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Advent Blog - Entries from December 2009

ThuThursdayDecDecember24th2009

Day 24 - Holiness Among Us

Posted Thursday, December 24 2009 @ 6 AM byPatrick Bourckel Tagged No tags 0 comments Add comment

^{John 1:10-14}

¹⁰He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. ¹¹He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ¹²Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—¹³children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

¹⁴The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

The Gnostic heresy that became prevalent after Jesus' ascension preached that there was a stark division between spirit and body. The spirit, or soul, was eternally good and free from stain. The body, however, was a source of evil and carnality. The two were polar opposites, like oil and water. Yet John shatters that misconception with verse 14: "The Word (Greek logos, the abstract, thought-world) became flesh (Greek sarx, body, earthly dwelling) and made his dwelling among us." This phrasing echoes the Old Testament title of God as "The Holy One of Israel among you. (Isaiah 12:6)." Being among us does not negate God's holiness. Our soil and filth does not make Him any less holy. Rather, the life of Jesus, lived as full-God and full-humanity, elevates to holiness everything that the Gnostics considered evil. Our bodies can actually be used for good -whether it is exercising, working hard with our hands, dancing, or whatever else can be done for God's glory. The whole world "was made through him" - and God called it all good. Let us also avoid the wrong thinking that says the world is only evil, and that we have to continually fight against the material things we see. For "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but...against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12)" Let us remember that God so loved the world - the whole world, every atom and molecule - that he became flesh and dwelt among us.

WedWednesdayDecDecember23rd2009

Day 23: The Christmas Light

Posted Wednesday, December 23 2009 @ 12 PM byMark Schmitz Tagged Advent Blog John 1:1-9 0 comments Add comment

John 1:1-9

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning.

3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. 6There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

One of my daughter’s favorite things this Christmas season has been seeing all the decorative lights on the houses. As we drive too and from church she asks me to slow down so she can see the lighted houses. As a “grown-up” I look at the lights and laugh at the gaudiness of some of the houses, but not Evie. She loves the lights, no matter how green or red. They are all beautiful to her.

I think as we grow older we find ourselves becoming more and more callus to the things around us. Things that peeked our interest when we were young have become stale and unnattractive. As we see in John 1, Christ’s light came in to a dark world. I hope that we never lose sight of the true beauty of His light. May we look on Him and His Word and find him more beautiful every day.

MonMondayDecDecember21st2009 Day 21 - Treasure the Moments

Posted Monday, December 21 2009 @ 3 PM byPatrick Bourckel Tagged No tags 0 comments Add comment

Luke 2:16-19¹⁶So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.¹⁷When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Mary knew this was the most meaningful event in her life. She probably also had a good sense that it was the most important moment in Israel's history. Young women would long to be the one who gave birth to the Messiah, and now she experienced that privilege. She heard from the shepherds how angels danced and rejoiced in the sky. All these incredible events were a once-in-a-lifetime event, and Mary lived in the moment. She pondered. She reflected. She treasured. I hope that you take time this season to stop, and ponder, and treasure the gifts that God gives. I hope you realize that each breath we breathe is a gift, and that God has placed us in this very moment of history to do something great for Him. Live in the moment God has given you. Treasure it and ponder it. Reflect on His grace and kindness. Listen for His voice as He speaks His will in your life. Don't look far ahead, or dwell in the past. God is giving you today, and that may be all you have. Treasure it.

(Sorry for the lateness of the post - the snow is still causing schedule disruptions! Hope it is still a blessing to you...)

SunSundayDecDecember20th2009

Day 20 - What I Learned in the Snowstorm

Posted Sunday, December 20 2009 @ 10 AM byPatrick Bourckel Tagged No tags 0 comments Add comment

Luke 2:8-15

⁸And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ^[a] the Lord. ¹²This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

¹³Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
¹⁴"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

¹⁵When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

I know that not everybody celebrates Christmas in the winter like we do in Maryland. Some people in the South or other countries in the Southern Hemisphere have Christmas traditions involving cookouts and pool parties. But I love to think about Christmas and winter together. It is so meaningful to me to celebrate Christmas near "the darkest night of the year," when the sun only shows its face for a brief nine hours or so. Isn't it neat to read about "the light of the world" shining on the "people living in the land of darkness" when it really is darker outside?

