Today we celebrate the fourth Sunday of Advent. The advent (“coming”) of Jesus Christ is what separates Christianity from all other religions. We affirm that Christ is indeed “Immanuel,” God with us. Christ is the God whom we can know, feel, and touch. He is God with skin.
Last week Esther, my youngest daughter, had a hard time. For some reason she suffered from constipation for three days. She cried, cried in agony. During that time I could feel her pain. I could feel her agony. I wish I could suffer instead of her. But what Joyce and I could do was just to pray for her and to be with her.
In Exodus 3:7-8, when the Israelites groaned under their slavery and cried out, the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people… I have heard their cry… I know their suffering, and I have come down to deliver them from the power of the Egyptians…” And God did send Moses to deliver his people. But Moses was a just shadow of the true and better Messiah to come. When the time had fully come, God sent his Son to buy freedom for us who were slaves to sin, so that he could adopt us as his very own children (cf. Gal 4:4-5).
Perhaps John 3:16 is one of the most beloved passages in the Bible. It has only about 25 words in the English translation of it, but it is the gospel in a nutshell:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (NIV).
In his sermon Billy Graham tells us his story to explain the true meaning of this verse. One day Pastor Graham was walking with one of his sons and they stepped on anthill by mistake, and all the ants were suffering. Their little houses had been destroyed. He looked down and he said “I wish we can help to rebuild the anthill but we could not. We are too big and they are too little.” [1] God looked on this planet and saw us as little ants and saw that we are destroying ourselves, so he decided to become a man and that’s who Jesus was. He was God in the flesh. He came to tell us that he so loves us… no matter what. And he healed many sick people, taught us the way to heaven. Jesus was Immanuel 2,000 years ago. And He is still Immanuel today!
Life with God
Last week Esther, my youngest daughter, had a hard time. For some reason she suffered from constipation for three days. She cried, cried in agony. During that time I could feel her pain. I could feel her agony. I wish I could suffer instead of her. But what Joyce and I could do was just to pray for her and to be with her.
In Exodus 3:7-8, when the Israelites groaned under their slavery and cried out, the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people… I have heard their cry… I know their suffering, and I have come down to deliver them from the power of the Egyptians…” And God did send Moses to deliver his people. But Moses was a just shadow of the true and better Messiah to come. When the time had fully come, God sent his Son to buy freedom for us who were slaves to sin, so that he could adopt us as his very own children (cf. Gal 4:4-5).
Perhaps John 3:16 is one of the most beloved passages in the Bible. It has only about 25 words in the English translation of it, but it is the gospel in a nutshell:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (NIV).
In his sermon Billy Graham tells us his story to explain the true meaning of this verse. One day Pastor Graham was walking with one of his sons and they stepped on anthill by mistake, and all the ants were suffering. Their little houses had been destroyed. He looked down and he said “I wish we can help to rebuild the anthill but we could not. We are too big and they are too little.” [1] God looked on this planet and saw us as little ants and saw that we are destroying ourselves, so he decided to become a man and that’s who Jesus was. He was God in the flesh. He came to tell us that he so loves us… no matter what. And he healed many sick people, taught us the way to heaven. Jesus was Immanuel 2,000 years ago. And He is still Immanuel today!
Life with God
God is with us. Then, our next question is, what does “life with God” look like? 1 John 3:16 answers this question:
“We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for one another” (NRSV).
“Life with God” begins and ends with love. Life with God is life with love. Let me share the story of Pastor Paris Reidhead. He went to Africa as a missionary. He didn’t think it was right for anybody to go to hell without a chance to hear the gospel. So he went to give poor sinners a chance to go to heaven. But when he went to Africa, he expected that the people there would appreciate him and look forward to hearing the good news. But no! He discovered that they were monsters of sin! They loved their sin and wanted to continue in it. They had no interest in the Bible, no interest in Christ, no interest in heaven. They didn’t welcome him. They didn’t appreciate him. He couldn’t stand any more of their mockery. He just wanted to come home. One day in his private prayer time he poured out his heart to God, and he heard Him say, “Yes they deserved hell! But I love them! And I endured the agonies of hell for them!”[2] When Jesus came to his own, and his own people did not receive him (John 1:11). They didn’t welcome him. They didn’t appreciate him. But Jesus just loved them no matter what. He just loves us no matter what. Even in our least lovable moments, even in our rebellion and sin, God is still near to us and showers us with his love. Once we experience this rain of God’s love, it changes us, compels us to do the same. You keep reaching out, giving your presence to those who are ungrateful, unlovable. You pray for those who hate you. You endure, you suffer, you forgive, you love. That’s what life with God looks like.
Jesus in the Driver’s Seat
“We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for one another” (NRSV).
“Life with God” begins and ends with love. Life with God is life with love. Let me share the story of Pastor Paris Reidhead. He went to Africa as a missionary. He didn’t think it was right for anybody to go to hell without a chance to hear the gospel. So he went to give poor sinners a chance to go to heaven. But when he went to Africa, he expected that the people there would appreciate him and look forward to hearing the good news. But no! He discovered that they were monsters of sin! They loved their sin and wanted to continue in it. They had no interest in the Bible, no interest in Christ, no interest in heaven. They didn’t welcome him. They didn’t appreciate him. He couldn’t stand any more of their mockery. He just wanted to come home. One day in his private prayer time he poured out his heart to God, and he heard Him say, “Yes they deserved hell! But I love them! And I endured the agonies of hell for them!”[2] When Jesus came to his own, and his own people did not receive him (John 1:11). They didn’t welcome him. They didn’t appreciate him. But Jesus just loved them no matter what. He just loves us no matter what. Even in our least lovable moments, even in our rebellion and sin, God is still near to us and showers us with his love. Once we experience this rain of God’s love, it changes us, compels us to do the same. You keep reaching out, giving your presence to those who are ungrateful, unlovable. You pray for those who hate you. You endure, you suffer, you forgive, you love. That’s what life with God looks like.
Jesus in the Driver’s Seat
A.W. Tozer said that “most Christians are theological Christians… They’re trying to be happy without a sense of the presence.” In other words, they intellectually agree that Jesus is Immanuel. And they want to live a life with God – life filled with love, power, joy. But they don’t experience it. They don’t experience God’s presence. Why is that?
Here’s what Christians tend to do: when we receive Christ, we invite him to be our guest, special guest at best, but not our Master. We are still in control of our lives, making decisions according to our experience, our preference, our knowledge, our plan. We drive the car, and Jesus is in the passenger’s seat. Even though he is a best driver and is with us all the time, our life is still constantly in conflict, confusion, and stress. There will be constant danger of accident. The best way to handle this situation is to get out of the driver’s seat and let him drive. Is Jesus in the driver’s seat in the car of your life? May Christ Jesus dwell in your hearts as Lord of all! Amen.
Here’s what Christians tend to do: when we receive Christ, we invite him to be our guest, special guest at best, but not our Master. We are still in control of our lives, making decisions according to our experience, our preference, our knowledge, our plan. We drive the car, and Jesus is in the passenger’s seat. Even though he is a best driver and is with us all the time, our life is still constantly in conflict, confusion, and stress. There will be constant danger of accident. The best way to handle this situation is to get out of the driver’s seat and let him drive. Is Jesus in the driver’s seat in the car of your life? May Christ Jesus dwell in your hearts as Lord of all! Amen.
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