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Advent 2022 – Day 29: Revelation 1:8, 22:12-13

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

Revelation 1:8, 22:12-13 ESV

At Advent, we look back at why Jesus had to come, that He came, and then that He will come again.

Jesus is the Eternal Son of God who was with the Father “before” Creation, through whom all things were created.

We rebelled against our Creator, thinking we could be like Him or had no need for Him.

Yet, God came to us, paying for our sins while reserving wrath for those who refuse to believe.

And Jesus is coming again.

He came as a baby, becoming like us to grow up and save us, and we remember this.

But we also remember that this Man is also our God – truly man and truly God at once and completely.

He died on a cross for us, but He arose again from the dead proving that this Jesus is our God of wrath and grace.

And He is returning soon in His wrath and grace to finally and completely fully redeem this world to Himself.

May we seek the Lord who has defeated sin and death, has saved us, and is coming back again in glory.

Hallelujah and Amen.

Come, Lord Jesus!

2022
12/25
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Advent 2022 – Day 28: John 3:35-36

The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

John 3:35-36, ESV

At Advent, we look back at why Jesus had to come, that He came, and then that He will come again.

Jesus came to live amongst us, and His true followers look to Him.

God the Father sent God the Son because of His love for Him and for us.

We are the inheritance of Christ from the Father, but only if we belive in the Son.

Though many still doubt and remain under God’s wrath.

Yet, God came to us, giving His life to bring life to those who believe because of His great love.

It is hard for us to comprehend how deep the Father’s love is, yet He gives all things to His Son whom He sent to die for us.

We are no longer under God’s wrath when we believe in the work of Christ on the cross, yet we have a greater hope knowing He arose from the grave.

All of Creation is placed in His hands, and we know He is coming again for us, as He promised before and at His ascension to the right hand of the Father.

May we seek the Lord who saves us and is coming again to take us as His own.

2022
12/24
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Advent 2022 – Day 27: John 3:30

“He must increase, but I must decrease.”

John 3:30, ESV

At Advent, we look back at why Jesus had to come, that He came, and then that He will come again.

Jesus came to live amongst us, and His true followers look to Him.

True followers of Jesus rejoice to hear Him and to point others toward Him.

2000 years ago through today, there are those who say we should focus on building our own life, on making sure we are happy and influential.

Yet, God came to us, showing us He is the only one worthy of influence and fame, our true source of happiness and joy.

It is not that we hate ourselves or other people, it is that Jesus has saved His people and we want to show the world who He is.

The world may think we want to be their saviors, but we know He is the rightful King and Savior.

Our mission is not to grow our platform but to grow Christ’s Church.

Yes, like John we deny ourselves and point to Christ, and we deny ourselves because we want the world to know Christ.

It is not self-deprecation, it is glorifying our God who lives in us and is restoring all things, including us.

May we seek the Lord who saves us and to bring Him all glory.

2022
12/23
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Advent 2022 – Day 26: John 3:28-29

“You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete.“

John 3:28-29, ESV

At Advent, we look back at why Jesus had to come, that He came, and then that He will come again.

Jesus came to live amongst us, and His true followers look to Him.

True followers of Jesus rejoice to hear Him and to point others toward Him.

People may scoff, and they may even claim we think of ourselves as high and mighty and christs ourselves.

Yet, God came to us, showing us He is the source of all goodness and power, saving His Bride – the Church – from her sin.

Jesus has saved His people, and we will want to show the world who He is.

The world may think we want to be their saviors, but we know He is the rightful King and Savior.

Our refutation is not done the same way as the world.

Yes, we deny ourselves and point to Christ, but we do it by pointing to the Scriptures that reveal His deity and works.

We remember and proclaim the prophecies of Jesus’ first coming, His death and resurrection, and that He is coming again for His Bride.

May we seek the Lord who saves us and is coming again to claim His Bride.

2022
12/22
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Advent 2022 – Day 25: John 3:16-18

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.“

John 3:16-18, ESV

At Advent, we look back at why Jesus had to come, that He came, and then that He will come again.

Jesus came to live amongst us, teaching the truths of God and proving them with miracles, signs, and wonders.

Whether we grow up surrounded by religious teachings or nothing spiritual, it can be difficult to comprehend salvation.

Jesus explained to Nicodemus, and thus to us, that it is pretty simple how to be saved, but we make it oh so difficult.

Yet, God came to us, showing us we saved only by believing in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.

If we don’t choose to believe that Jesus is the Son of God, fully God and fully man, who is the God we have all sinned against, that He died for our forgiveness and restoration to Himself, and that He bodily rose back to life, we remain condemned to the wrath of God for our sin.

If we don’t believe all of that, we are in danger of not being saved.

Jesus is full of grace, and He is our only source of hope and forgiveness.

God came to us as a man to save us by taking our punishment on Himself, and we must believe this to be saved.

It is not difficult to understand, but we don’t want to admit our faults or that it can be so easy to be saved yet difficult to live by God’s standard.

May we seek the Lord who has saved us from wrath and given us the path to eternal life.

2022
12/21
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Advent 2022 – Day 24: John 3:13-15

No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

John 3:13-15, ESV

At Advent, we look back at why Jesus had to come, that He came, and then that He will come again.

