And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ (Philippians 1:9-10)
We’re continuing our theme of being ready in Advent - how can we be ready, not just for Christmas, but also for Jesus’s return. St Paul, writing to the Philippians wants them to grow in love and in knowledge and in insight. As they do so, they will be able to know what is not just good, but best. He wants them to be pure and blameless when Jesus returns. Is that what we want for ourselves?
May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones. (1 Thessalonians 3:13)
2021 has, at times, felt both like it has dragged on and also flown by. This Sunday is Advent Sunday, and we begin the season of Advent. This is a period of expectant waiting for joy. Part of that is the joy of celebrating Christmas together. Advent is also a time where we think about Jesus’ return: there will be a day when he comes back. As the apostle Paul writes to the Thessalonian church, he wants them to be ready for that day.
‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.’ (Revelation 1:8)
The book of Revelation is a letter from John to seven churches in modern day Turkey. They are facing hardship and persecution, and John writes to encourage the churches and to point them to the future. He starts by giving them Jesus’ words. The crucified and resurrected Lord Jesus tells them that he is. He is with them, and us, now and always. No matter what we face, what difficulties lie ahead of us, Jesus is with us, and he is the Almighty.
For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility (Ephesians 2:14)
Peace with one another is something that we all want, but we don’t always get. In this season of remembrance, we recall that sometimes we end up with war to get peace.
Jesus promises us true peace - peace with God and peace with each other. You would be very welcome to join us at our 10:50am service at St Thomas, Northaw, or at 8:30am for a service of Holy Communion, also in St Thomas, Northaw, this Sunday, as we look together at how peace was won for us.
… not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another … (Hebrews 10:25)
Why do we meet together? I hope that it’s because we like each other, and we enjoy it - but that’s not the main reason. The letter to the Hebrews tells us that we meet together to “spur one another on towards love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24). How is this possible? Because we can draw near to God through Jesus Christ.