GOD IS A VERY INVITING GOD: ISAIAH DESCRIBED IN AMAZING DETAIL, 7OO YEARS IN THE FUTURE HOW CHRIST WOULD COME AND SUFFER AND BEAR THE SINS OF MANY OF GOD'S PEOPLE AND DIE IN OUR PLACE AND RISE AGAIN. THEIR IS THE GREAT SUBSTITUTION. CHRIST IN TO DIE IN OUR PLACE , AND THREE DAYS LATER TO RISE AGAIN. TAKING OUR SINS UPON HIMSELF. HE WAS SINLESS. LETS LOOK AT HIS RESURRECTION, ISAIAH 12: " THEREFORE I WILL DIVIDE HIM A PORTION WITH THE GREAT, AND HE SHALL DIVIDE THE SPOIL WITH THE STRONG; BECAUSE HE HAS POURED OUT HIS SOUL UNTO DEATH;" HE WAS NUMBERED WITH THE TRANSGRESSORS. BUT, GOD HONERED HIM. GOD SENT HIS SON SO THAT WE MAY LIVE. EVEN PAUL FINDS HIMSELF USING IMAGES ISAIAH TO SPEAK THE TRUTH OF JESUS CHRIST. HE IS OUR ROCK, THE LIVING SIGN OF GOD'S FAITHFULNESS. WE ARE FRAGILE CREATURES LIVING IN A WORLD OF TRAGEDY AND TERROR, BUT GOD DOES NOT PUNISH FRAGILITY WITH DEATH. ON THE CONTRARY, GOD SENT JESUS TO US SO THAT WE MAY LIVE. WE MUST GROW IN GOD'S INSCRUTABLE GRACE WHICH CANNOT BE PURCHASED, BUT IS FULFILLEDTHROUGH GOD'S PROMISES TO DAVID.
PAUL SPEAKS OF THE ROCK FOLLOWING THEM AS A SYMBOL OF CHRIST.. ISAIH WHICH SAYS: BY HEARING, YOU SHALL HEAR, BUT NOT UNDERSTAND; AND SEEING YOU SHALL SEE AND NOT PERCIEVE; FOR THE PEOPLE HEART HAVE WAXED GROSS. THE EARS ARE DULL OF HEARING, THEIR EYES ARE CLOSED. LEST AT ANY TIME THEY SHOULD SEE WITH THEIR WITH THEIIR HEART AND UNDERSTAND EYES AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS AND UNDERSTAND AND BE HEALED!
ISAIAH 55 INVITES US TO A GREAT INVITATION. THE FIRST PEOPLE TO BE INVITED ARE THOSE WHO ARE THRISTY AND THOSE WHO HAVE NO MONEY. TWO THINGS THIRSTY AND CAN'T PAY. AT THE BEGINNING OF ADVENT, IS A TIME THAT POINTS THE PEOPLE OF GOD TOWARD THE THREE COMINGS OF THE LORD JESUS. HE CAME AMONG US AT BETHLEHEM. HE COMES AMONG US IN THE SCRIPTURES, THE WATERS OF BAPTISM, THE EUCHARISTIC MEAL, AND THE COMMUNITY OF FAITH. HE WILL COME AGAIN IN THE GLORY TO JUDGE THE LIVING AND THE DEAD. KEEP AWAKE, FOR HIS COMING IS CERTAIN, AND HIS DAY DRAWS NEAR. (WATCH THE NEWS! )
BUT THIS TIME OF YEAR, WE HAVE TO BE HONEST, ADVENT IS NOT ON OUR MIND, WE ARE THINKING OF CHRISTMAS. DURING THIS SEASON, WE REMEMBER ADVENT NOT AS A FRANTIC COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS BUT AS AN INTENTIONAL TIME OF PERSONAL RENEWAL FOR THE COMING OF THE LORD. WE LOOK AT THESE FOUR WEEKS, THAT THE BIBLICAL TRUTH THAT JESUS WILL RETURN ONE DAY. IT IS A DAY THAT BRINGS FEAR AND JOY, REPENTANCE AND FORGIVENESS! ISAIAH 64:1-9 REMINDS US THAT WE ARE INFECTED WITH THIS UNIVERSAL DISEASE CALLED "SIN."
