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Why is Deception So Easy?
Part of the Advent Reading is in 2 Thessalonians. Today’s reading in 2 Thess. 2:1-12. The question here is this: Why is deception so easy? Paul writes encouragement to the Thessalonians because he wants them to know what is truth. He lets them know they don’t have to be so easily conned in this game of, “Here comes Messiah.” I can certainly understand…
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The Longing of Anna
For Sunday’s text I am focusing on “longing” for the return of Christ and using the Luke text on Anna as we watch her long for Messiah. Here are some interesting things to notice right off the top: 1. She is OLD. Who in the world thinks about anyone over 25 doing anything for God these days? 2. She is…
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Sleep in heavenly peace… HA!
There are so many myths to bust about how we view our sanitized versions of Christmas. The perfect Mary and Joseph. The clean straw. All that good stuff. We want our “meek and mild” Jesus. But Advent is a time to be reminded of Jesus coming again. And when he comes, it’s not so “quiet.” 3 Our God is coming; he…
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I am Ruined!
5 I said, “Mourn for me; I’m ruined! I’m a man with unclean lips, and I live among a people with unclean lips. Yet I’ve seen the king, the Lord of heavenly forces!” (Isa. 6:5, CEB) Advent is the powerful story of Christ coming to us. It also needs to remind us of the state of our own affairs. We are…
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COMFORT One Another With These Words
My last post had the text from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. The last sentence is one that intrigues me. When we talk about Christ coming again, and then use this passage, it’s not usually in a comforting way. It’s usually to SCARE one another. “You better watch what you’re doing… JESUS IS COMING BACK!” “AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!” How do we find “comfort” or “encouragement”…
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Advent — Christ IS Coming
We say at communion: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ is coming again. And then we live like we don’t think that very often. He is coming back… someday. But Advent calls out to us. He IS coming back! 13 Brothers and sisters, we want you to know about people who have died[d] so that you won’t mourn like others who…
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Eternal One
25 In the beginning, Lord, you laid the earth’s foundation and created the heavens. 26 They will all disappear and wear out like clothes. You change them, as you would a coat, but you last forever. 27 You are always the same. Years cannot change you. 28 Every generation of those who serve you will live in your presence. (Psalm 120:25-28, CEB) As humans, especially…
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The God Who Comes to Us
The beauty of Advent is the realization of God who comes to us. He has always been the One to hear the cry of his people. He has always been the One to take up the cause of those who call out to him. He is the God who hears. He will come to us. 6 In my distress I called to…
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The Message of Advent and Our Desire for Being “Neat”
Yesterday’s Advent readings included some very “not nice” language in Isaiah. Today, even Psalms isn’t safe! 3 Our God is coming; he won’t keep quiet. A devouring fire is before him; a storm rages all around him. (Psa. 50:3, CEB) Devouring fire? Where is this nice little baby in the manger? What is happening? In this season we really need our…
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Knock off the fake worship!
The reading in Advent will usually get around to Isaiah and this year it dives right into Isaiah 1. To put it succinctly, God is not happy. As I work on the Sermon on the Mount and a “pro-life ethic,” I am drawn to the parallels here in Isaiah 1. A quote I posted from Craig Keener really drives at the…
Tag: Advent
