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Isaiah 1:10-20
1 Thessalonians
1:1-10
Luke 20:1-8
Advent is a season of
anticipation and reflection. We look
forward to celebrating the birth of the Christ Child, the Word made flesh,
whose death on the cross was the ultimate sacrifice. We also look forward to the return of Christ,
and we look inside ourselves to see if we’re ready for that wonderful day.
These scriptures remind us
that God should be the center and focus of our lives. Christianity is a full-time job. In this passage from Isaiah, God tells the
people of Israel that the sacrifices they make are worthless, because they continue
to live in sin. “Do right,” God tells
them. “See that justice is done.” Superficial displays of piety are worthless
in God’s eyes. Paul praises the people
of the church in Thessalonica, congratulating them for putting their faith into
practice. They received the good news of
salvation with joy, and lived as examples to other believers. In the passage from Luke, the chief priests
and other officials try to distract Jesus from his teaching by questioning him
about the source of his authority. Jesus
refuses to allow them to interrupt him, and stays focused on ministering to the
people.
How focused are we on our
own ministries? As Christians, our job
is to be filled with the Spirit, witnessing with our actions, not just at
church activities, but in every area of our lives. In return, we receive the ultimate
compensation package: God is with us
every moment of every day, surrounding us with His love and the power of His spirit.
Prayer: Father, thank you for your amazing love that
surrounds us. Thank you for your spirit
that fills our hearts and minds. Help us
to be living examples of your love. Let
every word that comes out of our mouths, every decision we make, everything we
do be reflective of your transforming grace.
We praise you, Father, with all our hearts. Amen.
Sarah Bazen
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ADVENT 2007
Epworth United Methodist Church