Advent Words 2022 ~ Coming Soon!

Here in Ohio where I live, we have had an incredible Autumn. It has been warm, right up to two weeks ago when we had temperatures in the 70's which quickly turned to temps in the 20's and 30's last week. In addition to mild temps, we have also had incredibly brilliant colors. Every tree seemed to be radiant in color this year, and at times the landscape would glow. Now, as the weather returns closer to what is normal for November we come upon the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S., which is quickly followed by the start of the Advent season.

I found this year as I was beginning to think about the Advent Words challenge, that after six years there isn’t really anything new to dig into. The same words, the same Scripture passages, and the same music guide us each year through the Advent season, just as it has been done for centuries. I found that as I approached the Advent season over the past two years that there was great comfort in the familiarity of a story and truths that do not change as we faced so much change with a pandemic, politics, and our current divided culture. The Advent story is a story that brings us hope in the midst of anything we may face, no matter what the current season holds for us.

This year I decided we would investigate the characters that guide us through the story of Advent and Christmas. Every story has characters, some minor, some major. Their individual stories are woven into the greater story, filling it out and giving us a bigger picture. Their stories have popped up in previous Advent Words challenges, but this year we’ll look a little closer at them and the role they play in the Advent story. Of course, every story has a main character, and the Advent story is no different. Our main character is God’s Son, Jesus Christ, and every character in the story ultimately points us to Him.

I hope you will join us on this Advent journey. These Words Challenges are meant to enable us to slow down during this season that is intended for waiting, longing, preparing, and reflecting. Instead, in our modern age, the season has become more associated with hurrying and shopping and consumerism. Advent Words calls us to approach the season more like a pilgrim than a consumer; to embrace the journey as a pilgrimage. Brian Morykon of Renovare.org describes a pilgrimage like this:

“Pilgrimage...It’s a journey undertaken with a humble heart and with an openness to be transformed. The pilgrim isn’t trying to get somewhere as fast as possible. She wants to become something along the way. She’s willing to linger, to reflect, to slow down.”

So, let’s slow down in the weeks ahead and read some Scripture, get creative, and go on a pilgrimage through the Advent story. Hopefully as we slow down their stories will ignite in us a deeper hope and peace and joy and love that is ours in Christ. We are all on a journey of becoming as we grow more and more in Christlikeness. May God meet us in the midst of this Advent pilgrimage wherever we each need to be met by His Holy Presence.

In September I did a challenge through the book of Galatians. I tried an every-other-day format, giving us a day to create in between the words. I polled those who participated at the end of the challenge and found overwhelmingly that they preferred the every-other-day format as they felt they had more time to read and reflect and respond creatively. So, we will try that format for this year’s Advent Words challenge. Below is the calendar with the words and Scripture passages as well as an Instagram badge with the words list.

Click on photo for a printable version of the calendar

Here is how the Words challenge works:

· I will post Bible study devotions, along with how I responded creatively, on this blog every other day beginning on November 27 through December 25. You can follow this blog by email or there will be daily links to the posts in the Words Challenge Facebook group

· Respond with whatever creative practice you choose: art journaling, mixed media art, scrapbook, photography, digital art, poetry, creative writing, calligraphy - any way you choose! As you take in the Scripture and devotions into your heart and mind, let it sink even deeper as you practice creatively with your hands.

·  Join the Words Challenge Facebook group where you can share your art and ideas and join the conversation through the Advent season and beyond.  I host a number of Words Challenges throughout the year. 

·  Share on Instagram and other social media with the hashtag #adventwords2022.

 

Advent Words Day 14 ~ Good

 

Day 14: Good

“Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us…to purify a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” Titus 2:14 

Today is our last word in our journey of digging into Titus 2:11-14, a passage that has shown us how to live in between the two Advents of Christ, from grace to glory. Between the first Advent, the incarnation of Christ, and the second Advent, Christ's return, we are called to a way of life that is characterized by godly living and good deeds for the sake of Christ. 

