Hope

Advent Purpose & Prayer

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During Advent, we reflect on why Jesus came into this world. It is good to be refreshed in the story of our rescue, the story of Christ coming into our world to bring light amidst darkness, hope among despair, freedom amidst bondage, peace amidst fear, joy amidst sorrow, and love amidst hatred and war. Our King has come and has conquered evil and destroyed the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). For this reason he came. He came to save us from our sins (Matthew 1:21).

What was the purpose of the first advent of Christ? 

To Save Us, Sinners 

“She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21 ESV 

To Destroy Evil In Our Lives

“Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.” 1 John 3:8 ESV 

To Reveal God’s Love To Us

 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 1 John 4:9 ESV 

To Give Us Life Eternal and Abundant 

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 1 John 4:9 ESV 

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10 ESV 

To Be The Atoning Sacrifice For Our Sin

In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1John 4:10 ESV 

These are some key reasons why Jesus came but you may be able to find several more purpose statements about why Jesus came. I exhort you to search out these reasons in the Scripture and see how many you can find and reflect upon them this month. 

Prayer 

Father, we pray that your Kingdom will come on earth as in heaven. We ask that your righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17) would increase in the hearts and lives among us and our families, communities, cities and beyond. We pray the truth of your word would spread rapidly in this Advent season and be heard, received and honored (2 Thessalonians 3:1). 

May the word of Christ dwell in us richly this Advent (Colossians 3:16). May the influence of the word of truth increase in our lives and sanctify us (John 17:17).

Jesus Came To Bring Change

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As we begin this year many are seeking to make changes for the better in their lives. Multitudes desire a change of life whether it’s physical, mental, spiritual, emotional, vocational or relational change. And the start of a new year brings fresh motivation for that change. As Christians we recognize that lasting change for the better in our lives comes from the perfect Unchanging One, Jesus, who is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

Jesus went to Galilee preaching the Message of God: “Time’s up! God’s kingdom is here. Change your life and believe the Message.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭1:14-15‬ ‭MSG‬‬

In the Gospel of Mark we see Jesus in action bringing change into the lives of those whom he came in contact with. The change we need and the world needs implies that something is wrong with us and with the world. The message Jesus proclaimed was repent, which means to change your mind. A change of mind leads to a change of actions, attitudes and living. Coupled with that call to repent was the call to believe the gospel and this is where one experiences the power for change. Paul wrote that the gospel is “power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes “(Romans 1:16). Change is required and empowered by Jesus. When people truly encounter Jesus and believe in Him, He changes their lives. This happens at the beginning of our Christian life and the entire life of a Christ follower is a process of ongoing change that theologians call sanctification.

In Mark Chapter 1 we see Jesus changing the life of his first disciples calling them to become fishers of people (Mark 1:17-18). Then we see Him changing the life a demon possessed and controlled man (Mark 1:21-28). Then Jesus changed the life of a leper by healing him, which made it possible for him to be apart of the community again. He became “clean” after being “unclean” for many years and treated as an outcast. The change Jesus brings into our lives restores us to relationship with God and to others. Jesus healed many who had various diseases and he drove out demons that were oppressing people (Mark 1:34). Jesus brings the change into our lives that we could not accomplish on our own strength, discipline, smarts and skill. With Jesus change is possible because what He prescribes He empowers. Jesus offers you and I the change that we really need. He brought change to this broken, dark and hopeless world. He will return to finish His redemptive work and make all things new (Revelation 21:1-5)!


Two means of change we see Jesus using in Mark chapter 1 is prayer and preaching the gospel of the Kingdom (Mark 1:35-38). May we in 2021 embrace that change that Jesus wants to bring into our lives through prayerfulness and saturation and proclamation of the gospel! May we preach the gospel to ourselves and to others. May we pray for ourselves and others and see the Kingdom of God come on earth as it is in Heaven!

Considering Death In Light Of Boston Bombing

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20130417-122358.jpgOne of the most heart aching and fear gripping realities for many people in this life is the fact that we will one day die. We are all apart of the ultimate statistic, namely that 10 out of 10 people die. For some death is a slow and painful process and for others it happens suddenly and peacefully. Nevertheless death is a problem that we all face and it isn’t healthy to avoid thinking about it and act as if it doesn’t exist. That is why the bible says that its “Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties. After all, everyone dies—so the living should take this to heart” (Ecclesiastes 7:2 NLT). It is good for us to think about the reality that one day we will all die and stand before our Creator, to give account for how we have lived our lives (Hebrews 9:27, Acts 17:31…) We all have an appointment with God that we won’t miss.

The terrible acts of violence that we recently saw take place in Boston are an unpleasant reminder of the reality of death and present evil of this world. When we see such wickedness and evil intent to destroy lives we are grieved and angered by the injustice that has taken place. And so is God. God will punish those who do such things along with those who practice various other kinds of sins (Romans 1:18-32, Revelation 21:8…) The punishment of God is called Hell and is described as the “second death” and the “lake that burns with fire and brimstone” (Matt. 10:28, Rev. 21:8). This evil has not gone unnoticed by God. God sees everything and nothing gets by Him. And He will take action.

God has taken action to help mankind with their problem of sin and death. In the beginning when God made everything, it was good, there was no death and suffering but mankind disobeyed God and brought death and suffering into this world (Genesis 1-3). God did give Adam & Eve a command and a warning of what would happen if they disobeyed. The consequences of sin was and is death (Genesis 2:17). Adam and Eve aren’t the only ones who sinned and disobeyed God, “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). That means you and I are both deserving of death. The Scripture says “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23 ESV). The bad news is that you and I deserve to die and go to Hell because of our sins but the good news (gospel) is that Christ took the death penalty for you and I that we might have the free gift of God, namely “eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord”. God the Father took action by sending Jesus to rescue us from the penalty of our sin (Matt. 1:21, John 3:16). Jesus came and lived a sinless life and died in our place bearing our sins on the cross, was buried for three days, and rose from the grave on third day, defeating death. Christ conquered the grave. Jesus has “abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Timothy 1:10 ESV).

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live'” (John 11:25 ESV). If you trust in Christ as your Lord and Savior then you need not fear death. Christ will release you from living life in bondage to the fear of death (Hebrews 2:14) because He defeated death. As it is written “When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:54-57 ESV).

20130417-122409.jpgOne day Jesus will return and “make all things new”. There will be no more death, sorrow, crying, or pain. God will wipe away every tear from our eyes (Revelation 21:4-5).

May God comfort those affected by the the Boston bombing with this gospel truth that Christ has died in our place, conquering the grave and defeating death once and for all. May each person be comforted by the hope of Christ’s return to make all things new and ultimately remove death, sorrow, crying and pain.