DECEMBER 2021, Newsletter<\/p>\n
Topic: ADVENT OF JESUS CHRIST: A CALL TO WORSHIP<\/p>\n
Text: ISAIAH 40:9-11, Luke 2:1-20<\/p>\n
Isaiah, 40:9-11
\n9. Zion, herald of good news,
\ngo up on a high mountain.
\nJerusalem, herald of good news,
\nraise your voice loudly.
\nRaise it, do not be afraid!
\nSay to the cities of Judah,
\n\u201cHere is your God!\u201d
\n10. See, the Lord\u00a0God\u00a0comes with strength, and His power establishes His rule.
\nHis reward is with Him, and His gifts accompany Him.
\n11.\u00a0He protects His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them in the fold of His garment.
\nHe gently leads those that are nursing.<\/p>\n
INRODUCTION:
\nThe\u00a0advent season is the preparation for the memorable celebration of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n
It\u00a0begins\u00a0on\u00a0the last Sunday of November\u00a0until\u00a0the\u00a0Sunday that\u00a0precedes\u00a0Christmas.<\/p>\n
Advent (from Latin adventus, \u201ccoming\u201d), in the Christian church calendar, the period of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas and also of preparation for the Second Coming of Christ (www.Britannica.com).<\/p>\n
The\u00a0alteration of\u00a0the\u00a0garden\u00a0of\u00a0Eden\u00a0by\u00a0Satan\u00a0caused\u00a0man\u00a0to\u00a0lose\u00a0fellowship,\u00a0communion,\u00a0and\u00a0a\u00a0good\u00a0relationship\u00a0with\u00a0God.<\/p>\n
As\u00a0God\u00a0sought\u00a0to\u00a0restore\u00a0man\u00a0to His glory, He fulfilled\u00a0a promise\u00a0in\u00a0Jesus Christ.
\nThere were\u00a0many prophets\u00a0sent to make\u00a0the world aware of\u00a0God\u2019s\u00a0intentions,\u00a0with\u00a0Isaiah\u00a0included.<\/p>\n
The verse from Isaiah 40 above\u00a0was\u00a0not\u00a0sent\u00a0just\u00a0to the\u00a0Israelites,\u00a0but\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0entire\u00a0world as a whole as well.<\/p>\n
The Advent Season is all about reflecting on how we can prepare our hearts and homes for Christ\u2019s birth in the world as it is today. It is a time for faith communities and families to remember, through prayer, reflections, special music, and good deeds what the true meaning of Jesus\u2019 birth is (www.outlittleroses.org., Dec. 13:2019).<\/p>\n
This\u00a0season\u00a0is a\u00a0time to reflect on the\u00a0promises\u00a0made\u00a0to\u00a0Israel and\u00a0to\u00a0the church\u00a0through\u00a0Jesus Christ; He has come\u00a0and will come again.<\/p>\n
This is the essence of\u00a0the\u00a0Advent\u00a0season.<\/p>\n
Ultimately,\u00a0we\u00a0are\u00a0created\u00a0to worship God. In worship, we\u00a0invoke\u00a0the presence of God,\u00a0and\u00a0when\u00a0done with all your energy,\u00a0the\u00a0glory\u00a0of\u00a0God\u00a0will\u00a0be\u00a0reflected.<\/p>\n
When the wise men saw the Angels, they\u00a0sensed\u00a0the glory of God.<\/p>\n
In this writing, we shall focus on:
\n\u2022 Glory To A Born King:
\nA\u00a0remarkable aspect\u00a0of\u00a0Jesus\u00a0Christ\u2019s\u00a0birth\u00a0that\u00a0has\u00a0caused\u00a0rulers and religious\u00a0leaders\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0furious\u00a0is\u00a0the\u00a0fact\u00a0that\u00a0no king\u00a0could\u00a0be enthroned while a ruling king\u00a0was\u00a0still\u00a0at\u00a0the seat with\u00a0his\u00a0staff.<\/p>\n
In\u00a0the\u00a0event\u00a0that\u00a0the wise men had submitted themselves\u00a0to\u00a0worship\u00a0the\u00a0Lord,\u00a0God\u00a0reflected\u00a0His glory through the angels\u00a0and\u00a0empowered\u00a0them\u00a0to\u00a0break\u00a0the\u00a0hard news.<\/p>\n
Luke 2: 8-14
\n8. In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock.
\n9. Then an angel of the Lord\u00a0stood before\u00a0them,\u00a0and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
\n10.\u00a0But the angel said to them, \u201cDon\u2019t be afraid,\u00a0for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people:
\n11. Today a Savior,\u00a0who is Messiah\u00a0the Lord,\u00a0was born for you in the city of David.
