“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” —John 3:16

It was a little after midnight, December 25, 1970.  A teenage girl gave birth to a baby boy at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. I have no idea how scared or alone my mother must’ve felt that night, not to mention all the physical pain. For many years, I had a front row seat watching that single mother raise my sister and me while working a fulltime job by day and continuing her education by night. Though I had a gazillion questions growing up, never once did I ever have to question my mother’s love for me. It was proven over and over again through the repeated sacrifices she made to take care of us.

In Romanas 5:6-11, Paul uses these words to express the loving sacrifice Jesus has made for us:

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! ¹⁰ For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! ¹¹ Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Depending on the context, the Greek word for “demonstrates” in verse 8 has been translated “to stand near in approval,” “to show, prove, establish, exhibit.” It was also used in a legal sense, such as a defense lawyer exhibiting evidence that might exonerate his client. In another context, it is translated “to put together by way of composition,” as in how a musical composer might take many scores or sequences and put them all together in one beautiful arrangement or melodious blend.

All these meanings point to a loving Savior, sacrificing His life for the “powerless” and the “ungodly,” standing in their place of judgment and paying the penalty for their sins at just the right time in history. Who are these sinners in desperate need of the Savior? Paul spent the first two-and-a-half chapters of the Book of Romans telling us that we all are those people. Yet God has demonstrated and proven in a heavenly court of law His love for us in that “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

God’s love has been exhibited best when we have been at our worst. His approval resounded the loudest when shame tried to silence us. He has “stood near” when suffering threatened to break us. Like my neighbor, you might be facing your first Christmas after the passing of a loved one. Despite all the glitter and tinsel on the outside, you might be battling depression, loneliness, or feelings of failure on the inside. Maybe financial hardship has left you with no gifts under the tree. The beauty of this passage as it relates to Christmas is that God always shows up for the powerless… and its always at the right time.

Like a great composer, God is masterfully working all things “for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). This Christmas, you can trust the Great Composer of your life, because Jesus was born into a broken and bleeding world to orchestrate God’s redemption in and through all things. He’s proven His love over and over again in your life, and I assure you He has no plans to stop showing up now. He is still composing today! Think about that as you seek to abide in Him this Christmas.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, thank you for demonstrating your love to me while I was weak, powerless, and sinful. Jesus, you stood near as you took my punishment on the cross. You stood near as you were raised back to life for my justification. And you stand near today when the stuff of this life tries to hijack my peace. Holy Spirit, You have never left me alone. Empower me to trust the composition you are writing today through all the good and bad. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion:

1. What is one of your favorite Christmas memories?
2. When has God demonstrated His love to you in a difficult time?
3. What does this passage in Romans 5 teach us about the character of God?
4. What has been afforded to us through Jesus’ sacrifice (Romans 5:9-11)?
5. In what areas of your life do you need to trust the Great Composer to work out for good?

The post Advent Week 4: Trusting the Great Composer appeared first on Jimmy Larche.

“And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.’” —Luke 2:10

It was at nighttime, when things were darkest, that the shepherds had their typically mundane routine hijacked by the angelic host from heaven, heralding the glorious news about the birth of a Savior. Have you ever wondered why lowly shepherds were chosen as the first on earth to hear the glad tidings, or “good news,” of Jesus’ arrival?

Shepherding is one of the world’s oldest occupations. By trade, their lifestyle would’ve been one of humble and meager means. In some regards, they were marginalized people held in low estimation by others in society. For example, in the Talmud, we read that shepherds were not allowed to be considered witnesses in the legal system of that time. If you were brought before the courts on a criminal charge and your only alibi happened to be a shepherd, you were in trouble. Your witness wouldn’t be acceptable.

Shepherds were not only seen as unreliable, but as unclean nomads. And yet God looked down on a people whose word wasn’t treated as reliable and entrusted them with the amazing news of Christ’s birth—the hope of the world. They weren’t exactly the most influential of their day. They weren’t the power brokers, the politicians, or the change-makers. They were just keepers of the sheep. In the great adventure of fleshing out God’s missional mandate, He chose the weak, the not yet, and those on the outside, to further His kingdom. As Paul would later write, “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are.”

Luke 2:10-14 records it this way:

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Three verses later we see that God was pleased to use these men, the bottom of the social class in Israel, to be the very first human preachers of the newborn King. The original text in verse 17 has been translated: they “spread the word,” “told everyone,” “made known abroad,” “publicized widely,” and “spread the message.”

