Advent 2024 | Week 4: Love
On loving God and loving our neighbors | Love Sunday | Advent Series 2024 | Emmanuel, God with us | Jesus Christ | Christianity
December 1, 2024: Hope | December 8, 2024: Peace | December 15, 2024: Joy | December 22, 2024: Love | Christmas Day 2024
Our Advent Love Journey
Wow, dear readers, can you believe it? It’s the fourth Sunday in Advent, and both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are moments away versus weeks away.
Love Sunday
This Sunday, we light the fourth and last of the colored candles, the Love candle (also called the angels’ candle). As Almighty God’s messengers (ma’lak), angels announced the Messiah’s birth to the shepherds. They also announced the greatest demonstration of God’s love for us at the empty tomb, proclaiming the victory of Jesus’ earthly mission, the very reason why He was born Emmanuel, God with us, and laid in a manger:
Matthew 28:5-6 (BSB)
5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; He has risen, just as He said! Come, see the place where He lay.
No greater love!
The angels also anticipate our Lord’s second coming, as revealed to John in the Letter of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
Revelation 22:1, 16-17, 20 (BSB)
1 Then the angel showed me a river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star.” 17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let the one who hears say, “Come!” And let the one who is thirsty come, and the one who desires the water of life drink freely.
20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
During Love Sunday, when I meditate on Jesus from humble human infant, to resurrected Savior, and as the powerful King of kings and Lord of lords whose promised second coming we long to see, I rejoice in the hope of His coming again, and His peace fills my forgiven and redeemed soul. He has removed from me the weight of sin and death. His love has set me free.
And yet, when it comes to me living a life of love on a daily basis, I feel I miss the mark. Especially when I think of what God says about love.
Ahavah, Loving Loyalty through Our Actions
Loving God
Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (BSB) [the Shema]
4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One. 5 And you shall love¹ the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
I love God, but do I love Him with all my heart, soul, and strength? I call out to the Holy Spirit to help me. I certainly do not worship other gods, but worldly distractions challenge my devotional time with Yahweh, pulling my attention away from Him, the One who merits my highest devotion.
The Lord has more to say about love.
Loving Your Neighbor
Leviticus 19:18 (BSB)
18 Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, but love¹ your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.
¹ In Deut. 6:5 and Lev. 19:18, “love” in Hebrew is: [ אָהַב - aheb, the root for ahavah]
Ahavah comes from the root word, aheb, to love.
The Hebrew verb "aheb" primarily denotes the concept of love, encompassing a range of meanings from deep affection and friendship to romantic and covenantal love. It is used to describe the love between individuals, such as familial love, friendship, and marital love, as well as the love between God and His people. The term implies a sense of loyalty, commitment, and deep emotional connection.
In ancient Hebrew culture, love was not merely an emotion but an action-oriented commitment. The concept of love in the Old Testament is deeply intertwined with covenantal relationships, where love is expressed through faithfulness, obedience, and sacrifice. The Hebrew understanding of love often involved a holistic approach, integrating heart, mind, and actions. This is evident in the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-5), where loving God involves the whole being.
[ Source: Strong’s Concordance: 157, aheb - BibleHub.com ]
Yes, I fall short in living a life of love. However, the “weight” I feel from God’s command in the Old Testament to love Him and my neighbors is transformed for me by Jesus my Savior.
He still holds me, holds us, to the greatest commandment, but with a difference.
Agape, Following Jesus’ Example
Jesus provides examples we can follow on how to love God and our neighbors.
Mark 12:30-31 (BSB)
30 Love² the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love² your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
² In the passage above, “love” in Koinē Greek is: [ ἀγαπάω - agapaó]
The Greek verb "agapaó" refers to a selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love. It is often used in the New Testament to describe the love of God for humanity and the love that believers are called to have for God and one another. This type of love is characterized by a commitment to the well-being of others, regardless of personal cost or reciprocation.
In the Greco-Roman world, various words were used to describe love, including "eros" (romantic love), "philia" (brotherly love), and "storge" (familial love). However, "agapaó" and its noun form "agapē" were relatively rare in classical Greek literature. The New Testament writers adopted and expanded the meaning of "agapaó" to express the unique, divine love revealed in Jesus Christ. This love transcends human emotions and is rooted in the will and character of God.
[ Source: Strong’s Concordance: 25, agapaó - BibleHub.com ]
Love. “Rooted in the will and character of God.”
