2023 Advent

   Tomorrow is Christmas Day …  What we’ve waited for is almost here!  During this Christmas Advent, we’ve seen how the Bible pointed to God’s coming Savior, Jesus, in many ways.   In all the excitement of wrapping gifts, preparation for celebrating with food and family, tomorrow don't forget to stop and remember the Reason for the Advent - the Hope of our waiting!  Isaiah 25:9  - It will be said on that day,  “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, that He might save us.  This is the LORD; we have waited for Him; let us be glad and rejoice in His salvation.”

  Luke 2 'In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.   This was the first registration when   Quirinius was governor of Syria.   And all went to be registered, each to his own town.   And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,   to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.' Orders were given - from the Top down.  ‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,      are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler      who will shepherd my people Israel.’    Micah 5:2,  500BC Arrangements were made and leaders of the world , unwittingly, made and obeyed their decrees. Joseph and Mary, now late in her pregnancy, had to travel 90 mi...

  Written 700 years before the birth of Jesus, Isaiah records God's Names and descriptions from chapter 41 through chapter 51 - 'I AM ... 41.4 - ... the Lord, the 1st and the Last 43.3 - ... your God, the holy One of Israel ... your Savior 43.15 - ... the Creator of Israel ... your King 44.6 - ... Israel's Redeemer ... the Lord of hosts (the Lord of heaven's armies) 44.24 - ... Creator 45.21 - ... Righteous God 49.29 - ... the Might One of Jacob 51.12 - ... the One Who comforts you'  Jesus said in John - 'I AM ... 6.35 - ... the Bread of Life; he who comes to Me will never go hungry 8.12 - ... the Light of the world; whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness 10.11 - ... the Good Shepherd; the Good Shepherd lays down His Life for the sheep 11.25 - ... the Resurrection and the Life; he who believes in Me will live even though he dies 14.6 - ... the Way, the Truth and the Life; no one comes to God, the Father, except through Me.'  For the family –  We'...

  In the Old Testament, God revealed Names that described Who He was to certain people. One of the Names was revealed to David, the shepherd boy who became king. It is found in one of the most famous chapters of the Bible - Psalm 23, written around 1000BC. God's Name is Jehovah Rohe, which means 'the Lord, my Shepherd.' In John chapter 10, Jesus says, 'I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.' For the kids        For teens   For the parents  – In John chapter 10, Jesus also says,  'The Father loves Me because I sacrifice My life so I may take it back again. No one can take My life from Me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what My Father commanded.'   Parents know something of sacrifice. They often give up their time and money, ambitions and dreams for their kids. When we see our kids voluntarily sacrifice for others, ...

 In the Old Testament God reveals Who He is by telling us His Name. In fact, He relates over 15 Names and many more descriptions that we may know Him. We will see that Jesus identifies with many of the Names of God; yet, even in the Old Testament God announces that He is doing something new -  The word Messiah comes from the Hebrew word massah, meaning to smear or anoint something or someone. Certain people - either a priest (Exodus 28:41), a prophet (1 Kings 19:16) or a king (1 Samuel 16:12) – were anointed as being especially chosen by God for a task. From its first use in the Old Testament 'Messiah' was promised to be the coming King and Judge by God's strength. The Greek word for Messiah was Christ, also taken from a word, christos, meaning to anoint.   John 12 follows the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Days prior to the crucifixion of Jesus, out of gratitude the sister of Lazarus, Mary, anoints the feet of Jesus and wipes His feet dry with her hai...

   Another prophecy in the Old Testament was written by the psalmist, David: "The Lord has sworn, and will not change His mind, 'You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.'" Psalm 110:4  Jesus was not born from the genealogical line of Aaron or the priests. But the office of priest was a picture of the coming Messiah’s role as He would offer up the perfect Sacrifice of His Own body and blood paying the penalty for the disobedience of all people. He is a Priest 'after the order of Melchizedek.' For the kids         For teens For the parents –  Melchizedek is a figure who lived during the time of Abraham. He was ‘the king of Salem’ (perhaps the old name for Jerusalem, the city of peace), a ‘priest of God Most High’. When he met Abraham he blessed him and related one of the Names of God, Jehovah-Jirah, Owner and Possessor. Then Abraham (AKA Abram) gave Melchizedek the most valuable 1/10th of the spoils of battle that he had ob...