Saturday, December 14, 2024

What Have You Seen and Heard? - Luke 7:18-35 - The Third Week of Advent


 

Luke 7:18-35 NIV

18 John’s disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, 19 he sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

20 When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’”

21 At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. 22 So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 23 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

24 After John’s messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 25 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. 26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is the one about whom it is written:

“‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,
    who will prepare your way before you.’

28 I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

29 (All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John. 30 But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)

31 Jesus went on to say, “To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other:

“‘We played the pipe for you,
    and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge,
    and you did not cry.’

33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ 35 But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”

What Have You Seen and Heard?

John’s faith was tested as he rots in prison. But, Jesus’ ministry of healing and casting out evil, opened John’s eyes and ears to God’s Son the Messiah.

Let’s be honest with ourselves, Jesus’ presence causes us to question our beliefs. What did John think of Jesus? And, likewise, question yourself; What do you think of Jesus? Is Jesus a baby in a manger, meek and mild and harmless? Is Jesus the One you proclaim as Savior because you were raised with a Christian background? Do you profess Jesus because that’s what your parents told you to do? Is Jesus just popular talk among your friends and family? Dig deep into your soul and think about what you really, truly, think of Jesus. Take the mask off and stand naked before God in your thoughts.

This thinking and questioning, as well as this passage of scripture, throws me into tension with myself. As I studied this week, I was bothered by what my thinking was and also bothered as to what I wasn’t thinking about. I was thrown into tension with myself. It was a feeling like – This or That… Least or Greatest… Inside or Outside… Younger or Older… Full or Hungry… Dance or Mourn… Last or First. Thinking about what I thought of Jesus was a battle within, to be honest. Like John, I began to feel like…

“Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

John was in doubt and need of proof.

I thought… Am I at the dawn of a new day and understanding? Or… Am I at the evening of my soul?

John is trying to decide if Jesus is the Messiah… OR… Is there someone else?

I seek to decide if Jesus is the Messiah… OR… Is there no one at all?

Can you honestly feel the tension?

And then, I began to ponder signs. What are the signs of a new change? And like John, I was led to think, well, look and see and listen.

In recent reflections we were told to look at the fig tree. Remember that?

Here Jesus shows signs in His own ministry of His love to cure. Jesus cast out demons, and showed signs of God’s Kingdom coming through Him. The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cured, and some dead are raised. Look, see and listen. All of these are signs of God’s coming Kingdom. Look, see and listen; in Jesus, God is WITH us!

And here in this passage, I was reminded by my studies, that this humble Jesus was on His way to be crucified. Jesus was NOT the expected Messiah of power, riches, and strength, with a desire to fight. This kind of stuff is the stuff we adore and look up to in this world in which we live. It wasn’t any difference for the people of John’s day as they were waiting and looking for the Messiah.

But the Messiah Jesus is, will be spit on, ridiculed, whipped and hung on a cross.

And that’s why, I think, that the Messiah Jesus presented to the world was offensive. This type of Messiah is failure and weakness, in this world in which we live then and now. This type of Messiah is a disgusting LOSER!

Yet, as I look inward upon myself… not as Messiah… but as “Bill,” I’m a LOSER as well. I’m a sinner.

As Peter realized in the presence of Jesus after Jesus told him to put his nets down in the deep water, and Peter caught a huge catch of fish after working all day and catching nothing. Peter then knew there was something more to Jesus than what he could understand.

Luke 5:8 NIV

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”

Now, with some evidence, like the type of evidence John the Baptist was seeking, Peter could see Jesus, the Messiah. Look- See- Listen!

Maybe this Look-See-Listen is what makes John a prophet?

The question arose in my mind… What makes a prophet like John or any other?

It’s the Word of God that makes a prophet. Yet, I began to realize that John was more than a prophet. Why?

John came at a time when eternity came to mankind in Jesus to cleanse all of us from sin and save us.

So, John came at a time like no other, when God descended from heaven in the flesh and blood of Jesus to be near those He created. This was a new beginning in time. This makes John more than a prophet.

In fact, this coming of Jesus is a dividing line so important that we have divided history by Jesus coming to this world in flesh and blood. Which leads us to God.

Huh?

