Good day!! Welcome back to another edition of the GSM blog. Once again my name is Dave Good, it is my honor to spend the next few minutes with you. I pray my words are a blessing and encouragement to you.
Today, I’d like to talk about the first week of advent. The first week of advent is marked by the lighting of a purple candle which is the candle of hope or the “prophecy candle.” Ever since the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden, man has been in need of a Messiah. Our sins separate us from the presence of God.
At first, God gave us the sacrificial system in order to atone for our sins. The sacrifices were numerous and in many ways not sustainable. Thankfully we serve a God who had a solution from before the foundation of the earth.
I Peter 1:19-20 “but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you”God had a plan from the start.” (NKJV)
How did this plan manifest itself? I’m glad you asked. The hope of the Messiah was written in just about every book of the Old Testament. Everything written in the scriptures point to our need for a Savior.
“I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And batter the brow of Moab, And destroy all the sons of tumult.” (Numbers 24:17 NKJV)
What I want you to notice about this verse is the Star. The verse says a star shall come out of Jacob. This is a clear promise for the upcoming Messiah. Let’s fast forward several hundreds of year and turn to the story of the Magi. The gospel of Matthew tells us: “saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” (Matthew 2:2 NKJV)
How did the magi notice the star? I mean, if you look up at the sky on a clear night there are countless stars twinkling in the dark. The answer is pretty simple. First, they were well aware of the prophecy concerning the Messiah. Also, they must of made it a habit to observe the stardom on a nightly basis so they wouldn’t be caught off guard and miss His arrival.
The arrival of the Messiah in the form of a newborn baby lying in a manger happened some 2000 years ago. Each year we wait expectantly to celebrate His arrival. This year, I feel it’s not only important to celebrate the birth of the Messiah but also to search the sky for his second coming. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!” (Acts of the Apostles 1:11 NLT) Did you catch that. The same why Jesus ascended into heaven is the same way he will return again.
My question to you is, “Are you searching the sky like the Magi? Are you watching intently for His return? Are you prepared for His return?” Those are crucial answers that need to be pondered.
Friends, as we draw closer to the birth of our Savior, let us not forget that his return may be just as close. I pray you take some time to examine your walk with the Lord and ask yourself, “Am I prepared to meet the King of Kings?” I pray you take the next couple of weeks and prepare yourself for His eventual coming. We don’t know when that time will come but if we prepare now we will allow the anticipation and excitement of his coming fill our hearts and lives today as we waiting expectantly for His return.
Refill with Randy 