THAT CANNOT BE "WISHED" AWAY BUT ONLY HEALED THROUGH GOD'S INTERVENTION. IN 1 CORINTHIANS 1:3-9 PAUL ADMONISHES BELIEVERS TO WAIT EAGERLY FOR HIS RETURN WITH THANKSGIVING AND BLAMELESS LIVING. MARK TELLS US ( 13: 24-37), WHILE WE MISSED JESUS FIRST COMING, IT WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE TO MISS HIS SECOND. JESUS RETURN WILL BE DRAMATIC AND GLOBAL.
AGAIN THE WARNING, " STAY AWAKE" AND NO MATTER THE TIME, DAY OR NIGHT, "STAY ALERT." IF THERE IS ONE CONSISTENT MESSAGE FOR ADVENT, IT COMES FROM JOHN THE BAPTIST AND IT IS CALLED "REPENTANCE!" (MARK 1: 1-8). WITH JOHN SAYING "PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD!"
SO WETHER IN THE DESERT OR WITHIN OUR HEARTS, THE THREE READINGS URGE US TO BEGIN THAT JOURNEY ON OUR KNEES, GOD IS NOT SLOW TO RETURN BUT RATHER SHOWING GREAT PATIENCE AND MERCY BY GIVING US TIME TO REPENT BEFORE RETURNING " LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT." ALSO ADVENT IS A TIME OF MYSTERY BECAUSE OF EXPECTATION AND HOPE, FOR WHAT WE DO NOT SEE, WE WAIT FOR IT WITH PATIENCE. ADVENT LIKE EACH SEASON OF GRACE, GIVES US THE OPPORUNITY TO REDISCOVER "HOLY GROUND." WHEN THE SON-OF-MAN COMES WITH THE CLOUDS, STAND-UP LIFT OUR HEADS, OUR REDEMPTION IS AT HAND. EITHER WE RISE FROM THE GRAVE, OR PUSH OPEN THE SCREEN DOOR STEP OUT ON THE FRONT DOOR TO MEET HIM, DEPENDING WHAT TIME HE MAKES HIS ADVENT.
BE READY FOR THE RETURN OF CHRIST. JESUS TAUGHT HIS DISCIPLES ABOUT THE SIGNS OF THE END TIMES. WHILE HE TAUGHT, HE STOOD ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES
DIRECTLY OPPOSITE THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM. PETER, JAMES, JOHN, AND ANDREW ASKED HIM TO EXPLAIN WWHEN THE END WOULD COME? IN MARK (13:32); IT SAYS: OF THE LAST DAY AND THAT HOUR KNOWETH NO MAN, NOT EVEN THE ANGELS WHICH ARE IN HEAVEN, NEITHER THE SON, BUT THE FATHER. TAKE HEED, WATCH AND PRAY! FOR THE SON IS AS A MAN TAKING A FAR JOURNEY, WHO LEFT HIS HOUSE, AND GAVE AUTHORITY TO HIS SERVANTS, AND TO EVERY MAN HIS WORK, AND COMMANDED THE PORTER TO WATCH, FOR YOU DO NOT KNOW WHEN THE MASTER OF THE HOUSE RETURNS. EVEN THE AGELS ARE IGNORANT, THOUGH THEY KNOW MANY SECRETS AND MYSTERIES OF GOD, THE DAY IS NOT EVEN TO JESUS IN HIS STATE OF HUMILIATION. EXACT TIME IS NOT KNOWN UPON EARTH!
THE PEOPLE OF GOD TOWARD THE THREE COMINGS OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
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