Embracing Hope, Humility, and Love This Advent

Devotional

Day 1: Hope as a Present Reality

In the Advent season, we are reminded of the hope that the Old Testament saints held for the coming Messiah. This hope was fulfilled in the New Testament with the birth of Christ. However, this hope is not just a historical event; it is a present reality that we can hold onto in our own lives. The hope of Christ's coming offers us assurance and strength in times of uncertainty and unrest. It invites us to trust in God's promises and to look forward to the future with confidence, knowing that He is with us. [22:19]

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to embrace the hope of Christ today? How can you actively remind yourself of this hope throughout the week?

Day 2: The Paradox of Humility and Majesty

The birth of Jesus is a story of contrasts, highlighting the paradox of His humility and majesty. Born in humble circumstances, Jesus came into the world as a baby in a manger, yet He was the divine King, worthy of worship by shepherds and wise men alike. This duality teaches us that true greatness is found in humility and service. Jesus' life exemplified this, showing us that we can honor Him by serving others and recognizing His divine majesty in our daily lives. [27:27]

"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ 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." (Philippians 2:5-7, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you practice humility in your interactions with others this week, while also acknowledging the majesty of Christ in your life?

Day 3: Jesus' Identification with Humanity

Jesus' life on earth allowed Him to fully identify with our human experiences, from childhood to adulthood. This identification assures us that He understands our struggles and joys, making Him a relatable and compassionate Savior. By living among us, Jesus experienced the trials and tribulations of human life, yet without sin. This profound connection with humanity offers us comfort and assurance that we are not alone in our journey. [35:52]

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin." (Hebrews 4:15, ESV)

Reflection: How does knowing that Jesus fully understands your struggles change the way you approach Him in prayer and daily life?

Day 4: Servanthood as the Path to Greatness

Jesus' life exemplified servanthood, showing that true greatness lies in serving others. This principle challenges us to reflect Christ's love through acts of service, building meaningful relationships and impacting lives. By following Jesus' example, we learn that serving others is not just an obligation but a path to experiencing the fullness of life and the joy of giving. [39:29]

"But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all." (Mark 10:43-44, ESV)

Reflection: Identify one person in your life whom you can serve this week. What specific action can you take to demonstrate Christ-like servanthood to them?

Day 5: Worship and Surrender

Recognizing Jesus' majesty calls us to worship and surrender all we have to Him. Our time, talents, and treasures belong to Him, and by honoring Him with these, we align our lives with His purpose and experience His transformative power. Worship is not just an act of singing or praying but a lifestyle of surrender and devotion to Christ. [49:39]

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." (Romans 12:1, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to Jesus? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?

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Sermon Summary

In this season of Advent, we reflect on the profound themes of hope, peace, joy, and love, culminating in the celebration of Christ's birth. The Old Testament saints longed for the Messiah, holding onto hope amidst uncertainty and unrest. The New Testament saints rejoiced in the fulfillment of that hope, experiencing peace through Christ's presence. Joy, symbolized by the unique brightness of the joy candle, stands out as a testament to the transformative power of Christ's coming. Today, we light the love candle, recognizing that all these themes are rooted in the love of God, who sent His Son to dwell among us.

The story of Christ's birth is a narrative of contrasts. The Jews anticipated a powerful political leader, yet Jesus came humbly as a baby, born in a manger. This humility is juxtaposed with the majesty of His divine nature, worthy of worship by both shepherds and wise men. Jesus' birth in humble circumstances allowed Him to identify with humanity, experiencing life as we do, yet without sin. His life exemplified servanthood, teaching us that true greatness lies in service and relationship-building.

Jesus' humility and majesty are both essential to understanding His greatness. He emptied Himself of divine privilege to live among us, experiencing our trials and tribulations. Yet, He remains the King, deserving of all glory and honor. As we reflect on His birth, we are called to emulate His humility in service and to worship His majesty. In doing so, we find our own lives transformed, gaining a clearer perspective on our struggles and joys.

As we approach Christmas, let us remember that Jesus meets us where we are, offering love and grace despite our unworthiness. By lifting Him up in our lives, we gain the strength to face our challenges with hope and joy. Let us honor Him with our time, talents, and treasures, recognizing that all we have belongs to Him. May this season be a time of renewed commitment to glorifying Jesus in all we do.

