ADVENT WEEK 3 ~ LOVE
Luke 2:34-35 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."
Christmas largely symbolizes “peace on earth”. Luke affirms this as the promise of God’s divine sign, Jesus Messiah, offers. But Luke also emphasizes the deep, constant human hostility to God’s message of love and reconciliation. The more we embrace Jesus as Lord and Savior, the more we too will experience this opposition. May the peace we possess because Jesus came give us strength to endure the human opposition aroused against Jesus and his followers because of the truth of the Gospel.
Application: as you reflect upon God’s word today:
- commit yourself once more to endure for Jesus’ sake the opposition that comes as we share the Good News of God.
- rejoice in Jesus’ willingness to endure ‘such opposition by sinful men’ so that we might be reconciled to God;
- reflect upon the wonder of God’s sign – the Lord Jesus, the baby lying in a manger;
- consider the nature of the opposition that rejected him as God’s Son and contributed to his humiliation and suffering at the Cross;
- 1 John 4:4
"You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."
"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart,
be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer."
(Psalm 19:14 NIV)
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