Today’s Advent Calendar scripture and activity deals with the tenet to Worship Fully. Advent is a tradition in the church that dates all the way back to the 4th Century. The word Advent is based in a latin word meaning “coming” or “arrival”, and it points to the arrival promised savior of the world. It’s a season to remember and rejoice in Jesus’ birth 2,000 years ago, and a time to reflect on his promise to one day return and “make all things new” (Rev. 21:5). From start to finish, Advent and Christmas are about Jesus.
Here’s a quote from Advent Conspiracy: Making Christmas Meaningful Again by Rick McKinley, Chris Seay, and Greg Holder
“What do we worship during Advent? ‘Jesus’ is the right answer, of course, but is it the true answer? Does the way we spend our time, money, and energy testify that we worship God incarnate? Season after season, many churchgoers have learned to say the right things without allowing their words to reach their hearts. Simply saying that Jesus is the desire of our hearts doesn’t make it so. In fact, proper, expected words can sometimes hinder true worship by keeping our lips and hearts apart.”
Tonight we gather to worship the Lord and give thanks for his faithfulness over 2018. As one church in three locations, we don’t often come together under the same roof, but this special occasion is a time to gather as a church family and like the psalmist in Psalm 66, cry out “Come and see what God has done!” We can’t wait to celebrate together tonight, more details can be found at the link below.
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Psalm 66 (ESV)
Shout for joy to God, all the earth;
sing the glory of his name;
give to him glorious praise!
Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.
All the earth worships you
and sings praises to you;
they sing praises to your name.” Selah
Come and see what God has done:
he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.
He turned the sea into dry land;
they passed through the river on foot.
There did we rejoice in him,
who rules by his might forever,
whose eyes keep watch on the nations—
let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah
Bless our God, O peoples;
let the sound of his praise be heard,
who has kept our soul among the living
and has not let our feet slip.
For you, O God, have tested us;
you have tried us as silver is tried.
You brought us into the net;
you laid a crushing burden on our backs;
you let men ride over our heads;
we went through fire and through water;
yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.
I will come into your house with burnt offerings;
I will perform my vows to you,
that which my lips uttered
and my mouth promised when I was in trouble.
I will offer to you burnt offerings of fattened animals,
with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams;
I will make an offering of bulls and goats. Selah
Come and hear, all you who fear God,
and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
I cried to him with my mouth,
and high praise was on my tongue.
If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
But truly God has listened;
he has attended to the voice of my prayer.
Blessed be God,
because he has not rejected my prayer
or removed his steadfast love from me!