Advent Devotionals 2024: Visitation Principles

Continuing my themes of Jesus as our Jewish Messiah (from last year’s Advent) and the series on the mystery of how Jews and Gentiles are heirs together in Christ, I invite you to join me in a study of the Letter to the Hebrews, one of three New Testament books/letters designed to relate to the Jewish people, their backgrounds and customs. 

The other two strong in their Jewish appeal are (1) the Gospel according to Matthew which is notable in its continual assertion that Jesus is the long-awaited Jewish Messiah, and (2) the Letter to the Romans (which was the Jewish Apostle Paul telling a Gentile audience how only in Christ can a sinner be born again to sufficient righteousness, which as all good theology does, it preaches to both Gentile and Jewish people.)

Like Romans, Hebrews is a theological masterpiece, and one dear to my heart.  First, because it’s mysterious…we don’t even know for sure who wrote it but also, the secret author (man or woman) loved theology and is an “explainer” by nature.  I can relate.  And third, it is written as encouragement to Jewish believers about how Christ’s first Advent made everything better. I like encouragement.

So, during Advent 2024, we will explore Visitation Principles of Jesus’ first Advent that we can glean from the letter to the Hebrews. As we go along, we will see WHY Jesus came and why His first Advent was NECESSARY in order to make His second Advent (His Return in Judgment) something to embrace, not simply fear.  We wouldn’t want the Judgment without the certainty of the offer of forgiveness.

Please consider joining me beginning December 1, 2024, for this annual tradition of Advent devotionals to grow our faith, encourage our hearts, and remind us how to live between two Advents.

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 By signing up on the sidebar of my Home Page you can receive these daily “Visitation Principles” devotionals. Or they will be reposted on SeminaryGal’s Facebook page as well.

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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.