Advent Reading ~In His Word~ December 22, 2020
Joy to the World the Lord is come, let earth receive her King… His birth was just the beginning!
We celebrate Jesus this week each year, we celebrate His
coming this month, and then we go about our daily lives in the New Year ahead and
though most people start out on spot we manage to slack off as the year wanders
on. Still, let us rejoice for now! For who knows what the new year brings? Certainly
not man, or woman. The cool thing is that He came to seek and to save the lost.
Luke 19:10 shows us that it was not just to reign over us like some earthly
king would, but our Lord Jesus came to seek us out! Once He arrived on scene He
was instantly loved and admired more than just the average baby is, and most of
us know that infants get a ton of attention anyway. For Jesus it meant good and
bad attention; He had to move twice in his young life before settling I Nazareth,
a town that was not one that people would think He would have come from. The
people were not usualy liked. I think it was a matter of Jesus, the son of God,
the King of Kings, hiding in plain sight.
As I gaze on my little ‘Nativity Scene’ I think about the
little baby. He was precious in his mother’s sight, she knew where he came
from, but to be true, she did not know where he would go from here. Just as
most mothers Mary pondered the things around his birth, and wondered, no doubt
what would come of this sweet little bundle of joy…
Would he be wise in his youth? We know he went to speak and
teach in the temple at age 12 or so, and that Mary and Joseph had no idea. He
was joy to the world, but also so many found sorrow because of their attachment
to the world. Those who put things, and selfish desires before God Himself find
sorrow. There would be a rich man who wanted to follow Jesus, and be perfect in
His sight, whom he would have to tell to
sell what he had, and give his profits to the poor.
“I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied.
“What else must I do?” Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell
all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure
in heaven. Then come, follow me.” But when the young man heard this, he went
away sad, for he had many possessions. Matthew 19:20-22
It wasn’t about the act but the connection the young man had
to his possessions. If we choose to follow Him, we must know that He needs to
be first in our lives.
When the wisemen came to see Jesus, they gave the child the
gifts to Him with purpose. Gold, Frankincense and Mur. Perhaps to be the appropriate gift for a King?
We do not know exactly but they were the type of gifts you would give a worldly
king. They gave honor to Jesus in giving these things and I am sure the gold at
least came in handy to support the moving around they had to do. Joseph was a Carpenter
and was probably sufficient at it to pay for his family but as we know moving
costs money as well and when they moved to Egypt, they probably kept a low
profile. So, they came in handy those gifts. At any rate, they were not just
random gifts. Just as God did not randomly choose someone to be his Messiah,
but He brought a bit of Himself to give to us. Therefore, the young man had to
release the hold his things had on him, he had to give of himself.
Jesus corrected and taught the young man that obedience was
a start discipline to do what was required took more selfless action, more
effort to please God over self.
I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and
turn from your indifference. “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear
my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together
as friends. Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I
was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne. Revelation3:19-21
I find it amazing that He drew people to Him even as a
child. God showed the people via the angels that Jesus was His son. He was an
excited Father showing off His baby! Not unlike us showing off our newborns on
internet media today!
They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And
there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told
everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this
child. Luke 2:16-17
We need to be that excited! Maybe today we will have the
chance to tell someone to “come and see this newborn child who will seek and
save the lost souls!” Maybe today we will be able to invite them to tune in to
our favorite church service, or come in person? Look around. Wherever you are;
look to see who is seeking to find a Savior, who needs saving from themselves?
That is who Jesus came for. The rich man and the poor. The sick and weak and
the strong. Today I will add a second video that has a prayer that they can pray,
maybe send it out to your friend who is searching for the baby, the King of
Kings, today? In Jesus’ name…