Another neat thing about winter is the potential for snow. We got quite a storm yesterday. Our services for today were cancelled, and everyone reacted to the great display of beauty and power. The lesson I get from snowstorms in relation to Christmas is this - God acts and we respond. There is no stopping a snowstorm. We can only wait and watch and clean up later.

In the same way, the shepherds got to see God act, and they responded. Just like a blinding blizzard, the angels appeared in the heavens and changed everything. When God acts, we try to contain or control or comprehend Him, but God reminds us: "...as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways,and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:9)"

So what then did the shepherds do? They responded. "Let us go to Bethlehem..." God's mercy and kindness and glory demand a response from his people. May we at Long Green be a people that respond. May we get up and leave our sheep and seek out what the Lord is making known to us. God has come as Savior in a blinding, brilliant way, and we must respond.

SatSaturdayDecDecember19th2009

Day 19: Don't Miss Him...

Posted Saturday, December 19 2009 @ 11 AM byMark Schmitz Tagged Advent Blog Luke 2:1-7 0 comments Add comment

Luke 2:1-7

1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)3And everyone went to his own town to register.

4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The first chapter of Luke reveals some of the cultural expectations during Christ’s day. The Messiah, it was believed, would overthrow enemy occupation, restore righteousness and justice on the earth, set right all wrongs, and remove oppression from the land. The Messiah would then rule and reign over all the earth from the throne of David in Jerusalem. The cultural expectations were high. Israel longed for it’s Messiah-- Israel longed to be free.

Chapter two of Luke reveals that the birth and life of Christ would not exactly fit the expectations His culture had set. The circumstances surrounding His birth were in no way kingly. Instead, it was a humble, lonely event.

Christ was overlooked, ridiculed, and neglected by the ones waiting for His arrival. The long-expected Savior came not as a king, but as a baby in a manger. As we celebrate His birth this busy Christmas season, don’t miss Him.

FriFridayDecDecember18th2009

Day 18: Joseph's Example

Posted Friday, December 18 2009 @ 11 AM byMark Schmitz Tagged Advent Blog Joseph Matthew 1:18-21 0 comments Add comment

Matthew 1:18-21

18This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

20But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

In this passage of Matthew, we meet Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. Our first glimpse of Joseph is in the midst of a crisis. His life has been turned upside-down. Mary, his potential bride, has become pregnant. He knows the child growing within Mary is not his own. What is he to do? What should his response be? Would he reject his bride publicly or cut off the relationship privately? What a difficult position to be in. But, it is here, in the crucible of faith, that a man’s mettle is tested and refined.

As we know, Joseph said “yes” to God’s plan. Much is mentioned about Mary’s faithfulness in hearing and listening to God, but little is usually mentioned about Joseph and his faithfulness. He is a model for what it means to live for the Kingdom. Joseph was a man, who without any consideration for his own personal gain, without any regard for how it would cost him, gave up his own plans and dreams and followed what God was calling him to.

Joseph stepped out in faith, and obeyed. Oh that we might step out in faith, and put God’s plan before our own!

ThuThursdayDecDecember17th2009 Day 17 - God of Great Reversals

Posted Thursday, December 17 2009 @ 7 AM byDale R. South Tagged No tags 0 comments Add comment

Luke 1:46-55

46And Mary said "My soul glorifies the Lord 47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. 50His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. 51He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. 54He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers."

