Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Merry CHRISTmas to you. This time of year is often characterized as a time of love. We see the ads on television showing the exchange of diamonds and jewelry … traditional signs of love. We also see relatives and friends piling through front doors for parties … bringing their love with them. But the kind of love these things show is not necessarily the love this Fourth Sunday in Advent is all about. This week, the week before Christmas, is the week we light the “love” candle. However, this kind of “love” is not the kind of love satisfied by gifts … or good friends … or a flirtatious relationship. The “love” we celebrate today is the selfless, sacrificial love God has for His creation. The kind of love that led Him to send His only son into the world, giving Him up to death so that “whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16)” In just a few days, we’ll once again celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Son of God, through whom all who, by the power of the Holy Spirit, have faith, receive the Father’s gifts … forgiveness and eternal life.
Today we worship and praise God, thanking Him for His gracious gifts to us a little differently than usual. We worship and praise Him through the words of one of the most endearing Christmas hymns ever, “O Come, O Come Immanuel”, and the special music of the Everlasting Light Cantata. We hear God’s Word proclaimed for all through song. Therefore, we won’t hear the scripture texts appointed for the 4th Sunday in Advent. Nevertheless, I urge you to read through these words sometime this week; Isaiah 7:10-17, Romans 1:1-7, and Matthew 1:18-25. In these words, God provides hope to all who believe in Him in these joyous images of His promise to show His love to His creation. We see a glimpse of the God’s love in the promises He made through Isaiah that He would send His Son into the world to save it (Isaiah 7:10-17). We see His humble, faithful servant Joseph, filled with the Holy Spirit, willingly allowing his wife Mary to bear God’s own son (Matthew 1:18-25). Then we read Paul’s summary account of Jesus’ life and work to show His Father’s love by saving His creation (Romans 1:1-7).
As you worship today, or hear God’s promises sung through the many great hymns of the season, listen carefully to these joyous promises God speaks to us, in song, through His messengers … His prophets, His apostles and His faithful people. Give thanks to God for His gracious presence in our lives through His Son, given to us 2000 years ago, who will return again to bring us into His kingdom.
Remember, not just this week, but throughout the year, the love God has for you … given through His Son, “Immanuel … God with Us.” Jesus Christ – fully God and fully man – foretold by the prophets of old … born to a woman named Mary … raised by a man named Joseph … given “to save His people (you and me included) from their sins (Matthew 1:21).” The greatest gift of love ever given.
In the Love of God,
Pastor Jim