Passage: Luke 3:15 (NIV)

15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah.

Comment

We are now officially in the advent season and this past Sunday (28 Nov) Ps. Dale kicked us off with the first of a 4-part series called ‘Preparing for Christmas again’. In his sermon, Ps. Dale spoke about why Jesus is called the ‘branch’ or the ‘shoot’ as seen in Isaiah 11:1.

God promised to David that out of his lineage a king will come that will not only restore hope and redeem Israel (a promise that seemed hopeless) but to be hope and redemption for all peoples. Through this ‘branch-like’ analogy, we can see how the Bible is one unified story that culminates in Jesus on the cross and invites you and me to partner with God to bring this message of hope and redemption to the lost and establish His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.

In this coming week Ps. Dale will continue with the Advent series and focus on Luke 3:7-18 and Philippians 1:6-11. He’ll talk about John the Baptist, Jesus – the Anointed One and how God, who began a good work through us, will finish it for His glory.

As we reflect on this past Sunday’s sermon and we’re entering the advent season, think about how Jesus’ first coming impacts your life? How has Jesus redeemed your life? Do you live with an anticipated hope that He will come again? How does this (the knowledge that he will come again) affect how you view everyday life? Does your life reveal that Jesus was just another wise human being that teaches great moral values, or does it reveal a complete life-changing lifestyle that’s achievable beyond human abilities? Is your life looking more like Jesus?