pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: savior


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Blessed Is He

“Hosanna in the highest!”  He who saves comes today in a parade.  We celebrate Palm Sunday for the same reason we celebrate Christmas: it is a significant event.  Jesus was born with one purpose: to show us the way, the truth, and the life.

The celebration and words we say today remind us of this.  People were cheering for a king that day.  Jesus is a king.  He just as not the kind of king people along the parade route were seeking.  They sought the only kind of king they knew.  They sought a king like King David, someone to lead them out of Roman oppression.

As our King, we know that Jesus leads us out of oppression.  On the cross he freed us from sin and death.  Because of the eternal life He offers, sin and death no longer have power over our lives.  Jesus also calls us to be agents who end oppression.  He calls us to help the weak, to care for those trapped by need, and to triumph justice.

“Hosanna in the highest!”  “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”  Jesus is indeed mighty to save.  Today we celebrate this idea.  Then we go forth to bless others as we serve in the name of the only one who can save: Jesus Christ.

Scripture reference: Psalm 118: 26-29 and Luke 11: 8-10


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Do we wait well?

Waiting can be hard.  Christmas is a season that builds anticipation well.  Once the tree goes up in our homes, we know the day is near.  If you use an Advent calendar, you really count down the days.  For some, simply looking at the presents under the tree is almost more than they can take – they want to peek!  No matter when we start our count – November 7, December 1… – we start out knowing that December 25 is a fixed date.  For the secular world, it is all over on December 25.

In Advent the focus is on the same date, but for Christians the purpose is different. We await the gift of Christ.  We celebrate Jesus’ birth not in and of itself, but for His whole life’s impact upon us.  It is in His death and resurrection that we gain victory over our own death and we find the strength to fight against the temptations and sins we face daily.

In Advent, our question is: do we wait well? As we ready ourselves for celebrating Christ’s birth, we also have an eye on His actual return.  That date is unknown.  Yet it is surely coming, one day closed today than it was yesterday.  As we wait, do we share our joy with others?  Do we share our hope?  Do we share our peace?  Do we share our love?  Waiting well involves all of these, plus sharing the greatest gft ever given, the reason for all of these other things we share: Jesus Christ, the savior of the world.

Scripture reference: 2 Peter 3: 8-15a