Advent and Christmas are seasonally intertwined. Advent is the deeply religious celebration of the first coming of Jesus Christ, with a view towards the second.
Now, Christ has paid the price to redeem sinners, and we are all sinners. Now, faith is gift from God that makes a permanent transformation in a person’s life. Now, understand those who have truly drawn near to Jesus will be found, now, in God’s word and in Christ’s church. Those in Christ, now, will be ready when Christ comes again, then.
Jesus Christ is the King of many things. Jesus is the King of creation, having spoken the universe into existence. Jesus is the King of salvation, for no one can be saved apart from Him. Jesus is the King of the consummation, and all will see Him at His second coming.
For the purpose of this charge to the church, I want to use Philemon as the prime example of the church. I want to challenge you to feel about your church the way Paul felt about Philemon. I want to challenge you to be the kind of Christian Philemon proved to be.
The greatest thing about God is Who He is. The next greatest thing about God is what He has done. He has made “judgements” concerning sin and salvation. He has decreed “ways” to bring His people to salvation. No one else could do it.
Adam and Noah notwithstanding, God made His first major covenant of salvation with a cat named Abram. By grace, God called Abraham, in faith Abram followed God, and the original recipient of the Old Covenant became Father Abraham.
What the world throws away, God values highly (ref. 1 Corinthians 1:28). This is especially true when it comes to people, God’s people.
“The end justifies the means” is a Machiavellian expression that condones wrong-doing in an effort to make things right. Can Christians live by this motto, that a desired end justifies any and every means?
From a Christian perspective, there is no love greater than God’s love, and God proved it in the person and work of Jesus Christ (ref. John 3:16). Such love is received by grace through faith.
According to Paul in Romans 9, there is a great difference between God’s people and those who are not. One group is chosen, redeemed, and saved. The others are passed over, punished for their sin, and lost. What makes the difference?