God came to us in Jesus so that we could be IN Christ. God in the flesh and blood of Jesus was now IN us as we are now IN Him. Why? So that we could once again be in correct relationship with God through Jesus. This could only be possible by Jesus’ coming to us in our place and in our time. This IS a New Creation! Talk about an Advent of revealing Jesus in our world then and in our world today!

Yes, God has spoken by and through the prophets. And NOW, God speaks to us by His Son, Jesus.

Hebrews 1:1-2 NIV

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.

So, how great we must be!

Well, it’s not about being great in and by ourselves.

It’s about God letting us and making us great through Jesus. Jesus saves us from our sin so that we can now stand in His Kingdom with Him… where… Greatness, power, riches, and all the trappings of this world, will no longer be about us, but rather based on what God has done.

So, yea, I cry out this Advent Season… Come, Lord Jesus, come!

Yet… as we see at the end of this passage of scripture for this week. Man CAN reject all of this. Man CAN reject God’s purpose for them in life. And, yet still again, man’s rejection of God does not mean God failed. NO! We failed ourselves and walked away from God’s purpose to save us and call us into eternal relationship with God. You can choose to leave, and many have and still do. See, here in this passage, how the Pharisee’s reject God’s purpose, resisting the Truth of God. It’s a sad reality.

So, let’s go back to John’s question, my question and perhaps your question as well.

“Are you (Jesus) the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

I can only speak for myself here. I’m looking for Jesus. I know Him through my baptism, and He comes to me in Word and Sacrament all the time. Each and every day when I come into God’s presence, Jesus comes to me. And Jesus comes to me in the bread and wine, the body and blood of Jesus, just as He promised He would, when I take Communion.

And I also look to His coming again, to raise all the dead, to lead us into another New Creation in eternity with God. Yes! Come, Lord Jesus, come… today… tomorrow and forever. I’m looking for You and waiting for you.

Let us pray:

You are here, Lord Jesus! I sing and rejoice! You have come in steadfast love, faithfulness, righteousness and peace. As I leave my worry behind, focus me on You and You alone. --- Amen

Now I leave you with a piece of YouTube Music that reminds me of my studies of this past week…

Jesus Is Coming Soon


Monday, December 09, 2024

Roads and Rainbows - Luke 3:1-20 - Second Weed of Advent

 


Luke 3:1-20 NIV

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene— during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.
Every valley shall be filled in,
    every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight,
    the rough ways smooth.
And all people will see God’s salvation.’”

John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

10 “What should we do then?” the crowd asked.

11 John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”

12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”

13 “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them.

14 Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”

He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.”

15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. 16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” 18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.

19 But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of his marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the other evil things he had done, 20 Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.

Roads and Rainbows

Here we go into the Second week of Advent. Advent, a time to wait. Advent, a time to listen. Advent, a time to look. Advent, a time to prepare. Yes, Advent when we wait on Jesus to come to us. Jesus comes to us from the outside to invade our insides. Jesus comes to us in Advent, both personally and corporately in His Church. Come, Lord Jesus, come, we pray.

May the words and my study of this week bring God’s Word to you, as I “Point to Jesus.”

Have you ever looked at a rainbow really close and thought about it? Have you noticed how the colors go from the blues to the reds. In fact, it starts out with a kind of royal purple color. This passage of scripture for the Second week of Advent reminds me of the rainbow. John the Baptist takes us into the blue waters, as we repent of our sin. And Jesus ushers us into the red fire of the Holy Spirit’s power and grace as we live out our lives as Children of God, called, sanctified and kept in the One True faith, into eternity in relationship with God.

This account from Luke is an account synchronized with political and ecclesiastical history. Here we witness Jesus’ ministry as a real event in history and witness the proof as it unfolds.

The ministry of John the Baptist, marked the end of an old era and the beginning of something new. In this time of John, a social order is changing within the people of his time. A social order to care and love rather than the expected violent revolution. This was a time of radical change.

John the Baptist at around 30 years old, preached repentance for 18 months before baptizing Jesus. Followed by 18 months of public preaching and 16 months of prison and then John the Baptist was beheaded. Yes, Advent… Come, Lord Jesus, come. This doesn’t sound so meek and mild. As John the Baptist pointed to Jesus the Messiah, life was always tough, rough and, in the end, violent.

