As I began to pray this morning, I felt an inner prompting to ask the Father to deepen and strengthen my personal knowledge and awareness of His fatherly love for me. To convince me - really convince me deep within - that He loves me with a father's love! 

That's probably not a particularly unusual prayer for many Christians; I know I have asked that of the Lord numerous times before. What was unusual (to me, at least) was the inner motivation for that prayer. What was prompting me to pray that way wasn't so much a desire to feel the love of the Father (though thatis right and good and pretty incredible!) What was prompting me was a desire to honor the Father for His love. Here's what I mean:

God has been crazy good to me all my life. He has (most importantly) opened my eyes and heart to believe in Jesus Christ as my Savior and my Lord. He has blessed me, and guided me, and answered my prayers (not always as I asked or expected, but looking back, always for my best), and just been kind to me - and all of this completely undeserved. He has shown Himself over and over again to be a Father who's good pleasure is in doing good to me. And this being so, to question whether He loves me as a Father, to doubt His love, to not rejoice and be amazed and be confident of His fatherly care and love over me is to dishonor my loving heavenly Father.

I have three children and I love them all very much and hope that I demonstrate that love everyday. I certainly tell them I love them every day! And it would sadden me if they were uncertain about whether I loved them. In a very real sense, it would be a dishonor to me if they constantly questioned my love for them, because it would color my actions and declarations of love as untrue and untrustworthy. Any generosity and kindness and provision and help I give them would be diminished because they weren't convinced of my deep love in providing these things to them. Now, I am an imperfect and selfish and sinful father, so my love is imperfect and how I show my love is imperfect. And yet I still expect and hope it to be enough to convince them.

Our heavenly Father lavishes His undeserved and gracious love on His children generously! If all He provided for us was His Son for our salvation it would be infinitely more than we could ever expect or deserve. And yet, while the cross is the greatest demonstration of His love, it isn't the only demonstration by any means - not by a long shot! It is, according to Jesus, the Father's good pleasure to give us the kingdom - He delights and enjoys giving us free and welcoming entrance into His glorious kingdom! And from my experience, it is the Father's good pleasure to do good to me in a thousand ways every day. So I want to live in an awareness and amazement over His generous and big-hearted love for me because living in that awareness and amazement (and lack of questioning) acknowledges the Father for Who He is and that honors and appreciates Him and what He has done and what He does every day.

Jesus didn't just want to assure us that the Father would give us the kingdom. He purposely reveals to us that the Father loves to give us His kingdom. Jesus isn't just making a statement about the kingdom or about us - the loudest statement Jesus is making here is about the Father's heart. And because of His heart, we don't need to fear. In fact I would say that what settles our fears most powerfully isn't the assurance that we will be given the kingdom, what settles our fear most powerfully is our Father's delight in doing good to us, culminating in giving us the kingdom. If that's the case (and it is!) then why would we ever fear again? Perfect love drives out fear!

I want to honor my heavenly Father by living confidently in His love - such a loving and gracious Father deserves no less!

 O come, Thou Key of David, come,

And open wide our heavenly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high,

And close the path to misery.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

Week 4 / RESURRECTION AND RETURN

DECEMBER 18 – DECEMBER 24 

The 1996 movie “Jerry McGuire” climaxed when Tom Cruise burst into his wife’s home, looked into her eyes and said the famous words, “You complete me.” He had just experienced the height of his professional career only to find out it was not what he had expected. He expected joy and found loneliness. He expected fulfillment and found emptiness. He was a man in the throes of finding out that what he had always pursued was not what he truly needed or desired. 

Maguire was right about one thing: Incompleteness marks our current life. No matter how hard we try, fulfillment is always just out of reach. For unbelievers, the pursuit of fulfillment will feel like eternally chasing a moving target until Jesus becomes the object of their longing. However, even for the believer, there is a real sense that we have not found what we are looking for. 

Completion is only found in Christ, through His death for our sin and resurrection from the grave, but it’s not a complete reality until we stand in our resurrected bodies in the presence of our Savior. This won’t happen until Jesus’ words in Matthew 24 come to pass: “They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” The return of Jesus and final restoration are the human hope, nothing less. Paul knew this well when he sat down to write Romans 8. 

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. ROMANS 8:18-25 

The central theme of this passage is what all of us long for: glory. The climactic theme of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation is that we are born and reborn to share fully in the glory of God. As history marches on, we inch ever closer to the day when the heavenly city will have “no need for the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb” (Revelation 21:23). There will be a day when we physically and fully partake in the glory of God, but until that day gets here, we groan. 

According to Romans 8, the children of God groan amidst suffering. This suffering is not only referring to imprisonment or martyrdom but also the daily sufferings we walk through, from disease to financial reversals, difficult marriages to loneliness. The pains of our fallen world are violently depicted as a mother giving birth to child. At this point, we might expect Paul to say the Spirit in our lives eases the pain, but instead he does something completely unexpected. In a passage on suffering and glory, Paul links our groaning to having the “firstfruits of the Spirit.” 

