Every year at this time we begin counting the days until Christmas. Only 27 days left for shopping, cooking, and wrapping until the big day is here. Hopefully we also spend the days thinking about the reason for the celebration – the birth of Jesus.
Many churches and individual Christians observe the four-week season of Advent as a way to celebrate Christ’s birth. The word “advent” means a coming into view or arrival. For Christians, “Advent” specifically refers to the eager anticipation of the arrival of God’s long-awaited Messiah. Christian Advent officially began Sunday, November 27th. Observers may pray, fast, and read Scripture while waiting for Jesus’ “coming,” celebrated on December 25th.
With the busyness and commercialization of Christmas, Advent is a wonderful way to keep Christ in the forefront of our minds. However, we shouldn’t limit our reflection to the truth that Jesus came to earth; we should also remember why He came. That’s exactly what we’ll be doing for the next three weeks here at Scripture Dig.
Why did Jesus leave the glory of heaven to be born as a human in a stable in Bethlehem? Many times I’ve heard the statement, “Jesus came to die.” And that is true. But did you know that was only part of Jesus’ mission?
Jesus told us why He came. The Gospels record more than a dozen “I came” statements of Jesus. We will be exploring many of these over the next few weeks. Christmas took on a deeper and richer meaning for me after I first studied these statements of Christ several years ago. This year we want to share them with you. We pray God will use His Words to enrich your Christmas celebration and grow your understanding of Him.
What are some things you and your family do to help you stay focused on the true reason for the Christmas season?
[…] Kathy mentioned Monday, we know Jesus came to die. But He left footprints of obedience every step of the way – […]