Thank you for stopping by to read the Weekend Sermon here on the blog. I am glad to be able to post the sermon today, and I hope that everyone is doing well. I hope that everyone who reads the blog here in the United States had a good Thanksgiving Day holiday.
For Thanksgiving, I went out to dinner with by brother and his family. We had a very good meal, and a nice time of conversation. I found out that my nephew was in a bad car crash, but thanks be to God, my nephew and niece were not injured, and the folks in the other car weren't injured either.
I would ask that you would pray for me this week. There is a lot of stress at work again. Also, there are some more storms forecast for my area. Please pray that these don't cause any problems.
In prayer this week, please remember those who are recovering from natural disasters. Pray for the people of New Zealand, Italy, Haiti and Japan. Also, please pray for an end to homelessness and hunger around the world.
As always, we need to continue to pray for peace. Remember Syria and Iraq in prayer. Let us also pray for the nations of Togo and Egypt this week. Pray that many in these nations will here the message of Jesus' love and salvation.
Today, we begin our series of Advent messages here on the blog. After the Advent season, we will embark on a series of messages on all of the parables of Jesus. I am really looking forward to this series.
Part of what I love so much about the Christmas season are the wonderful hymns and carols that we get to sing at this time of the year. It doesn't happen so much anymore where I live, but when I was younger, people used to go out caroling door to door throughout the neighborhood during the holiday season.
One thing that I love about hymns is the message they contain. The old hymns, which sadly aren't even sung in many churches anymore, contain powerful doctrinal messages that help to encourage and instruct those who would sing them.
For our message this week, I want to focus on two of my favorite Christmas carols and think about the message in the words.
"O Come, O Come Emmanuel is a carol usual sung during this first week of the Advent season. It's words speak of anticipation and a longing for the coming of the Messiah. The first verse says, "O, Come, O, Come Emmanuel and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here, until the Son of God appear. Rejoice, Rejoice. Emmanuel shall come to thee O, Israel."
This verse expresses the hope for the one who would come and redeem the people of Israel from their state of bondage. The nation of Israel was promised a Messiah who would come and rule and reign. Jesus was that Messiah. He was God with us who came to redeem from sin all those who would call upon His name.
I like the third verse of this hymn that says, "O, Come thou Day spring come and cheer, our spirits by thine Advent here, disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death's dark shadows put to flight."
The first prophecy of the coming of the Messiah is found in Genesis 3:15. Throughout the Old Testament, the Lord revealed through the prophets that the Messiah would come.
Jesus had to come to earth in order to redeem us from our sin. Sin brought with it death and eternal separation from God the Father. However, Jesus by his substitutionary death on the cross paid the penalty for our sins. He bore our sins in His body at Calvary. Through His glorious resurrection, Jesus conquered death, hell and the grave. Death has no power over those who are in Christ. That is what the third verse of this hymn is expressing. When Jesus came, He put an end to the power of sin and death for those who put their faith and trust in Him.
Jesus said in John 11:25, "I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." This is my favorite verse in the Bible. It is a powerful verse that speaks of Jesus' power and victory over all the forces of darkness.
God has come to be with us in Jesus Christ. He has overcome sin and death. Those who believe in Jesus will be with Him forever and share in His abundant love.
Another great carol of Christmas is "Joy to the World". This song is sung at Christmas time, but the man who wrote this carol, Isaac Watts, wrote this hymn to speak about the glorious return of Jesus Christ at the end of the age. It is actually about the Second Coming of Jesus.
Jesus came the first time as a humble infant born in a stable. He lived a perfect and holy and sinless life. He came onto His own, but His own did not receive Him. Jesus was crucified, but then He rose again and ascended in to Heaven. However, Jesus told His disciples that He would come again to rule and reign in righteousness upon this earth. That is the message of "Joy to the World."
The first verse says, "Joy to the World, the Lord is come. let earth receive her king, let every heart prepare Him room, and heaven and nature sing."
When Jesus comes back to earth someday the Bible says in Romans 14:11 that every knee will bow before Him, and every tongue will acknowledge God. This same truth is expressed in Philippians 2:10-11 that says, "At the name of Jesus, every knee will bow in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth. And every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father."
When Jesus comes again, He will rule as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and His kingdom will have no end. The entire world will know peace. As it says in Micah 4:4, "every man will sit under his own vine, and no one will make him afraid." All will be restored to the state that existed before sin entered into the world. Death and corruption passed upon everything because of the first Adam's sin. However, the Second Adam, Jesus Christ, has brought life and joy and restoration to the universe. Thanks be to God. Joy to the World.
Right now, we live in between the two Advents of Jesus. At this time, Jesus is extending His message of love, salvation and forgiveness to all. He wants everyone to be part of the kingdom He will establish at His Second Coming. That is why He made His first Advent. He calls you right now to accept Him as Savior and Lord of your life. He calls on you to come and follow Him today.
There are many, many great hymns that we sing during the Christmas season. Each one is packed with meaning and significance. During this Advent season, I hope that you will really reflect on the meaning of the carols that you sing, and give thanks to Jesus that He came and is coming again.
This Monday I will post the verses. On Wednesday, there will be a book review. Sometime towards the end of December, I will post my selections for the dog and cat books of the year. Next week, I will post the sermon on Friday as usual. May God bless you all. Amen.
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