He says there is an aspect of our groaning that is strengthened because the Spirit has revealed to us Who Jesus is and that He will return to decisively defeat sin and death. Our living under the weight of sin today is felt to a greater degree because we know it will not always be this way; thus, our groaning is heightened by our longing. This is the “already but not yet” our pastors talk about. The penalty of sin has already been paid for, but the impact of sin has not yet ended. We are a church family who knows this all too well. Tumors, miscarriages and deaths have made our local community aware of the suffering that comes with a world still groaning for the return of Christ, but by the grace of God, that’s not all Paul said. 

Paul’s hope is that, when these sufferings are held up to the infinite light of the glory of God, they are “not worth comparing.” Paul was not speaking out of ignorance. As we are a body aware of suffering, Paul was a man aware of suffering. From beatings, to prison, to shipwrecks, to eventual death, he knew suffering firsthand. So what could cause a man who walked through that amount of pain to speak with such confidence? Paul answers that with one word: “present.” 

Suffering is not eternal, but the glory upon which we wait is. Jesus is going to return, and when He does, we will share in the fullness of His glory. When we do, the text says we will experience two things: adoption as sons, which is the redemption of our bodies, and a new earth free from the weight of sin. Since the text says creation is waiting to “obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God,” these are not separate statements but one united reality that will take place when the glorious trumpets sound and the Servant returns as King.

 As we wait for this day, incompleteness defines our lives because we live as adopted children who have not yet been picked up by our parents. We know our parents’ names, know they have paid for our adoption, know the adoption has been approved but stand on the curb with bags packed waiting on them to come and tell us, “You’re home.” This is true for all believers from all centuries. Those living today and those who have entered the presence of the Lord await the completion of our adoption in the redemption of our bodies. 

This is the Christian hope into which we were saved. We know that Jesus has already paid for our adoption, but we wait for the Father to send Him for us to renew our home and dwell among us eternally as we experience our resurrected bodies and the fullness of His glory. This is a salvation about so much more than just “going to heaven when we die.” This is restoration, redemption and renewal. This is going from enemies of God to sons and daughters of God, co-heirs with Christ. This is living fully in the image of God the way He intended. Oh what a day that will be. Come Lord Jesus, come. 

Until Christ’s return, Paul gives us an example of how to groan in view of eternity. He exemplifies how to view the hardships of a fallen world through the lens of the eternal glory we await. To live in light of eternity does not mean demotions and cancer are not painful. It means they are not crushing. Cancer is painful because death is the last enemy to be conquered, but it’s not crushing because it’s only a matter of time before our resurrection conquers all disease. It means that loneliness is not something only our single brothers and sisters experience. We all experience loneliness because marriage is not the solution to the human condition. It’s a gift and an image that represents the substance for which we all long. 

The substance that brings fulfillment and ends loneliness is standing face to face with our beloved, Jesus Christ. To stand face to face, two things must take place: He must return, and our flesh must be the redeemed, resurrected body to come. When fully grasping our hope, we can endure any suffering because we know it is temporary, and the glory to come is eternal. Until that day, we strive for a steadfast hope, we wait with patience, and we stand confident that our Savior will appear to bring completion to the adoption we long for. 

QUESTIONS FOR PERSONAL REFLECTION 

1. How would you explain the hope we have in Romans 8? 
2. What suffering are you walking in right now? How are you trying to keep it in perspective of eternity? 
3. If our future resurrection is true, how does it shape the way you see singleness, family, business and missions? 
4. Are you in gospel-centered community? If so, how does living in community help keep your suffering in perspective? How are you helping others see suffering through an eternal lens?

 FAMILY DEVOTIONAL 

As a family, share what you know about the promise that Jesus will return. What will it be like? When will it happen? Why is it important? 

The return of Jesus will mark the beginning of a new heaven and a new earth, a time in which will be free from sin and all the effects of sin. What are some of the effects of sin you see in our world? What are things in your life that you would consider “sufferings?” If you could imagine a world with no sin or suffering, what would it be like? 

As a family, spend time with God. Read Revelation 21:1-5 and talk about the following questions. 

1. Are there any unfamiliar or confusing words in this passage? 
2. What will be true about death and pain once Jesus comes back? 
3. Verse 3 tells us what the best part of eternity will be. What is it? Do you believe that is true? 
4. What does the return of Jesus show us about the nature and character of God? 
5. How does the first coming of Jesus give us confidence in His second coming? 

Close your time by praying as a family. Parents, ask your kids how you can be praying for them. Kids, ask your parents the same thing. Think about people in your life who might be facing great hardship or suffering. Pray for them as a family. 

 © 2011 The Village Church. All rights reserved.

