ADVENT: The Arrival of a King

ADVENT: The Arrival of a King

Lessons

This Christmas season, let’s reflect on the journey of waiting and the unlikely messengers of God’s promises. Just as the ancient Israelites waited centuries for the promised King, we too are often called to wait in faith, trusting that God is with us. John the Baptist’s life in the wilderness, focused solely on pointing people to Jesus, reminds us that God uses unexpected people to accomplish His purpose. And as we celebrate "peace on earth," let’s look at how God’s peace first came to humble shepherds, teaching us that true peace begins in our hearts and is available to all who seek it.

Lesson 1

WORTH THE WAIT

The ancient prophet Isaiah spoke of a coming King who would bring peace to His people. 100 years passed. 200 years passed. 300 years passed. Over 600 years passed before Jesus was born in Bethlehem. God gave a promise, but that promise took some time before it came to pass. This Christmas season, I encourage you to wait well, because you will spend a lot of time waiting. Sometimes walking with God requires waiting. But, it will be worth the wait — God is with us.

Lesson 2

THE WEIRD AND WILD: JOHN THE BAPTIST

John the Baptist selected a strange life for himself. Instead of living in a city with easy access to food, water, and entertainment, he chose to live in the wilderness. His choice to dwell in the middle of a desert seemed bizarre, but John saw it as a blessing. He lived a life solely focused on pointing people to Jesus. Scholars consider him the “front-runner” of Christ. Like a Christmas caroler singing on the street corner, John got to proudly pronounce the coming Messiah. This can teach us a lot about how God uses unlikely people with all their quirks and idiosyncrasies to accomplish his purpose.

Lesson 3

THE PRINCE OF PEACE ARRIVES

During Christmas, we celebrate peace on earth, but some people cannot find peace in their own lives. Many of us have a peace problem. We act as though Jesus brings peace to all mankind, but somehow, it misses us. It’s ironic that we can celebrate peace on earth while struggling to find peace in our hearts. Let’s examine the story of God’s arriving peace that was announced to some unlikely people that needed it the most — the shepherds.