Advent: December 16, 2024
All of history hinges on Jesus’ advent. If Jesus does not come, God’s word is untrue, his name is dishonored, and we even question his existence. God must keep his word.
1 Peter 1:22-25 (ESV) Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
Isaiah 40:6-9 (ESV) A voice says, “Cry!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass,
and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. 7 The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. The Greatness of God 9 Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!”
Peter recalls Isaiah’s preaching that God’s word stands forever. Isaiah preaches that this eternal word is the good news of God.
Peter, says this good news is what caused his hearers to be born again, and this powerful and unchanging word of good news is what changes them so that they can love each other the way God loves.
The unchanging word of who God is hinges on Jesus’ advent. How?
Peter’s assertion from Isaiah’s prophecy is that Jesus is the God of this good news, and this good news is about Jesus coming and providing salvation for all who believe.
If Jesus does not come, since he is the one Peter asserts fulfills God’s word, then God’s word fails. The good news of God is null and void. The good news has no power.
But Jesus did come. He came just as Isaiah foretold. Therefore, God’s word is proven sure, unchanging, powerful, and able to make this group of scattered Christians love each other the way God loves.
Advent. Jesus comes and fulfills God’s word and causes us to know that we can trust his word to rescue us and cause us to love as God loves.