Vol. 8-52 – 12-24-2023 – Advent – A Season of Peace
O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
‘Til He appear’d and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born;
O night divine, O night, O night Divine.
Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here come the wise men from Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friend.
He knows our need, to our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend!
Behold your King, Before Him lowly bend!
Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother;
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! O praise His Name forever,
His power and glory evermore proclaim.
His power and glory evermore proclaim.
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. –Romans 8:1-4
This is the evening prior to celebrating Christ’s birth. The birth of Jesus, the Christ reflects that God sent Him. We are to embrace Him. To embrace the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ is to agree with God. Our debt is fully paid; our guilt is removed. It is finished. Jesus, the Christ, bore our guilt and shame in His innocent life, paying our price.
When the voice of the accuser comes, and it will, he will be reminded of what the Redeemer has done. Condemnation for the believer is gone. We who believe are free!
God removed our sin as far as the east is from the west; buried them in the deepest sea. Think for a moment how far that is. When we asked for directions on our trip in the northeast U.S., the man said ya cant git thare from heer. Some places are hard to reach; where God sends our sin is such a long way, and no one can get there from here.
It really illustrates how far God’s forgiveness takes our sin. And He purposely, intentionally, does not remember our sin anymore. What a God of love, grace, and mercy! God will not hold our sin against us, for our sin has been satisfied in Christ’s birth, death, and resurrection. It is finished!
Because this Jesus was born to be condemned for our sin, condemnation is no more for those who believe. It is called an amazing grace!
The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. –2 Peter 3:9
This is the plan of God, that everyone has an opportunity to believe in the Lord prior to their death. The offer is still valid. He is patient. But we ought not to wait, for the days are quickly coming to an end.
He is not slow. He is merciful. He has come in the likeness of man to extend His arms open wide to all who will come. The waiting of God is for the sounding of the trumpet for the consummation of days. We live in a time of grace. A time when more people can hear of His love, grace, and mercy.
He desires that others trust in His promise, for more to forsake their ways and take Christ. Put their hope in Jesus. When we come to Christ, His peace becomes a part of who we are. Do you sense the peace He has for you this evening as we celebrate His birth?
God is patient, waiting for all He created, and loves for them to find their way to Him.
