Jesus Came to Establish the Reward of Faith (Advent 22, 2024)

It’s pretty easy—at the end of the year or the end of a race—to feel a little weary from the activity, maybe even a little sad at outcomes that are less than perfect, and in our discouragement, we can let down our guard. No one likes to think about that at Happy Christmas, I suppose, but I suspect I’m not the only one in the ministry that feels this way as the Big Day approaches. There are certain “high pressure days” that almost always fail to live up to our best plans. Plenty of people outside of the ministry can feel that way too, particularly at Christmas, when so much of our society points to Santa and materialism. Jesus wants us to keep our eyes on Him at such times.

The author of Hebrews gives us encouragement to persevere in
Visitation Principle 22: Jesus Came to Establish the Reward of Faith

Hebrews 10:36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37 For, “In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.” 38 And, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.” 39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.11:1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

The quality of one’s faith over the long haul is what counts.

Questions for further thought:

I was singing along with the radio to a catchy little tune when I realized how off the mark Kay Starr’s Man with the Bag is. Read the lyrics and identify the places where it’s maybe fun but completely flawed.

Old Mr. Kringle is soon gonna jingle
The bells that’ll tingle all your troubles away
Everybody’s waiting for the man with the bag
‘Cause Christmas is coming again

He’s got a sleigh full, it’s not gonna stay full
Stuff that he’s dropping every stop of the way
Everybody’s waiting for the man with the bag
‘Cause Christmas is coming again

He’ll be here
With the answer to the prayers
That you made through the year
You’ll get yours
If you’ve done everything you should extra special good
He’ll make this December the one you’ll remember
The best and the merriest you ever did have
Everybody’s waiting for the man with the bag
‘Cause Christmas is coming again

Who are we really waiting for at Christmas? Who does culture tell us to believe in?

How do many people feel after the pile of gifts is opened and the surprises revealed? Does Christmas still have that magic?

If we forget Jesus, what is Christmas reduced to being? Is Jesus the Center of your Christmas?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, may we never forsake You at Christmas. May we never forget that You came to die for our sins and that Easter was always in mind at Your first Advent. Strengthen our resolve to keep You in Christmas and teach You to the next generation. May we, by Your grace, persevere in our faith to receive the reward You have in mind which is far better than anything money can buy. We love You, Lord Jesus. 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.