O come, Thou Day-Spring,

come and cheer

Our spirits by Thine advent here

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night

And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

Week 3 / INCARNATION AND IMPLICATIONS

DECEMBER 11 – DECEMBER 17 

At one point in history, God made a promise that became a reality in the coming of Christ. His coming is known as the Incarnation in which He took on human flesh to rescue humanity through His life, death and resurrection. The Incarnation and its impact on us are the focus of our time this week, and we are looking at them through the lens of John 1. There is a common temptation to gloss over this text because of our familiarity with it, but we should come with a renewed look at what the Lord spoke through John. So before moving into the text, hit pause and ask the Holy Spirit to give you understanding and eyes to see Jesus magnified through the words of the apostle. 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it...And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. JOHN 1:1-5; 14 

John opens his Gospel with the same three words Moses opened with in Genesis: “In the beginning.” This isn’t accidental or insignificant; rather, it is intentional and profound. What makes this breathtaking is that John’s “In the beginning” refers to a time before Genesis 1:1. As we read the rest of John 1:1, it becomes clear that he is referring to the origin of history before creation, when God and “the Word” existed eternally face to face. Then, when the Father decided it was time to create, it was the Word Who spoke creation into being. Through the Word, God brought into existence what had not previously existed. 

The eternal Word “became” a man named Jesus. He Who eternally existed as God became human for humanity’s redemption. In this, He did not cease to be God. He came as fully God and fully man – on a mission of grace and truth, reflecting the glory He shared with the Father to the blind and broken world. 

In John’s description of Jesus coming to earth, he does something strategic to draw us back to the Old Testament again. He says that glory resides within the flesh of the Son. In response to this, the Jewish reader would have said: “Hold on. What about Exodus 40:34, which states, ‘The glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle?’” 

John would say that’s the point. Glory no longer resides within a building but within Jesus Christ Who, full of glory and truth, literally “tabernacled” among us. The place where glory overflows and worship is poured out is no longer about geography or buildings. It’s about God Who became man in pursuit of you. He came to reveal the glory of the Father through your redemption, but this redemption did not come without a price. 

The price paid is known and cherished as the gospel, and 1 Corinthians 15 puts it as straight forward as any passage: the gospel is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus according to the Scriptures for the forgiveness of sin. Christ’s death on the cross absorbed the weight of God’s wrath against sin, thus displaying eternal glory, and Christ’s resurrection proclaimed victory over death. This gospel is the fulfillment of the promise God spoke through the prophets of old. God is reliable because the plan of salvation revealed in the Old Testament did not begin in the Old Testament. Salvation through Jesus Christ was not a reaction to sin entering the world. God’s redemptive purposes are rooted in eternity. Salvation through Jesus Christ is an eternal plan that began even before “In the beginning,” which brings us back to John 1. 

When we look at John 1 through the lens of 1 Corinthians 15, we see John being intentional about his choice of words. John calling Jesus the “Word” was a strategic spear thrown at his audience. The Greek word is logos, and the Greeks used it commonly when speaking about their gods. The Greeks believed their gods were detached from the pain of the world. Unlike those gods, the logos of the Bible felt fully the pain of the world. In attaching Himself to humanity, Jesus suffered the punishment of the cross so that we would not eternally suffer the punishment of our sin.

 We are born blinded by the darkness of sin, but when our faith is transformed by Jesus, light invades the darkness. Thus verse 14, to “have seen his glory,” is to see Jesus for Who He is: the loving, compassionate source of infinite joy Who both created the world by His Word and was sent to awaken our soul through His gospel to the glory of His Father. 

There are two primary implications to highlight. First, Christ has redeemed us from our sin, but this does not mean our struggle with sin has ended. We still battle daily to become who we are, new creations and conquerors in Christ. This battle will rage until Christ returns and deals sin its decisive and final blow. Second, in John 17 Jesus prays to the Father, “As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” The Church is a sent people following the model of Jesus. He left heaven for earth to enter into humanity and integrate into society. We are to see life through the same lens. 

As Jesus was sent to humanity with a mission, we are sent to humanity to carry out His mission. We have been sent to “incarnate” into our cities and through our jobs, homes, coffee shops, homeless shelters, etc. We are to integrate counter-cultural living into our city. Jesus shows us that neither of these implications can be taken in isolation. Rather, our holiness is stirred up by our mission, and our mission is accomplished in our holiness. This is the mission of the bride of Christ in the joy of Christ until the day we walk by sight and not by faith. 

QUESTIONS FOR PERSONAL REFLECTION 

1. How would you explain the phrase, “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us?”
2. In what ways has God integrated you into society? What practical steps can you take to live as a person sent to reveal Christ?
3. At the heart level, what holds you back from seeing yourself as a sent person? How are you strategically fighting for holiness in those areas?
4. How would you explain the gospel, its effect on your life and how your transformation produces mission? Suggestion: take your time and write it out.
5. Whom has the Lord placed in your sphere of influence to whom you can be a messenger of the gospel? 

FAMILY DEVOTIONAL 

Take a minute and think back to last Christmas. Was there a time when you looked at a box sitting under a Christmas tree and only wanted to know one thing: What is in there? You knew it was for you but also knew you couldn’t open it. Now think about the joy of finally opening, seeing, touching and holding the unwrapped gift. 

