In our first week of Advent, we look at the hope the early church had because of Jesus and the hope we still hold onto today, because Jesus will return. Hope in Jesus is not like the wishful thinking we talk about when we hope for a raise or hope for the pandemic to end. Real biblical hope is a confident assurance of what God will do, rooted in what God has already done in history.
Following Jesus is a group project.
God's Spirit has been breathed out upon a community of people so that they would live in such a way, together, that the world may see God's glory. The church is to be formed by God - together - for the sake of the world.
But that’s not something we can do in our own strength, even by joining together. Following Jesus is not just a group project with other followers, but it is a partnership with God Himself. We are called to partner with the Spirit. As we devote ourselves to what He calls us to, He is faithful to build His Kingdom.
What changed in the few weeks between Jesus' followers running and hiding from fear for their lives to surging out into the streets with a message for thousands to hear? They had been equipped by Jesus. They had been witnesses of Jesus. They had been commissioned by Jesus. But the day had finally come which gave power to all of that. The day had come which made all of those other days all the more real. On the day of Pentecost, the Spirit of God was breathed into these disciples. As the breath of God once again filled humanity, they were also filled with the hope that this was just the beginning.
After conquering death, sin, and satan, Jesus went to prepare a place for God to dwell with man - restoring what was originally intended in the beginning. But before that, he invited his followers to join in his work. They were to become co-laborers in the mission... they were co-missioned into the work of Jesus. Humans had not had a very good track record of this work, but this time would be different. Jesus promised to be with them in the mission - always.
As we've journeyed through the True Story of the Scriptures all year, we finally come to the climactic turning point of human history: the death and resurrection of Jesus. His sacrifice and crucifixion are only half of this world renewing event. It finds its completion - and we find our hope - on the third day afterward when the tomb was empty.
The night of Jesus’ betrayal he shared an important meal with his closest friends and his betrayer. But right before they ate, Jesus knelt down to serve his followers by washing their dirty, grimy, travel-worn feet. Jesus, the King of all creation, took on the posture of a servant — a slave even. He washed all of them, including the one who would betray him. Yet, this was just a foretaste. He was about to serve them in an even greater and more difficult way.
Anthony takes us through the last supper, helping us see how the Passover meal was a way for Israel to remember what God had done for them in Egypt and reaffirm who they were as God's people. When Jesus took this meal with his friends the night he was betrayed, he brought its' significance to a whole new level for us. Now we take the bread and wine to remember what Christ has done for us and reaffirm who we are in Christ.
When Jesus was confronted by religious leaders about why he was spending time with sinners, he told three stories: a parable of a lost sheep, a parable of a lost coin, and a parable of lost sons. The story tells of a wayward younger son who runs from home and lives recklessly without regard to his family, and an older son who stays home working and following all the rules in order to get what he wants. Yet, both sons are equally lost. The difference is one son comes to his senses and back to the father.
Many of us are familiar with the story Jesus told of the Good Samaritan. Who do you picture yourself as in that story? The man who gets beaten and robbed, left for dead? The ones who pass by on the other side of the road to avoid the mess? The Samaritan who cares for him? Could it be that Jesus himself has taken on the role of the Good Samaritan, and our role is found in one other character in the story who often gets forgotten?
The very first miracle where Jesus showed his glory was making wine out of water when a wedding celebration ran out of the good stuff. Was this a random, unplanned moment? Was this a side quest in the real mission Jesus came for? If we look closely and reframe this story away from our context into the people’s who lived it, we just may find how this moment was instrumental in telling the world who Jesus is and exactly why he came.
God’s people had been waiting and holding their breath for the promised Messiah to come and rescue them. They all had different expectations of what to look for. When he finally came into the world, many could not see him because they were searching for something else. Yet, Jesus came just as promised. What are you looking for? What do you seek? Are you able to see the real Jesus and find the hope, joy, peace, and rescue you need?
The words of Jeremiah were given by God to prepare His people for exile. You're about to be taken into captivity, forced to live in a foreign land, ruled by an oppressive nation. What should you do? How should you live? God's words delivered through Jeremiah were shocking. Make it a home. Plant and tend to gardens. Enter into relationships and build families. In essence, continue the call given to humanity at the very beginning... whether you're in a garden of paradise or exiled in Babylon.
Have you ever been so happy you couldn’t help but to sing?
Sing! Rejoice! Because even though this world is broken, life is hard, and you have rebelled, God will come and sing over you with rejoicing — if you have humbled yourself and recognize your need for Him. He will rescue you like a mighty warrior. How amazing is it that God sings over His people?
God’s people were worshipping the gods of other nations along with the God of Israel. As Elijah said, they were hobbling between two crutches. God uses Elijah, his prophet, to show who the true God is during an epic showdown between Elijah and 450 prophets of Baal. It would seem Elijah would be outmatched, but really it was a battle between God and Baal - and Baal would prove to be no match at all for the true God.
God's people wanted a king, just like the other nations had. They wanted one who would represent them well. One who was tall, handsome, strong - a natural leader.
But God was their true King, and if He was going to give them a human representative it would be one who represented what He is like - not what the other nations were like. This is the context where we find the power struggle between Saul and David.