As you read this passage, consider how God is calling you to be His messenger in a world that needs the hope of Jesus. How can you join God on His mission in the coming new year? Maybe you feel unqualified to make a difference. Think about those shepherds. They were so overcome with the consciousness of the Good News that they didn’t have any room left to be self-conscious about their doubters and haters. They were so lit up about the message that they didn’t consider the world thought of them as unworthy or uninfluential messengers. They made a difference anyway!

Perhaps you feel like your world is too dark to make a difference. Remember that the glorious invasion of the Gospel came to those shepherds at night, when things were the darkest. When the hour is the darkest, the light is the greatest! Advent reminds us that the light has invaded the darkness and hope has come. Peace has come. Joy has come. And we have been tasked with the Great Commission of heralding the Gospel in this hour. God has a mission that needs you. Never let the haters marginalize that truth! Go, and “spread His message” to those around you.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, thank you for invading the darkness of my sin with the light of your salvation. Thank you for the Good News of Jesus, that all who put their faith in Christ have been born again to a new and living hope. Expose any fears I have, or any areas where I am too preoccupied with self to make a difference in the world. Empower me to live on mission with you, being your messenger in the places where you are pleased to use me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.   

Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion:

1. What typically comes to mind when you think about shepherds?
2. When has God invaded a dark time in your life?
3. In what ways have you felt unqualified or unworthy to share the Good News of Jesus with others?
4. What can we learn about God from this passage in Luke 2?
5. What does obedience to God’s mission look like in your life right now?

The post Advent Week 3: Good News Came at the Darkest Time appeared first on Jimmy Larche.

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” —Isaiah 26:3

How can I find peace in a world rife with war, hatred, violence, and suffering? Or as someone said to me, “It’s hard to be at peace when it feels like all of humanity has lost its humanness.” Peace is something we all want, yet few seem to find.

As churches around the world are lighting the advent candle of peace today, it’s important to consider what peace is, and what it isn’t. It is a gift from God, and therefore cannot be manufactured by man. Even if political leaders leveraged all their power to end all the military conflicts in the world today, that would not permanently remove chaos from the hearts of man. It would only be a pseudo, fragile, external, and temporary peace, until those hearts raged again as we’ve seen repeated throughout history.

The Hebrew word for peace is shalom. This word occurs over 250 times in the Old Testament. It refers to relationships between people (Genesis 34:21), nations (1 Kings 5:12), and God with men (Psalm 85:8). In the New Testament, God commands us to seek peace (Psalm 34:14; Matthew 5:9), and we should “make every effort to do what leads to peace” (Romans 14:19). We are also reminded that there is no peace for the wicked (Isaiah 48:22).

Peace is a gift from God. Peace is NOT dependent on external circumstances; it is the fruit of internal connection—more specifically the result of abiding in the word of God and resting in the presence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. This is real and lasting peace, that which carries the meaning of completeness or well-being. We get this peace by putting our faith and trust in Jesus, and we abide in that peace by daily leaning upon Him rather than our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Humanity lost peace with God when sin entered the world. From the moment that Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, all of humanity became sinners (2 John 1:8). This put us in conflict with God. The “flesh,” in the sense of sinful desires, became what we follow (Romans 8:7-8). No human being, since Adam and Eve, has been righteous (Ecclesiastes 7:20), which means we are all in a state of rebellion against God. This lack of peace presented a dilemma that the Messiah came to solve.

When Isaiah prophesied in ancient Israel about a future Messiah, or Savior, he declared:

“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

Advent reminds us that peace is the direct correlation of being in a right relationship with the “Prince of Peace,” the Jesus who promised a peace that transcends the chaos (John 14:27) and surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). The embodiment of peace isn’t packaged in a pill or a bottle on some shelf at the pharmacy but came to us as “a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” This newborn Prince of Peace was also called Immanuel, meaning “God with us.” He came to shed His blood for our reconciliation with God, to pay the penalty for our sins and to make us a new creation clothed in His very own righteousness. He desires to establish His kingdom rule in our hearts and governing reign over our daily lives.