This is what the story of Jesus is like in the Bible. The Old Testament promises that the greatest gift ever, the Savior, would come. Last week we talked about some of the things God said about the promised Savior through the prophets. While He revealed some things about what the Savior would be like, God didn’t tell everything. He faithfully kept His promise by sending His own Son, Jesus, into the world. He has come, and we now know about Him – about His life, His death and His resurrection – and how He came into the world to save sinners. When we hold this gift, we hold eternal life. 

As a family, spend time with God. Read John 1:1-5 and talk about the following questions. 

1. Are there any unfamiliar words in this passage? Is there anything you don’t understand?
2. Whom is this passage talking about? What do we learn about Jesus from it?
3. Do you remember how the Savior was described in Isaiah 9:2? How does this passage show Jesus as the fulfillment of that prophecy?
4. How and why is Jesus the greatest gift ever?
5. What does the birth of Jesus show us about the nature and character of God?
6. How does the first coming of Jesus give us confidence in His second coming? 

Close your time by praying as a family. Parents, ask your kids how you can be praying for them. Kids, ask your parents the same thing. Check in with each other about ways you have seen God’s faithful answer to prayer over the past few weeks.

 © 2011 The Village Church. All rights reserved.

Advent is about Christ and His two comings – the first in humiliation, the second in glory; the first in condescension, the second in exaltation; the first for forgiveness; the second for judgment. Advent is about Jesus Christ, and thus we must seek to consider Him (Hebrews 3:1), look to Him (Hebrews 12:2), sets our minds’ attention and hearts’ affections upon Him (Colossians 3:1-4). He is our treasure, and His return is our greatest good. 

Here are a few passages in which the person and work of Christ are particularly highlighted for us. May these passages encourage, awaken, refresh and restore us as we dwell upon the God Who became man and died for us and for our sin, rose again and will one day return. 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. JOHN 1:1–14 

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. 2 CORINTHIANS 8:9 

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him.… COLOSSIANS 1:15–22 

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. PHILIPPIANS 2:1–11 

© 2011 The Village Church. All rights reserved.

 O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free

Thine own from Satan’s tyranny

From depths of Hell Thy people save

And give them victory o’er the grave

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

 Week 2 / AWAITING AN ADVENT

December 4 – December 10 

Scripture, in its most intriguing portions, often introduces an obscure character, gives him or her something profound to say or do, only to let that person mysteriously vanish from the text verses later. Simeon (Luke 2: 25-35) was one such shadowy figure, known only by his righteousness, devotion and apparent long-suffering for Israel’s consolation. Imagine him as a gray-bearded saint – a John the Baptist type – full of the Spirit, groaning continually in the temple, waiting for the Messiah. Perhaps he’d stand post on the steps, looking out over the horizon, looking for a sign. 

He certainly wasn’t alone in his waiting. Countless others – the people of God from old – shared his anxious anticipation, and we too can sympathize. Most of us know the feeling well – desire builds when offered something spectacular, the prospects of some grand fortune, the opportunity to embark on some adventurous expedition, or the potential satisfaction of some unrequited love. With each new kernel of hope, the feeling swells in your heart. The uneasiness expands in your stomach. Israel lived on the edge of their seats, always looking out over the horizon. 

The Prophets were to blame. Their continual reminders, their fanning the flame was necessary but agonizing. Certainly, we might think that the gods and goddesses of neighboring tribes – their asherah poles and stone altars readily available – could have consoled Israel. But how great was Israel’s need – sins too many to atone with burnt sacrifices, oppression too heavy from violent enemies, shame too penetrating and peace so out of reach. Israel needed a Messiah, so they waited while the Prophets poked and prodded. 

To those who longed to be righteous, Jeremiah thundered:

Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness. JEREMIAH 33:14-16 

The children of God rose in agreement…. 

To the oppressed who cried out for justice, Malachi encouraged:

And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years. “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the LORD of hosts. MALACHI 2:17-3:5 

The children of God held their breath…. 

To those who needed freedom from shame, Zephaniah offered:

Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The LORD has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil. On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival, so that you will no longer suffer reproach. Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. At that time I will bring you in, at the time when I gather you together; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes,” says the LORD. ZEPHANIAH 3:14-20 

The children of God let out a hopeful cry…. 

To all who waited for peace and security, Micah submitted:

Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops; siege is laid against us; with a rod they strike the judge of Israel on the cheek. But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. And he shall be their peace. MICAH 5:1-5 

The children of God waited and waited, only to eventually rise again in agreement, hold their breath, and let out a hopeful cry. This continued for years.

This is the unsettling spirit of Advent, expectant waiting and preparation for the coming Christ, the consolation of God’s people. Take some time to reflect personally on the bitterness and the sweetness of waiting. 

QUESTIONS FOR PERSONAL REFLECTION 

1. Are you unsettled in your soul? Are you longing for righteousness, justice, freedom from shame, peace and security?
2. Does your waiting, longing and groaning debilitate you, or is it laced with hope? Read Romans 8:18-25, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 and Titus 2:11-14.
3. How does anticipation increase joy? Like a catchy hook in a song’s melody, the building progression of each note rising slowly until it resolves and repeats, can we find pleasure in this anticipation? Read Lamentations 3:22-27 and Isaiah 40:27-31. 

