Advent 4 - You're Invited!
DAY 4 - You’re Invited
Ephesians 2:19-22
Yesterday we looked at five clues in Jesus’s family tree that help us see one of God’s gifts in Jesus for us. We met Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheeba. Again we ask, how does Jesus’s family tree show us the gift God wants to give us?
Think about those women: sketchy history, outsiders, and big faith. Sounds like a lot of the people Jesus connected with during his ministry. Those people weren’t Bible scholars. They weren’t in church every weekend. They cussed too much and slept around. But they found Jesus absolutely captivating. Their lives changed when they trusted Jesus with everything. Their faith landed them in God’s faith-filled family. Later, Jesus prepped his disciples to invite everyone into God’s faith-filled family. After his resurrection, he said, “Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism” (Mt 28:19, MSG).
Jesus wants everyone to know they’re invited to the party called the kingdom of God! That wasn’t something new, just something forgotten, a fact Matthew reminds us of by including these four extraordinary women. Jesus is good news for everyone and everyone is invited to God's faith-filled family!
That means YOU. God has a page for your picture in Jesus’s family photo album. God’s gift is welcome into God’s family.
Everyone's invited to God's faith-filled family. Can you believe that? I hope so, because the only way to open God’s gift of welcome is to believe. Believe God welcomes you through Jesus into the faith-filled family. Trust God enough to claim the gift. How can you receive a gift you don’t believe is intended for you? You are welcome! You are invited!
Can you believe you are loved? In love, God made you to love and be loved. But every one of us rebel against God’s love, poisoning the world with evil and separating us from God. But God rescues us through Jesus and invites us to God’s faith-filled family. God loves YOU! Can you believe it?
REFLECT
When is it hardest to believe God loves you and welcomes you into God’s faith-filled family?
PRAYER
Faithful God, your promises stand unshaken through all generations. Renew us in hope, that we may be awake and alert watching for the glorious return of Jesus Christ, our judge and savior, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. AMEN.
Ephesians 2:19-22
Yesterday we looked at five clues in Jesus’s family tree that help us see one of God’s gifts in Jesus for us. We met Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheeba. Again we ask, how does Jesus’s family tree show us the gift God wants to give us?
Think about those women: sketchy history, outsiders, and big faith. Sounds like a lot of the people Jesus connected with during his ministry. Those people weren’t Bible scholars. They weren’t in church every weekend. They cussed too much and slept around. But they found Jesus absolutely captivating. Their lives changed when they trusted Jesus with everything. Their faith landed them in God’s faith-filled family. Later, Jesus prepped his disciples to invite everyone into God’s faith-filled family. After his resurrection, he said, “Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism” (Mt 28:19, MSG).
Jesus wants everyone to know they’re invited to the party called the kingdom of God! That wasn’t something new, just something forgotten, a fact Matthew reminds us of by including these four extraordinary women. Jesus is good news for everyone and everyone is invited to God's faith-filled family!
That means YOU. God has a page for your picture in Jesus’s family photo album. God’s gift is welcome into God’s family.
Everyone's invited to God's faith-filled family. Can you believe that? I hope so, because the only way to open God’s gift of welcome is to believe. Believe God welcomes you through Jesus into the faith-filled family. Trust God enough to claim the gift. How can you receive a gift you don’t believe is intended for you? You are welcome! You are invited!
Can you believe you are loved? In love, God made you to love and be loved. But every one of us rebel against God’s love, poisoning the world with evil and separating us from God. But God rescues us through Jesus and invites us to God’s faith-filled family. God loves YOU! Can you believe it?
REFLECT
When is it hardest to believe God loves you and welcomes you into God’s faith-filled family?
PRAYER
Faithful God, your promises stand unshaken through all generations. Renew us in hope, that we may be awake and alert watching for the glorious return of Jesus Christ, our judge and savior, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. AMEN.
Posted in Winter 2022
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January
February
The Way DAY 9 - Full of the Holy SpiritThe Way DAY 10 - Defeating Your DefeatersThe Way DAY 11 - The Year of JubileeThe Way DAY 12 - FreedomThe Way DAY 13 - Freedom to LoveThe Way DAY 14 - Ditch "What About Me"The Way DAY 15 - The Way of LoveThe Way DAY 16 - The TeacherThe Way DAY 17 - What is the Kingdom of God?The Way DAY 18 - Trust and ObeyThe Way DAY 19 - Follow MeThe Way DAY 20 - Differences and DisagreementsThe Way DAY 21 - Jesus and Mr. RogersThe Way DAY 22 - Respond Like JesusThe Way DAY 23 - Bend Toward MercyThe Way DAY 24 - Burden or Bless?The Way DAY 25 - BONUS: The TwelveThe Way DAY 26 - Happy?The Way DAY 27 - Excessive GenerosityThe Way DAY 28 - What is Love?The Way DAY 29 - Give What God Gives
March
The Way DAY 30 - Follow the LeaderThe Way DAY 31 - Dinner with a PhariseeThe Way DAY 32 - Don't Be the HeroThe Way DAY 33 - God's GraceThe Way DAY 34 - The Grace You ShowThe Way DAY 35 - Our Sin and Our SaviorThe Way DAY 36 - Jesus and ParablesThe Way DAY 37 - The Farmer and the SeedsThe Way DAY 38 - The Seed and The SoilThe Way DAY 39 - The Good HeartThe Way DAY 40 - Who is Jesus, Pt 1The Way DAY 41 - Who is Jesus, Pt 2The Way DAY 42 - They Saw His GloryThe Way DAY 43 - Your Next StepThe Way DAY 44 - His DevotionThe Way DAY 45 - The Leadership of JesusThe Way DAY 46 - Pick Up Your CrossThe Way DAY 47 - Daily DenialThe Way DAY 48 - Forgive Like JesusThe Way DAY 49 - Trusting God
2023
June
COMING SOON! RevelationRevelation Day 1 - TAKE IT TO HEARTRevelation Day 2 - IN THE SPIRITRevelation Day 3 - Learning to SeeRevelation Day 4 - The VoiceRevelation Day 5 - A Faithful WitnessRevelation DAY 6 - Past, Present, or Future?Revelation Day 7 - PRESS ONRevelation 8 - Comfort and ChallengeRevelation Day 9 - Compromised CommitmentRevelation Day 10 - I'm Fine, ThanksRevelation Day 11 - Holy, Holy, HolyRevelation Day 12 - Who is Worthy?Revelation Day 13 - Don't Give Up!Revelation Day 14 - No ContestRevelation Day 15 - Worship WellRevelation Day 16 - The Problem of EvilRevelation Day 17 - When You Don't Know WhyRevelation Day 18 - The Limits of SufferingRevelation Day 19 - Is God Angry?Revelation Day 20 - Saved Through Suffering
July
Revelation Day 21 - The Cry for JusticeRevelation Day 22 - The Judgments of GodRevelation 23 - They Still Did Not RepentRevelation Day 24 - Don't Curse CorrectionRevelation Day 25 - Search Me, O GodRevelation Day 26 - You Shall ProphesyRevelation Day 27 - Eat This BookRevelation Day 28 - Fight!Revelation 29 - Let the Truth TalkRevelation Day 30 - Worship and WitnessRevelation Day 31 - Our EnemiesRevelation Day 32 - The Enemy's WeaponRevelation Day 33 - The Enemy's FallRevelation Day 34 - Our ChampionRevelation Day 35 - Our BattleRevelation Day 36 - Where the Wild Things Are