12/21/24-12/27/24: ADVENT READINGS:
Read Malachi 3:1-5; Romans 8:18-25; Isaiah 52:7-10; Revelation 21:1-4.
fourth SUNDAY OF ADVENT – love
If you asked five different people to give you a definition of the word “love,” you would probably get five different answers, or you may get multiple questions to try and figure out what type of love you are asking about. This is because in our English vocabulary, the word “love” can mean a lot of different things. When I was in middle school, there was this girl who liked me, and she would pass me notes in class. I do not remember the content of the notes, but I do remember that the note ended with “love” and then her name. It made me feel special, but what did it mean? Did she love me like my parents loved each other? Did she love me like I loved my siblings or my parents? Or did it mean something else? Thankful our New Testament was written, mostly, in Greek, and the Greek language was very specific; it did not want people having to guess what someone meant. In fact, there are at least seven different Greek words for our one word, “love.”
If you have not guessed it, our theme entering Christmas week is love. Did you know that God really does love you? The Bible says that God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son. So does God love you like you love your spouse? Or is it like the love you have for a really good friend? The Greek word for love in John 3:16 is agape; it speaks of God’s unconditional, sacrificial love. It’s the type of love that says, “no matter what happens, I will always love you.” This love is not based on what you bring to the table; it is not dependent on your ability (or choice) to love God; God just loves you in spite of the messiness of your life. The Bible goes on to say that God does not just say He loves you; He proved it by sending Jesus, His only Son, to die for you even though you did not love God. Wow! My prayer as you walk through the busyness of this week is that you let God’s love for you captivate your heart and your mind. This is truly the wonder of Christmas: that God’s Son stepped out of the splendor and majesty of heaven, taking off His glory, and putting on human flesh, humbling Himself to the form of a little baby. What a gift! What a sacrifice! What a love!
While it is good to ponder on God’s love for you, I hope you will remember that God has called you to love others in the same way He has shown you love. John 13:34-35 says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” The word “love” here in these verses is the same Greek word that is used in John 3:16, agape. You see, we are to have unconditional, sacrificial love for all of those who are around us. You may think, how is that possible? If you are truly a Christian, then you have the Holy Spirit living within you, enabling you to love people in this way. I pray almost every day that the Spirit would help me love my wife, my children, and His church. I do this because I need His help.
As you walk through Christmas this week, let me encourage you to make time to ponder on God’s love for you, allowing that wonder to drive you to His throne in worship. Let me also encourage you to show that love to those around you as your patience gets tested. This is what Christmas is really about: God’s love for sinners so that the sinner may repent, being made new so that they can share and show God’s love to other sinners, filling the kingdom of God.
(written by Josh Ness)
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