First Advent Message

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Christmas time is here.  Many people are shuffling and buzzing through the store aisles as well as websites for the right gift, at just the right price. They are swamped with family gatherings as well as those with close friends and co-workers.  However, there is still an emptiness inside their heart.  Somehow, someway, the Christmas season has placed burdens over their shoulders as oppose to peace, comfort and joy.

During the time in which Jesus would be born, God's people were suffering from much oppression. They were suffering from the oppression of the Roman empire.  It used might, taxation, and a biased system of justice in ruling over its people; as well as their own forms of idol worship.  God's people were also suffering from the oppression of their own religious leaders. Some were political and non-spiritual, as the Sadducees.  While others were spiritual and respected the sacred things, but over-stressed the law of tradition upon their own people, such as the Pharisees.  Finally, God's people were suffering from the oppression of sin. No matter what God's people did to stay within His standards, they found themselves caught in a continual cycle of sin.  In essence, God's people were tired of suffering from oppression, and they were desperate for a way out of its hold.  

For the people of God, there was only one answer, one way out of their oppression, its name was "Immanuel", meaning "God with us".  For about 400 years, God's people had gone through a time without hearing from God; there was no prophet to speak to them the Word of the Lord.  Yet God's people knew of character attributes, such as might, authority, compassion and peace that the "Messiah" would hold when he made himself known to them.  However, few of God's people were gifted with the capacity to understand that their deliverer and savior would first be presented to them as a child, a baby wrapped in strips of cloth.  He would arise out of humble beginnings, yet out of a royal-family-lineage.  He would later grow up to be their "Messiah", meaning the "chosen and anointed one of God". His name would be "Christ Jesus", meaning the "Anointed Savior".

Currently, there are many people who are under a load of oppression. Its weight is so heavy that they can barely breathe, yet alone move advance in their lives.  These people are struggling with their daily living and crying out for help; a new way of life.  They are reaching out for an extended arm, hoping that one would grasp them out of their oppression.  

Today is the day that they can be rescued.  Today is the day that they can be delivered and saved, by means of Christ Jesus. He wants to heal and comfort them all.  He wants to make them whole. Today, through God's love, Christ Jesus can make them whole.  If you already know Christ Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord, than be that extended arm and reach out to others "through Christ Jesus".  However, if you need to be rescued, then reach out to Him, and confess that you have sin in your heart.  You can't do it without Him, and you will be saved by Him.

Let Us Pray.  Lord God, I am in need of a Savior, I cannot do it on my own anymore.  Please help me.  I confess my sins to you and accept Christ Jesus into my heart as my Savior.  Thank You God, and please help me to live a new life through Christ Jesus. Amen.