God doesn’t offer us a pseudo, fragile, temporary, or surface peace, He offers us true, lasting, and indomitable peace. Are you experiencing that peace today? If not, advent is a great time for surrender. Will you wave your white flag today, and yield your life to God’s control? His gift of eternal peace is available right now.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, thank you that there is a peace that surpasses understanding. You promised that I can know that peace, found in the person of Jesus. Prince of Peace, rule in my heart today. I relinquish control. I confess my sins. I surrender shame, guilt, regret, anger, depression, anxiety, and anything that rivals the peace you have promised. I receive your peace as a gracious gift, one that may well be the best gift I can receive this Christmas. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion:

1. If you could sleep out under the stars anywhere in the world, where would you put down your pillow?
2. What message did the angel tell the shepherds? (Luke 2:10, 12) How do you think God might translate that message directly toward your circumstances, fears, or worries today?
3. What does it mean that Mary “treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart”? What is required to transfer head knowledge about peace into real life experiences with peace?
4. What is the responsibility of those who “discover” the good news about Jesus and his embodiment of peace?
5. Where do you need to shift your focus so that you can live in the fullness of God’s shalom this Christmas season?

The post Advent Week 2: Perfect Peace appeared first on Jimmy Larche.

“Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love…” —Psalm 33:18

I hope my team wins the game. I hope that bad weather doesn’t mess with my plans. I hope that I don’t catch the flu this season. I hope my loved ones stay safe. I hope I win the lottery—and I don’t even play the lottery! I hope wars will end and people will just learn to get along.

HOPE… What is hope? Is it mere wishful thinking? Why do some people seem to spill over with hope while others can’t even find the cup? Is hope an optimism we must learn to channel up through positive energy? I would submit that hope is about a promise, or good news, coming from a reliable source.

If hope is oxygen for the soul, then the promise of God is the heart that pumps this life-giving force into every fiber of our being. When God makes a promise, He chases hard after those hearts that are willing to take Him at His Word and show Himself strong on their behalf, because His character and reputation is on the line (see 2 Chronicles 16:9).

The psalmist wrote: “Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love.” The Hebrew phrase for “on those who hope” carries many implications throughout scripture. It means to expect; to wait patiently; to be pained; to stay; to tarry; to trust. It’s used to describe Noah’s patient waiting for the flood waters to recede as he “stayed” in the ark yet another seven days. It’s used to depict Job’s perseverance dilemma after losing everything he had: “What strength do I have, that I should still hope? What prospects, that I should be patient?” It’s the same word used in Isaiah 42 to characterize peoples desperately “waiting” for God to bring justice to the nations (vv. 1-4).

Taking God at His word, and trusting His promises, is the kind of hope that provides us with a vision for a Christ-conquered future that requires us to risk. This is illustrated beautifully in Jeremiah 32. As the Babylonian army was pounding on Jerusalem’s wall, the prophet Jeremiah knew the city would succumb to its enemy and most of the people would be forced into exile. The situation looked utterly hopeless. Yet amid this crisis, Jeremiah’s relative visits him in prison and offers to sell him a vacant lot in the suburbs of Jerusalem. Instead of being crippled by fear, Jeremiah chooses to buy real estate!

There probably wasn’t a worse time to be buying property in Judah. It required a remarkable act of faith on Jeremiah’s part, because the land would be subject to foreign occupiers for the next 70 years—years of desolation and despair. God promised that the people’s fortunes would be restored, and the prophet took Him at His Word. Jeremiah hopes in the promises of God, not wishful thinking, but a confidence rooted in the LORD’s reliable track record. So, he buys the field, hoping to come back to live in that field as God had promised of better days to come. Eventually the captivity would end, and the people would return to this same land—and it came to pass according to God’s infallible word. History teaches us of God’s faithfulness!

Whether small, medium, or mega-sized, our hope will require a risk. Jeremiah’s hope was tested by dismal conditions and improbable outcomes yet galvanized by the unchangeable character of His God: “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27 ESV)

In an unstable world that fuels worry for today and anxiety over the future, we can have a stable hope because of the steadfastness of our God. He is good—always and forever. His character is immutable. Whatever the state of your present circumstances, He’s got this. That’s not a false hope, that’s an unchanging God reigning supreme over an ever-changing world—and spoiler alert, He knows the future… and guess what? It doesn’t shake Him. And because of that, we don’t ever have to be paralyzed by fear. Take refuge in that truth as you seek to abide in the God of hope this advent week.

