“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
– Zechariah 9:9

As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, let us also remember why He entered into our world as that baby. Christ stepped out of eternal glory and into a genuinely humble situation in Bethlehem, wrapped in cloths and sleeping in an animal’s food trough. In doing this, Jesus fulfilled ancient prophecies about the birth of a child Who was also King in Bethlehem.

Years later, the King rode into Jerusalem as God promised through Zechariah. Jesus was indeed humble and mounted on a donkey. The crowds shouted with joy though they certainly didn’t understand what was about to happen. Jesus rode into the city to finish the journey He began in Bethlehem. The journey to His coronation on the cross. His crowning glory was the shedding of His own innocent blood to establish a new covenant of grace for the forgiveness of our sins. His glory was to die and rise from the dead. Now, Jesus rules in glory.

The story that began in humility with the circumstances surrounding His birth, entry into the city, and His death will end in glory. As this season of Advent nears its conclusion, always remember that Advent isn’t just about remembering the humble first coming of Jesus. It’s also about eagerly anticipating His return in glory. Don’t just celebrate the baby, celebrate the King. Don’t just remember His birth but anticipate His return in power as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, triumphant over sin and evil and ushering in new creation. #FollowJesus

“And his disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?'” – John 9:2

What a HORRIBLE question! The disciples of Jesus were thoroughly soaked in the prevailing cultural mindset of their day, which taught that good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people. Therefore, if a child was born blind, they assumed it must be God’s punishment for some specific sin(s). Jesus clearly corrects this false thinking which so radically misunderstands earthly life in a fallen world. Jesus explained that the man was blind so God’s glory could shine through his life.

Nonetheless, this “prosperity gospel” mindset remains all too familiar in our own time. It continues to thrive because of false teachers, including many who call themselves Christians. Even though the Bible is very clear that we live in a fallen world that’s been utterly corrupted by sin since Adam and Eve. Injury, illness, injustice, poverty, disability, and death all exist and someone’s experience of those things isn’t necessarily because of anything they did.

Every person, regardless of their faith or spiritual condition, will experience some hardship if they live long enough in this world. Some amount of suffering is normal for everyone. Furthermore, followers of Jesus are taught in the Bible to expect more suffering than normal, not less. Our faith in Christ doesn’t mean bad things won’t ever happen to us. Just ask Jesus (nailed to a cross) or Paul (persecutions, a thorn in the flesh).

Their suffering wasn’t a result of their sin or a lack of faith on their part. You will inevitably go through valleys of your life. Sometimes it’s your own fault, but often it isn’t. The Gospel isn’t about helping you name and claim your way out of those valleys. It’s reassuring you that God’s love, strength, power, and presence in your life are a steady gift of grace available to carry you through long seasons of suffering. The good news is that your Savior, Jesus, fully understands your suffering and is walking with you through it so that God may be glorified in it. #FollowJesus

“She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.’” – John 8:11

Jesus showed us the difference between addressing sin and condemning a person. He didn’t ignore the woman’s sin but He also didn’t destroy her for it. He showed her love, grace, and forgiveness and called her to a life worthy of those things. Our culture has largely forgotten this distinction, believing it to be impossible to do one without the other. That’s false!

The Bible is crystal clear – we are to pursue lives of holiness. We must implore other believers to be holy for our Lord is holy. We should lovingly confront sin in our fellow believers and expect them to do the same for us because we’ve all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. Every person has temptations they struggle with and sins they fall into from time to time. Those sins must not be ignored, explained, excused, defended, or celebrated.

At the same time, Jesus offers grace and forgiveness for sins rather than condemnation. To everyone who believes, Jesus shows infinite mercy and love, forgiving us and washing us clean. Even when we stumble and fall, yet again. Jesus doesn’t condemn our existence because of our past or present sin. He doesn’t conclude that we just need to be thrown on the garbage heap because we’re obviously hopeless. He doesn’t walk away from us because we’re just too awful to forgive.

Our Lord calls us to do the same. To lovingly confront sin in our brothers and sisters. But never to sit in condemnation of them. To win them with grace not harshness or cruelty. To treat them with dignity even if they’ve thrown that to the wind. To show them Christ by our words, actions, and attitudes, the Christ Who lovingly calls them to radically transformed lives of holiness. #FollowJesus

“And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say, ‘Give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever.’” – 2 Chronicles 20:21

King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah were facing an overwhelming enemy army. Rather than collapse in despair, Jehoshaphat went to the Lord in earnest, humble, desperate prayer. The Lord heard the king’s prayers and promised He would fight for His people once again. All Jehoshaphat had to do was lead the army out to watch the Lord’s victory. In turn, Jehoshaphat appealed to the people to trust in the Lord once more… and they did!

Such was the king’s confidence in God, that when he organized his army, he placed his elite SINGERS at the front of the formation. Wait, what?!? Singers in the vanguard? Yes! The choir led the way, singing praise to God and calling on all God’s people to give thanks to Him. God’s people trusted in Him that day and the Lord delivered a miraculous victory. Would you have the courage, faith, and confidence to do the same?

If God gave you clear direction, would you be willing to lead with unarmed singing and praise? Or would you give in to the temptation to cover your bases with clever planning and wise strategy from the world’s perspective? Would you put the singers in the front of your army or would you hedge your bets by placing your strongest soldiers up front, just in case? If you’d lean toward that second strategy, James would call that being “double-minded”. The Bible doesn’t recommend that approach to life!

Jehoshaphat was special because he went “all-in” on trusting God to do what He said He would. Are you confident enough in the Lord to do the same in your life? #FollowJesus

“For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” – John 6:40

This is a simple, powerful truth to remember throughout this Advent season. Jesus, the Son of God, entered our world that first Christmas to accomplish God’s eternal will. The birth, sinless life, sacrificial death, and resurrection of Jesus is the will of God from before time began. Jesus stepped out of glory and into this fallen world to make it so that everyone who looks to Jesus and believes in Him has their sins forgiven, their guilt erased, their shame washed clean. Everyone who is in Christ will enjoy eternal life in Him and be raised in glory at the Second Advent, when Jesus returns in power, victory, and judgment.

You probably know all this, but in this busy, stressful season (in your life and in the world around you), do you KNOW it? Let the goodness of God’s will for you soak into your soul. Let it bring healing and comfort to your wounded, scarred places. Let it renew and strengthen you if you’re feeling weary or weak today. Let it motivate you to point others to Jesus this Advent, so that they too may look on the Son and believe. Bless others in the name of Jesus. #FollowJesus