
Advent 2019 - Love
Every Christmas season, there is a plethora of cheesy romance movies that come out on television - and Netflix! They are all quite predictable and the ending is clear from the first five minutes of the film. Yet new movies are made year after year, with re-runs being played in-between, so people must be watching them! Perhaps it shouldn’t be that much of a surprise. Christmas - at its heart - is about love!
Advent 2019 - Joy
But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness. (Isaiah 65:18, ESV)
Advent 2019 - Peace
In the 2000 movie, Miss Congeniality, contestants of a beauty contest were asked what they thought was “the one most important thing our society needs?” Without fail, every contestant, except one, answered “World Peace.” As that one contestant learned, the only way to receive approval was to say, “World Peace.” Throughout time, many people have wished for world peace. Some have great ideas of how to achieve it! And as we approach Christmas in this second week of Advent, our focus turns towards peace.
Advent 2019 - Hope
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.” (Isaiah 9:2, ESV)
Advent 2019 - Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love!
Advent is a time of waiting. Our whole life, however, is
Advent--that is, a time of waiting for the ultimate,
for the time when there will be a new heaven and a new earth,
when all people are brothers and sisters and one rejoices in the words of the angels:
"On earth peace to those on whom God's favor rests."
Learn to wait, because he has promised to come.
"I stand at the door..."
We however call to him: "Yes, come soon,
Lord Jesus!"
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, A Testament to Freedom: the essential writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Advent is a time of waiting. Our whole life, however, is
Advent--that is, a time of waiting for the ultimate,
for the time when there will be a new heaven and a new earth,
when all people are brothers and sisters and one rejoices in the words of the angels:
"On earth peace to those on whom God's favor rests."
Learn to wait, because he has promised to come.
"I stand at the door..."
We however call to him: "Yes, come soon,
Lord Jesus!"
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, A Testament to Freedom: the essential writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer