Opinion : Pastor's Blog - Advent

The Christian season of anticipation and preparation just preceding Christmas is called Advent. If you choose to attend church during Advent, you will probably see candles lit each Sunday in remembrance of the coming of our Lord into our world, both as a babe and as a King. Who is this Jesus, who was born in a manger in Bethlehem, 2000+ years ago, and will return to earth someday riding on a white horse to become King to all? Let’s take a look at Holy Scripture for a glimpse.

An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord [Luke 2:9-11 (NIV)]

“He is Christ the Lord”, the messengers of God spoke to the shepherds on a hillside that night. Christ is our translation of as Greek word, ‘Christos’. ‘Christos’ is the Greek translation for the Hebrew word translated ‘Messiah’ and meaning ‘Anointed One of God’. [The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew and later translated into Greek and then later into German and French and English…] The word in our Bibles, Christ, is our translation of the word meaning, ‘Anointed One of God’.

We find prophesies of the ‘Anointed One’ throughout the Old Testament from Genesis to Psalms to Isaiah. When the angels announced to the shepherds that the baby born in Bethlehem that night was the Christ, they shepherds knew about the long-awaited ‘Anointed One of God’. It is important to notice that this announcement came directly from Almighty God through His messengers. This was not supposition, but the Word of God.

So, when we say Jesus Christ, Christ is not His last name like Smith or Jones. It is an honorific title like king or mayor. It is probably better to say Jesus the Christ, rather than just Jesus Christ. We are saying that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One of God. As such, we are agreeing with John in his Revelation and with Handel in his Messiah, that Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Each time you mention Jesus Christ, ask yourself, “Is Jesus truly the King of my life today?”

Speaking of names, how about the name, Jesus? Again, let’s look to Scripture.

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." [Matt 1:21 (NIV)]

Again, it is the angels, the messengers of Almighty God, speaking. This time they are encouraging Joseph to take Mary as his wife. The child she is carrying is from God. The child is to be named Jesus. The angels were telling Joseph that this child was going to save His people from their sins. Yes, again, these are words directly from God, not a theory or assumption, but the actual announcement from God. The baby, whose birthday we choose to celebrate on Christmas, came to earth to save humanity from our sins. The story of ‘how’ is a little longer and I will wait until later to discuss it, but that is the reason God sent His Son to earth – to save humanity from their sins.

One more name – Immanuel.

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" --which means, "God with us." [Matt 1:22-23 (NIV)]

Again, we have the messengers of God speaking to Joseph. They are confirming what Isaiah prophesied hundreds of years before. The child Mary was carrying was God in human form. Joseph was to name the child Jesus, but the people would declare Him to be ‘God with us’- Immanuel.

During this Advent season, we ready ourselves with anticipation and preparation, not only for the presents under the tree, but also for the coming of our Lord, Jesus the Christ, into our world as a babe in a manger, and also as a King in our hearts today and someday, as the King for all in this world. Merry Christmas!!

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Pastor Jim Blair ministers at the Blessed Hope Church located at 1507 M Ave. in Vinton.

Services are held each Sunday at 9:30 a.m. followed by Sunday School at 9:45

This week will be the Christmas program starting at 9:30 a.m. followed by a Potluck at 11 a.m. Everyone Welcome!