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By T. M. Moore|Published Date: January 09, 2012
 “Observe what Andrew says to his brother, ‘We have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.’ You see how, in a short time, he demonstrates not only the persuasiveness of the wise teacher but also his own longing that he had from the beginning. For this word, ‘we have found,’ is the expression of a soul that longs for his presence, looking for his coming from above, and is so ecstatic when what he is looking for happens that he hurries to tell others the good news. This is what brother affection, natural friendship, is all about when someone is eager to extend a hand to another when it comes to spiritual matters.” (John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of John)
Monday: Read John 1:33-42
We all need to be “evangelized” every day – not unto salvation, if we know the Lord, but unto the renewing and enlarging of our relationship with Jesus. Whom will you “evangelize” today? What will you share about the Messiah that can encourage and edify your friend?
Tuesday: Read 2 Corinthians 5:11-15
How do the fear of the Lord and the love of Christ work together to motivate us to bear witness to Him?
Wednesday: Read Mark 6:30-34
What does it mean to have compassion for another? What did Jesus do out of the compassion he felt for these people? Can there be anything more compassionate than to share the Good News of Jesus with a lost friend?
Thursday: Read Psalm 107:1-3
What does it mean to be “redeemed”? If you could summarize the Gospel in a single sentence, what would you say?
Friday: Read 2 Corinthians 10:13-18
Paul describes his sphere of influence, or, what we might call his Personal Mission Field. You have one, too. Who are the people God has placed in your Personal Mission Field each day? How are you trying to reach them with the Good News of Jesus?
Saturday: Read Acts 1:1-8
Jesus did not instruct the disciples to “go witnessing” but to “be witnesses.” What’s the difference? Why is it important that we be constantly working at “being” witnesses to Jesus?
Sunday: Read 1 Peter 3:15
How does one set Jesus aside as holy in our hearts? How does this help our hope to increase? In what ways should others be able to see the hope of the Gospel in our lives? Are you ready to answer them when they ask you about it?
Lesson for the Week
The Great Commission directs us to make disciples “as we are going” – that is, in the normal, everyday situations of our lives. What is your strategy for improving in this high and holy calling week-in and week-out? Spend some time thinking about this, then meet with some Christian friends to share your strategy and to challenge them to develop one of their own.
For more help in learning to be a witness for Christ, order the book, How to Give Away Your Faith, by Paul Little. Or, read the article, “The Great Commission: Let’s Not Leave it to the Experts”, by Chuck Colson.
Help us build readership! Forward this week’s Ancient Paths to a friend.
From J.S. Bach’s Cantata ‘Awake, A Voice is Calling’
Duet Between Jesus and the Soul
The Soul: When are you coming, my Savior?
Jesus: I am coming, your portion.
The Soul: I am waiting with burning oil. Open the hall for the heavenly banquet.
Jesus: I am opening the hall for the heavenly banquet.
The Soul: Come, Jesus!
Jesus: I am coming; come, sweet soul!
[Then, a little later in the work, Jesus and the soul are united and celebrate with an even more intimate exchange]
The Soul: My friend is mine,
Jesus: And I am his.
Jesus and the Soul: Nothing shall separate this love.
The Soul: I will feed on heaven’s roses with you,
Jesus: You shall feed with me on heaven’s roses
Jesus and the Soul: Where abundant joy and bliss will be found.
Monday: Read Isaiah 7:10-14 and 9:6-7
Here God promised through the prophet Isaiah to send Immanuel to redeem His people from exile. Even when the people of God began to return to the land geographically in the 6th century BC, many still considered themselves to be in a state of continuing exile. Their reason for thinking this was because Immanuel had not yet come to them. Their patient waiting for God’s Messiah reminds us that we too are waiting for Him to come a second time. This theme of waiting is a constant motif throughout J.S. Bach’s Advent Cantata ‘Awake, A Voice is Calling.’
How might these verses from Isaiah have given hope to our spiritual forefathers in the midst of their continuing exile? How do these verses give hope to us?
Tuesday: Read Isaiah 52:7-10
Here the Lord promises to comfort His people when He comes to them. During this season of Advent we are not only waiting for Christ’s second coming, but we go back in time, as it were, to join with the watchmen in this passage awaiting the coming of the gospel (“good news”) at Christmas time.
When the gospel did finally arrived with the birth of the Christ-child, many of God’s people found it hard to accept that this was the fulfilment of God’s prophecies. Why do you think this was?
Wednesday: Read Micah 5:2-5
Not only did God promise to send a Messiah to His people, but He even gave the exact location of where the Messiah was to be born! How much of this prophecy should be considered already fulfilled through Christ, and how much is still yet to happen?
Thursday: Read Matthew 25:1-13
The parable of the wise and foolish virgins forms the backdrop to Bach’s Cantata, a portion of which was cited above. Throughout the season of Advent, we are reminded to keep our lamps trimmed and burning as we await the coming of Jesus. Some commentators think the parable of the wise and foolish virgins is talking about Christ’s final coming, while others believe it is talking about His coming in judgment at AD 70. What do you think? Could the parable have more than one legitimate application?
Friday: Read Psalm 24
Like the Soul in Bach’s wonderful Cantata, the writer of this Psalm eagerly awaits the coming of the Lord, and enjoins the people to prepare for Him by having clean hands and a pure heart. What is meant by the imagery of clean hands and a pure heart and how can this be applied to your own life?
Saturday: Read Romans 13:11:14
This passage is a traditional Advent reading. It reminds us to be ever-ready like the wise virgins in the parable. What can you do this Advent to make yourself ready for the coming of Jesus?
Sunday: Read Luke 2:1-20
Today, as you reflect on the Christmas story, think back over all the previous readings from this week. Has your understanding of Jesus and what He came to do changed or grown in any way? How do you expect this to affect your discipleship in the year to come?
Lesson for the week
The coming of Christ is Good News, indeed. But it is Good News with implications, both for those who receive Christ and those who do not. What is the Gospel? Spend some time reflecting on this Good News and its implications. Prepare a brief outline of the Gospel, based on this week’s readings, that you can use in the months ahead to talk with your friends about the meaning of Christmas.
For more insight to this topic, order the book, The Incarnation, by St. Athanasius – one of the greatest reflections on the importance of Christmas from the early Church – from our online store. You might also like to read the article, “The Jesus We Preach at Christmas,” by T. M. Moore. |
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