Jesus as God’s Final Word (Advent 1, 2024)

In the Letter to the Hebrews, the author sets out to encourage Jewish believers in Messiah Jesus Christ that what they felt like were missing from their traditions wasn’t really missing out at all.  It was an upgrade.

The Jewish believers loved their prophets and their Scriptures and held a nostalgic feeling for them.  I get that.  It’s kind of like how some of us are old enough to miss the squeal of dial-up Internet and AOL proclaiming “You’ve got mail!”  But it wasn’t better, faster, or more advanced in its capabilities.  Traditions can be that way, both nostalgic and insufficient— becoming a dear bondage, if we’re not careful.

The Last Days call for better measures than being so stuck in the past that we miss out on the encouragement and superiority of the upgrade.

Hebrews 1:1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom also He made the universe.

Visitation Principle 1: Jesus is God’s Final Word, the Last Prophet, the Alpha and Omega, Beginning and the End, the Heir, the Pioneer, but still the Creator God who spoke the world into existence and the Scriptures to the prophets they loved.

Questions for further thought:

Are there any traditions in your life that are holding you back from the freedom you have in Christ?
Are there any customs or style preferences that you elevate above the Word of God?
Are there any sins for which you can’t forgive yourself, that Jesus has already proclaimed forgiven by faith in Him?
How does Hebrews 1:2 tell us that Jesus is the true Last Prophet?
Think of ways in which Jesus’ being God’s final word is an upgrade over historic prophets alone.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, during this Advent season where our traditions are elevated and our focus is on Your birth, may we always be reminded that Your first Advent was not the beginning of something, but a continuation and fulfillment of the prophecies and promises from Your Word. We thank You for Your incarnation and the hope of forgiveness that You came to finalize, and by Your grace and mercy, You did this before returning in Judgment.  We praise You and worship You.  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:  

• “From the Jews for the World” was the theme of last Advent’s devotional series. It is archived beginning December 3, 2023, and explored how Jesus’ Jewish heritage was necessary for the salvation of Gentiles, too.
• “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.