As I said yesterday, the NIV does not capture the full intent of this verse. The NASB and other older translations better capture the Greek words that were used – “Zealous for good deeds”. In the Greek this sentence ends with the words kalos ergon, kalos meaning good and ergon meaning deeds or works. The people who are Christ’s very own are described as those who are zealous for good works. 

On some levels I think this is a call that has not been emphasized in our modern culture. I was raised Catholic, and when I came into a relationship with Christ as an adult and began attending a protestant church, it was emphasized that we are not saved by anything we do – not by works, not by earning our salvation. And this is true. But somewhere along the reformation journey, the baby was thrown out with the bath water. As this passage of Scripture has popped up for me in my studies over the past months, I have been so surprised how often we are called to be a people who do good works. 

So, as we dig into this word, let’s lay the foundation first, that we are saved by grace and grace alone.

 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:8-10 

Paul is very clear that we are saved by God’s grace and not our own works. But he is equally clear that we are saved for good works, saved to do good works. Good works are a part of God’s purpose for His people. Charles Spurgeon said, “Our good works are evidence of God’s grace within us”. In a sense we could say that good works are the visible fruit of our faith. 

What, then, are good works? I go to Jesus’ words when he was asked by the Pharisees which commandment in the Law was the greatest. Jesus replied, 

“Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”.” Matthew 22:37-40 

We love God and love our neighbors (others). Who are our neighbors? Basically everyone. Not simply those who are fellow Christ-followers, but all people we live and work in proximity to. Those we go to school with, shop alongside, pass on the street, etc. Even the ones who don’t believe as we do or see the world as we do. Even the ones who disagree with us or persecute us. 

And we imitate Christ’s life, which was others focused and love focused. 

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45 

“Be imitator of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:1-2 

The other thing I find notable about good works in Scripture is that they are to be visible, so that the good works we do give the glory to God and make Him visible. 

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 

“Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” 1 Peter 2:12 

The scope of our call to do good works runs throughout the New Testament:

 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” Galatians 6:9-10. Good works help us reap a harvest for the Lord. 

“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.” Titus 3:4-8 

“(We pray this) so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work…” Colossians 1:10 

“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:10 

“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.” Titus 3:1-2 

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” Hebrews 10:24

 “May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 

 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17. *This one blows me away! It’s such a well-known passage and yet I never noticed the connection of Scripture as a tool to equip us for good works. Although that is exactly what this study has done! 

“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” Hebrews 13:16 

This is not an exhaustive list, in fact in 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus, known as the pastoral epistles, good works are mentioned 14 times (1 Tim 2:10, 3:1, 5:10(2x), 6:18, 2 Tim 2:21, 3:17, Titus 1:16, 2:7, 14, 3:1, 8,14). The Pastoral epistles, where Paul instructs the pastors on how to teach the people of God how to live, are full of teaching them to do good works! The list also does not include passages where the words are not included but descriptions of or examples of good works are referenced. 

May we spur one another on to do good works and live holy lives that show the world who God is, that they may come to praise Him for His marvelous deeds! This is our call on how to live in this present age between the Advents of Christ. 

Today ends the first half of the Advent Season. It also ends our journey of looking at the words of Titus 2:11-14. Tomorrow we will begin to explore the more traditional words of Advent and Christmas.

Share how you express today's word on social media using #adventwords2021. You can also share in the Words Challenge Facebook Group.

Advent Words Day 13 ~ Zealous

 

Day 13: Zealous

How does Paul define God’s holy people? As those who are “eager to do what is good.” (Titus 2:14)

The NIV here has lost some of the intensity of the original translation, which is captured better by the NASB and some of the other translations. The NASB says it this way: “zealous for good deeds (works)”. While eager is similar to zealous, it just feels to me like “zealous” has more intensity and impact. The word has more passion.