It’s difficult to know how Simeon dealt with the rising anticipation, but we know he held fast to the promise. When the Spirit pressed, “And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ” (Luke 2:26), Simeon sprung into action: 

And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” LUKE 2:27-32

Oh, that we would wait so well, that we – this season – would rise in agreement, hold our breath, and let out a hopeful cry. 

FAMILY DEVOTIONAL 

There are many times in life when we have to wait for things – even good things. This can often be the case with God’s promises. Last week we saw an example of this very thing as Abraham and Sarah waited many years for their promised son, Isaac. God always keeps His promises, and He always keeps them perfectly. Trusting in that fact changes the way we endure seasons of waiting. We know that God uses times of waiting to increase and strengthen our belief, longing and the boldness of our asking. This was true as the people of Israel waited for the promised Messiah, and it is true for the people of God today. 

Talk as a family about a time that it was hard to wait for something that had been promised to you. How did you feel? What was uncomfortable or difficult about the waiting? 

As a family, spend time with God and in His Word. Read Isaiah 9:1-7 together. In this passage, the prophet Isaiah speaks about the Savior Whom had been promised, the One for Whom the people of God were waiting. 

As a family, talk about the following questions: 

1. Is there anything in this passage that you don’t understand? Are there any unfamiliar words?
2. What is the darkness that the people are walking in? What is the light that they will see?
3. What will be true of the promised Savior according to these verses?
4. How do you think the people of God felt as they heard and read these words?
5. Are there places in your life where you are waiting for God’s faithfulness to a promise? What is this time of waiting like for you? 

Close your time by praying as a family. Parents, ask your kids how you can be praying for them. Kids, ask your parents the same thing. This week think of ways you can encourage one another to keep trusting God’s faithfulness even in times of waiting.

© 2011 The Village Church. All rights reserved.

The Christmas season is in full swing; the songs and sweets, parties and presents and the celebration of the greatest Gift ever given. But if we are not careful we will easily be caught up in the cultural tide of activity and materialism. This current promises to sweep away the joyful celebration and the hopeful anticipation of the coming of our Savior. The substance and significance of this season will be lost in the shadows of the land of our wanderings if we are not vigilant to prepare our minds to take action, setting our hope on the return of Christ. 

In this post, and at least 4 more between now and Christmas, I will be posting Advent thoughts, discussion questions and family devotional materials that has been published and distributed by The Village Church. I pray this serves you and your family this Christmas season: 

The King is coming. Jesus Christ has come and will come again. This is the hope of the Church whom He purchased with His blood. It is the eager expectation and desire of His people. In His coming is our joy, for He is our treasure, our greatest good. 

Advent, formed from a Latin word meaning “coming” or “arrival,” is about the coming of Christ. It’s the celebration of the first advent of Jesus and the anxious awaiting of His second. The season is a time for remembering and rejoicing, watching and waiting, and a time to reflect upon the promises of God and to anticipate the fulfillment of those promises with patience, prayer and preparedness.

O come, O come, Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

Week 1 / PROMISES AND PATIENCE 

November 27 - December 3 

Expectations are powerful. We long to trust possessions, people and ideas with our hope – hope of something greater than what we currently have. Relationships, careers and entertainment willingly receive our expectations. To the degree that we think each will deliver, anticipation grows inside of us. The voice of childhood may change tone through the years, but the same gut response comes with every disappointment: “But you promised…”

It might not be said so plainly, but our confidence shifts as the desired object escapes our fingertips. Impatience replaces anticipation. Unrest and discontentment rise up to our defenses, while our greatest need seems too simple – perspective.

God makes promises to His people throughout the Old Testament. A rainbow appears as a promise that the flood was a one-time deal. God promises deliverance and spares an entire generation of Israel during Passover and with it preserves the joy of each father in holding his firstborn son. David sleeps on cave floors, hunted by Saul, and God delivers him. The LORD is a promise-making and promise-keeping God.

There are also those who longed for the fulfillment of promises yet could only cling to the promises themselves. For days, weeks, months and years, these people waited. Genesis speaks of Abraham and Sarah who, with Abraham in his 80s, had no child. Their hopes and expectations belong to any would-be parent: a sign of the future, the joy of parenting, but the next generation absent. Along with Abraham and Sarah, the people of Israel knew a collective experience of waiting. God promised a Messiah, a Deliverer, an anointed King. Days turned into months and seasons into years. God’s people waited and trusted with patience and hope.

We often create our own expectations. What we want or think we deserve leaves us discontent, disillusioned, even resentful when it does not come. These feelings live in deep and powerful places within our souls and can begin to define us.

In Genesis 18, God speaks with Abraham, giving him the news that he will be a father, with descendants as countless as the stars. We can assume Sarah heard the news. Driven and impatient, though, she convinced Abraham to have a child through their servant, and Ishmael was born. There came no relief to her heart, no soothing balm to her wounds, only stinging disappointment because Ishmael was not their son.

