such great news – for me and everyone else, too! Amen.

Posted in Advent devotions

The Cast of Advent: December 21 – the shepherds

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Mohamad Babayan on Unsplash

In the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:8-12).

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child (Luke 2:15-16).

Some unnamed shepherds play a unique supporting role in the advent of our Lord. They are the only ones who get to hear the announcement of the angel and the praises of a multitude of the heavenly host. They are also the only visitors to and witnesses of the infant Jesus in the manger. They are the first to testify to this good news, too. They are never mentioned again in the New Testament, but are cast and costumed in every Christmas pageant I’ve ever seen. They don’t need a line. We all know why they are there!

There are many other shepherds in the bible. Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, and Amos were all shepherds. Jesus would later call himself the good shepherd, the one God promised to send to care for his people. Pastors are charged with “shepherding” the flock under their care. It is an occupation that weaves its way throughout the pages of scripture.

I am certain others got to see the infant Jesus in the days that followed. If Joseph’s ancestral home was Bethlehem, he must have run into family while he was there to register. Without realizing it, they were looking on the heir to the throne of Israel, the Messiah, the Son of Man, and the Word become flesh. But the shepherds knew. They knew the gravity of that moment.

Never underestimate the value of simply hearing the good news of the Gospel, which is the good news of great joy of Christmas. The word that powerfully changes hearts and lives gives you a part in the story, too! You get to make this good news known.

Thank you, Lord, for casting me in this amazing story. Amen.

Posted in Advent devotions

The Cast of Advent: December 20 – Quirinius

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria” (Luke 2:1-2).

Luke mentions Quirinius in his gospel to establish a time stamp for Jesus’ birth. Some historical records do not sync with Luke’s account, but that’s a matter for historians to figure out. Quirinius was of the Roman ruling class, racked up a few military successes and secured an appointment as governor of Syria at a time when the Roman empire was powerful and influential. The fact that Luke mentions him implies name recognition, at least among those who would read his gospel.

Jesus was born in a world of empires and emperors, governments and governors, military campaigns and political appointments. In this context the creator of the universe, the author of life and the savior of all isn’t even a blip on the radar. The big dogs didn’t know, didn’t care and weren’t even in the picture when Jesus began his public ministry.

But much later, in the seventh century, someone decided that Jesus’ birth would be a time stamp to keep track of time and history. That’s when AD, anno domini, “year of our Lord,” was used to measure the passing of years. Whether you acknowledge who Jesus is or not, you acknowledge his presence in this world each time you simply write out the year.

God knows the timeline of each of our lives. He knew us before we were born, heard our first cry, and knows the number of our days. Each moment of our days is significant to him.

Thank you, Lord, for each one of my days, here in this world and with you in eternity. Amen.

Posted in Advent devotions

The Cast of Advent: December 19 – Caesar Augustus

Posted on by William Douthwaite

We finally get to Luke chapter 2 in our cast of Advent characters. You knew we would eventually get to Caesar Augustus, because “in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered” (Luke 2:1).

If you look up Caesar Augustus, you’ll find plenty of history written about him as the first Roman emperor who reigned from 27 BC to AD 14. In his position of power, he had no clue that his decreed tax census would be part of the advent of Christ and Luke’s story of Jesus’ birth. As long as he could extract money from outlying areas of the empire like Palestine, Rome would benefit, and he would continue to be a popular and powerful ruler.

God typically used powerful rulers to accomplish his purposes. He used Pharaoh to take care of Jacob’s family and the nation of Israel for hundreds of years. He used the kings of Assyria, Babylon and Persia to discipline and shape the lives of the rebellious and unfaithful nations of Israel and Judah. He used the Greek’s language to inspire the words of the New Testament. Now he uses the Roman emperor so the Christ would be born in Bethlehem.

Whether you have a choice in the matter, whether you voted for them or not, whether or not you agree with their policies, all governing authority is from God (Romans 13:1). That can be a hard pill to swallow. Yet God casts them in the advent of Christ, so that “when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so the we might receive adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4,5).

Thank you, Lord, for all who rule over your people. Amen.

Posted in Advent devotions

The Cast of Advent: December 18 – Abraham

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Benjamin Manley on Unsplash

Once Zechariah got his voice back, filled with the Holy Spirit, he reminded everyone of “[God’s] holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days” (Luke 1:72-75). 

How could you leave Abraham out of the cast of Advent? It all started with him. He was the father of that great nation through whom all the families of the earth would be blessed. The plot of the advent of Christ begins with Abraham. 

Every parent knows you have to be careful what you tell your children. They will remember. They will remember everything you said you would do for them and with them. You can’t reason with them. They will persist, “But you promised!” Yes, God made a promise. He made a promise to Abraham. No matter how stubborn, impossible and unfaithful his people were, the one thing that remained the same was God’s promise. 

How many of our prayers include the phrase, “But you promised?” That’s a good petition to include. It means you believe God is faithful. You believe God will do what he says. It means you trust him. 

We live in a world where we must doubt most of the emails, messenger and phone calls that promise us something. Most of them are a lie, a scheme, a scam to take advantage of us. God steps into our world with something different. He is someone we can trust. He is someone who does what he promises. The ultimate example is Jesus, who said he would be killed and then come back to life. He even specified the third day. The resurrection means we can trust his word!

It fills my heart with joy to know I can trust him. How about you?

Thank you, Lord, for being the one I can trust. Amen.