Monthly Archives: December 2018

Reflections on the Advent and Looking towards 2019

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HOPE:

Before the birth of Christ Jesus, hope was found in the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah, that would come to save the world. Today we find our hope in that same Savior, Jesus Christ.

“ And in another place Isaiah said, “The heir to David’s throne will come, and he will rule over the Gentiles. They will place their hope on him.” I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”

 – Romans 15: 12-13 NLT

LOVE:
Love came down from heaven and dwelt among us. Jesus Christ, our King and Savior, gave up His throne to come to earth to bridge the gap between us and God by His death on the cross and resurrection.

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 ESV  
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16 NIV

JOY:

The magi, also known as the wise men, were seeking the promised Messiah. They traveled many miles from the east in search of a Savior. When they found the Jesus, they were filled with joy and worshipped Him. Today, we find our joy in that same Savior.

“When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.”

– Matthew 2:10-11 NIV

Side Note: To read more about the Magi and their pursuit of the Messiah, read “Searching.”

PEACE:

We find true peace in knowing Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace.

“For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” – Isaiah 9:6 NIV

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” – John 14:27 NIV

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IMMANUEL: God is with us.

All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).

-Isaiah 7:14 NLT

“Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
which means ‘God is with us.’”

 – Matthew 1:23

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2019: As we look towards 2019, may we remember the great sacrifice of love Jesus Christ made for us through His birth, life, death, and resurrection. May we strive to know Jesus Christ, our Savior, more with each day that comes.

“I want to know Him. I want to have the same power in my life that raised Jesus from the dead. I want to understand and have a share in His sufferings and be like Christ in His death. Then I may be raised up from among the dead. I do not say that I have received this or have already become perfect. But I keep going on to make that life my own as Christ Jesus made me His own. No, Christian brothers, I do not have that life yet. But I do one thing. I forget everything that is behind me and look forward to that which is ahead of me. My eyes are on the crown. I want to win the race and get the crown of God’s call from heaven through Christ Jesus.” 

-Philippians 3:10-14 NLV

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for loving us so much that you were coming to earth and pay the ultimate price to save us. Thank You for all of the blessings You have bestowed upon us in 2018. As we start 2019, please help us to leave our past mistakes and failures behind us. Instead, please help us to keep our eyes set on the goal before us. Please help us to seek to know You more and become more like You every day. Thank You for the hope that we have in You. Please fill our new year with Your infinite love, joy, and peace. Amen.

Searching?

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Have you been searching for something? Have you been looking for something? Have you been hoping for something? Have you been yearning for something? How far would you go to find it?

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“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,  are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ”

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.”

 -Matthew 2:1-12 NIV

The magi, also known as wise men, were educated men from the east. They traveled many miles from the east in search of a King. They could have easily given up and turned back half way there, but they didn’t. Perhaps, they persevered because they had spent many years studying and had never given up searching for answers.  Perhaps, they had read the prophecy of the Old Testament, “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel…” – Numbers 24:17 They just had to find the Messiah. They just had to find the King, who would save the world. One of the most valuable and unanticipated results of many years of study is perseverance. It is something that is not usually sought after, but comes unexpectedly when in the pursuit of something else (e.g. knowledge or wealth). Similarly, when the wise men arrived at the home simple people they may have been confused and wondered: How could this infant King we searched for, for so long belong to parents of such humble origin? Where’s his crown and scepter?  They could have turned back when they got there, but they didn’t.

“Follow the star to a place unexpected 

Would you believe, after all we’ve projected,

A child in a manger?

Lowly and small, the weakest of all

Unlikeliest hero, wrapped in his mother’s shawl 

Just a child 

Is this who we’ve waited for? 

‘Cause how many kings step down from their thrones

How many lords have abandoned their homes?

How many greats have become the least for me?

And how many gods have poured out their hearts

To romance a world that is torn all apart

How many fathers gave up their sons for me?” (lyrics by Downhere)  

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

– John 3:16 NIV

God gave the magi the wisdom to know that they had found what they been seeking for all of their lives. They had finally found what there hearts had been yearning for.  

They bowed down and worshipped the King.

The wise men had found the King who loved them so much He would die on a cross to satisfy their longing, heal their broken hearts, liberate them from the chains of sin, and give them the gift of eternal life. 

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for loving us so much you that You were willing to step down from Your throne in heaven to take the form a human, dwell among us, die on a cross for our sins, be separated from God, and ultimately be raised again. We worship and adore You alone. Please give us perseverance not to give up in our pursuit of You and Your will for our lives. Please give us the wisdom to know when gifts are from You (even when they  come as unexpected blessings in disguise). Amen.

 

 

Searching?

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Have you been searching for something? Have you been looking for something? Have you been hoping for something? Have you been yearning for something? How far would you go to find it?

 

“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,  are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ”

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.”

 -Matthew 2:1-12 NIV

The magi, also known as wise men, were educated men from the east. They traveled many miles from the east in search of a King. They could have easily given up and turned back half way there, but they didn’t. Perhaps, they persevered because they had spent many years studying and had never given up searching for answers.  Perhaps, they had read the prophecy of the Old Testament, “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel…” – Numbers 24:17 They just had to find the Messiah. They just had to find the King, who would save the world. One of the most valuable and unanticipated results of many years of study is perseverance. It is something that is not usually sought after, but comes unexpectedly when in the pursuit of something else (e.g. knowledge or wealth). Similarly, when the wise men arrived at the home simple people they may have been confused and wondered: How could this infant King we searched for, for so long belong to parents of such humble origin? Where’s his crown and scepter?  They could have turned back when they got there, but they didn’t.

“Follow the star to a place unexpected

Would you believe, after all we’ve projected,

A child in a manger?

Lowly and small, the weakest of all

Unlikeliest hero, wrapped in his mother’s shawl

Just a child

Is this who we’ve waited for?

‘Cause how many kings step down from their thrones

How many lords have abandoned their homes?

How many greats have become the least for me?

And how many gods have poured out their hearts

To romance a world that is torn all apart

How many fathers gave up their sons for me?” (lyrics by Downhere)  

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

– John 3:16 NIV

God gave the magi the wisdom to know that they had found what they been seeking for all of their lives. They had finally found what there hearts had been yearning for.  

They bowed down and worshipped the King.

The wise men had found the King who loved them so much He would die on a cross to satisfy their longing, heal their broken hearts, liberate them from the chains of sin, and give them the gift of eternal life.

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for loving us so much you that You were willing to step down from Your throne in heaven to take the form a human, dwell among us, die on a cross for our sins, be separated from God, and ultimately be raised again. We worship and adore You alone. Please give us perseverance not to give up in our pursuit of You and Your will for our lives. Please give us the wisdom to know when gifts are from You (even when they  come as unexpected blessings in disguise). Amen.