John cleansed mankind with that “blue, royal” symbol of water. Yet Jesus cleanses mankind’s heart with the “red” of fire and the Holy Spirit. Remember the picture of the colors of the rainbow?

As John the Baptist baptizes Jesus, this is the beginning of the public life of Jesus.  The beginning of something new.

John preaches repentance, as he calls people to prepare for the ministry of Jesus.

This preparation was present with the ongoing rulers of the time, both political and religious. But really, these rulers were but background static noise to the coming of the Word of God to the people.

The greatness of mankind does NOT come from conditions or solutions of this life. The ruler Tiberius can’t fix this world for mankind. Rulers throughout time, with all their plans and solutions and ideas, can’t take care of mankind. No! Greatness comes from enduring character that points away from self and to someone mightier. Witness how John the Baptist, humbly points away from himself and TO Jesus. John’s character is the character of a disciple and follower of Jesus, NOT as many men do today and throughout history who, point to themselves as the solution.

John listened to God. And yet, John’s message wasn’t weak. John’s message was bold and honest and instant. John brought a message to the people unlike any message of this world but a message of a world unseen. Yes, John’s message was NOT of, or about John. John brought a message of God.

John was a preacher. John believed he was called as a voice to the people, to the Truth in Jesus from heaven. Preaching is a ministry in the power of the speaking Word. A Word spoken in which the Holy Spirit moves in and through John. Do you listen carefully to your preacher, your Pastor, your Priest, your Deacon, perhaps a Lay person in your congregation? Listen to them, as the Holy Spirit moves through them and brings you God’s Word. Yes, listen and listen carefully!

Prepare! Prepare in the wilderness. The wilderness reminds us of Israel’s formation and their return to God.  Yes, as has happened to the people of the Old Testament, in the wilderness we prepare. You and I prepare in the wilderness of our lives as well. In the wilderness, God speaks to us. In the wilderness, we meet the Messiah in Jesus. In the wilderness, Jesus comes to us. This message is a message to ALL the people. This message is a message foretold to us in the Word of God spoken to and through Isaiah.

Isaiah 40:1-5 NIV

40 Comfort, comfort my people,
    says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
    and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
    that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
    double for all her sins.

A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
    the way for the Lord;
make straight in the desert
    a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be raised up,
    every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
    the rugged places a plain.
And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
    and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Yes! All flesh shall see the salvation of God!



Now, let’s spend some time on the “Road.”

Think about the “Road” as the way of the LORD into all areas of your life. It is written that this road fills up the valleys, and brings low the mountains, and makes a straight path, for God to enter in to each of us and all of us. While on this road, be sure to “Look UP!” For… Christ is coming!

It’s funny, how at baptism we are presented as snakes fleeing the fire of eternal death. Visualize that. And in our fleeing death, God leads us to repent. God repents us and gives us a new life. God does all the work. We did all the slithering away, yet God comes to us in Jesus and spins us around, even to the point of repenting us through Jesus. Pause with this thought a while. We slither in our sin and God repents us and gives us new life in Him.

I like how John preached to the “regular” people the Truth and Honesty that he heard from God, just as he heard it. John didn’t sugar coat it. John meant what he said, even to the point of death. Sound familiar. Jesus died for you as well.

Remember, salvation is for ALL people. This is God’s mercy. Don’t’ get hung up, like many then, and now, get hung up on their roots being what saves them. No! That’s not how you were saved. You aren’t saved by BEING, Jew, Gentile, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist, even Non-Denominational, or from any country of any kind. No! It’s not about your roots. Remember from the Lord’s Prayer, we are ONE catholic, universal Church, which bears the fruits of the Holy Spirit in our ways and in our lives.

If your hung up with your religion, well then, you’re LOST! Your fruit as disciples is to be kind, honest, considerate and loving to all those God gives to you in your life. John encourages the people to share their shirts, or coats. This shirt or coat was the garment that was close to their skin, close to the body, like an undershirt. Share what is close to you. Share all that is close to you in love and kindness to those God gives to you, each and every day.