Thirteen winters passed, and God again spoke to Abraham. Abraham could hardly believe what he heard and replied with nervous laughter. Him, 100, Sarah, 90 – could it be? A child between them? Sarah’s words betrayed her lingering hope, “After I am old and worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” One year later, tattered hopes and faded expectations were resurrected as they held Isaac in their arms.

Years after God’s promise was fulfilled, we read of Abraham and Isaac heading toward Mount Moriah to offer a sacrifice to the Lord. The tightness in Abraham’s throat was matched only by the knots with which he would bind decades of expectation that now look at him through trusting young eyes. “Where is the lamb?” Issac asked.

“God will provide the Lamb,” said Abraham.

Every promise, every dream and sleepless night rushed to the brink of Abraham’s sight as he prepared to sacrifice his beloved only son.

None of us escape this pain, this fear that if we love something enough God will take it away from us, as if He is vengeful and plays games with His children. We trust the object of our expectations and set our expectations too low when they were meant to be occupied by Him, after all. What good thing would the Father withhold from us if He has given us His only Son? What more could capture our hearts than the Savior Himself and the knowledge that He died bound that we might live free?

Decades of wanting, years of promise, fitless starts and stops of patience – Abraham’s faith finds no greater description than where we read of father and son walking down the mountain together, leaving behind an altar that bears the name, “The Lord will provide.” 

There is no more powerful expectation than patience in the promises of God, for He has provided the Lamb, and the Lamb is the coming King.

QUESTIONS FOR PERSONAL REFLECTION

1. Over the last week, what did you do to distract your mind from daily life? What was the outcome?

2. Consider what you place expectations on and how that affects you when they are not met. Are you patient or irritable?

3. If we place our hopes in finite things, which never fully meet our expectations, it seems that our expectations are meant for something greater. What things have you trusted in for the joy of your heart instead of Jesus, Who is fully able to meet your every need?

4. God’s faithfulness is proven as each of His promises comes true. Where are you tempted to forget or distrust His faithfulness to you in Jesus?

FAMILY DEVOTIONS

As a family, spend time with God and in His Word. Together, talk about what you might already know about Abraham and the promises God made to Him. Have each person open Genesis 22:1-14 and ask one person to read it aloud.

Abraham waited many years to have Isaac, and the boy came as a direct result of a promise of God. Isaac was Abraham’s pride and joy, his only son. When God called Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, He was calling Abraham to trust Him with the most important thing in his life. Abraham feared and loved God, and God knew it, but the call to sacrifice Isaac made it clear to Abraham, as well. God was to be Abraham’s chief prize above all other blessings in his life. Isaac lived, and we read more of his story throughout the Old Testament. Abraham believed God at His word and knew that God’s promises would come true, so he was patient and trusted God’s wisdom.

There are times we want something so badly that we cannot think of anything else. Whatever it is, we must have it, or we will surely be miserable. Life would just be so much better then. We would be happy. Truthfully, it doesn’t work that way. Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 3:11 that God has set eternity into man’s heart so that he does not know what God has done from the beginning to the end. You and I are here for a short time when compared to the history of the world, and we are born in a line of men and women who have all longed to be made new. We have tried everything under the sun to make it happen.

Each day there is a choice of where to place hope, either in what we can do or buy or in the hands of the One Who is the answer to the longing in our hearts – the Lamb of God. Throughout the Old Testament, the Lord promised that He would make a people for Himself and deliver them from their wicked hearts. Will you trust Him to deliver you from yourself and your perceived needs? Let us set our hope on Him.

1. Was there anything surprising or confusing in the passage?

2. What does God’s providing the lamb in place of Isaac show us about His nature and character? How is it a picture of Jesus?

3. We saw that Abraham believed God so much that he was willing to obey Him at all costs. God was Abraham’s greatest treasure. Is that true for you? What do you find yourself wanting more than Jesus?

4. Why is it hard to be patient when waiting on God’s promises? How can we fight impatience?

As you spend time as a family, you might also want to introduce the word and idea of Advent if your children are not familiar with it. Explain that, over the next few weeks, you will be spending time together learning and thinking about why the birth and return of Jesus are so significant.

Close your time by praying as a family. Parents, ask your kids how you can be praying for them. Kids, ask your parents the same thing.

THE VILLAGE CHURCH

© 2011 The Village Church. All rights reserved.

This is where the real story begins. As George Bailey, who we're all sympathizing with and rooting for, starts to break down on every level, he's given an opportunity to see what life would be like if he had never been born which leads him to realize that life really is worth living. The movie ends with all of his friends and family coming together to bail him out. All the characters that we have come to love raise the $8,000 that was missing. Finally, George Bailey is vindicated and gets treated the way he deserves; which is what we were all hoping for.

