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Verse 17 parallels verse 16: as God gave, so He sent His Son. Was Jesus given, was He sent for Israel alone? No, the Son was given and sent for the sake of the world, for the sake of all humanity. He was sent to be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should have eternal life (3:14-15). Though deserving of judgment, the world was sent a Savior. Instead of condemnation rendered, love is lavished.

Do you want to see the measure of God’s love? Look first to the manger; see the Child wrapped in swaddling cloths, and there behold the love of God. Then look to the Man stripped of all and lifted up on the cross, and yet again behold the love of God. Behold Him and believe that, for the sake of the world, the cross was the ultimate destination of the manger.

“This prayer directs us both toward the celebration of Christmas, now but a few days off, and toward the end of time, whose distance from us we cannot know; in all of that we pray for the present age, the thin moving edge that connects past to future. For always both the future and past emphases of Advent direct us toward our faith and mission in this world. Eschatology that has no implications for us now is pernicious escapism. History that has no implications for us now is irrelevant romanticism. Neither by escaping current responsibility, nor by retreating into a rosy past that never was, can we serve the God who has come and will come, yet is ever fully woven in the fabric of the present.” – Laurence Hully Stookey, Calendar: Christ’s Time for the Church

This week, for the Second Sunday of Advent, we find ourselves in the third chapter of Matthew’s Gospel where he records the ministry of John the Baptist, who prepares Israel for the coming of the Messiah by preaching a message of repentance. John is clear that religious heritage is not enough nor even to simply profess repentance. Rather, true repentance is seen in the fruit that it bears; in the actions that are taken unto righteousness. According to Isaiah 11, righteousness is central to the Messiah’s ministry. It is a mark of His reign over all the earth, even as He proves to also be the hope of the Gentiles (Is. 11:10; Rom. 15:12).

Some of God’s most challenging and comforting messages came to His people in times of difficulty and distress, so let us heed the Baptist’s cry and pursue lives of repentance and righteousness befitting of those belonging to our Messiah’s kingdom.

ALMIGHTY God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious Majesty, to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, now and ever. Amen.

Recall the words of Jesus from John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” And we now walk in the light because of the incarnation of the light of the world.

Consider that the Gospels themselves do not simply give information about Jesus, but, as one theologian states, “provide a narrative that we can inhabit, a story we can make our own. This is one way in which we can become the people God calls us to be. The traditional Christian year is a deep-rooted and long tested means by which that aim can be realized.” All Saints’ is especially set apart to aid our memory, to help us see our place in the story, and to consider the entire story that has already been told. That is a healthy thing, and not only because it provides perspective, but, again, because it encourages us in our faith and in our walk with Christ when we consider others whom the Lord has kept, those who faithfully ran the race until its end.

To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours.

So the term is not referring to just a select few, or Christians who have reached a “celebrity” status within the church. No, it is a day about all believers, all the faithful since Adam and Eve. To be sure, there are some high profile names among the saints – even as Hebrews 11 indicates – but not to the exclusion of all who are in Christ. All Saints’ is a catholic celebration (catholic meaning “universal”), and it is quite appropriate, having celebrated the Reformation specifically one week, to celebrate the universal church the next. When we celebrate the Reformation, what are we doing? We are remembering Christians that have gone before us, those whom the Lord has used for the sake of His Church and Kingdom upon the earth. That is not an unbiblical thing to do. In fact, the Bible calls us to remember time and time again, and one of the things that caused problems for God’s people more often than not was when they forgot.

The purpose is not to in any way to glorify men or to exalt the “super-Christians” of the faith. Not in the least. Rather, at the heart of All Saints’ Day is the declaration and celebration of the unity of the Church, the unity that God’s saints have in Christ, saints of the past with saints of the present. As one pastor states, “All Saints’ is a time to remember all those who have lived before us and through whom God has worked.” As we find ourselves in the present moment, it is good for us to look to the past, to consider what God has done in and through His chosen people in bygone ages, especially during times of difficulty and conflict, in order that we might be further emboldened for the future that awaits us, whatever that might entail. To be continued…

It was important because, as sinful and imperfect humans, we often need to be corrected and brought back to and grounded in the truth of the scripture. The Reformation was one of those times when God lit a fire that spread far and wide throughout His church and continues to have implications even today 505 years later.

It is good and right that we celebrate and mark this time in our calendars. It is also good and right that we remember that God is working among His people and continually reforming his Church. We do well to keep in mind a phrase which later came into use, and which we still use today, semper reformanda: always reforming. May God continue to grant our reform in and through our Lord Jesus Christ!

There are many questions surrounding this arrest, but what is not in question is the Vaughn’s commitment to Christ, family, and children. Their money is where their mouth is and the powers that be have decided to persecute them for it. In 2 Timothy 3:12–13, the Apostle Paul says, “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” So those who despise God and his word purposing evil against us is not unexpected. Paul goes on, “But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them.”

Paul is facing up to 11 years in prison for trying to peacefully stop the murder of unborn babies. Please lift up Paul and his family at this time that they may walk faithfully to that which God has called them.

It’s easy to believe we are totally in control of our lives every action is directed by ourselves alone. We often don’t do this on purpose, we’re just so used to ordering our lives as we see fit that we forget every breath we take is because God has ordained it so. One has only to look at our prayer list to see that a lot of folks, many right in our midst, are experiencing things over which they have no control.

This is one of the reasons it’s a good to be in a daily habit of prayer. When we bring our petitions, our anguish, our anxiety, to the one who ordains all things, it reminds us who is really in control — and it’s not us. The Apostle Paul, by way of his letter to the Philippians, in chapter 4 verse 6 instructs us: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;” Doing this daily, when you rise up in the morning, for instance, is a good way to fulfill this command and place our trust and hope in Christ. And as we do, we have the promises of Psalm 34:17–19:

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.

Praise the Lord for His goodness to us!

Men, in a general sense, are designed to take leadership roles. Each man has different giftings to be sure, but men are designed to take dominion, to cultivate, to grow, to take what was shapeless and useless and shape it into something good and useful. Young men should prepare for this by taking on smaller ideals of the role. Men already in these roles and taking on more of these leader positions, should remember to lead as a servants. They should remember to lead joyfully, remember to be eager to listen and not wield an iron fist. They should not exasperate those under them.

Women, in general, have been designed to beautify and glorify, to be an aid in taking dominion. Like men, this will look different from woman to woman, but the principle applies. Young women should focus on the simple duties and daily tasks in their purview to help with and beautify. Woman already in this position should remember that they wield much influence in the life of their husbands, children, and those around them. They should beautify their domains with smiles and love.

As we seek to influence and shape culture, let us do so by working with the designs God gave. As we do, we will find joy designed exactly and specifically for us.