Though it isn't obvious to us, these verse are a hymn of praise that Mary sings in worship. She has just visited with her cousin Elizabeth whose family also received a visit from the angel Gabriel who had announced an unexpected birth in their household as well. Elizabeth, who had been barren, was to soon give birth to a son who would become known as John the Baptist. Elizabeth affirms Mary's obedience saying: “Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!” Mary responds with her hymn, marveling at how she has been blessed by the great things God, the Mighty One, has done for her. Mary's song remarkable foreshadows the unexpected tenor of Jesus' life and ministry – humility and vulnerability one would not expect from the long-awaited Messiah King. She sees God as bringing about great reversals – He has brought down rulers but lifted up the humble … filled the hungry and sent the rich away empty." It's as if Jesus is singing more verses to her song when He says, “the last shall be first and the first shall be last … if you want to be the greatest, you must be the least of these … the Son of Man did not come to heal the healthy but the sick.” Let's sing along with Mary and Jesus of the Great One who lifts up the weak.

WedWednesdayDecDecember16th2009 DAY 16 - Disfavor without Fear

Posted Wednesday, December 16 2009 @ 6 AM byDale R. South Tagged No tags 0 comments Add comment

Luke 1:26-33

26In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary.28The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."

29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.30But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.31You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

Considering her circumstances under which the angel Gabriel tells Mary, the teenage virgin, not to be afraid, it would seem that she had plenty of reason to fear. For one, this was an angelic visit and angels tended to frighten people when they manifested themselves throughout the Bible. The message Gabriel brought was a scary message – Mary was about to become pregnant even though she was unmarried and had never had sexual relations with anyone. She was going to carry the Messiah in her womb and give birth to the King who would rule forever. What was unspoken and perhaps not clear to young Mary was that people would look at here with suspicion and even disdain for her apparent immorality. Her life was about to become very complicated. The reason the angel said not to be afraid though is very important: “because you have found favor with God.” Though Mary might end up out of favor with her husband-to-be, out of favor with her parents, out of favor with people in her village, she had none the less found favor with God Himself. Finding favor with God can allow us to face the disfavor of others without fear.

TueTuesdayDecDecember15th2009

Day 15 - Just the Facts, Ma'am

Posted Tuesday, December 15 2009 @ 6 AM byPatrick Bourckel Tagged No tags 0 comments Add comment

Luke 1:1-4

¹Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, ²just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. ³Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, ⁴so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

Luke's account of the birth of Christ is perhaps the most familiar. My classmates and I memorized the Luke 2 record of Jesus' birth for my fourth-grade Christmas pageant in my private Christian school. The things that stick out about the way that Luke wrote are the details. Luke, a physician, had a particular mind and eye for analysis and fact-finding, and God was pleased to inspire Luke to write his gospel through Luke's own way of viewing the world. We see here Luke's purpose - "that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught." Luke is writing for a group of believers who did not know or see the living Jesus, and who may have begun to question the details - Was Jesus really born in a stable? Did he have human parents? Was he truly crucified? Did he really raise up to life again? Luke presents his careful investigation, and arranges his orderly account, for one reason - that they, and 2000 years later we, may know the truth. God has preserved his Scriptures for one purpose - to reveal to us the true and living Word, Jesus Christ. So check the facts for yourself. Analyze. Question. We are taught to love the Lord with all our mind. I have done so for myself, and found the story of Christianity to be the best and most reasonable answer to the questions of human existence. I pray that you will find the same certainty in the story of Jesus Christ.

SunSundayDecDecember13th2009

Day 13 - Turn Down the Volume

Posted Sunday, December 13 2009 @ 5 AM byPatrick Bourckel Tagged No tags 0 comments Add comment

Isaiah 42:1-4

1 "Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations. 2 He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. 3 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; 4 he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope."

