Advent, Part 2

Advent, Part 2
Friday, December 6, 2024 by Dr. James W. Walraven

Categories: Contemporary issues / Encouraging words / Hope in Christ / The church / Thought for Today

Do we truly grasp, appreciate, and rejoice in what Jesus Christ did for us? As God tells us in Romans, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Think about that. If you’re a hardcore Republican, would you die for a woke Democrat? If you’re a woke Democrat, would you die for a hardcore Republican? Not hardly. We’ve seen that each would prefer the other to be dead. They—whover the “they” happens to be—must die so that “I”—whomever the “I” is—can live. That’s our dog eat dog world, isn’t it?

But what did Jesus do? He willingly sacrificed Himself so that “I,” or more correctly “we,” could live through faith in Him, through what He did. It isn’t about “us,” it is about Christ and His work on the cross. Instead of focusing on “self,” Chris’'s focus was on the need of others. Scripture also tells us that Jesus scorned the shame of the cross for the joy that was set before Him. He knew the wonderful results that would happen, how many would be saved—though others would still reject His work—through His death.

Jesus’s sacrifice doesn’t compute to our natural selves, to the world’s way of doing things. To the world it speaks of weakness and foolishness. Rather, “might makes right,” a statement that probably goes back to Thucydides in ancient Greece. That is what we so often see, what we commonly expect. The strong will destroy the weak. Perhaps one sees the “strong” as major corporations, or as tyrants engaging in mass killing, as happened under Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, or Idi Amin. Then there’s the “golden” rule: “He who has the gold makes the rules.”

While we live on earth, an earth still under the dominion of Satan, that is what we see. But his dominion will end: Jesus has promised to return. There is coming a time when Satan’s lease will expire.

As we think about Jesus, and what He has done, along with His promised return this Advent season, may we remember to live in the way of Jesus, not mimic the way of the world, and not respond in kind. As we are told in Romans 12:13, let us bless those who persecute us. Let us not curse those who hate us. Rather than mirroring the hatred the world displays, let us demonstrate the love of Christ. Let us extend HIs love to all those we come across. The world desperately needs, and needs to see through us, God’s agape love.

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