Author: lelak630

 Advent stories and messages from around the world

Monday, November 29, 2021

The Advent Calendar

Matthew 11:28; Luke 10:38-42

Before I talk about the Advent Calendar, it’s probably a good idea to ask a question.

What is Advent?

Advent is a period of time before Christmas meant to prompt reflection as Christians look ahead to prepare for the birth of Jesus. Although most Advent Calendars are numbered 1-24 (denoting December 1 through December 24), Advent is not always exactly 24 days long. For example, this year (2021), Advent is 27 days long, beginning on Sunday, November 28.

The tradition of utilizing Advent Calendars dates back to the mid-19th century when German Protestants made chalk marks on doors or lit candles to count the days leading up to Christmas. However, the first modern-day Advent Calendar didn’t appear until the early 1900s.

Today’s modern Advent Calendars are made in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some of them have little cardboard doors you open each day, which reveals an image. Others have small drawers with a piece of chocolate or a positive message in them.

The calendars are an excellent way for families to get together for discussion, prayer, and fun during a busy Christmas season. By the way, even Lego has come out with an Advent Calendar.

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As we approach the celebration of the birth of Christ, have you taken time to look at your daily calendar? What do late November and December look like as you peruse your calendar?

Is your calendar filled with parties dates, shopping, school plays, preparing dinners, putting up decorations, and keeping up with the latest Hallmark Christmas movie? (I had to put that in as my wife and I are Hallmark movie nuts).

When I think about the busyness surrounding the modern-day Christmas season, I think of two Bible verses. The first may be best saved for December 26.

          “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28.

I may be taking this text slightly out of context, but when I talk to people a day or so after Christmas, the word “exhausted” is used quite frequently. Perhaps if we had gone to the Lord and asked Him for help and direction on His priorities, we wouldn’t be so wiped out on December 26.

The second bible passage that comes to mind is from Luke 10:38-42.

“As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

In referencing our daily calendar, the pertinent portion of the passage above is: “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Like Martha during Jesus’ visit, we seem to have lost sight of what’s essential. “Jesus’ name, “Christ,” is part of the word Christmas. The word Mas, or Mass, means to celebrate Christ in worship.

Nowadays, most of us spend far too much time worshipping worldly things in December and not enough time worshipping Jesus Christ.

Take a look at your calendar right now. How does December look? Is it filled with those things I mentioned earlier, like parties, dinners, shopping, etc.? Have you made our Savior Jesus an ongoing part of your December calendar, and for that matter, every month of the year?

I know it’s a cliché, but remember, “Jesus is the reason for the season.” So let’s all make plenty of time to worship Him this year. Be a Mary, not a Martha. Amen.

Dear Jesus. Please help us to always put you first in our lives. Then, please guide us to what’s important as we travel the path you have chosen for us through your Holy Spirit. Amen.

First Sunday in Advent 2021

Orders from the King

Luke 19:28-40; Zechariah 9:9

How well do you take orders? If you ever served in the armed forces, you know never to question an order. If the drill Sargent says, jump, your response is, “How high, sir?”

Even if the word ‘please,’ is attached to an order you’re given, it’s still an order. “Joe, take out the trash, please.” “Kathy, I need the accounts payable caught up by Friday.”

Of course, there’s the other kind of order. “I’ll have a burger, fries, and a shake.” “Would you like an appetizer with your dinner order today?”

An order is an order. We can make it, follow it, or accept the consequences of not following it.

The Triumphal Entry

Imagine, if you will, how you would have reacted to the order Jesus gave two of His disciples in the passage below.

“After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 

“Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.'”

Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

They replied, “The Lord needs it.”

They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt, and put Jesus on it. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.

When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

 “I tell you,” He replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

Luke 19:28-40

Today let’s focus on the two disciples. What would you have thought if you were one of the two disciples Jesus sent for a colt?

1. Jesus, are you sure? The owner could have us arrested for taking his donkey.
2. Would you have leaned over to the other and whispered something? What would you have said to him?
3. Yes, Lord, your will be done, thinking to yourself, “He’s never steered me wrong before.”

Now there’s the business of the owner of the colt. What would you have said to the two disciples as they untied your colt?

Had Jesus arranged this with the colt owner earlier? Or were the words that came from the mouths of the two disciples, “The Lord needs it,” enough to let them have the colt.

God/Jesus had a plan from the start. And the disciples who brought the colt to him were part of the plan.

Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem was a fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy from Zechariah 9:9.

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!

Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!

See, your king comes to you,

righteous and victorious,

lowly and riding on a donkey,

on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Here’s the point!

God always has a plan, and it’s more intricate than we can ever imagine. So, when He calls on us to do something, our response should always be, “Yes, Lord.”

Are you following God’s orders? I’m not just talking about the Ten Commandments. I’m speaking of His final directions before He left this earth.

The Great Commission

“Then, the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:16-20

These were Christ’s final directions, orders to His disciples. Are you following His directions, His orders? It’s our job to bring the Gospel to the world, remember:

“It’s what we live for.”

Dear Lord. Help us always listen to you, whether in the written words recorded in the Bible or through the whispers we hear from your encourager, The Holy Spirit. You are our God, our Lord, and our Savior. Amen.