Who Is This Jesus who Comes at Christmas?
“As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on Him.” Matthew 3:16
Matthew 1, Mark 1, Luke 3, and John 1; Each Gospel has at it’s very beginning the account of Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist with the Holy Spirit of God being poured over Him “without measure” – that is, “without limit” - as it says in John 3. This must be pretty important!
But what is God trying to teach us about this Jesus who was born in Bethlehem but whose ministry begins with His Baptism as He is anointed with the Holy Spirit without measure as recorded in all four Gospels? What are we supposed to know from this? How is this supposed to touch our hearts and strengthen our faith relationship with Jesus? And how is this meant to guide us as the people on whom God’s Spirit has been poured, in the lives we live with Jesus, this one who was born on Christmas for us? This is our focus in our Wednesday Advent worship as we learn anew and remember who this Jesus is as the ANNOINTED ONE (the MESSIAH!) of God and what it means for us. May God’s Spirit be poured over us in our worship, study, and lives!
Wednesday, Dec. 5th Jesus, Our Prophet (He Proclaims the Message. He is the Message.)
Did you know that in the Old Testament, often when God chose, called, and appointed a Prophet, He was anointed with oil to signify that the Holy Spirit would empower him to carry out his calling in the power of God, the Holy Spirit? Jesus is our Great Prophet. The Spirit was poured out on him without measure! But what does this mean for us? And what does it mean that the Spirit has now been poured out on all of God’s people? What is it God wants us to know, to joyfully receive, and to live in?
Wednesday, Dec.12th Jesus, Our Priest (He Makes the Sacrifice. He Is the Sacrifice.)
Did you know that in the Old Testament often when God chose, called, and appointed a High Priest, he was anointed with oil to signify that the Holy Spirit would empower him to carry out his calling in the power of God, the Holy Spirit? Jesus is our Great High Priest! The Spirit was poured out on him without measure! But what does this mean for us? And what does it mean that the Spirit of God has been poured out on every Christian and each of us is declared and called to be a priest of God? What is it God wants us to know, to joyfully receive, and to live in?
Wednesday, Dec.19th Jesus, Our King (He is the King of all!...He Rules for Us!)
Did you know that in the Old Testament often when God chose, called, and appointed a King, he was anointed with oil to signify that the Holy Spirit would empower him to carry out his calling in the power of God, the Holy Spirit? Jesus is our Great King! The Spirit of God was poured out on him without measure! But what does this mean for us? And what does it mean that the Spirit of God has been poured out on every Christian and we are called a KINGDOM…who will REIGN on the earth? What is it God wants us to know, to joyfully receive, and to live in?