Jesus Came to Simplify Our Options (Advent 11, 2024)

Visitation Principle 11: Jesus Came to Simplify our Options

Hebrews 3:12 See to it, brothers and sisters,
that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart
that turns away from the living God.

One can only turn to or turn away, believe or don’t believe, be forgiven or remain in one’s sin without forgiveness. That’s why Jesus came. To reduce our options to binary.

Before Jesus came, the options were as endless and infinite as a myriad of laws to be obeyed. One man could think himself more righteous by how many laws he obeyed compared to his neighbor.

Jesus came so that no one could think himself righteous…apart from God.

Questions for further thought:

Why do you think people might prefer a checklist of laws to obey?

What did Jesus’ coming do to the idea of “earned righteousness”? See Romans 3:9-12

How does “earned righteousness” differ from “credited” righteousness? See Romans 4:13-25, Galatians 3:6-7, and for additional clarification, James 2:20-26.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord Jesus, for being our righteousness, that the Father made You who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in You we might become the righteousness of God. Help us to not ashamed of Your Gospel, because we can see it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. Thank You, that in Your Gospel the righteousness of God is revealed– a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” May we choose to follow You in faith today and always. 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.