John came to baptize with water. What’s the significance of water in baptism? Well, Luther explains this a bit. Water is significant in that we daily, in our sinful self, with all of our evil desires and evil deeds, drown in the water of our baptism, through repentance daily, and put all that stuff to death under that water, so that we may arise to live and new life with God in righteousness and purity forever. (my paraphrase)

Where did Luther get this stuff? St. Paul writes in Romans…

Romans 6:1-4 NIV

What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

In this passage for the Second week of Advent, baptism “with fire” is mentioned. What’s this? This is not only our own baptism in the Holy Spirit, but also alludes to the Second Advent of Jesus. We wait in the here and now for Jesus to come again to resurrect the dead and all those who have died in faith, hope and trust in what God has freely given.

Johns’ message was more that a message of repentance. John’s message from God brought Hope. John’s message “Pointed to Jesus.”

As you listen to the sermons of the person speaking God’s Word to you as the Holy Spirit flows through them; open your minds and hearts to hear the Truth of God in Jesus. Don’t close off to the speaker or even the writer. Hear the Word spoken. I know… I mentioned this once before. But the Word IS all important. Listen! Look! Hear it! Take it in and make it part of yourself.

And it’s here that John makes us perfectly aware that he is NOT Jesus. Neither is your Preachers. John is not even worthy to be a slave of Jesus. There’s a big difference here. Know your place. I am NOT God and neither are any of us.

Jesus baptizes with Spirit and fire, not just water like John. Jesus will bring judgment, unlike John. Remember… “Point to Jesus!” As long as we “Point to Jesus” we see that we are NOT Jesus, and Jesus IS in our presence, leading and guiding us along and through life to be with Him into eternity.

John’s word was frightening. Jesus was different. Jesus was fascinating and He revealed the manner of life as God wanted it. This was a relationship with God, not about your sin, but more about the healed person through Jesus’ righteousness, not your own righteousness. We can’t make ourself righteous before God by any way we act or anything we do. Only Jesus coming to us and giving His life for the forgiveness of our sin can we be righteous.

Jesus brought fellowship through salvation, not just for you, but for ALL the world.

Jesus brought a New Kingdom together in One Spirit, to emerge into eternity.

The vision of Jesus was founded on the Grace of God for all those willing to live, work, suffer, serve together, AND die for God’s purposes.

Our life with, and in, God is gradual and patient. Just as God has been patient throughout time for all His Children. Day after day, God works on us, turns, no, spins us around to be with Him.

The Kingdom of God coming to us and in us will have ups and downs, victories and defeats and disappointments. All of this leading us to a cross and death. AND… Jesus has been there before us as well as John the Baptist. YET… there is to come resurrection and life eternal.

And what was this world’s Herod response to this message of John from God?

Herod shut John up and put him in prison. Later John would be beheaded.

Yes, there is a cost. Yet, we continue to follow John and Jesus as we await that wonderful Second Advent of Jesus when he comes to raise us up on the last day.

Come, Lord Jesus, come… today… tomorrow… and forever!

Let us pray…

Purify me, Lord Jesus. I know it won’t be easy. Refine me in the fire as silver is refined. Scrape away all the dross of my life. May you see your face reflecting back to you in me. May my life reflect Your life, overflowing with love. I give thanks to You for coming to me in my baptismal waters. Lead me and guide me all along. --- Amen

I leave you with a piece of music sung by a wonderful woman, who I remember as a baby, born to a Salvation Army family who were our neighbors years ago. It’s a beautiful, moving piece filled with the Holy Spirit in her and through her. Her name is Hannah.  The words “Change is about to begin” will stun you. Enjoy!

Sung by Hannah

Away in a Manger


Friday, November 29, 2024

Look! - Luke 21:25-36 - First Sunday of Advent



 


Luke 21:25-36 NIV

25 “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26 People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

29 He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. 30 When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. 31 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.

32 “Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

34 “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. 35 For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

Look!

Hey you! Yea, You! Turn your attention to God!

Isaiah 13:9-10 NIV

See, the day of the Lord is coming
    —a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger—
to make the land desolate
    and destroy the sinners within it.
10 The stars of heaven and their constellations
    will not show their light.
The rising sun will be darkened
    and the moon will not give its light.

A crisis is near and a crisis is far off. Both can’t be separated. Both are one.

In the face of my own sinfulness, I face a crisis near and a crisis far off. In the face of my sinfulness, I must face the reality of my sin near, and the reality of my sin far off. For, I am at the end of myself.