The dictionary definition of zealous is an intense emotion that compels one to action. When one has zeal, they are devoted, dedicated, have intense enthusiasm, are totally committed. This definitely fits Paul’s intent here in Titus 2:14, that Christ’s people who are His very own would be zealous to do good works.

In the Old Testament the word is most often used in regard to jealousy. Our God is a jealous God. But note its use in Isaiah 9:2-7, the prophecy of the coming Messiah:

“The people walking in darkness
    have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
    a light has dawned.
You have enlarged the nation
    and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
    as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
    when dividing the plunder.
For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,
    you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
    the bar across their shoulders,
    the rod of their oppressor.
Every warrior’s boot used in battle
    and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
    will be fuel for the fire.
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.
Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.”

God’s plan for a Messiah, a Savior that would bring light, joy, peace, freedom, justice, and righteousness; the one who would be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace “awoke the zeal of God” (Charles Spurgeon).

Throughout the Bible we are told of God's unfailing love for His people and His faithfulness in doing what He has promised He will do. God promised a Messiah, a just King who would redeem His people. Commentator Bob Utley says the zeal of God "is the guarantee of its reality". God the Father's intense love and devotion for His people is the motivation for Him to fulfill His promise.

 

During the Advent season we celebrate the fulfillment of that promise in the birth of Jesus Christ. Love came to earth. God was faithful to His people. God's zeal to fulfill His promise of the Messiah calls us to respond in devotion to His Son as those zealous for good works.

 

On the night of his birth an angel declared that our Savior, Christ the Lord, had been born. A host of angels made a zealous response:

Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace to men

on whom His favor rests!

Luke 2:14

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Advent Words Day 12 ~ People

 

Day 12: People

“…and to purify for himself a people that are his very own...” Titus 2:14

We have seen over the past few days that the future gaze of Advent is our hope in “the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ”. We have seen that His sacrifice is to serve as motivation to live our lives for Christ in this present age, for Paul gives us two reasons that Christ “gave himself for us”.

·        1.“To redeem us from all wickedness.”

·        2.“And to purify for himself a people that are his very own.”

There is a purpose for our being purified (made holy). From beginning to end, the Bible is clear that God desires a people who will be associated with His purpose and promises. A people who are His own, His chosen and holy people, a people who know and enjoy God as their One and Only God.

“I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.” Exodus 6:7

“For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.” Deuteronomy 7:6

“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
    after that time,” declares the Lord.
“I will put my law in their minds
    and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.” Jeremiah 31:33

“I will be their God and they will be my people” is the language of God’s covenant. He promises to be our holy God and we promise to be His holy people – a people who live by His ways, who live to please Him.

We see that same covenant language in the New Testament as well.

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” 1 Peter 2:9-10

There is an individual component to being the people of God, as each one of us must choose to believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior to be counted among God’s holy people. But God’s call here, as in the Old Testament, is that we would collectively be His holy people, to be His Church.

A few verses prior to the above passage in 2 Peter, it says, “As you come to him, the living Stone – rejected by men, but chosen by God and precious to him – you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a royal priesthood, offering sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: ‘See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.’” 1 Peter 2:4-6.

Peter then goes on in 2 :9-10, “you (also) are a chosen people…”. Just as Christ is chosen as the living Stone, the one risen from the dead, we who believe in Christ are chosen to be God’s holy people. My pastor likes to say, “When you come into a relationship with Christ, you come into the church as well.” The two go hand-in-hand. We belong to Christ, and we belong to the church, and we belong to each other. Together we form the spiritual house of God, His temple. The church is not a building we go to, but the people of God, the body of Christ. It’s important that we who are Christ’s followers, be an active part of a local church in order to be encouraged and built up by our pastors and fellow Christ followers, but also to use our gifts and talents to help be the church in our community. The word “you” in 1 Peter 2:9 is plural in the Greek. Peter is speaking to and of God’s people collectively. In fact, many times in the Epistles when the word “you” is used it is plural. The Epistles were letters written to churches. We have a tendency to read these Epistles as more a letter written to an individual, and there are passages about who we are as individuals and how we are each called to live. But it is also important to know when a command or calling is made to God’s people collectively, as this helps us understand the role we have in living together as a church, as God’s holy people. A few other examples of passages written with plural “you”: Ephesians 2:19-22, 1 Corinthians 3:16, Matthew 5:14. We cannot discount that we must follow the commands in the Epistles individually, but we must also not discount the intent that we collectively make up God’s holy people, and therefore, must play our part to be God’s holy people, for we belong to Him.