The Incarnation tells us so much about who God is. In his omnipotence, God could have appeared as a fully grown adult male. He could have shown up as magnificent king, or a powerful military general. Yet God came as a child. For nine months, God waited in the womb. He learned to walk and talk and eat from his mother. He lived 30 years in anonymity before beginning his ministry. We walk around shouting and raising our voices in the streets, yet God continually shows us a different way. We hear his still small voice in the cave with Elijah. We see him sleeping through a storm as his disciples go nuts and shout him awake. We watch Jesus withdraw to solitary places to wait and pray. But why does God act like this? Because we are bruised reeds and smoldering wicks. We are fragile and breakable souls, and so God’s justice comes quietly and gently. God is faithful in his gentle love to us – “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)” Yet we are constantly faced with the pressure to get into shouting matches and heated debates. We see that the ones with the power are the ones with the loudest volume. How do we live by the Spirit that “will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth”? Lord, may we reach out to the broken and hurting ones in our lives. May we greet others, not with shouts of judgment, but with soft voices of love and mercy. May we live a gospel so powerful and faithful that the islands can put their hope in it.

“Thou shalt know Him when He comes,

Not by any din of drums,

Nor by the manner of his airs,

Nor by anything he wears…

But His coming known shall be

By the holy harmony

Which His coming makes in thee.”

SatSaturdayDecDecember12th2009

Day 12: Patience

Posted Saturday, December 12 2009 @ 11 AM byMark Schmitz Tagged No tags 0 comments Add comment

James 5:7-10

7 Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. 8You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near. 9Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! 10Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

We live in a culture that cannot wait. We have to have something resolved immediately or as soon as humanly possible. We need an answer right away. American culture places value on quick thinking and decisiveness. But, as James commands, we need to have patience. We could benefit by having patience with others. If we have so much trouble trying to come to a conclusion on important decisions or questions in life, how much more might other people struggle? So many times we find ourselves at the forefront of our mind. Patience and selflessness walk hand in hand. We also need patience with circumstances in life. Often times, our ducks just don't line up for us. A lot of times it seems as if they never will. I think that patience is one of the most undervalued assets we can obtain. James exhorts us here to be patient until the coming of the Lord. We do not know the time or the season, but the time for patience is now.

FriFridayDecDecember11th2009

Day 11: Though you are small...

Posted Friday, December 11 2009 @ 11 AM byMark Schmitz Tagged Advent Blog Bethlehem Micah 5:2-5 0 comments Add comment

Micah 5:2-5

2 "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." 3 Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor gives birth and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites. 4 He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. 5 And he will be their peace.

The creator of all things came into the world in the smallest of places: Bethlehem, a backwater town in the middle of nowhere. The Ancient of Days, came to a working-class carpenter and his teenage bride-to-be, people of no great importance or stature. He showed himself first to shepherds, men of no real social standing, with the smell of the field on them. His first night was spent in a feeding trough.

He wrapped Himself in the fragile, mortal flesh of a baby. Christ came in the weakest, most vulnerable form imaginable. What a beautiful contradiction. As we reflect on His birth, may it continually remind us that He can take the smallest of things and make them great; He can take the weakest of things and make them strong.

ThuThursdayDecDecember10th2009

Day 10 - Impossible Reconciliation

Posted Thursday, December 10 2009 @ 6 AM byPatrick Bourckel Tagged No tags 0 comments Add comment

DAY 10: Isaiah 11:6-10

6 The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. 7 The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. 8 The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest. 9 They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. 10 In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious.

This picture is such a dramatic reminder of the way in which God works. If we were to rephrase these statements today, it might sound like this: "The Republican will sit down with the Democrat," or "the terrorist will eat dinner with the pacifist." Fill in any two opposites, and then picture them at peace with each other. Sounds ridiculous, right? Sounds impossible, or too good to be true - yet that is precisely what God intends. God uses these apparent oxymorons to give us just a glimpse of what His will was in sending Jesus to our world. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) What greater chasm could there be than the one between a holy God and a sinful human race? If God, through the Incarnation, can make that impossibility possible, what reconciliation is too difficult to achieve? "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28) If we seek "the knowledge of the LORD" with our whole hearts, everything else seems surprisingly small. If Jesus is “a banner for the peoples,” then we can rally to his causes rather than seeking our own selfish desires, or the good of our own political party, or nation. Lord Jesus, may you teach us your peace as we come to your holy mountain. May we let you, the little child in the manger, lead us to true, unfathomable reconciliation.

