ADVENT • 5

Whose reign do we declare in our lives?

SONGS FOR PRAYER

SET PRAYER

Another year with Jesus!
I thank Thee, Lord, today
For Thy unfailing presence
Along life's rugged way.

Guide me, O blest Redeemer,
Teach me to do Thy will,
And Thine own perfect purpose
In me each day fulfill.

–Avis Christiansen

reading for: Tuesday Night, 20 December

Luke 2:1-14

Good News!

  • READ

    Many years ago, in this very same obscure town of Bethlehem (v4), God picked out and anointed a young and lowly shepherd boy to be His chosen king for his people. During that time King Saul, like Emperor Augustus Ceasar (v1) was the undisputed king of the land and had just ushered in a time of ‘peace’ after subduing their opponents.

    During that time David, like Jesus Christ was unassuming and overlooked. During that time, David’s own father overlooked David as a potential candidate to be the future king, much like how baby Jesus was overlooked and unassuming (v7). David was a lowly shepherd boy assigned to the field to care for sheep (an ‘unprestigous’ and despised occupation then and now) and well Jesus was born in a manger (where horses fed from – talk about unhygienic conditions). Many years later, Jesus would tell a prospecting disciple that the son of man does not even have a place to lay his head (Matt 8:20), and yeah, He knew what He was talking about. 

    Yet this is our King Jesus the Messiah who is the true bringer of peace and who alone is worthy of the highest glory (v14).

  • REFLECT

    As we approach Christmas this weekend, it is easy to have our eyes on the ruling kingdom of this world and its forces that shout for our attention. Much like the state of the accommodations in Bethlehem that had no room for Jesus, we are so occupied with (fill in here what has got your attention this Christmas). And honestly, much like with the inn keepers, we probably don’t fault them or ourselves. I mean, Jesus didn’t make booking mah. Even at this moment, we find it hard to see how wretched the state of our hearts is. 

    Much like much of the world then, we learned to live with the false ‘peace’ this world gives. After all, bo bian. What can we do? We are only human and got to be real and survive. Even at this moment, we know so little of the reality of His Kingdom in our lives.  

    Much like the reality of the narrative, our attention is so set on the sparkling and bright things, we likely wouldn’t recognize Jesus for the life of us even if He stood in front of us.

    However, this is the ‘good news that will cause great joy for all the people’ (v10) that the Angels proclaimed by then and continue to proclaim for all who have ears to hear, “a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord” (v11).

    Let us take a moment to take this in today no matter where we are at. It is the wretched that need a Savior. Even if you are feeling blinder than a blind man, our Savior says, ‘He is willing’ (Matt 8:3) to cleanse you and open your eyes. Even if our hearts are hard like stone, He says, ‘I will take away your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh’ (Ezk 36:26). Even if we feel like we are unworthy of love and God, He says ‘nothing can separate us from His love’ (Romans 8:39).

    “Come to Him all you who are weary and heavy burden for His yoke is easy and His burden light” (Matt 11:28-30). Let us cast away the world’s yoke and its false peace and come to our Savior King (John 14:27).

    Begin afresh this day with me with this simple prayer: “Lord, have mercy on me a wretched man/woman. Save me and be my King afresh this day”.   

reading for: Wednesday Night, 21 DECEMBER

Isaiah 9:2-7

A Great Light

  • READ

Contextually, the background to our text today is found in Isaiah 7:1-9:7. In 734-732 BCE, Ahaz, the king of Judah, was faced with the threat of an attack from the combined forces of Israel and Syria. His strategic inclination at the time, was to enlist the help of Assyria (an evil empire of that time). However, the prophet Isaiah counselled Ahaz to stand firm in faith and to trust in God rather than turning to Assyria, Syria or Israel for his solution (Isa 7:3-9). Isaiah assured Ahaz that God would provide all the protection they needed and that the birth of a child (Immanuel) of a virgin would be a sign for this (Isa 7:10-17).

Isaiah 9:2-7 announces this significant birth in a poetic prose of thanksgiving and praise.

Verse 2 and 3 illustrates the contrast between past gloom and darkness with present joy and light that has already ‘dawned’. It uses imageries of joy associated with a fruitful harvest and military victories (and the division of its spoils). It is then anchored by three reasons (marked by the word ‘for’ in verse 4, 5, and 6) for this transformed reality.