\n12. This will be the sign for you:\u00a0You will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a feeding trough.\u201d
\n13. Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:
\n14.\u00a0Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth\u00a0to people He favors!<\/p>\n
You\u00a0need\u00a0to\u00a0bring\u00a0up\u00a0whom\u00a0you are before\u00a0God\u00a0in order that God\u2019s glory\u00a0can\u00a0be reflected in your worship,\u00a0just\u00a0as\u00a0wise men did.
\nAlthough\u00a0they were\u00a0busy\u00a0people,\u00a0they\u00a0created time\u00a0to\u00a0let\u00a0God\u00a0speak to men through them\u00a0and\u00a0to\u00a0use\u00a0them\u00a0as\u00a0a vessel\u00a0for\u00a0communicating\u00a0the message\u00a0of heaven.<\/p>\n
Let this be a great challenge for you.<\/p>\n
\u2022 O Come, Let Us Adore Him: \u2018Come\u2019\u00a0means\u00a0to\u00a0call\u00a0attention to something or to\u00a0call for someone\u2019s\u00a0attention. As\u00a0for\u00a0this context, it is a call to embrace the one\u00a0who\u00a0deserves\u00a0your paise and services.<\/p>\n
Luke 2: 15-16
\n15.\u00a0When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, \u201cLet\u2019s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.\u201d
\n16. They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the feeding trough.<\/p>\n
A\u00a0group\u00a0of\u00a0angels\u00a0flew\u00a0to\u00a0this\u00a0group of\u00a0men, and\u00a0informed\u00a0them of the\u00a0divine\u00a0love\u00a0being\u00a0released\u00a0from\u00a0Heaven.\u00a0The wise men\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0hesitate\u00a0and\u00a0they\u00a0immediately\u00a0began\u00a0worshipping\u00a0God.<\/p>\n
What\u00a0is\u00a0distracting or keeping you\u00a0from\u00a0worshiping\u00a0your God? Can you please put everything aside\u00a0so\u00a0you can\u00a0worship the King of kings and Lord of lords?<\/p>\n
\u2022 Worship Christ The Lord:
\nMatthew 2:11
\n\u201cEntering the house, they saw the child with Mary, His mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped Him.\u00a0Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.\u201d<\/p>\n
A\u00a0remarkable act of the wise men was that\u00a0they found time to locate where Jesus Christ was laid to worship Him. Then\u00a0they\u00a0offered\u00a0 Him\u00a0worship materials as a sign to commemorate His Lordship as the one to reign forever. No one commands them to do\u00a0so, but they see it as\u00a0the\u00a0right thing to do.<\/p>\n
If Jesus Christ is so important to you,\u00a0nobody\u00a0would\u00a0compel\u00a0you to worship Him with\u00a0all\u00a0your\u00a0heart.<\/p>\n
Conclusion:
\nThe\u00a0birth of Jesus Christ\u00a0has raised controversy\u00a0around the world.\u00a0However,\u00a0the truth is that\u00a0you\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0worship\u00a0Him\u00a0as\u00a0Lord\u00a0if\u00a0you\u00a0do\u00a0not\u00a0believe\u00a0in\u00a0His\u00a0birth\u00a0and\u00a0set your heart\u00a0up\u00a0for His second coming.<\/p>\n
A big worship gathering will take place in Heaven when He returns.<\/p>\n
Finally,\u00a0as\u00a0a\u00a0family and\u00a0as\u00a0individuals, make time\u00a0to sing Christmas\u00a0carols\u00a0you know\u00a0and\u00a0hymns\u00a0which echo the message of the season\u00a0to worship Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n
WISHING\u00a0YOU A\u00a0VERY\u00a0HAPPY\u00a0SEASON!!!<\/p>\n
John Aderogba for ROPMI.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
DECEMBER 2021, Newsletter Topic: ADVENT OF JESUS CHRIST: A CALL TO WORSHIP Text: ISAIAH 40:9-11, Luke 2:1-20 Isaiah, 40:9-11 9. Zion, herald of good news, go up on a high mountain. Jerusalem, herald of good news, raise your voice loudly. Raise it, do not be afraid! Say to the cities of Judah, \u201cHere is your…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3275,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33,7],"tags":[78,79,82,83,44,80,81],"class_list":["post-3274","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsletter","category-ropmi","tag-78","tag-december","tag-glory","tag-jesus","tag-newsletter","tag-reflection","tag-worship"],"yoast_head":"\n