WedWednesdayDecDecember9th2009

Day 9 - The Spirit of the Lord

Posted Wednesday, December 09 2009 @ 6 AM byPatrick Bourckel Tagged No tags 0 comments Add comment

DAY 9: Isaiah 11:1-5

1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD - 3 and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; 4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. 5 Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.

We as Christians don't really understand the Holy Spirit. We speak energetically and flowingly about God our Heavenly Father, and about God the Son in Jesus, but when we are questioned on the Holy Spirit, we shuffle our feet and stare at our shoes in shameful confusion. Well, he's a ....ghost? It's a.....feeling I get? We don't really have a concrete, comprehensible picture of the Third Person of the Trinity. This picture in Isaiah shows the integral nature of the Spirit in Jesus' ministry. When the angel Gabriel appears to Mary, we see the Spirit's role in Jesus' conception: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. (Luke 1:35)" When Jesus begins his ministry, his first public words are: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor...(Luke 4:18)" Jesus did not come alone to the world, but came with the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit. This Spirit exists in us as Christians, teaching us, admonishing us, and comforting us. Through the Spirit, Jesus did not "judge by what he sees with his eyes," but instead saw the supernatural world that lies behind and within the world that we can observe naturally. We too are called to look past the physical realities of our daily existence and see what the Holy Spirit enables us to see. We are called to seek righteousness and wisdom, to search for understanding and the fear of the Lord. As we welcome the physical reality of a baby in a manger, let us ask the Holy Spirit to help us look beyond that fact and show us the true wonder of what happened in Bethlehem over two thousand years ago.

"This little babe, so few days old,

Has come to rifle Satan's fold.

All hell doth at his presence quake

Though he himself for cold do shake.

For in this weak, unarmed wise

The gates of hell he will surprise."

TueTuesdayDecDecember8th2009 Day 8 - Peace in the New Jerusalem

Posted Tuesday, December 08 2009 @ 3 AM byDale R. South Tagged Advent Blog Psalm 122, New Jerusalem 0 comments Add comment

Psalm 122

1 I rejoiced with those who said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD." 2 Our feet are standing in your gates, O Jerusalem. 3 Jerusalem is built like a city that is closely compacted together. 4 That is where the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, to praise the name of the LORD according to the statute given to Israel. 5 There the thrones for judgment stand, the thrones of the house of David. 6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May those who love you be secure. 7 May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels." 8 For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will say, "Peace be within you." 9 For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your prosperity.

These nine verses form the entire Psalm 122 that was actually a Song of Ascents. Jerusalem was and is a city situated on a hill. When the Jewish people would go to the city to celebrate the pilgrim feasts such as Passover and Pentecost, they would sing songs as the city came into sight and they began their climb to arrive.

We still await the day when the New Jerusalem is established – Revelation 21:2 “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.” In that day, King Jesus will be the Judge as well as the One who wipes away every tear. The city will be secure. There will be peace and prosperity. The name of the Lord will be praised. Come New Jerusalem. Come Lord Jesus.

MonMondayDecDecember7th2009 Day 7 - Streaming to the House of the Lord

Posted Monday, December 07 2009 @ 3 PM byDale R. South Tagged Advent Blog Isaiah 2, House of the Lord 0 comments Add comment

Isaiah 2:2-5

In the last days the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. 3 Many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths." The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4 He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. 5 Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD.

Patrick did a nice job of presenting the concept of the “Already but Not Yet” in Day 4's entry. This is another great illustration of the prophecy being already fulfilled at one level though not yet completely fulfilled. Isaiah 2 was written over 500 years before the birth of Christ and we see fulfillment of the already - “He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” After the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, we saw many nations coming not only to Jerusalem but to Christ on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2). Yet with the situation in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Sudan and so many other war-torn parts of the world, we still see a large “not yet” that we long for even though we cannot see it on the horizon.

