Devotional for the Week — 21 December 2009

Devotional for the week – 21 December 2009

Sermon Title: Anticipating the Advent – The Lord Remembers
Scripture Text: Luke 1: 68 - 79

Introduction

Advent is a time when we prepare ourselves in our spiritual alertness to receive the coming of our Saviour, Lord Jesus Christ. We look forward to the event of Christmas with great anticipation. Preparing our homes to receive guests and celebrate the event with our loved ones.

Let us see how back in history, in the gospel of Luke, the people looked forward to the promise of their Messiah. How did the people prepare themselves to receive the promised Messiah? At that time, there was silence in the air and nothing to celebrate about, as God had been silent for 400 years. However, God had certainly not forgotten them. When God was creating the heavens and the earth, did what God speak not come into being? Therefore, we must believe in the creation story and believe that God always keeps His promises.

Zachariah – “The Lord Remembers His Covenant.”

What was the covenant that God promised and remembered in Luke 1:73? It was to our ancestor Abraham that He revealed His divine salvation plan to him and to the world. He would send His only begotten Son as the substitute, to be the sacrificial Lamb of God, to die for us. By His death (vs 71-75), we would be rescued from our enemies to serve God with fear in holiness and righteousness forever. God promised, through the prophets Joel and Ezekiel (Joel 2:28-29; Ezekiel 36:26-27), that He would pour His Spirit upon His people. This could only be made possible through the promise of a Messiah to save the world from the penalty of sins (Isaiah 7:14).

The Lord Remembers His Covenant

At the right time, God revealed the arrival of the promised Messiah. It was during a time when people suffered during the Roman conquerors and cried to the Lord to rescue them from their oppression.

The Lord spoke, through the angel Gabriel, to Zachariah that his prayer had been heard. He had prayed for a child, as his wife was, then, barren. God then answered and gave him a son with the spirit and power of Elijah. He was told that he would precede the coming of the Lord and prepare the people for His arrival. In Malachi, He said that He would send the prophet Elijah “before the great and dreadful day of the Lord arrives”. Why would that day be dreadful and not joyous? Here, God was referring to the Day of Judgment. Although God is a God of grace, God will judge His people if they continue in their wicked ways. We cannot escape the Judgment of God.

Christ the Horn of Salvation (Luke 1: 69)

Two things were predicted about the Messiah: -

Our only hope is Jesus Christ – the promised Messiah in the house of David. The horn of salvation refers to Christ. The word “horn” is a symbol of strength, power and might. He, alone, possesses the might, strength and power to save us from eternal death. We need to be delivered so that we can live without fear and live victorious lives. We should also live righteously and serve the living God forever.

Christ, the Messiah, fulfilled the promised mercy and covenant - the oath made to Abraham.

John the Forerunner (Luke 1: 76)

Four things were predicted about John: -

1)	John was the prophet of the Most High,
2)	John was to prepare the way for the Lord’s appearance,
3)	John was to proclaim salvation, even the forgiveness of sins (Ephesians 1:7), and
4)	John was to proclaim the Son of God as the Light of this world

How Do We Prepare The Way Of The Lord In Our Time, During This Advent Season?

1)	Observe the Advent to help us recognise who we are.
2)	Have the assurance that our Lord remembers His covenant. He instituted the Holy Communion to remind us that He remembers.

The Lord Remembers

What can we do: -

1)	Come to the Lord’s Table with anticipation and joy as we celebrate the Holy Communion.
2)	Prepare the people for the Lord’s coming. We have the knowledge of salvation to proclaim to the whole world, that salvation is through the forgiveness of sin. We are to be the light of this world, to bring eternal hope into this world of darkness. (John 8:12)
3)	The eternal hope is celebrated at the Lord’ Table. We celebrate in anticipation of the great banquet when Jesus will eat and drink with us in the kingdom of God.

Prayer Response

Lord, we anxiously await Your coming. We thank You that You are a faithful God who keeps His covenant. We pray that we will spread the gospel of salvation to those around us, in Jesus’ Name. Amen

Devotional based on a message by Rev Fred Tan

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