The Whole Advent Story

Billy Gross
Director of CONNECT Ministries

I want to share this fruit of my devotional time last Thursday morning. In the same vein as Bishop David Roller's eloquent telling of " The Story of God” back on November 30, I have used Scripture to frame the familiar nativity story within the full scope of God’s story from creation to re-creation. May this tapestry of God’s Word infuse your Advent season with great hope, deep joy and exuberant worship … Our Lord has come!

We are well-acquainted with the Nativity story – the starry night, the shepherds and angels, the swaddling clothes, the baby in a manger ... but what of the rest of the story?

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth in all their vast array … and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God, and through Him all things were made. Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness.’ So God created man in His own image, male and female He created them ... and God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. God blessed them and said to them, ‘I give you every green plant for food. Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth, and subdue it.’ God saw all that He had made and it was very good. 

The Lord made all kinds of trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food, and the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil for when you eat from it, you will surely die.’

But [the woman] took some of the fruit and ate it, and she gave some to her husband who was with her and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked. When they heard the sound of the Lord God, as he was walking in the garden, they hid from the Lord among the trees. But the Lord God called to them, ‘Where are you?’ ...

[And] God so loved the world that He gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. ... In Him was life, and this life was the light of men. The Word became flesh and blood and moved into our neighborhood. We all saw His glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory; like Father, like Son; generous inside and out; true from start to finish . . . 

And the angel said to the shepherds, ‘I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the city of David, a savior has been born to you, He is Christ the Lord. You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.’ ...

And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. ... 

And John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.’ ...

For God made him who knew no sin to become sin on our behalf that we might be made righteous. ... Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows; He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our sins; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him. ...

For although He existed in the form of God, He did not consider equality with God a thing to hold on to, but He emptied himself. Taking on the form of a servant, and being made in the likeness of men, He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ...

And Joseph of Arimathea brought some linen cloth, took down Jesus’ body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone over the entrance of the tomb. ...

Early on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of Jesus, and Salome brought spices to anoint Jesus’ body. When they looked up, they saw that the large stone had been rolled away. And they saw a young man dressed in a white robe, sitting on the stone and he said, ‘Don’t be alarmed – you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. Come see the place where he was laid.’ ... For Jesus had said ... ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, even should he die, yet shall he live.’ ...

God has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sin. ...

Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name; that at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. ...

Worthy is the lamb who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and glory and honor and praise! ...

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and He will be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain. He who was seated on the throne said, ‘See, I am making everything new!’ ...

Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.

Merry Christmas, indeed!

---