Light of the World – The Word Dwells Among Us
- The Light of the world shines through us.
- We the church can be the light because the Word dwells amongst us.
- We can be the example to others that they can find joy in the midst of their difficulties.
Philippians 4:7 NKJV And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
John 8:12 NKJV Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
- Advent is a personal and intentional preparation for the birth of Jesus, the promise of His manifest Presence, and of the expectation of His second coming.
The Four Themes of Advent – “Advent is meant to be a time of hope, faith, joy, and peace. The Advent season reminds us that God sent His Son to this world so that we might have a relationship with Him. Yet, Jesus also suffers with us and helps us navigate our pain. During Advent, Christians celebrate and reflect upon Christ’s first coming. While at the same time, the Church looks forward in eager anticipation to Christ’s second coming. When Christians and families celebrate Advent, they unite in a generational tradition of celebration and anticipation of Jesus’ second coming.” – Jackson Greer
“I loved her anticipation of my arrival as her dad. She fully trusted I would catch her. And fortunately, I delivered.” – Dr. Danny Huerta
- Advent reveals God’s faithfulness in His promises.
- The world needs genuine hope.
- Without Advent, we don’t get to consider the invitation of being with Jesus forever.
- Through Advent, we can prepare our hearts for Jesus’ eventual return.
- We can’t live in the past. We must have an expectation that God will fulfill His promises.
1 John 1:5-7 NKJV This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
John 1:1 NKJV In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Colossians 1:16 NKJV For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
John 1:4-5 NKJV In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
John 1:14 NKJV And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Advent is about anticipation.
- Advent is the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event.
- It is also about the expectation of the second coming.
- A little light in a dark room lights up the room.
Matthew 5:16 NKJV Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
- Be the Word.
Psalm 33:4-6 NKJV For the word of the Lord is right, and all His work is done in truth. He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.
- Meditate on the Word for it renews, refreshes, and washes our minds.
“A tattered Bible is evidence of a life that is not.” – Charles Spurgeon
Romans 12:2 NKJV And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Ephesians 5:26 NKJV That He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word.
- Pray the Word.
- Speak the Word.
Isaiah 55:9-12 NKJV For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; The mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
- Spread the Word.
- The Word of God is powerful.
Luke 8:11 NKJV Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
Hebrews 4:12 NKJV For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Proverbs 30:5 NKJV Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
Philippians 2:16 NET By holding on to the word of life so that on the day of Christ I will have a reason to boast that I did not run in vain nor labor in vain.
Philippians 2:16 NLT Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.
- The Word never returns void.
- “I shall not be moved.”
- No matter what trials come our way, we can be unshakable when we build upon the right foundations.
Books:
It’s Time to Cross the Jordan by Doug Stringer
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Let the hurting know that SOMEBODY CARES with a donation to support disaster response and ministry efforts here! To get the latest updates on disaster responses, visit SomebodyCares.org