I’m immensely grateful for Emmanuel and His character. During Jesus’ earthly ministry, our Lord lived a life that demonstrated to us how to love Almighty God and how to love our neighbors. We are forgiven, redeemed, and loved. He walks with us as we learn to improve on loving Him and others.
Let’s Practice Living in Love
Loving God
For me, the night owl that I am, I always struggled with my pastors’ encouragement to meet with God early in the morning, to spend quiet time with Him. I’m barely awake in the early morning hours and I struggle to get my mind going after I wake up. I tried following others’ recommendations, what had worked for them. I’d fail and then feel shame.
Over the years, God has been loving and patient with me. He’s helped me find a gentle rhythm for meeting with Him in the mornings that works for both of us. Spending time with Him first thing increases my devotion to Him and prepares me to start each day so I can participate with Him in fulfilling the second part of the greatest commandment.
Loving Our Neighbors
Through His earthly ministry, Jesus provided us with many examples on how to love our neighbors. Whenever we read through the four gospels, we can pray and ask Him to transform us to love others as He did. His life is our new life, and the Holy Spirit now lives in us. It’s been amazing to experience the open doors He’s given us to love those He brings into our paths.
Your Turn
One of the greatest things we can rejoice over is God’s gift of His Holy Spirit in us! Take time this week and next to ask the Lord to empower you to love your neighbors as He wants you to do. Your life situation is unique to mine, to others’, so rest in the knowledge that He will guide you as He sees best.
Take time, also, to ask Him for His help in deepening your devotional time with Him. Seek to deepen your love for Him, Emmanuel, God with us.
In these turbulent times, imagine seeing Him face to face, either when we go home or if we witness His second coming. Imagine His fierce love for you shining from His face!
I hope you’ll take some time during this busy week to learn more about God’s love by watching this video.
My next post will be on Christmas Day.
Video
BibleProject - Love (4 mins 48 secs)
Maranatha, come Lord Jesus.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Conversation & Community
Let’s talk about God’s love:
What is it about Jesus’ first coming that expresses His love for you today?
What is it about Jesus’ promised second coming that confirms His love for you for the future?
As always, feel free to send me an email:
❤️ To bless the “Algorithm Angels”, please select the “heart” icon to like this post (if you do), even if you’re not a subscriber. That will help NOC, so thank you in advance.
Subscribe to My Publication
It’s easy and free! Subscribe to receive my posts in your email Inbox. And, feel free to share this post with others. Thank you!
Follow me on (Twitter)X
Pin me on Pinterest
https://www.pinterest.com/nightowlchristian/night-owl-christian-blog-posts/
© Copyright 2024—Present, Jenise Cook. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
Linking and Sharing Brief Excerpts: We encourage you to quote briefly from our articles within reason, and to link to our content, with proper credit given to Night Owl Christian and contributors. Please provide a complete link to nightowlchristian.substack.com or directly to the article’s URL.
Reprint Permission: Please contact nightowlchristian@proton.me to request reprint permission. All reprints must include the language “Previously published in Night Owl Christian reprinted with permission” or “Reprinted with permission from Night Owl Christian along with a live link to nightowlchristian.substack.com. Content may not be reproduced, in any form, without permission from Night Owl Christian (Jenise Cook).
No matter what state I'm in, I always start the day with the Word. I read the day’s passage, then listen to the Verse by Verse sermon on that very passage. Ex: I'm studying the NIV. I'm in James 2. Today in Verse by Verse was the ending of chapter 2 -the last couple of verses. The sermon is on those.
I chose to study as soon as I wake up because that is the example my brother set, and I feel it works the best for my life. I can then get on with my day having studied the Word already.
Merry Christmas to you and yours and thank you for your service!
"May Your loving devotion rest on us, O LORD, as we put our hope in You." Psalm 33:22 BSB
GOD bless you, sister Jenise, yours, and everyone this Christmas season. May the LORD overshadow us all with His Love throughout this special time to reflect on the birth, resurrection, and soon return of our Savior, Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, GOD, with us.
Jehovah-Rapha: "the LORD our healer"
A humble prayer request for my wife, Adela. She's been sick with a debilitating illness, and as of two days ago, it has taken a turn for the worse. Thank you for your prayers.
"Bless the LORD, O my soul,
all that is within me, bless His holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and do not forget all His kind deeds—
He who forgives all your iniquities
and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the Pit
and crowns you with loving devotion and compassion,
who satisfies you with good things,
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's." Psalm 103:1-5 BSB
GOD bless you all!
O Come, O Come Emmanuel - Acoustic Christmas Worship/ Josh Snodgrass
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NqhO5hp5Gw