Verse 4 compares God’s present deliverance and justice with God’s deliverance through Gideon against the Midianites.

Verse 5, then highlights the will-be-results of such God’s present victory and deliverance (i.e. peace in the form destroyed war equipment). While these are social-political-military type imageries, they point to realities of God’s salvation in the form of realized justice and peace.

Finally, verse 6 points to the birth of the child that was promised as a sign (Isaiah 7:14) of great things to come. His birth indicates that a new reign with him as king has come (with Isa 9:4-5 as a fulfilment of 7:16), and that this reign will continue forever (9:7).

This text then becomes a song of prophetic and faith-filled thanksgiving for the anticipated reign of this coming Prince who will rule as God Himself rules. What’s more, the song ends with an assurance that this is a solid hope because it rests not on man but on God Himself – ‘The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this’ (v7).

  • REFLECT

    For us disciples of Christ today, Christmas reminds us that the reign of our promised King has already come. Isaiah reminds us that this light that has dawned in our dark world is none other than the light of the glory of God revealed in Jesus Christ! Moreover, His reign is one that will never end but has been growing ever since (see Isaiah 9:7).

    While we all may be facing pressing situations in our lives even at the turn of the year (much like Ahaz was), my encouragement to us is that we turn to the One who cares and who can truly help us.

    Do take time this Christmas season to consider whether we are living as citizens and co-heirs of His reign or are we still going about as minions of this world. Spend time in prayer this week seeking His face and His Kingdom this season. Listen to the song, “Is He worthy” by Chris Tomlin tagged above and perhaps authentically consider His worth in your life.  

    While the call here maybe honestly quite ‘troublesome’ and ‘intense’, I pray that it will be driven by a hunger and thirst for His presence and reign in our lives and those that of those we love. Oh, paraphrasing Moses, if His presence doesn’t go with us then life isn’t worth it.

    Let us commit to spending more time beholding Him and following Him this coming year. It all starts with setting aside prioritized time for Him.

    He is mighty to save. He is worthy!

    He is the light and hope of the world. He is worthy!

    He is our long-anticipated Messiah. He is worthy!

    (Fill in the blanks with whatever the Spirit puts in your heart!) He is worthy!

reading for: Thursday Night, 22 december

Titus 2:11-14

  • READ

    How do we live in this age now that our Saviour has appeared? How do we live between Jesus first coming and His imminent return? Today’s scripture practically addresses this question by highlighting the posture we ought to take in this present age.

    Paul, in his pastoral letter to Titus, exhorts him to consider the grace of God that has appeared and that offers to all (v11). Here, Paul is referring to God’s glory revealed not just in Jesus’ birth, but also his life, death, and resurrection, (v14a) pointing to God’s grace and glory revealed and pour out for all at the costly price of His very own death. Implicit to Paul’s exhortation here is a call for an posture of watchfulness, cherishing, and reverence of God’s grace revealed in Jesus Christ and the precious Good News and gift of salvation that we are all stewards of.

    It is our intentional alignment to God and His Kingdom reality that Paul says ‘trains’ us (v12) to reject ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live godly, righteous, and self-disciplined lives. The Greek word for ‘train’ (paideuousa) is associated with the instruction and discipline of children that suggests that this transformation is a long and pain-staking process as we mature as His children and people.

    Paul exhorts Titus that living under Jesus’ reign is a costly and intentional endeavour especially in this world and ‘present age’ (v12) where our battle against the powers, principalities, and forces of evil is rampant (Eph 6). It is because of this tension that we wait in anticipation for the second appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ and the fullness of His reign (v13).

    We are all work-in-progress (or ‘training’) of course and our transformation is far from complete. Yet we can take heart that Jesus has come to make us His people – a transformed people eager to do good deeds (v14).

  • REFLECT

    How are we intentionally living under His reign in our lives? How can we keep our eyes on Jesus Christ amid life challenges and the cares of this world?

    What are some areas of ungodliness and worldly passions that the Holy Spirit might be convicting you of?

    How are you stewarding the precious revelation of Jesus Christ and the Good News given to you?

    What are some steps or structures or rhythms that we can set in place for 2023 to keep our lamps burning bright as we await our Bridgegroom’s return (Matt 25:1-13)?

    Listen to the Spotify playlist that the worship team has compiled for you this week. Take time to simply worship and seek His face. Take time to reflect on your wellbeing and answer these questions.

