Word for the day "The Advent challenge"
Matthew 2:4 (NKJV) He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”
Can you imagine for a moment that you are living in first-century Israel? You hear mysterious visitors from the east speak of a star that has been leading them.
Now, don’t you think it might be a good idea to make the short journey of about five miles from Bethlehem to Jerusalem to check it out? What do you think you would do?
Advent purpose is to awaken our spiritual senses and to open the doors of hope to all.
Herod was right in expecting an answer from the chief priests and scribes as to where the Messiah would be born, and they interpreted the writings of Micah properly.
Yet they should have known better, or at least today we can say they should have known better.
These men were the theological scholars of their day and knew the Scriptures inside and out.
It was their job to study the Scriptures and number the letters and lines to ensure careful copying. They knew the Scriptures so well, but they cared so little.
They knew where the Messiah would be born, but they didn’t care about a baby king as much as an adult monarch who could line their pockets with gold and rule the existing empire of which they could capitalize.
But as the story goes, they were too busy and would dare into their regular routine.
Advent season challenges all of us in our spiritual condition with the Lord.
Advent then is a reminder for us to strive more intensely to focus and meditate on what the forthcoming Christmas event can mean for us here and now.
It is a time to attentively listen to what the Bible says, “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.
The Bible is full of challenges, which with God’s help can lead us to live a more wholesome life.
That is also the reason that the Church considers this time before Christmas as the “Holy season of Advent”.
The world is not as just, not as loving, not as whole as we know it can and should be.
But the coming of Christ and his presence among us gives us the reason to live in the hope.
The Lord’s light will shatter the darkness, that we can be liberated from our fears and prejudices. All because God now dwells amongst us here and now.
Point to ponder
Sometimes when you hear the Word of God, again and again, you can essentially enter a place of complacency, a place of apathy.
You might even find yourself asleep. I find it interesting that many of the Bible warnings about waking up are addressed to believers.
Believers can be asleep like these religious scholars who missed out on that epic event of Christ’s arrival.
Even at Christmas, with all our celebrating of the birth of Christ, we can forget about Christ and fail to give our Lord a passing thought.
Special Thanks!
Pastor James Baker, Jr. and our leadership team is especially thankful for those of you who provided financial donations and support in the month of December 2019 by partnering with us in efforts to advance the kingdom of God in this 21st century season: Special thanks to Mrs. Angela Harrison, Ms. Annette Straker, Mr. David Straker, Mr. Kenneth Washington, Ms. Darlene Simmons, Ms. Itholear Abbott, Mrs. Barbara Mason, Ms. Michelle Rosa, Ms. Rita McGuffin, and Ms. Gertrude Scott.
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Kingdom Blessings,Pastor James Baker Jr.