Jesus' Coming
Jesus' coming was the most progressive moment the earth had seen up until that day.
His ascension was another huge step forward in the progress of mankind toward complete and full redemption. He tore the veil and walked in first.
His second coming is what we look to and celebrate today.
Advent was never intended to be a celebration of what happened, but an anticipation of the fullness of what IS happening.
Jesus is Lord of the living.
Luke 20:37“But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’
38“For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him.”
Jesus isn't someone that lived. He lives! He isn't someone that stayed in a manger...though He remains meek and humble, unfolding the truth of what started in a barn.
The most awe-inspiring demonstration of the unstoppable power of humility and mercy began in a manger, but He didn't stay there.
Jesus is advancing the time. Born once, but alive forever. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Religion looks back and tries to sanctify history. Relationship looks forward, thankful for where we started, but sanctifying OURSELVES into the future...
Acts 1:1The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
2until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen,
3to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
4And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me;
5“for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
6Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.
8“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
9Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
10And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel,
11who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey.
13And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James.
14These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come down!
This is why we wait in anticipation. This is why we wait together. This is why we celebrate.
We don't wait as those with no hope. We tarry for the power, groaning with joy until the fullness of the adoption.
Romans 8:18For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
19For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.
20For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope;
21because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
22For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.
23Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.
24For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?
25But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
We wait with hope and joy. Moving forward in celebration into the fullness of the gift of adoption.
Merry Christmas!
His ascension was another huge step forward in the progress of mankind toward complete and full redemption. He tore the veil and walked in first.
His second coming is what we look to and celebrate today.
Advent was never intended to be a celebration of what happened, but an anticipation of the fullness of what IS happening.
Jesus is Lord of the living.
Luke 20:37“But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’
38“For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him.”
Jesus isn't someone that lived. He lives! He isn't someone that stayed in a manger...though He remains meek and humble, unfolding the truth of what started in a barn.
The most awe-inspiring demonstration of the unstoppable power of humility and mercy began in a manger, but He didn't stay there.
Jesus is advancing the time. Born once, but alive forever. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Religion looks back and tries to sanctify history. Relationship looks forward, thankful for where we started, but sanctifying OURSELVES into the future...
Acts 1:1The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
2until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen,
3to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
4And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me;
5“for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
6Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.
8“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
9Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
10And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel,
11who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey.
13And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James.
14These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come down!
This is why we wait in anticipation. This is why we wait together. This is why we celebrate.
We don't wait as those with no hope. We tarry for the power, groaning with joy until the fullness of the adoption.
Romans 8:18For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
19For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.
20For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope;
21because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
22For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.
23Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.
24For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?
25But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
We wait with hope and joy. Moving forward in celebration into the fullness of the gift of adoption.
Merry Christmas!
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