Category: advent

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The Peace that Passes all Understanding

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Advent Series: James 3 “The Peace that Passes all Understanding”

As Dr. Luke recorded the advent series which he relayed to Theophilus, the words we have come to memorize and repeat are what the shepherds heard that night so long ago. It was as if God’s spoken promise to Abraham came to life:  all nations would be blessed through the coming of His Son.

Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.

The heavenly angelic choir praised God with these words and modern-day hymnals include these words yet the meaning is often obscured. It was a folk singer, Jill Jackson, who came to know the meaning of it as she pondered the meaning of those words that the Heavenly angelic choir offered: “Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.”  Jackson captured what the angelic choir meant and which comes from the Prophet Isaiah:  “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed upon thee: because he trusteth in thee.” [Is 26:3] James captured the essence of those words as he wrote: And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Today plant seeds of peace wherever you are and with whom you find yourself. Be a conduit of peace that others may see Jesus in you. St Francis of Assisi wrote: “Make me a channel of your peace; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned. In giving to all men that we receive and in dying that we’re born to eternal life.”

Jesus left his disciples with these words: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you”

 

 

 

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God loves Shepherds!

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Advent Series: James 1 & 2 The Shepherds

Did you ever wonder why God Most High showered the shepherds with the gift of His Son? God loves shepherds and His Son would be known as the Good Shepherd. Think back to one starry night so long ago when God looked down from heaven and found a group of shepherds whose hearts were open to His gift. God gave His people the privilege of caring for sheep, the most vulnerable of all animals. Most likely Abel was a shepherd. When the children of Israel sojourned in Egypt the brothers of Joseph were shepherds. God lovingly provided a safe place to raise their flocks along with the Egyptian’s flocks and the flocks prospered under the care of the Israelites. Later, the psalmist sat on a hillside watching the flocks by night just as the shepherds Luke described. He wrote about himself as a sheep in need of peace and quiet–and God provided.

Truly the God Most High is the giver of gifts. He gives liberally and without reprimand. Yet, God does not give to just anyone but those whose hearts are responsive. If we want the gift to see His Son we must ask in faith without doubting because he who doubts is like one caught in the riptides of the sea being tossed to and fro. Perhaps James was considering that when he wrote: All generous giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change.

God’s eye is upon those whose hearts are receptive to His gift of the Savior.

 

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Will we be found faithful?

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Advent Series–By Faith: Hebrews 11-13

When you hear the word faith what image do you have in your mind? Do you see images of men of long ago in robes and beards? Do you see women in their garments tending to families and then to Jesus as he traversed the land of Israel? The Hebrews author doesn’t want us to see any of those images but Jesus Himself fulfilling his role of prophet, priest, and king. He set the standard and others followed. Thus the Hebrews author’s Hall of Fame lists men and women who followed the Christ in all they did and how they lived. He wants us to know one truth above all: it is impossible to please God if you deny Him and His son but God rewards those who seek him. Thus begins the Hall of Fame beginning with Noah and ending with a legendary group of men and women who paid the price to be found faithful.  Their eyes were fixed on what was heavenly not the temporal.

Jesus endured the cross thus offering to us a picture of what is expected of us as His followers. He disregarded the shame, do we? Yet he alone was given the privilege of taking his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. When we endure suffering we are counted as sons of the Most High God.

Do you see yourself as one of the faithful?

 

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Jesus Paid it All!

 

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Advent Series Jesus Paid it All! Hebrews 8 to 10

We often equate Advent and Christmas with the manger but we need to look beyond that to the man who died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures. Thus because of that, He is the high priest who earned the right to sit down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven. He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the eternal inheritance he has promised since he died to set them free from the violations committed under the first covenant.

Note Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with hands—the representation of the true sanctuary—but into heaven itself, and he appears now in God’s presence for us. He was offered once to bear the sins of many, and will appear a second time, not to bear sin but to bring salvation. He chose to do that we might be holy people made holy through the offering of his body once for all. Therefore, let us draw near with a sincere heart in the assurance that faith brings because we have had our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water.  And let us hold unwaveringly to the hope that we confess, for the one who made the promise is trustworthy.

Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe, Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow

 

 

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Advent from Hebrews

Hebrews angelic

Advent Series from Hebrews

December comes and with it images of Christmas filled with, not sugar plums and fairies, but angelic figures. Dr. Luke’s angels come with news of the births of John the Baptist and Jesus for they are God’s instrument of messaging to men. Although we have no idea what angels look like, contemporary secularism has elevated them to near godlike state. Thus it was fitting that the author of Hebrews reminds his readers that angelic figures are just that, messengers of God to mankind. We are not to worship them but the Son of God. He alone is the radiance of God’s glory is to be worshiped. Paul reminds the Corinthians that Satan seeks worship and disguises himself as an angel of light but beneath that exterior is evil personified. Therefore, as we think and ponder angelic figures for our Advent season we are to be cautious and remember Jesus alone is far better than angels as he inherited a name superior name to theirs. He writes angels are ministering spirits sent out to serve those who will inherit salvation which has been purchased by the blood of the Son. Again the Hebrews author reminds us that God in his infinite wisdom did not put the control of the world to them but to the Son.

It is Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death so that by God’s grace he would experience death on behalf of everyone; bringing many sons to glory, to make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

As you prepare for Advent place angelic figures in their rightful place not as personages to be worshiped for that alone is given to the Son of God.

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Advent: Seeing Christ in Scripture

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Advent Series from Titus

The more focused you are the more you can see is a truth that crosses all dimensions. For example, if you are focused on the images in a telescope you can see not just a mix of stars but if you look closely you can see particular stars. That is how it is with scripture. The more focused you are the more you are apt to see the Christmas narrative in each and every book. They say that Christ is found in every book of the Bible but until you focus you might miss the details that the authors have pointed out.

Ch 1: God, who does not lie promised the hope of eternal life before time began. John 1, in the beginning, was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was fully God. In him was life and the life was the light of mankind.  God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a human being, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not make it happen? [Num 23]

Ch 2: The grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to all people. We wait for the happy fulfillment of our hope in the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. Luke 2: Simeon waiting in the Temple “for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples.

Ch 3: We are saved not by works of righteousness but on the basis of his mercy …poured out on us in full measure through Jesus Christ our Savior. Note from Dr. Constable: God poured out His Holy Spirit on believers richly. He did this first at Pentecost (Acts 2), but He does it since then whenever individuals experience conversion (cf. Rom. 5:5).

Keep looking! Keep your eyes open to see Jesus in the OT and revealed in the NT! Happy Advent!

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