    As worship and an offering unto the Lord, make time to list specific actions or steps you would like to take in the coming year. Involve your community in Christ, be it with your family, partner, life group, or individuals in Christ to mutually edify one another we pursuit Christ together. Though the journey will be challenging, I trust that He will bless you abundantly as you sow into things that matter and that will last. He longs to give us good gifts and see us mature into the fullness of our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. May your joy be complete in Him!    

reading for: Friday Night, 23 december

PSALM 96

  • READ

    It is helpful to see the book of Psalm as a collection of poetry or song that captures the prayer posture of the people of God in their journey of faith. What kind of prayer was Psalm 96? What was the context of this Psalm that would give us a more accurate picture of the prayer posture it calls us to take?

    For a start, Psalm 96 is part of a grouping of Psalms that focuses on the eternal reign of God, sometimes referred to as ‘enthronement Psalms’ (see Psalm 93, 95-99 as some examples). The first segment of this Psalm in particular (v1-9) is filled with directives to call forth praises to God and worship Him (i.e. ‘Sing to the Lord’, ‘praise His name’, ‘proclaim his salvation’, ‘declare His glory’, ‘ascribe glory and strength’, and ‘worship the Lord’).  

    On the surface, it is easy to see Psalm 96 like a happy song written by someone in a good mood. However, Psalm 96, together with a large part of other ‘enthronement psalms’ is actually organized in a segment of the book of Psalms that seems to deal with the theological crisis of the Babylonian exile in 587 BC.

    This understanding then brings a whole different depth to this Psalm and the tone by which this prayer is uttered. Such Psalms relate and hold the very real pains and doubts about Israel’s core belief (like the central role of Jerusalem and the Davidic King in God’s plan for example) in a time where Jerusalem was breeched and destroyed, His people plundered, scattered and oppressed by a conquering empire. Re-read Psalm 96 now and consider how untrue and incongruent it must have felt declaring this Psalm under such conditions.

    Yet, such Psalms like Psalm 96 calls forth even more for His people to remember and declare forth in faith that God still reigns and that He is the God who made the heavens! All other ‘gods’ that the world or others promote are merely idols (v5) even though the idol worshippers stand victorious over you now.

    Much like our Gospel reading in Luke, our prophetic passage in Isaiah, and our exhortation in Titus, these imperatives provide direction for our souls in the between times of the dawn of our Lord Jesus’ reign and full realization of it when during His second appearing. It is precisely in this place where Augustus’ still holds thrones in the world, where compromise ‘peace’ solutions are rampant, and where worldly cares and passions still has its strong lure that it is so important to still our inner beings in prayer and proclamation that the true King reigns and to worship Him. It is when the night doesn’t seem to end that we ought all the more to remind ourselves and one another that the dawn is here, and day is at hand.

    Jesus Christ is Lord. He is the maker of heaven and earth. His Kingdom is firmly established and will continue with no end! He will judge the earth in righteousness. Let all His people rejoice, worship, and praise Him for He is holy and most worthy of it all!

  • REFLECT

    As you look back in 2022, let us consider whose reign it is that our lives declare. Do others that look at us see us as citizens of this world or is our Kingdom not of this world?

    Do we ascribe glory and strength to our Lord or have we been lifting other things up in our lives?

    What kind of songs that our life song sing?

    Do we find true rejoicing and peace in our lives or have we gotten used to worldly substitutes that do not satisfy and that quickly rot and pass away?

    Wherever you are today, if you hear the spirit calling you this day, do not harden your hearts.

    Respond to His invitation afresh this day for He looks upon us with unfathomable love.

    Immanuel, God is here with us! And He simply yearns for us to come.

    Alas, He stands at the door of your heart and knocks (Rev 3:20).

    Welcome Him afresh this day and join with all your brothers and sisters in Christ proclaiming the Good News!

    Oh, looking forward to Sunday Christmas worship with you all (:

    “Joy to the world! The Lord has come!

    Let earth receive her King!

    Let every heart prepare Him room!

    Let heaven and nature sing! Let heaven and nature sing!

    Let heaven and heaven and nature sing!

    Oh joy! Unspeakable joy! Overflowing well! No tongue can tell!

    Joy! Unspeakable joy!

    Rises within my soul, never lets me go!”

Season of AdventCNL