Friday December 23, 2022

Today is Friday, December 23 and this week will conclude our journey through the Advent season as we look to Jesus as the root of David and the Bright and Morning star.

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” Revelation 22:16

Christmas is almost here, and we rejoice in celebration! Jesus is Immanuel, God with us. Christ is the Root and Offspring of David, the Bright Morning Star. He comes to us as a King, and will come to us again to reign forever. Glory to God in the highest!

From the root of David Jesus comes to us, from a people, a place, and from a story. That story brings us to now, where the lamb of God, the King of kings who rules supreme, forever, is celebrated and blessed as the world’s one true leader (Rev. 17:14). From that root, Jesus comes to us as our Great High Priest. There is now one mediator between God and humankind, who lives forever to stand in the gap for us (1 Tim. 2:5, Heb. 7:25).

Then, as the Bright Morning Star, Jesus brings the Light of the New Creation to us, revealing that salvation is here for the heart ready to be made new. Christmas is a sign and a wonder that points to the fact that all things are being made new by a God who enters the old to birth the new from within. The Light enters the darkness, in order to dispel the darkness; that is the message of Christmas.

God incarnates to intervene– to intervene in our mess, our injustice, our idolatry, our confusion and hatred and our self-serving, to address the problem from the inside out– in the person of Christ.

The Deliverer the Father sends came to deliver us from the same evil that threatens every human heart– sin. Jesus arrives and exposes the problem facing every man, woman, and child.

Born in the manger, from the root of David, the problem is addressed. Jesus, the King of the new creation, reveals our hearts to us, like the Morning Star revealing the new day. Jesus was born, lived, and died, for this work of revelation and healing of the human spirit.

Then he rose again, ascending to the Father, to become the King of kings and the Lord of lords for all eternity. There is a human being at the right hand of God, fully God and fully human, who walked among us full of grace and truth (John 1:14). He showed us the way to live (Matt. 5-7), revealed the Father (John 17:25-26), and faced death and persecution for loving us enough to be the Way, Truth, and the Life among us (John 14:6). And then he rose from the grave, our Immanuel, God with us, the Root and Offspring of David, the Bright Morning Star– living and reigning forever.

That root of David, the promised Messiah, the one who shines like the Bright Morning Star, cuts through the night and welcomes you and me toward the dawn. He has come to us. Joy to the world!

Ask
This Christmas, how can you delight in the work the Lord has done in you as you go through the activities of the holiday? Pause to reflect how the Morning Star has brought light into your life this year, and trust, with expectation, that he will do the same in the next.

Root of David, Bright Morning Star, you light the world with your presence and you light my heart with your love. Thank you for your Advent among us, your coming to us, to live before us, in us, and through us in the world. Your Spirit is at work, and I ask that you would reveal to me how I can best join you in that work in the days I am given. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Listen and sing along with us to songs that will shape our Advent season. For our last day together before Christmas, we will sing “Joy to the World” which you can find here and here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oOwa0CWVVQ&utm_source=The+First+15&utm_campaign=9da54f56ee-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_09_03_04_39_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_75f55ac9fd-9da54f56ee-