PRAYER

Ah, Lord God, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm. Nothing, absolutely nothing, is too difficult for you! We rest in this promise. You’ve got this, and you can be trusted. Holy Spirit, lead us to live our lives, and invest ourselves in risky ways that reflect a stable hope in an unstable world. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Questions for Reflection and/or Group Discussion

1. When have you been in a situation that seemed utterly hopeless?
2. How has hope shaped risks you’ve taken in the past?
3. What did God say after Jeremiah hid the deed to his newly purchased property in a clay jar? (vv.13-15) What truths did Jeremiah proclaim about God’s nature? (v.17)
4. Why was Jeremiah left to marvel over what he had just done? (vv.24-25) What was God’s reply to Jeremiah’s doubts? (vv.26-27)
5. In what area of your life could it be helpful to ponder the truth that nothing is too hard for God? What kind of risks is hope requiring you to take in this season?

The post Advent Week 1: Hope Requires Risk appeared first on Jimmy Larche.

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” —Luke 2:14

This year marked the 30th anniversary of Hurricane Andrew, still one of the top five most powerful hurricanes ever to strike the United States. While I was working with a disaster relief team in Homestead, Florida, after the devastation caused by that vicious storm, I recall a resident whose home had been destroyed, taking a spray paint can and graffitiing the following words across the hollowed-out structure of his house:

“Know Jesus; Know Peace.
No Jesus; No Peace.”

I remember the wonderment I felt over the notion that one who had just lost everything could even find room in his vocabulary for the word “peace.” That imagery has stuck with me for over thirty years now. For a man who found himself homeless in the wake of a Category 5 hurricane in South Florida, peace wasn’t a method, a process, a notion, a distant reality, or some fickle emotion. His association with peace surely wasn’t just some glittery holiday card concept; Peace was an abiding Person—and his name was Jesus.

When Isaiah prophesied in ancient Israel about a future Messiah, or Savior, he declared:

“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

Advent reminds us that peace is the direct correlation of being in a right relationship with the “Prince of Peace.” As we look at all the war, violence, political discord, and the human suffering that is akin to our present world, it is important to remember that Jesus promised a peace that transcends the chaos (John 14:27) and surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). The embodiment of peace isn’t packaged in a pill or a bottle on some shelf at the pharmacy, but came to us as “a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” This newborn Prince was also called Immanuel, meaning “God with us,” and He came promising that He will never leave us or forsake us.

As shepherds flocked to that little baby, a multitude of the heavenly host appeared praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” This was peace incarnate. The Hebrew word for “peace,” shalom, is often used in reference to an appearance of calm and tranquility of individuals, groups, and nations, but the deeper, more foundational meaning of peace is “the spiritual harmony brought about by an individual’s restoration with God,” with Jesus Christ being the mediator of that peace (1 Timothy 2:5).

This Prince of Peace came to reconcile sinners to God, to make us a new creation clothed in His very own righteousness, and to establish His kingdom rule in our hearts and governing reign over our lives. This Prince’s reign sustains us when going through the storm, stabilizes us when the whole world seems to be falling apart, gives us a love that overcomes the hatred, and decrees hope even when things look impossible. This Prince never said that “peace” was synonymous with “easy.” On the contrary, He taught His disciples to expect tribulation (John 16:33) and various trials (James 1:2) that would test our faith and produce steadfastness.

Consider, beloved: Peace is the indomitable realm where the Prince of Peace has set up His rule and reign. It isn’t a byproduct of human will or having your circumstances turn more favorable; Peace is yours when you yield the throne of your heart to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. That isn’t so much about a decision you made twenty years ago, but one that you make with this moment. You can choose peace by relinquishing control. Advent brings us to a place of surrender… again. Will you go there today?

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, thank you that there is a peace that surpasses understanding. You promised that I can know that peace, found in the person of Jesus. Prince of Peace, rule in my heart today. I relinquish control. I confess my sins. I surrender shame, guilt, regret, anger, depression, anxiety, and anything that rivals the peace you have promised. I receive your peace as a gracious gift, one that may well be the best gift I can receive this Christmas. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Advent Reading: Week 4
12/18 Sunday – Isaiah 9:6-7
12/19 Monday – Romans 5:1-5
12/20 Tuesday – Isaiah 26:3-13
12/21 Wednesday – John 14:26-28
12/22 Thursday – John 16:25-33
12/23 Friday – Romans 14:17-19
12/24 Saturday – Matthew 5:9

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is discord, union.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.
Where there is injury, pardon.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

— Prayer for Peace of St. Francis of Assisi

The post Advent Reading Week 4: PEACE appeared first on Jimmy Larche.

