Ahead Through His Love

Fourth Sunday of Advent: Love

Billy Graham explains why Jesus came to earth:

And this is why Jesus Christ came into the world. He was God in human form, and He came to demonstrate God’s love to us.

He did this by giving His life for us, so we could be forgiven of our sins and go to be with Him in heaven forever.

https://billygraham.org/answer/jesus-came-to-demonstrate-gods-love-for-us/

The Incarnation: John’s Gospel

The Gospel of John reveals Jesus’ Identity and Divinity John 1: 14-18 Berean Standard Bible (BSB)

14The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

15John testified concerning Him. He cried out, saying, “This is He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’”

16From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace. 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.

Billy Graham reflects:

Men and women were incapable of coming to God, so God in love and mercy came down to Earth to interact with humans.

The creature could not come up to God, so the Creator condescended to come down to redeem His creation.

Wonder of wonders! God incarnate! God clothed in a human body in the person of Jesus Christ. The Scriptures unite in one voice to declare this.

https://decisionmagazine.com/god-revealed-in-human-flesh/

Encouraging and Loving Each Other

The author writes in Hebrews 10:19-25 BSB

A Call to Persevere
(Jude 1:17–23)

19Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20by the new and living way opened for us through the curtain of His body, 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

23Let us hold resolutely to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. 24And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds. 25Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

The message is simple: because Christ came in agape love to save us, so we are to love others with the love which flows through His presence in our lives (Holy Spirit).

“Agape love is selfless love . . . the love God wants us to have isn’t just an emotion but a conscious act of the will—a deliberate decision on our part to put others ahead of ourselves. This is the kind of love God has for us.” Billy Graham

May His love, grace, compassion, and truth touch and shine through your life during this Christmas Season! Merry Christmas and make ready for His Return when He shall make all things anew!