Key Takeaways

1. Hope and Fulfillment: The Advent season reminds us of the hope the Old Testament saints held for the coming Messiah and the fulfillment of that hope in the New Testament. This hope is not just historical but a present reality that we can hold onto in our own lives. [22:19]
2. Humility and Majesty: Jesus' birth in humble circumstances highlights the contrast between His humanity and divine majesty. This duality teaches us that true greatness is found in humility and service, yet He remains worthy of all worship and honor. [27:27]
3. Identification with Humanity: Jesus' life on earth allowed Him to fully identify with our human experiences, from childhood to adulthood. This identification assures us that He understands our struggles and joys, making Him a relatable and compassionate Savior. [35:52]
4. Servanthood as Greatness: Jesus' life exemplified servanthood, showing that true greatness lies in serving others. This principle challenges us to reflect Christ's love through acts of service, building meaningful relationships and impacting lives. [39:29]
5. Worship and Surrender: Recognizing Jesus' majesty calls us to worship and surrender all we have to Him. Our time, talents, and treasures belong to Him, and by honoring Him with these, we align our lives with His purpose and experience His transformative power. [49:39]
** [49:39]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[22:19] - Advent Reflection: Hope and Love
[25:41] - The Birth of Christ: A Story of Contrasts
[27:27] - Humility and Majesty of Jesus
[28:57] - The Journey to Bethlehem
[30:35] - Jesus' Eternal Existence
[32:05] - The Census and God's Sovereign Plan
[33:18] - The Humble Birth in a Manger
[35:52] - Identification with Humanity
[37:23] - Building Relationships
[39:29] - Servanthood as Greatness
[40:46] - The Worship of the Wise Men
[42:05] - Gifts of Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh
[43:14] - Greatness in Humility and Majesty
[49:39] - Worship and Surrender
[51:18] - Finding Joy in Jesus

Sermon Clips

"And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger because there was no place for them in the inn. Father, today, this passage is just seven verses, but says so much more than these words can describe. And as we pull back the layers, God, I pray that you just give us an insight into this and specifically to what it meant for Jesus to come and what it means for Jesus to be here now." [00:29:25] (31 seconds)

"The story of the birth of Christ is really an incredible series of contrasts. It is the expectations of the Jews that we talked about last week. They were expecting this political, military, strong arm leader versus the way that Jesus came as God in the flesh in this little baby born in the most humble of means." [00:27:27] (24 seconds)

"And it's in this contrast that we see this incredible beauty as we see both the humility of who Christ came to be and what he did to come to provide all the things that he has provided for us, as well as the glory and the majesty that he is worthy of worship." [00:28:14] (21 seconds)

"And so Jesus came to be born to someone who was identified by as just a normal guy. And so he came to be born into just a normal family. And so that was important so that he could identify with us as the everyman. So knowing that as he would grow, he would experience all the trials and tribulations that a person would experience." [00:36:21] (32 seconds)

"Greatness found in servanthood. Now, that's the humility side. And absolutely everything that I've said is absolutely 100% true. And it makes Jesus who he is. But on the other hand, he was and is very much the king, worthy to be worshiped and adored, worthy to be honored. He's deity, God in the flesh, sinless, perfect." [00:39:29] (35 seconds)

"So what I want to make sure that we understand today is that the greatness of Christ, the greatness of Jesus Christ, is found in both His humility, and in His majesty. First of all, in His humility. We've already mentioned this, but I want to emphasize it again." [00:42:54] (20 seconds)

"Jesus teaches us that greatness is found in service and in building those fundamental kingdom relationships. You think about the subtle things that mean so much to us. Of course, it's easy to look at it this time of year because people exchange gifts and those kind of things." [00:43:14] (20 seconds)

"Even those who have been sent with ulterior motives, they come into Jesus' presence and they are brought to their knees. Of the majesty and glory that Jesus is. He deserves every bit of that and so much more. He deserves every bit of glory that you and I can give him." [00:47:09] (23 seconds)

"Father God, today we are here in your presence and we're so thankful for your love and grace and for your words and for truth that we can lean on. Thank you for the example of humility and majesty. I need them both. Because when I see and when I bring my needs to the throne, I'm bringing them to someone who understands." [00:54:17] (30 seconds)

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