Readings: 1 Kings 3:4-15   -  Ephesians 1:3-14  -  Luke 2:40-52

It may seem strange to still sing Christmas songs. Many people have put away the Christmas decorations and stores are trying to get rid of that old merchandise. That’s because too many people treat Christmas as simply another holiday, out with the old and in with the new. The Church has twelve days of Christmas because we want to fully understand what this event means to us today.

Our destiny is tied to the birth of that Child in Bethlehem some two thousand years ago. From the beginning this was part of God’s plan of salvation and we are included in that plan. God predestined us to two important ways. First, He predestined us to be His people today through His Son, Jesus. Secondly, He predestined us to do His will in our lives everyday. Fulfill your destiny to be God’s people and to do His will every day.

We are predestined to be God’s people. This was His plan of salvation all along. He chose to do this, even before the creation of the world. This means that we can be certain of the outcome of our lives. We end up with God’s eternal blessings in heaven. So often we get caught up in the details of our lives that we forget the real meaning of life. Don’t live life without understanding your destiny in Christ. You will short yourself in life by a lack of faith. Don’t let the way of the world destroy the destiny God has set before and the glory to be revealed.

God has adopted us as His own dear children. He willed all along that we should be baptized and believe. We read in our Epistle lesson, "In love He predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved." Jesus was born destined to be the Savior of the world. He lived according to that destiny. We have be reborn to be God’s people today. It is so important that we see our destiny in Christ because it will explain who we are as Christians.

Our destiny comes by faith in the grace of God found in Jesus. It comes through the forgiveness of sins by the cross. God’s plan was to use Jesus as the sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. It has always been this sacrifice that matters. Christmas is the beginning of the story of Jesus. It reveals to us the purpose of His life. The cross and the empty tomb is the completion of God’s plan of salvation, His hope for all people.

God has lavished on us the wisdom and insight to God’s grace in His Son. This is our destiny to see His plan in Jesus. The Holy Spirit has revealed this to us in the Bible, His Word. The world may turn away from God’s plan, but we can see how much He loves us and forgives us. Get to know His Word better and you will better understand your identity as God’s child.

We are predestined to be God’s people and to do God’s will in our day and in our generation. We want to live according to the plan and design that God has set out before us. He has given us real meaning and purpose in life. He wants to continue His plan of salvation in our lives today. The more we read God’s Word, the more we understand His will. The stories give us a picture how God can work in the lives of His people according to His will. He will work in our lives according to His purpose and design. Get the big picture of your place in God’s plan.

God wants us to bring the hope of Christ to other people in our lives. He wants to use us in His plan. Be ready to tell others about your faith. Let them know about what Christ and His love means to you. Invite them to hear the message of the Gospel. His Word has the power save people’s souls and help them everyday. It is our destiny to do God’s will to witness to God’s love in Christ and He will give us opportunites to do that.

The Holy Spirit is the One who will guide and direct us in our destiny. There is a real force that moves in our lives. The Holy Spirit uses His Word and Sacrament to keep us on track. God uses these Means of Grace to strengthen our faith. We need to be in worship so that the Holy Spirit can work in our hearts and minds. He alone can keep us on the right path and ready for anything in life. For us, Christmas is not just a holiday.

We can be certain of the life we have with God now and forever. We can have hope no matter what may happen. God has guaranteed it through His Son. Just as He raised Jesus from the dead, so will He be with us at all times in life, especially the dark times. One day we will fulfill our final destiny and be with Christ in heaven forever. Live life with your destiny in mind.

Understand your destiny. God has predestined us to be His people at this time to do His will everyday. The Holy Spirit has revealed God’s plan of salvation to us and He wants us to help others to know about it. He will use His Word and Sacrament to strengthen our faith and provides opportunities to do so. Understand the destiny to which God has called you and get to know Him better in His Word. Fulfill your destiny to be one of God’s people today and forever in heaven.