But there's one thing that never get's resolved-and it drives me crazy. Mr. Potter never get's what he deserves. He stole the $8,000 that was misplaced in his newspaper and never gave it back. On the contrary, he took advantage of the desperate situation that George was in and used it to try to ruin him. Yes, George stays out of jail and learns a valuable lesson about gratefulness and life. But Mr. Potter never gets caught and the money never get’s returned. Let's be honest, wouldn't it be great if the movie ended with Potter sitting in a jail cell or better, working as a lackey for George Bailey? I would like to see Mr. Potter get what he deserves.

But is this right? Should I feel this way about Potter? Now I realize this is a movie and a fictional story but I think we can learn something about our hearts as we engage with these fictional characters. So I asked myself this question, “If this movie was my life how would I think about and treat Mr. Potter…as a Christian?” How do we view those that wrong us? What is in our heart toward the Mr. Potters in our real lives? And what does scripture say about Mr. Potter and our relationship with him?

The reality is that Christ came to save the Mr. Potters of the world. He suffered and died so that Mr. Potter could have eternal life if he would trust in Jesus; the same eternal life that I was in need of and freely received. And whether we like it or not, before Christ saved us we were Mr. Potter: hated and hating others (Titus 3:3); filled with unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice…deceit, maliciousness… a gossip, boastful…heartless, ruthless (Romans 1:29-31); and an enemy of God (Romans 5:10). The fact that I want Mr. Potter to get his due punishment puts me in the same category as the unforgiving servant in Matthew 18. This has two implications for our lives.

First, when Mr. Potter sins against us (or we see him mistreat others) we should forgive him. This doesn’t mean catering to him or volunteering to work in his office but it does mean not holding a grudge, not demanding punishment in our heart and not growing in bitterness toward him.

Second, we are to love him the way Christ loved us. While we were still His enemy Christ died for us and saved us. The love of Christ that we have received should motivate us to share the good news of Jesus with Mr. Potter. He should hear it from our lips and observe it in our lives. If we don’t forgive from our heart we will not be able to do this.

What makes this movie so enduring is what the characters (specifically George Bailey) go through to get to the happy ending, which is being wronged by others. But our happy ending has been secured by Jesus. We don’t have to overcome those who sin against us because Jesus has already overcome sin. And our lives are to reflect the mercy and forgiveness that we’ve received so that He will be glorified through us.

To learn more about forgiving the Mr. Potter in your life, listen to the sermon: Forgiveness.

THOUGHTS ON HOW TO SCHEDULE YOUR DAY

It may not seem much in line with GTD, but I believe in having a general framework from which you approach your day. In other words, a basic schedule of sorts that gives some behind-the-scenes guidance for how to slot things in your day. This template is not something you literally put on your calendar, but is more of a mindset.

The Four Things You Need to Do Each Day

My thoughts on this are continuing to emerge, but it seems to me that there are four types of things you need to carve out time for in any given day:

1. Routines
2. Releases
3. Projects
4. People

Definitions

Routines means your daily workflow routines, such as processing email and your physical inbox.

Releases are small actions that are not project related. GTD has you put these on your next actions list. I found that doing so actually ruined my next action list because I would always end up with six trillion mosquito tasks staring at me all day long. I’d want to do things just to get them off my list, and not because it was the most strategic use of time.

So now I group all of these mosquito tasks together into a project of their own, which I keep outside of my next action list. My “next action” on them is then “work through releases.”

Projects are any unique initiatives you are working on which have a beginning and an end.

People means interaction, networking, general management stuff, meetings, stuff on your calendar, and so forth. Obviously much of this is also involved in projects as well.

Dividing Up Your Project Time

Within your projects each week, I’m thinking that it might be best to divide up time in this way:

1. 70% on core projects: Things that execute and improve those things that are right at the heart of your business / ministry / nonprofit model.
2. 20% on progress projects: Things that will generate entirely new growth and approaches that did not exist before. This is akin to the concept “20% time” at Google or 15% time that 3M began back in the 50s and such. The principle behind designating time to both core projects and progressive projects is: “preserve the core, stimulate progress” (Jim Collins). Be doing both.
3. 10% on learning projects: Developing your skills and knowledge. Do this “on the clock,” so to speak. It’s too important to only leave to evenings and free time.

How Much To Spend on Each Area

This section really should have come before the above section on dividing up your project time. But dividing up your project time is of greater importance, so I put that first.

Anyway, let’s talk now about how much time these four overall areas should be given each day. This will vary for everyone. And it’s not rigid (except for, as much as possible at least, the first: getting your routines out of the way immediately). Again, it’s more of a lose agenda I keep in my head that is very adaptable; it’s not some firm structure.

Here are some initial thoughts:

Routines: 1 hour or less. Do these right away. Take that very seriously. Get in to work early and hammer out your email, review your RSS feeds, plan your day, and do any other daily routines. Get these out of the way in one batch early on so that you don’t have to keep trying to find time to finish them up throughout the day. They will only get in your way if you don’t nail them out immediately.

