The First Sunday of Advent

Truly it is marvelous in our eyes that God should place a little child in the lap of a virgin and that all our blessedness should lie in Him. And this child belongs to all mankind. God feeds the whole world through this nursing Babe. This must be our daily exercise: to be transformed into Christ, being nourished by this food. Then will the heart be suffused with all joy and will be strong and confident against every assault.

Martin Luther

from Martin Luther's Christmas Book,

ed. Roland Bainton

Augsburg, Minneapolis, 1948

"I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

Matthew 3:11-12

Our pastor did a sermon on this passage this morning. It speaks volumes, if we will really listen. Christ came to pour out His Spirit to change our lives. The Holy Spirit brings the experiential side of faith to LIFE! The Holy Spirit allows us to experience the real existence and power of God in our lives.

Are you in step with what the Spirit is doing?