We are His very own purified people, the chosen, holy, treasured people of God!

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Advent Words Day 11 ~ Purify

 

Day 11: Purify

“…and to purify for himself a people of his very own…” Titus 2:14

To purify something is to cleanse it and make it suitable for holy purposes. This was the purpose of the sacrifice on the Day of Atonement in the Old Testament. The people would bring their offering, such as a lamb, to the priests who would place it on the altar in the temple and sacrifice it to God. Atonement required blood as the cleansing or purifying agent, in turn cleansing the people of their sin.  So, in the Old Testament we see mention of various cleansing rituals and sacrifice requirements meant to purify God’s people. Unfortunately, over time the religious leaders of the people of God turned the cleansing rituals and sacrifices into laws and rituals that became burdensome for the people.

But God promised that a new covenant in the future would create a better way for them to be purified in order to live as His holy people.

“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God.” Ezekiel 36:25-28

That new covenant is found in Jesus Christ. God offered His Son as the atoning sacrifice, that by His blood we would be cleansed from our sin and be purified, made holy. Through His resurrection from the dead, we received the gift of His Spirit living in us to enable us to live as His holy people.

Christ now acts as our High Priest, He made one sacrifice for all time. “The death he died, he died to sin once for all.” (Romans 6:10) “Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.” (Hebrews 7:26-27)

By His blood we are purified. We are made holy in order to serve God. We can therefore enter His presence free from the guilt of sin and full of confidence that we are worthy.

“How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” Hebrews 9:14

 

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” Hebrews 10:19-22

Through His blood we are the holy people of God.

 

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Advent Words Day 10 ~ Redeem

 

Day 10: Redeem

"...Jesus Christ, who gave himself to redeem us from all wickedness" Titus 2:14

 

Yesterday we looked at the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf. Today we look at the first of two reasons Paul gives us in Titus 2:11-14 as to why Jesus made that sacrifice. To redeem us from all wickedness.

 

From the words of the Lord’s angel to Joseph, "She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21), to Jesus' own words, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:28), we are told that His purpose in life was to redeem His people.

 

In the Greek culture, the word "redeem" was used of buying a slave out of the market for the express purpose of giving him his freedom. The ransom was the amount paid for release from bondage.

 

So, how were we enslaved? The Bible is clear on the source of our bondage.

"I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin." John 8:34

 

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23

 

Slavery to sin is spiritual death, causing us to be alienated from God.

"For the wages of sin is death." Romans 6:23

 

"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath."  Ephesians 2:1-3

 

"Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior." Colossians 1:21

 

How, then, are we redeemed?

"You were bought at a price." 1 Corinthians 6:20

 

"For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect." 1 Peter 1:18-19

 

"...and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood." Romans 3:24-25

 

"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace." Ephesians 1:7

 

His God-given call on his life was to redeem God’s people from the curse of sin.

 

“But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.” Galatians 4:4-5

 

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45

 

Jesus Christ is our Great Redeemer. He paid the price for our sin with His own blood, thus buying our freedom and reconciling us to God. We, the redeemed, are now servants of God.

