Beware (Advent 6, 2023)

Any political or religious movement that relishes, welcomes, or pursues death of any part of humanity (young, old, religious, ethnic, etc.) has no part in the Christian worldview. Beware of any political or religious ideology that seeks the death of Jesus’ heritage or the faith movement He began.

Seriously, is this that hard a concept?? Our God values life and therefore, the existence in the Christian heart of anti-values like “Death to America! Death to the Jews! From the River to the Sea” have no place. Death is Satan’s playground.

Beware of any religious ideology that is against God. (Even if half of that religious ideology claims it is peaceful and its writings allow it to confuse and deceive if it furthers that religion’s aims). Moreover, if eradicating the Jews could stop the Messiah from coming, or if killing all the Christians, or if sealing off the Beautiful Gate (Golden Gate, Eastern Gate) in Jerusalem as was done by the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman in 1541, what does it say about that person’s view of the Messiah?

Questions for further thought:

If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)

“He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all– how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one.

Christ Jesus who died– more than that, who was raised to life– is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:32-39)

If the Messiah is a man, blocking the entrance to Jerusalem will not be a huge obstacle. If the Messiah is God the Son, how stupid is that to think that a few bricks are going to stop Him?

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, as Your return is “soon” according to Your Word, help us to look for Your coming. By Your grace and power, may we be found faithful when You return. Keep our eyes focused on You. For You are Faithful and True. Amen.

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Acknowledging inquiries about an entire season’s devotionals for your study group’s planning purposes, Seminary Gal’s prior seasons’ Advent devotionals can be accessed via the archives to the right and are as follows:

“Awaken Remnant” was the devotional topic for 2022. It began November 27, 2022, and highlighted the remnant found throughout Scripture as evident in Jesus’ lineage.
The multi-faceted Interlude between the promise of a Deliverer and the birth of our Messiah and King was the theme of 2021’s devotional series. It is archived beginning November 28, 2021.
2020’s Devotional Series Divine Intervention began on November 29, 2020 and explored God’s activity on behalf of a hurting world and nations in tumult– Intervention for you and for me when our status as sinners required nothing short of a miracle.
God’s Christmas list explored what might be on God’s Christmas list, learning what He wants from us. It began December 1, 2019.
Storyteller began December 2, 2018 and entered into the Christmas story through its telling.
The 2017 series Still Christmas, began December 3, 2017 and was the Advent complement to the Lenten series, Be Still and Know that I AM God.
The 2016 season devotionals were called “Timeless: The Message of Christmas for All Ages” and explored how the message of Christmas is timeless truth, for all ages of people, and for all ages at all times. Timeless hope, encouragement, grace, peace, and love as we looked into the Word, saw the face of our Lord Jesus, and experienced restoration in His presence. His goodness and His Gospel are truly Timeless. The 2016 devotionals began November 27, 2016.
The 2015 season devotionals were titled Incarnation and involved digging deep–and yes, I mean deep– in this important mystery of Christian theology. They began November 29, 2015.
Carol Me, Christmas! remains one of my most popular offerings and tells the Christmas story through our most beloved Christmas hymns and carols. You can access all of the numbered devotionals from 2014 via the archives. They began November 30, 2014.
The 2013 series was Emmanuel: When LOVE Showed Up in Person and examined the Prologue to the Gospel of John. It began December 1, 2013.
The 2012 series focused on Expecting the Unexpected…the unexpected, unlikely, and uniquely divine qualities of God’s perfect plan outlined in Luke’s account of the Christmas story. It began December 1, 2012.