Releases: 1 hour or so. After doing your routines, take maybe 30 minutes to an hour to clear out non-project actions. These are basically the “next actions” in the GTD system. If you clear some out every day, you can keep up. Again, knock these out in a concentrated batch early in the day, before the phone starts to ring and new email starts to come in.

Projects: 2 hours or more. After your routines and releases are out of the way, turn to concentrated time on your priority projects. By this time it might be 9:00 or 9:30, so interruptions are going to start. That’s fine. Try to avoid getting interrupted, but if you got your routines and some releases out of the way, you’ll be able to handle interruptions better without getting too side-tracked. You can’t isolate yourself, anyway.

The amount of time spent concentrating on projects will vary with your job. For some people it might be a lot more than 2 hours a day. For others it may be much less.

People: I don’t have a time recommendation here. This could be the rest of your day, depending on the nature of your job. As long as you got in time to get rid of your routines and some standard action items, along with some concentrated focus on projects, you’re doing well and should be able to focus the way you ought in regard to meetings and interacting over your work.

Free: The core principle behind my above thoughts is to get in early and get routine stuff out of the way right way, and then make some progress on your next actions (releases). Then you can work in more releases as desired in between meetings and project work and be more discretionary in how you use your time.

In other words, be disciplined so that you can be spontaneous. If you aren’t keeping up with at least some baseline of progress at the very beginning of each day, the spontaneous time will never feel like it comes. You will always be trying to “keep up.”

What if your job is to do routine things? For example, processing insurance claims. That would go in the project time, except you would be doing operations (ongoing things that involve more than one step) rather than projects (initiatives that come to an end and involve more than one step). You’d still have daily workflow routines to clear out right away, such as email and your physical inbox and stuff, releases that may not pertain to your ongoing operational stuff, and some projects.

These are some loose, initial thoughts. The main aim driving my thinking here has been: If you want to be able to spend 70% of your project time on core projects and 30% of your time on advancement and learning projects, you need to be able to group your work into some type of “categories.” If you don’t, it will be harder to single out your project time from other time.

Simply doing projects, and even next actions, “whenever they work during the day” has never worked for me. In order to have the “whenever it works” time, I need to also have some designated time for them as well.

My Manifesto

Boldness is critical. Without boldness, my life story will be one of great deeds left undone, victories left unwon, petitions left unprayed, and timely words unsaid. If I wish to live only a pathetically small portion of the life God has prepared for me, then I need no boldness. But if I want my life to bloom full and loom large for the glory of God, then I must have boldness - and nothing so nourishes boldness in me like the gospel!

The gospel gives me boldness first by banishing my greatest fear, the fear of God's eternal wrath. Indeed, Christ bore God's wrath upon Himself, not simply so I could escape that wrath on some future day, but also that I might be released from the daily fear of such wrath as I think ahead to judgment day. Because this fear hinders the ongoing work of God in me, the love of God continually expels this fear (whenever it appears) and nurtures within me a confident eagerness to face God on judgment day ((1 John 4:17-18). Living in the daily relief of this fear frees me up to continue being perfected in confidence by the love of God, and it also serves to put all other fears, especially the fear of man, into perspective (Matt. 10:28).

Additionally, the more I experience the life-transforming power of the gospel, the more confident I am in speaking it to others, both saved and lost (Rom. 1:15-16; 1 Cor. 1:18). I know what the gospel can do in people's lives if they would believe the fullness of it, because I see what it is doing in me and in others. Therefore, I have increasing boldness to speak the whole gospel to others (Acts 20:26-27), even amid opposition (Acts 4:29-31).

Also, the more I comprehend what God has done for me through Christ, the more I find myself confidently coming before God in prayer (Heb 4:16; 10:19-22), speaking to Him in situations in which I formerly would have shrunk from Him, and offering requests that I formerly would have been too timid to offer (due either to the largeness of the request or my own sinful unworthiness). With greater boldnes in prayer comes an increased enjoyment of God and the bounty that He gives, due simply to the fact that I was daring enough to ask for what was needed (James 4:2).

Preaching the gospel to myself each day nourishes within me a holy brazeness to believe what God says, enjoy what He offers, and do what He commands. Admittedly, I don't deserve to be a child of God and I don't deserve to be free of sin's guilt and power. I don't deserve the staggering privilege of intimacy with God, nor any other blessing that Christ has purchased for me with His blood. I don't even deserve to be useful to God. But by the grace of God I am what I am and I have what I have, and I hereby resolve not to let any portion of God's grace prove vain in me (1 Cor. 15:9-10)! And to the degree that I fail to live up to this resolve, I will boldly take for myself the forgiveness that God says is mine and continue walking in His grace. This is my manifesto, my daily resolve; and may God be glorified by this confidence that I place in Him.

(taken from The Gospel Primer, pages 50-52 by Milton Vincent)

Burk Parsons brilliantly explains the root of our problem in not experiencing true rest in his article featured in the latest issue of Table Talk Magazine. Read it for yourself and rediscover the goodness, truth and beauty of the only One who can truly give us rest.

Copy and paste address in your web browser: www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/encountering-absolute-rest/