Advent|Dec.1st ~ Celebrating our Rescuer's Coming!

I know it's been too long since our last blog (right after our wedding day), but I'm sure lots of people say this.

Sarah & I would like to share with you one of our "first" traditions (if we can call it a tradition yet). We decided to get an Advent calendar for our Christmas season! 1. Because I don't remember the last time I ever went through an Advent calendar 2. Because it's cool and we live in Seattle 3. Because it's biblical (thought I should add this one). We are celebrating Advent, because the word means "coming," and reminds Sarah & I of the best "coming" there ever was! The arrival of our Rescuer, Jesus Christ!

Considering it's December 1st, I wanted to not only start an Advent calendar with my wife, but also read through the account of Jesus' birth, as recorded in Matthew 1 and following. So let me share with you a little of what today looked like for us.

Matthew 1:1 "The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham..."

We didn't read just this section alone, but we started our first Advent by talking about genealogies. Jesus had one, you have one, I have one. We all have one. It reminds us from where we have come and to where we are going. Our great grandparents, grandparents, parents, kids, grandkids and so on, so forth...  

There are lots of stories in our genealogies, some grand and some not so grand, filled with 'somebodies' and sometimes filled with, what seems to be, 'nobodies.' Jesus' genealogy is quite the same, filled with all kinds of people, even the ones we don't like to mention: kings, wise men, rulers, judges, peasants, rich, poor, murderers, thieves, fools, harlots, prostitutes, adulterers, old men, young teenagers, children, babies and more. His genealogy wasn't much different than some of ours, but His birth changed all of history! He was God come as a baby. He came to redeem and rescue His lineage, past and present! His coming was one of a kind, His birth was one of a kind. He came to live, die, and rise from the dead for the rescuing of all of us!

Through Jesus all our stories and genealogies can be rescued and redeemed. He can save us from our sins and our self-destructive paths. He gives us new hearts, new lives and new genealogies! This is why His coming was the best coming and still is the best coming! This is why Sarah & I are celebrating Advent!

"for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel." - Luke 2:30-32