What we want to be sure not to miss is our own possible role in God bringing these words to completion. Though the temple in Jerusalem has been destroyed, we as members of the Body of Christ are the Temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6). Born-again believers all over the world now constitute the House of the Lord. Check out Ephesians 2:11-20. We have the calling and privilege of showing how God in Christ is able to reconcile people who ordinarily wouldn't get along. We have the opportunity to teach His ways and walk in His paths. How I long to see peoples from all nations streaming to the House of the Lord. It will be worth the wait.

SatSaturdayDecDecember5th2009

Day 6: Reason to Sing

Posted Saturday, December 05 2009 @ 11 AM byMark Schmitz Tagged Advent Blog Isaiah 12 0 comments Add comment

Isaiah 12:2-6

2 Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation." 3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. 4 In that day you will say: "Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. 5 Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. 6 Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you."

I don’t know about you, but I love the Christmas season’s music: Music from Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Mannheim Steamroller. Songs like The Christmas Song, and Frosty the Snowman cause me to reminisce about Christmas' of seasons past. Christmas music is great! It is around Thanksgiving that we dust off all our Christmas CDs and start filling our house with the “sounds of the season”. No matter where you go there’s no lack of the Christmas season’s sounds.

But, as we contemplate this passage in Isaiah, I am challenged to consider the reason for my Christmas music. Am I celebrating the season or am I celebrating the Savior. May we not miss the real reason for singing this Christmas season. I pray that you too will find this season a wonderful time to raise your voice, and shout to the ends of the earth that Jesus Christ is Lord.

“Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world.”

FriFridayDecDecember4th2009

Day 5- The Dawn

Posted Friday, December 04 2009 @ 11 AM byMark Schmitz Tagged Advent Blog Dawn Zephaniah 3 0 comments Add comment

Zephaniah 3:19-20

19 At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you; I will rescue the lame and gather those who have been scattered. I will give them praise and honor in every land where they were put to shame.

20 At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes," says the LORD.

What a beautiful picture is painted for us at the end of Zephaniah three. In the beginning of Zephaniah we watch as the dark clouds of judgment gather and crash against God’s people. We wonder if there’s any hope for His flock. All seems lost, and all seems hopeless. It is at this darkest point that the divine promise of Zephaniah three is fully realized.

The first light of dawn has arrived. The Shepherd King steps into the midst of His flock. He heals His wounded and gathers His lost to Himself. The trials and tribulations were great, but His mercy and grace are greater.

Life seems dark at times. But as one of his beloved flock we are guaranteed that just beyond today’s clouds are the sun-rays of his loving grace, mercy, and praise.

ThuThursdayDecDecember3rd2009

Day 4 - How the Story Ends

Posted Thursday, December 03 2009 @ 6 AM byPatrick Bourckel Tagged Advent Blog 0 comments Add comment

DAY 4: Zephaniah 3:14-18 (New International Version)

14 Sing, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem! 15 The LORD has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The LORD, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm. 16 On that day they will say to Jerusalem, "Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands hang limp. 17 The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." 18 "The sorrows for the appointed feasts I will remove from you; they are a burden and a reproach to you."

There is a common phrase used when discussing the problem of sin and the process of sanctification - "Already, but not yet." There seems to be a contradiction in that we are "already, but not yet" completely made holy. That is, Jesus has, once and for all, taken away the sins of the world by becoming a man, leading a sinless life, and sacrificing himself for our sins. That is the "already" part. But we (yes, even us Christians!) still struggle and wrestle with the palpable presence of sin in our lives and in our world. We are "not yet" free from the cares and sorrows of earthly life.