Jesus came to live amongst us, teaching the truths of God and proving them with miracles, signs, and wonders.

Even the religious elite could see it, but they could not understand without help.

And Jesus was that help to Nicodemus and others willing to listen, but we tend to be an obstinate lot.

Yet, God came to us, showing us how we are to be saved.

What does Jesus tell us about salvation?

He tells us that only Jesus has made the trip from heaven and back, that only those who believe in Him can ascend.

He tells us we must believe He is the only source of salvation, and it is in His death on the cross we find forgiveness and are saved.

God came to us as a man to save us by taking our punishment on Himself, and we must believe this to be saved.

Maybe people who lived in Old Testament times did not understand this in detail, but they knew where salvation was found: in God alone.

Christ has come and given us the Holy Spirit who leads us to Christ’s cross and forgiveness of sins and hope for eternal life.

May we seek the Lord who has saved us and shown us the path to eternal life.

2022
12/20
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Advent 2022 – Day 23: John 3:5

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

John 3:5, ESV

At Advent, we look back at why Jesus had to come, that He came, and then that He will come again.

Jesus came to live amongst us, teaching the truths of God and proving them with miracles, signs, and wonders.

Even the religious elite could see it, but they could not understand without help.

If the most religious and smartest could not understand the ways of God, what hope could the rest of us have?

Yet, God came to us, showing us how to understand how we are saved.

What does Jesus tell us about salvation?

Born of water: baptism does play a role, but this also tells us that only humans can be saved. (Fallen angels cannot be saved.)

Born of the Spirit: only those who believe and receive the Holy Spirit can be saved. (John 16:7-15)

This is difficult to comprehend, but only by trusting the Holy Spirit and the truth of the gospel of Christ can we inherit eternal life in Christ.

Jesus came to bring us life free from sin and in eternity with Him.

Christ has come, and we must seek the wisdom of His Holy Spirit and forgiveness of sins. (James 1:5; 1 John 1:9)

May we seek the Lord who has offered us His Holy Spirit, salvation, and eternal life.

2022
12/19
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Advent 2022 – Day 22: John 3:1-3

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

John 3:1‭-‬3, ESV

At Advent, we look back at why Jesus had to come, that He came, and then that He will come again.

Jesus came to live amongst us, teaching the truths of God and proving them with miracles, signs, and wonders.

Even the religious elite could see it.

The Messiah had come! It must be the Prophet that Moses spoke of (Deuteronomy 18:15-22), the one who would restore Israel!

Yet, God came to us, showing us how little we understand, that we need to be different.

The Savior had indeed finally come, but He was not what was expected.

To follow Him, to be saved, means becoming a new – renewed – person.

Jesus said we must be born again, but even one of the great teachers of Israel could not comprehend it.

Salvation is simultaneously so simple to grasp yet so difficult to understand.

Like Nicodemus, we must be wise enough to seek the Savior and to understand His teachings.

Christ has come, but we must seek Him and ask for wisdom. (Matthew 6:33; James 1:5)

May we seek the Lord who has offered us His wisdom and salvation.

2022
12/18
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Advent 2022 – Day 21: Matthew 2:22-23

But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.

Matthew 2:22-23, ESV

At Advent, we look back at why Jesus had to come, that He came, and then that He will come again.

Jesus came to live amongst us, bringing danger to His earthly family.

Though one danger may pass, it does not mean all danger is gone.

We still see that God protects His own.

The one who tried to kill fellow image-bearers in an attempt to destroy God had died, but his just as twisted son took his place.

God once again sent a dream to Joseph to protect this family. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph were still not completely safe, but in this moment we can see that God keeps His promises.

God was not surprised by any of the events surrounding the birth and early childhood of Jesus. In fact, He had it prophesied centuries earlier.

There were still those who would hurt the young Jesus and God’s faithful servants.

Yet, God came to us, showing His omniscience and omnipotence, that He knew it would all happen but that He would stop our enslavement to sin and rebellion.

This world may not be safe, and we also know that this world is not our home, but we can rely on the promises and prophecies of God.

Again, Christ has shown us how to live and trust and love in the midst of danger.

May we seek the Lord who has saved us from sin and shown us His power over time, death, and evil.

2022
12/17
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Advent 2022 – Day 20: Matthew 2:19-20

But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.”

Matthew 2:19-20, ESV

At Advent, we look back at why Jesus had to come, that He came, and then that He will come again.

Jesus came to live amongst us, bringing danger to His earthly family.

The promises we get from God are that those of the world will hate us for following Him, so it is dangerous to follow Christ. (John 15:18-25)

We still see that God protects His own.

The one who tried to kill fellow image-bearers in an attempt to destroy God had died, and God told Jesus’ family they could safely return home.

Likewise, we know that we face dangers from those in this world who want to do the same as Herod, and sometimes this includes our own thoughts and actions.

Yet, God came to us, defeating the power of Satan and this world, showing He still protects His own.

So we also know that this world is not our home, and Christ has defeated the power that still influences our lives. (John 16:33)

Christ has shown us how to live and trust and love in the midst of danger.

He did not give in, but He made a way for us to join Him in our eternal home.

May we seek the Lord who has saved us from sin and protects us from the ultimate effects of sin.

2022
12/16
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