Remember how Nathan approached David with David’s sin of adultery with Bathsheba, and the killing of Uriah? David had a crisis, near and far. I likewise, face a crisis of my own sin, both near and far. I can’t fix my sin by anything I can say or do now or in the future. I have a crisis on my hand that is beyond my control.

In the reality of my sinfulness, God comes to me, in His own way and in my own time. Here in my sin now, is terror. Yet with God, as He removes the mask of my human selfish pride and my thinking that I can rescue myself, in my own way; God leaves me with a promise. As I stand naked in the presence of my sin, before God, aware and ashamed, and sorry for my actions; God repents me. God takes the action of showing me my sin and repents me when I’m at the end of myself. And God then leaves me with a promise.

At this moment look! Look up! God is closer than I ever thought or imagined! In the midst of my despair, God comes to me with the everlasting hope of a Cross in the midst of a cloud.

In the despair and the nakedness of my sin, God cuts right through my pride of self, to save me from myself, sin and death. Yes, God saves me in my sin. That’s amazing!

Yet, there exists, in this world, unbelievers who fall in fear, and turn and run away from God.

Daniel 7:13 NIV

13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.

But there exists a difference between Disciples of Jesus, and the unbelievers. Sure, both fear the consequences. But, Christians look to the “Last Days” with hope and confidence. The use of this word “redemption” is the only time in the Gospels associated with Jesus coming to us.

This is the Second Advent of Jesus.

We have now entered into the season of Advent. Advent is a special time in the church year that we celebrate the coming of Jesus. Jesus came into this world in flesh and blood as the sinless Lamb of God to rescue all mankind from sin and death. In Advent, we look to Jesus coming.

Last week, in the reading from Mark, was the fig tree. In Luke we hear “all the trees.” This coming of Jesus, both now and far off, are a sign for ALL mankind.

And the “things” that Jesus speaks of, possibly has a double meaning. Jesus came then in time… his coming into this world in flesh and blood, AND Jesus comes to us now, in the midst of our sinful lives, AND, Jesus will come again in the glory of The End.

Martin Luther touched on this in his Small Catechism, in teaching the Lord’s Prayer.

Thy kingdom come.

What does this mean?

The kingdom of God comes indeed by itself, without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may also come to us.

How is this done?

God’s kingdom comes when our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by grace we believe His holy Word and live a godly life now and in eternity.

So, you see, Jesus came into this world in flesh and blood, Jesus comes to us through Word and Spirit, and Jesus will return to take all of those who believe to be with Him forever.

When? Well, then and now and then…

The “then” of the when,” doesn’t really matter.

The real “when” that matters the most is NOW!

Every day IS the LAST day. Every day is when nothing is left. Now what? Well, the “Now what?” is God.

Well, now all of this is so confusing. But hang in there.

Jesus mentions “this generation.” Who is this? This generation is mankind or Jesus faithful disciples. Seems like double speak in some way, doesn’t it? And then Jesus goes on to talk about “that day.” That day impacts the whole earth and all people.

To be sure, Christians are and will be part of the “Last Day.” But, Christians, will endure through prayer, trust, faith, and hope, to stand through the grace of God in Jesus.

Disciples, don’t escape out of life, rather, with God in and through Jesus, Christians escape into life. AND with Jesus and ALL He has done, yes through Jesus, we will stand.

Jesus sees you as you are, AND, you matter to Him.

Your life has purpose. Your life as Jesus disciple, fits into God’s wonderful plan, piece by piece. God makes life and makes life in you. You are part of an eternal song of ALL life. God’s life in and through you, includes you.

What are we to do?

Look in the here and now and “Point to Jesus!” Yes, point to Jesus then as Jesus came in flesh and blood, point to Jesus in all the Words of the Old Testament, point to Jesus in your life now, and point to Jesus when He comes again in glory.

Love stands in Jesus, the center of it all. Throughout ALL creation, throughout ALL times.

Yes! Come, Lord Jesus, come! --- Today… tomorrow… and forever!

Oh, Righteous Brand, my Jesus; teach me. May God make my love and the love of all Disciples increase, the Advent Season, as Jesus comes. --- Amen

I leave you with this Advent Song by Chris Tomlin… enjoy

O Come O Come Emmanuel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH7asSGxAxA