We see this tension in Zephaniah. The prophet proclaims definitively that "The LORD has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy." Past tense. Already done. End of story. But verse 16 starts with "On that day..." Future tense. Still to come. Not yet. Somehow, this apparent paradox is perfectly fine with an eternal God, who is not bound by the passage of time as we are. "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." (2 Peter 3:8) God has skipped ahead and read the last chapter. Or, more accurately, God has already WRITTEN the last chapter. He knows how the story ends. His gracious revelation through Holy Scripture means that we also know how the story ends. Our unique place in history allows us to live fully in the power of knowing the story of Jesus' birth and life, which ancient faithful witnesses longed and hoped for through centuries of time. Yet we now wait and hope as they did - for the second advent. The first line of our passage is a present direct command: "Sing! Shout aloud! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart..." We too can sing and rejoice, because Christ has come once, and Christ will come again - to "quiet you with his love...(and) rejoice over you with singing." He already does, and will do so for eternity. That is how the story ends

WedWednesdayDecDecember2nd2009

Day 3 - Suddenly

Posted Wednesday, December 02 2009 @ 7 AM byPatrick Bourckel Tagged Advent Blog Malachi 3:1-4 Suddenly 0 comments Add comment

DAY 3: Malachi 3:1-4

1 "See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the LORD Almighty. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, 4 and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the LORD, as in days gone by, as in former years.

“Suddenly.” The word is used in stories all of the time. It is usually the precursor to an exciting and plot-altering event. “Suddenly, a car crashed through the diner window.” “Suddenly, Dennis remembered what the clue was.” Here in Malachi, the event is not only exciting - it is terrifying. “The Lord you are seeking…the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come…but who can endure the day of his coming?” Why is it terrifying that the Lord, who is sought and desired and longed for, is now appearing – suddenly? Because the coming we expect is not the coming we see. The work that Jesus came to do is to refine, to launder, to purge and make clean. We often dwell on the happy, comfortable stories at Christmas – the wise men’s gifts, the little drummer boy, and the like. But it is critical to understand that the baby in the manger came for a purpose – to make us pure by his sinless life and atoning death. The end result is that we will all “bring offerings in righteousness,” and be able to stand before God as His accepted and holy children. But the sin problem causes a collision – evil must be dealt with, sin must be paid for. And the process will be costly. The crowds who cheered when Jesus rode on a donkey on Palm Sunday were shocked when, suddenly, their king was not leading a rebellion against the Roman government, but instead was in their own temple, cleaning out the corrupt money changers. This is not what they expected either, and it scared them. Jesus didn't come to overthrow the oppression and rule of Rome, but to root out the oppression and rule of sin in our very souls. Accepting Jesus as He comes to us will involve pain, sacrifice, and ultimately death to our own desires. But his refinement brings about results. Like precious gold and silver, we will shine and be His prized possessions, made new by the sudden coming of the Lord.

TueTuesdayDecDecember1st2009 Day 2 - God's Unconditional Promises

Posted Tuesday, December 01 2009 @ 2 AM byDale R. South Tagged No tags 0 comments Add comment

DAY 2: Jeremiah 33:17-18

17 For this is what the LORD says: 'David will never fail to have a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel, 18 nor will the priests, who are Levites, ever fail to have a man to stand before me continually to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to present sacrifices.'

These verses are written at a time when Israel is facing impending judgment for unfaithfulness to God. God is clarifying that He will keep His earlier promises though at the moment it looks like He is ready to renege on His previous commitments. We see here that God's great promises are not conditional, but cemented in His grace and mercy. The fulfillment of David's descendent sitting on the throne is ultimately satisfied in Jesus the Messiah King – the Lion of Judah.

The Virgin Mary received this confirmation when the angel Gabriel visited her saying: “Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the 'Son of the Most High.' The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”

What grateful relief to know that the great promises of God fulfilled in Jesus are not conditioned or our obedience and faithfulness. That's all the more reason to praise this glorious King.

Advent Blogby We hope this series of readings and comments will help you prepare your mind and heart this advent season.