"...Jesus Christ, who gave himself to redeem us from all wickedness" Titus 2:14

 

“But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness… But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.” Romans 6:18-19, 22

We have been set free from the bonds of sin to purify God as His people, the second reason for Christ’s sacrifice, which we will dig into tomorrow.

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Advent Words Day 9 ~ Sacrifice

 

Day 9: Sacrifice

“…while we wait for the blessed hope – the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” Titus 2:13-14

The greatest gift we could ever receive, salvation made available to us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, should grip our hearts and motivate us to live for Him in every way. His sacrifice is expressed in the words of Titus 2:14 “who gave himself”.

That sacrifice was a work of both the Father and the Son. The Father sacrificed the son he loved.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son…” John 3:16

“He [God the Father] who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all…” Romans 8:32

The Son sacrificed first, some of the privilege and position he had a right to, and then his very life.

“Who, being in very nature God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!” Philippians 2:6-8

[Jesus Christ] “who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.” Galatians 1:4

The word “gave” implies a few things. First, it implies willingness. Christ willingly and voluntarily gave himself. God willingly gave his Son. Both made the sacrifice motivated by love.  We already saw this in John 3:16; it was because God so loved the world that he gave up his son.  But elsewhere we are told of this great motivation as well.

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” 1 John 3:16

The word “gave” also implies that this sacrifice was a gift. We do nothing to earn it. It is freely given by the gift-giver. We looked at this when we looked at grace on day 2. Christ’s sacrifice for us is a gift of God’s grace.

Our passage shows us there are two reasons for Christ’s sacrifice:

·        To redeem us from all wickedness.

·        To purify for himself a people that are His very own.

We will look at these two reasons in detail in the days ahead. But for now, the last thing we need to see about Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf is our call to view the sacrifice of Christ as both a model and a reason to live a life of sacrifice as well.

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:1-2

As I said in the beginning of this post, this gift, this sacrifice of God on our behalf, should grip our hearts and motivate us to live our life for Christ. This is our call to grow in Christ’s likeness and to live as He did, a life of love and sacrifice. We must continually look at this gift with gratitude and respond with willing obedience. As Jesus did.

He died for our sake; we live for His sake.

 

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Advent Words Day 8 ~ Savior

 

Day 8: Savior

“…while we wait for the blessed hope – the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” Titus 2:13

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” Luke 2:11

The proclamation of the angels at Jesus birth is the promise of God fulfilled, the arrival of a Savior, one sent to bring God’s salvation.

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:17

“And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.” 1 John 4:14

God’ purpose in sending His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to live as a human being, to spread God’s purpose and ways through His ministry, and ultimately, to die on the cross and rise again, was that He would be the Savior of the world.

His purpose was expressed in the name given to Him by God the Father.

“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

 

The name Jesus in Greek is the translation of the Hebrew name Yeshua, which means “Yahweh saves” or “Yahweh is salvation”.  In His name is salvation. He is Savior.

Because He bears the name Savior, we call Him Lord and we, therefore, exalt His name.

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place

    and gave him the name that is above every name,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,

    to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11

“…we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.” 1 Timothy 4:10

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Advent Words Day 7 ~ Glory

 

Day 7: Glory

“…the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ…” Titus 2:13

Advent is a celebration of the incarnation of Christ and the anticipation of His Second Coming. He appeared the first time as God’s grace to mankind. Jesus, in his incarnation, made God’s glory visible.

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14

And just as Jesus promised, He will return. Authors Tom A. Jones & Steve D. Brown say in their book The Kingdom of God,

“He will return and bring all the fullness, all the wonder and all the glory of his Kingdom, his reign and his rule. And then it will be said, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15) “

Scripture tells us that this second appearing of Christ, the appearing of glory, will bring about a promise prophesied by Isaiah (Isaiah 65:17 and 66:22).

“But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.” 2 Peter 3:13

“Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Revelation 21:1-5

As we live as God’s holy people, trained by the grace of Jesus Christ to live godly lives, we eagerly await His future glory, as our motivation and our promise.

