Visit Tyndale online at www.tyndale.com.
Visit Tyndale Momentum online at www.tyndalemomentum.com.
TYNDALE, Tyndale Momentum, and Tyndales quill logo are registered trademarks of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. The Tyndale Momentum logo is a trademark of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Tyndale Momentum is the nonfiction imprint of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois.
The Wonder of Advent Devotional: Experiencing the Love and Glory of the Christmas Season
Copyright 2017 by Chris Tiegreen. All rights reserved.
Cover illustration by Eva Winters. Copyright Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.
Designed by Ron Kaufmann
Published in association with the literary agency of Mark Sweeney and Associates, Naples, FL 34113
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. (Some quotations may be from the 2004 edition of the NLT.) Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
ISBN 978-1-4964-1909-5
Build: 2017-09-08 15:36:47
For Timothy
INTRODUCTION
IN A SMALL TOWN in Judea long ago, God clothed himself in flesh and began to live among us. It was a stunning move, revolutionary in its purpose, and it is still changing lives today. Theres a reason the first coming of Jesus is so celebrated, and we dont want to miss it. By Gods invitation, this is a story we can enter into every day.
Thats the purpose of this devotionalto go deeper into the account of Christs birth and to focus our thoughts on the riches of its meaning. We want not only to appreciate what happened in Bethlehem more than two millennia ago; we want to experience it in our lives right now.
Advent is a time of anticipation and joy, but it can also be a time of busyness and stress. The turmoil of the season can distract us from the true messagethough it may also lead us to long for a Savior. Either way, in the depths of our hearts, we have not forgotten what the celebration is all about. We know its a story that changed the world forever. And we desire to embrace it fully.
The readings in this book all point toward that goal. After a week of short daily readings leading into the Advent period, each devotion draws from a biblical text, explores its original context and its meaning for us today, prompts a time of reflection and prayer, and includes a quote from the wealth of Christmas music that has been passed down to us across eras and cultures. Taken together, these elements enable us to savor this remarkable divine story each day.
Throughout these readings, we will recall the prophecies of the coming Messiah and our desperate need for him, celebrate the announcement that he would come through a young woman named Mary, and meditate on the pregnancy of Gods promises and our hope in them. We will take a few minutes each day to let the significance of the Nativity sink in and explore what it means for our lives and our world. This season is a special time on the calendar, but its so much more. It is not only a time to remember a long-ago event; its a time to experience God himself.
NOVEMBER
PHILIPPIANS 2:6-11
He gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.
PHILIPPIANS 2:7
A DVENT celebrates the Incarnationthe divine taking on human flesh. One of the briefest but most profound summaries of this story is a poetic excerpt in Philippians 2, which describes how the Son left the privileges of deity behind when he came from heaven to earth. He entered human flesh to be like us, but also to be something morehumanity as we were designed to be, unfallen and filled with the presence of God. He showed us what a human being can do by faith when fully submitted to the Father. Prepare your heart this week by reflecting on Christs purpose in coming to this world as an infant.
REFLECTION
How does God becoming flesh redeem the human race? What do you think the Incarnation was like for Jesus?
NOVEMBER
JOHN 6:35-40
I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will.
JOHN 6:38
W HY DID J ESUS COME TO EARTH? He gives several purpose statements in the Gospels, and we will explore some of them this week in preparation for Advent. In John 6, Jesus said he came to do the will of the Fatherand that the will of the Father was to call people to faith and to raise them up at the last day. In other words, this was a divine rescue mission. The ministry of Jesus consistently demonstrated his desire to save. Even his birth stories reflect Gods purposein reaching shepherds, magi from the East, people longing to see the Messiahand give us clues as to the nature of his mission.
REFLECTION
What did Jesus come to save you from? What did he come to save you for?
NOVEMBER
MARK 1:35-39
Jesus replied, We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too. That is why I came.
MARK 1:38
J ESUS DID NOT remain in one place. Its true that he never ventured far beyond Judea and Galilee, but he had some influence among Gentiles and sent his followers into all nations before he ascended. What began in a village called Bethlehem was intended to reach into every corner of the worlda single seed that would cover the planet with its growth. This is why he came. The Incarnationthe life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesuswas the central event in a global mission.
REFLECTION
What does it say about Gods mission that the Nativity took place in Bethlehem rather than in a more prominent place?
NOVEMBER
MATTHEW 10:34-36
Dont imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword.
MATTHEW 10:34
T HE NIGHT OF J ESUS BIRTH, the angels declared peace on earth to the shepherds in the fields (Luke 2:14). But Jesus said peace was not his mission. Why the discrepancy? Because God does want peacethe shalom of his Kingdomto invade the hearts and lives of those who seek him. But its also clear that the message of Jesus would be controversial to many, exposing hearts and dividing loyalties. Humanity will never be fully united in faith before God makes all things visible at the end of the age. Yes, he wants us to be at peacein him. But many will not accept peace on those terms. The Messiahs mission wasand still iscontested.
REFLECTION
In what ways do you see opposition to Jesus mission today? How does it play out in your life?
NOVEMBER
MATTHEW 5:17-20
Dont misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.
MATTHEW 5:17
A LITERAL TRANSLATION of Romans 10:4 says Christ is the end of the law. But does that refer to the abolition of Gods law or the fulfillment of it? If the latter, which seems to be the clear meaning in light of Jesus words, then our salvation implies change. Jesus not only lived up to the laws requirements; he also puts a righteous nature within us. He did not come to tell us to be good; he came to make us new. The law gave us a standard but no power to meet it. Jesus came to transform us from within.