Advent 2023 | Week 4
Advent | Christmas Eve | Emmanuel | God with Us | Adoration
Advent Series 2023
December 3, 2023 | December 10, 2023 | December 17, 2023 | December 24, 2023 | December 25, 2023
Oh, Come! Let Us Adore Him!
My dear readers, a blessed fourth Sunday in Advent to you! And, a very Merry Christmas Eve!
In many churches, this Sunday is the Sunday of Love or Adoration. For others, it’s the Sunday of Peace. Whatever we call this day, we come before Christ in adoration, loving Him because He first loved us. We adore Him because He restores us through His death on the cross and His resurrection, giving us His peace and life eternal. Wow!
God’s Love Came Down to Earth
Luke 2:8-20 (ESV)
8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Those Present at His Birth Adored Him
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, how did those around Him respond, both angels and humans? They:
Rejoiced, expressing much joy
Sang songs of praise and worship
Ran in haste to see Him (the shepherds; not the angels)
Pondered His miracle, treasuring the events in their hearts
Shared the good news with others
Adore Him Now
This fourth week in Advent, how can you adore Him? How will you continue your worship throughout this season and into the new year 2024?
Take a moment and think of one or two ways. Maybe you can:
Set aside some extra time and just be with Jesus, reading His word, meditating in prayer, experiencing His presence
Sing along with your favorite hymns and worship songs more than you have in the past
Take a moment and share your joy in Jesus with someone you know
Immanuel, God with us. Oh, come! Let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!
Maranatha, come (again), Lord Jesus.
Soli Deo Gloria!
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Night Owl, as a writer, I understand the importance of words and how they can convey impactful emotions, beliefs, and a worldview. Each of us is a game-changer. May your pen never run out of ink, your keyboard remains filled with inspiration, your paper never run out of space, your mind never run out of ideas, and may your heart never run out of love, compassion, and ministry. I pray that the blessings of our Christ-as-Life Christmas bring you the joy of the greatest author of eternity – God the Father. Merry Christ-as-Life!
His Birth, Life, Death, and Resurrection
"We adore Him because He restores us through His death on the cross and His Resurrection, giving us His peace and life eternal. Wow!" Jenise
His Birth, Life, Death, and Resurrection
Hello Jenise, thank you for making that Wow statement above. I can relate, so I'd like to share something with you. This Christmas season has been much different for me than times past. Naturally, for all of us as Christians, now is the time to celebrate the birth of Christ our Savior. But for me, all I can think about this season is the Resurrection, the fact He has already risen from the dead, He's alive and is here now (Immanuel), GOD is with us, and He is coming again sometime in our near future. I've even been watching Apologetic talks again on the known proofs (Evidence) for the Resurrection and remembered what the Apostle Paul said.
"And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless, and you are still guilty of your sins." 1 Corinthians 15:17 NLT
Most people (non-believers) are okay with the birth of JESUS and His life and teachings they tolerate, saying most of the time, He was just a good teacher. Still, His Resurrection, this part of history, has come under fierce attack because if He rose from the dead, everything He said was the truth, and now those who reject the Love that came down to earth (JESUS) will stand before GOD in the Last Judgment and give an account for the way they lived.
His Birth, Life, Death, and Resurrection, He's here with us now. Immanuel, God is with us.
In conclusion, yes, Jesus was born. He lived, died, and He indeed rose again. May the LORD give us a burning passion for people to become born-again, filled with His Spirit, and have a life-changing, earth-shaking encounter with the LORD, the one true GOD of Creation. Until that happens, it's hard to convince them otherwise.
This verse below sums it up for us as believers. May we be faithful to the end and continue to do all the LORD has called us to do for His Glory and Honor. Amen.
"(We) I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer (us) I who live, but Christ who lives in (us) me. And the life (we) I now live in the flesh (we) I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved (us) me and gave himself for (us) me." Galatians 2:20 ESV
"God's Love Came Down to Earth"
"Whatever we call this day, we come before Christ in adoration, loving Him because He first loved us." Jenise
"He will save His people from their sins."
"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
"God's Love Came Down to Earth"
"And in the same region, there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night." Luke 2:8 ESV
A GOOD SHEPHERD STORY
"The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need." Psalm 23:1 NLT
We can still remember that night and after when we saw the baby Yeshua, the promised Savior of the world, as if it happened yesterday. We had been watching over our flock under the light of starlit skies, and all the sheep had laid down to rest. To be Sure, we had led them to green pastures and a place of much still water.
They always felt safe in our care, for we had raised them all like our children, from babies until now. Each of them was given a unique name, and when we called out to them, they'd always come, for they knew the sound of our voices. They wouldn't come for anyone else. They felt safe in our care. We protected them from harm and always gave them all they needed. They knew we loved them dearly, more than anything we had.
"YESHUA, THE GOOD SHEPHERD"
Yeshua said, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." John 10:11 ESV.
Yeshua said, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." John 10:27 ESV
Yeshua said, "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." John 3:17 ESV.
"JESUS said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6 ESV
Yeshua said, "For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." John 6:40 ESV
GOD bless you all. Merry Christmas.
"For unto you is born"
"a Savior, who is Christ the LORD."
"Good news of great joy"
"For all the people."
Glory to GOD in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!"
OH HOLY NIGHT | From Nazareth | Hebrew - Arabic - English https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yR_7RoJIGAg
"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever." Psalm 23:6 ESV
"But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children." Psalm 103:17 ESV
I Want to Know You https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CONImFrARUg