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Advent Words Day 6 ~ Hope

 

Day 6: Hope

“…while we wait for the blessed hope – “Titus 2:13

The traditional theme for the first week of Advent is hope. The season of Advent is about waiting, longing and hope. Just as the nation of Israel in the Old Testament waited and longed for the coming of the promised Messiah, we too, are in a period of waiting and longing ~ "we wait for the blessed hope" ~ the second coming of Christ.

Biblical hope is the assurance – the joyous expectation – of our future destiny. Hope is always the expectation of something good. Paul tells us in the letter to the Colossians that hope “is stored up for you in heaven”. (Colossians 1:5) This blessed hope includes all that goes with the gift of eternal life – God’s eternal presence, eternal glory, a resurrected body, eternal rewards.

We anticipate a time when we will see God more clearly. A time when we will be fully like the Son - pure and holy - fully transformed. This is our "inheritance kept in heaven" that "can never perish, spoil or fade". This is what we wait and long for. In this we greatly rejoice!

“Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.” 1 John 3:2-3

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1 Peter 1:3-5

For God's people, hope is a promise, not a wish. Hope helps us live now in expectation of a glorious future. Our hope is living because our hope is in the living God!

 

Paul shows us in Titus 2:13 that what we wait for is a person – “our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ”, and in that person are all the promises of God. Augustine said, 

“Hope is that spiritual grace which sustains the heart until the promise is received.”

Hope is what enables us to wait.  We wait, living by grace, focused on glory.

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Advent Words Day 5 ~ Wait

 

Day 5: Wait

"...While we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ." Titus 2:13

While we wait…

Yesterday we looked at how God calls His people to live in this present age - we live for Christ. Notice that Paul says that we live "in this present age while we wait". The implication here is that waiting is a part of how we live when we live godly lives. Our waiting, while focused on the future appearing of the glory of the Lord, is not a passive waiting. While we wait, we live for Christ - imitating His sacrificial love and his way of life as His people.

The Greek word used for waiting has a sense of expectant or eager waiting. This word is a verb in Greek present tense. In Greek, present tense describes an action that is continuing or habitual and often describes a lifestyle. So, we live with a continual expectation of Christ's return. We are continually waiting; we have a lifestyle of waiting. The only way it is possible to live a life of continually waiting in expectation of Christ's return, is that we live with an eternal perspective.

In Philippians Paul reminds us that "our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ". (Philippians 3:20) We wait because our ultimate hope is beyond this world. If we stay focused only on what this world holds, only on the things we can see, then we will give up in despair. We will lose heart and fail to live as we are called to.

 Again, Paul calls us to live with an eternal perspective in his second letter to the Corinthians:

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Expectant waiting means we do so with our eyes fixed on eternity. We keep our eyes on God without losing sight of the fact that we live here on earth, in this present age. Our waiting is not to be passive, but active. While we wait with our eyes and our hearts set on eternity, we live with our hands active in the lives of those around us. We live in dependence upon God and obedience to Him.  This is Paul's challenge to us in Titus 2:11-14; to live in obedience now, while anticipating Christ's promised return. We don't wait for heaven to practice God's will; we pray for God's "kingdom to come and for His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven". (Matthew 6:10) And we act. We live self-controlled, upright and godly lives as God's people who are eager to do what is good.

"While we wait with our eyes and our hearts set on eternity, we live with our hands active in the lives of those around us." 

"But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him." 2 Peter 3:8-14

How do we "speed" the coming of the day we are waiting for? By living holy and godly lives that reveal the glory of the Lord, and by making relationships with those around us, serving them, that our holy living may enable them to come to repentance and faith in Christ. 

The Advent season serves to help us get in touch with our longing for Christ's return, reminding us that the One born to bring our salvation, calls us to live for Him, waiting expectantly for His return while living lives that glorify Him and call others to live for Him as well.

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