This week I began the She Reads Truth Advent Bible reading plan & study. This year the title of the Advent study is Jesus is Born and focuses on specific reasons as to why Jesus Christ was born. Each day I am share a key verse and takeaway form the day’s reading and devotion on Instgram and Facebook. I thought it would be beneficial to do a recap here of the week each Friday this month. If you are looking for a way to keep focused on Jesus during this Christmas season, I encourage you to follow along with me. You can find the reading plan at shereadstruth.com.
Week 1 Recap
Jesus Christ is Born….
***To bring light to a world in darkness – It seems as if this world keeps getting darker and darker but Jesus is our constant, never-dimming light. As long as our eyes stay focused on Jesus, then we will not notice the darkness as much. Jesus is our light and as believers, we are to walk as children of light and let the goodness, righteousness and truth of Jesus shine in and through us. (Eph. 5:8-9)
“The sun will no longer be your light by day, and the brightness of the moon will not shine on you. The Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your splendor.” Isaiah 60:19
***To do what Adam could not – What could Adam not do? He was unable to trust God. He was unable to keep perfect fellowship with His Creator. As a result of his sin, fellowship and intimacy with God was broken. But through the miraculous birth, obedient life, sacrificial death and powerful resurrection of Jesus Christ that fellowship and intimacy has been restored. When Jesus said “Not my will, but Your will be done” He was demonstrating complete trust in His Father!
Adam’s sin brought death – Jesus Christ offers eternal life. Adams’s sin results in shame and guilt exposing our nakedness. Jesus covers us with grace and mercy.
“So then, as through one trespass there is condemnation for everyone, so also through one righteous act there is justification leading to life for everyone. For just as through one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so also through the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. The law came along to multiply the trespass. But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness, resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 5:18-21
***To bless all nations – Hundreds of years before Christ was born, God promised Abraham He would bless all nations through his Seed (Gen. 12:1-3) This was a promise of the Messiah – of Jesus. Then in Galatians Paul explains how this blessing comes through the same faith that Abraham demonstrated. And it is this faith that brings about the blessing – the blessing of knowing we are redeemed and restored. The blessing of knowing that once again we are righteous and in the presence of our Father. And this blessing can only come through our faith in the Gospel – the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ!
“You know, then, that those who have faith, these are Abraham’s sons. Now the Scripture saw in advance that God would justify the Gentiles by faith and proclaimed the gospel ahead of time to Abraham, saying, All the nations will be blessed through you. Consequently, those who have faith are blessed with Abraham, who had faith.” Galatians 3:7-9
***To fulfill the Law – When God gave Moses the Law, He never intended for it to be used as a checklist to determine how good we are or even how good we are not. God gave us the Law to teach us what a transformed heart looks like. Jesus Christ fulfilled the Law on our behalf – He keeps every letter and every stroke of the Law for us. And as believers it is through the righteousness of Jesus that we are found to be righteous!
“Don’t think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all things are accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:17-20 ***
***To be our High Priest – In the Old Testament, God’s people had to go through a priest to seek forgiveness and to be declared clean. And the high priest was the only one allowed in the Holy of Holies behind the veil in the inner most part of the Tabernacle. This is where the ark of the covenant was kept which represented God’s presence. There was no direct access to God other than through the covenant laws (old covenant). God only intended this practice to be temporary until He sent His Son to be our High Priest! At the very moment Jesus took His last breath, the veil was torn into and the old covenant was destroyed! Jesus became our High Priest. He became the conduit that gives us direct access to God. He presented Himself to the Father on our behalf so we could be forgiven and declared clean!
“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.” Hebrews 4: 14-16
Father, thank You for reminding us this week that Jesus Christ brings light to a dark world, accomplishes what Adam could not, blesses all nations and all people, fulfills every stroke and letter of the law, and is our High Priest. Help us to keep our focus on these truths and help us to not become distracted with all the craziness of this season. May we take the time to be still and know who You are. Command our hearts and our souls Father. In Jesus Name, Amen
Rooted in Christ 