Advent 2020 (day 5 of 26)

December 3, 2020 (Thursday)

 

Day 5 of 26 of the Advent season.

 

One of the things I like to do is to connect Christmas with Easter. These are the two most significant events of Jesus’ life…. Well actually three. The virgin birth, the perfect sacrifice, and the resurrection in power. All this points to an eventual return to finish the work started by Jesus and currently being done by the church.

 

Hosea 6:2 foretells one of those events, “After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, so that we may live before him.” [CEB] The immediate context of Hosea is Israel’s need to return to God. Yet we have a foreshadowing of the resurrection of Jesus.

 

Hosea goes on to state in verse three, “Let’s know, let’s press on to know the Lord; whose appearing is as certain as the dawn.” [Hosea 6:3a CEB] The certainty is important for us to soak up. Just as Jesus once came, Jesus will return. You see, the message of Christmas is part of a larger package. The birth of Jesus, as God come in the flesh, is connected to His death and resurrection.

 

The trouble is our allegiance to God tends to be moody. Hosea observed, “Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that vanishes quickly.” [Hosea 6:4b CEB] I have observed there are “foul-weather” Christians and “fair-weather” Christians. The “foul-weather” type are those who run to Christ when the sky is falling but drift away when life is comfortable. The “fair-weather” type are solid when things are running smooth. However, when trouble happens they wither.

 

There is a third type of Christian, the “all-weather” Christian who is peaceful and growing in all circumstances. I think God prefers the “all-weather” type. Hosea mentions this, “For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” [Hosea 6:6 ESV]

 

Paul was thankful for the followers of Jesus in 1 Thessalonians 1:3 when he states, “This is because we remember your work that comes from faith, your effort that comes from love, and your perseverance that comes from hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father.” [CEB] Now there is a three point sermon.

 

As people who follow Jesus we work because of our faith, labor because of love, and persevere because of hope. All this is coming from being “in our Lord Jesus Christ.” These believers were examples of “all-weather” followers of Jesus.

 

One of the marks of the Thessalonians believers is, “And you are waiting for his Son from heaven. His Son is Jesus, who is the one he raised from the dead and who is the one who will rescue us from the coming wrath.” [1 Thessalonians 1:10 CEB] While serving they were waiting. They knew it was not their efforts that would save them. They productively waited for the return of the King of glory.

 

Christmas is a time to renew our energy by looking to Jesus and the message of hope we offer the world. We tend to see Christmas as a time of giving. I’d like to suggest the best gift the follower of Jesus can give to someone heading for Hell is faith, hope, and love found in following Jesus.