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!
December 23rd! Day 23! Two more days till Christmas!
Because of the small break Sarah and I got, we were able to spend some time in the morning these last few days doing our Advent reading before the day started (a nice holiday break always has some great perks). It was great getting the extra time in the morning to be with the Lord.
Today's reading came from John's account of Jesus' birth. I guess if you could compare readings, Matthew and Luke zoom in to the trees of the forest, giving the reader every detail. John's perspective comes from one who has zoomed out and sees the whole forest. He tells the reader the bigger picture of why Jesus came. This too is just as important, and why I wanted to make sure Sarah and I read through it.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us..."
(John 1:1-5, 14)
Jesus Christ, the God-man, existed before time even began. He was with God the Father from the beginning, making all things created by the word of His mouth. He brought things to life as the Bread of Life. He brought light into the darkness as the Light of the World.This Jesus, who existed with God from the beginning decided to humble Himself, enter into our world and become man!
" ...(Jesus) who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
(Philippians 2:6-11)
This very passage describes what is so shocking about the Advent story, about God's Story. God, who created everything in the universe, entered into our world to rescue us! He left His glories to be born a man and walk upon this broken world, and to love and bring back to life sinners lost in darkness.
The beautiful thing about all of this is in verse 5, "and the darkness has not overcome it." Jesus' victory over Satan, sin and death is final. There is no more that needs to be done. He has rescued His kids, He has finished His mission, and He will one day call us home. His first coming paved the way for Him to come again, and to reclaim what is rightfully His :-) This is why God has given Jesus the name above every name, so that at His name every knee will bow and every tongue will confess, "He is Lord!"
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