“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.’” —Luke 2:10

Hearing the words “Christmas is coming!” can evoke so many different responses in us: Stress—Ugh, there are so many activities this month and so little time to just be together as a family. Panic—I only have so many days to get my shopping done. Regret—Why did I volunteer to do that thing when it is going to require so much of me? Envy—My holiday “experience” is not nearly as impressive as that which my friends are posting about on social media. Or perhaps more tragically…

Grief—This will be our first Christmas without _______________.

Such a wide variety of sentiments can invade our hearts, occupy our thoughts, and hijack the joy of the Advent season. When Isaiah prophesied that an “everlasting joy” was coming to all who trust in God’s word (Isaiah 35), he pointed to the promised future that would be inaugurated in the first coming of Jesus Christ (Luke 4:16–21; 7:18–23) and fully consummated at his second coming (Revelation 21:4; 22:1–5).

The whole tone of Isaiah 35 is established by the verbs “be glad… rejoice… rejoice with joy and singing.” As God’s people once made their exodus through a desert, their final homecoming is through glorious abundance, exploding with joy! Isaiah portrayed a highway for God’s people that was clearly marked by joyful abundance—one of pilgrims singing their way into their eternal home (cf. 33:8; 34:10). The “redeemed” and “ransomed” of the LORD would obtain a “gladness and joy” that had once been out of reach (vv. 9-10). This hope inspires strength and courage for those feeling weak and unsteady as they find themselves in a time of waiting:

“Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who have an anxious heart, ‘Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.’” (Isaiah 35:3–4 ESV)
The stabilizing anchor of hope that invokes real joy comes from the promise of God’s faithfulness to his people (“your God will come”). They will not be left alone. We know that His messianic promise was fulfilled in the person of Jesus, the “Christos” (“the anointed one,” or “the chosen one”) who takes away the sins of the world. We also know that, as the angel revealed to the shepherds at Jesus’ birth, joy is not just relegated to a select few, but a proclamation of Good News for “all the people” (Luke 2:10).

Consider this beloved: Advent is a time we can be reminded that we do indeed have the capacity to choose joy over all of our varying emotional responses. Joy is not some deluxe version of the Gospel, it’s included in the standard package! It’s about accepting that you do have a choice over your fickle emotions—that God’s truth can overtake them. Joy is trusting when you want to doubt. Joy is celebrating when you want to fear. It’s worshiping when you want to withdraw. Joy is listed as one of the “fruits” of abiding in the Holy Spirit instead of walking in the “flesh” (Galatians 5:22). In other words, it has a lot to do with where we set up the tent of our thoughts.

The Hebrew word translated for “rejoice” in Isaiah 35 means “to exult, to go about or to be excited to levity.” The word exult means “to leap for joy,” and it’s usually connected with a triumph of some kind. I can’t think of a greater triumph than what Jesus championed for us through his birth, death, and resurrection. What a reason to rejoice his Advent season!

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, may my mind dwell this season on the incredible gift of salvation through Jesus that is the source of all joy in this life and the life to come. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Advent Reading: Week 3
12/11 Sunday – Luke 2:1-12
12/12 Monday – Philippians 4:4-9
12/13 Tuesday – Romans 12:11-16
12/14 Wednesday – Romans 5:1-5
12/15 Thursday – John 16:22-24
12/16 Friday – 1 Peter 1:3-9
12/17 Saturday – Psalm 5:11

The post Advent Reading Week 3: JOY appeared first on Jimmy Larche.

“Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” —Matthew 2:2

Have you ever found yourself guilty of judging who is worthy or unworthy of God’s love? I sure have been rebuked for this many a time. God can save even the most unlikely and unlovable of candidates, and He doesn’t need our permission to do so.

In this second week of Advent, we look at these learned men form the Eastern nations, the “magi,” or in some translations, “the wise men from the east,” who came to Jerusalem at the time of Jesus’ birth, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

According to classical writers, the term “magi” referred either to those who practiced magical arts or Eastern priest-sages usually associated with Persia and Babylon. The term has a historically broader application for people whose practices include astrology, philosophy, dream interpretation, study of sacred writings, medicine, and natural sciences. These men were supernaturally guided to Jerusalem to worship the One born “King of the Jews.”

“We read of no greater faith than this in the whole volume of the Bible,” notes J. C. Ryle. “The wise men saw a new-born babe on the lap of a poor woman, and yet [they fell down and] worshiped Him and confessed that He was Christ. Blessed indeed are those that can believe in this fashion!”

It is not always those who have the most religious privileges who give Christ the honor and glory of which he is most worthy. The magi believed in Him while the scribes and Pharisees were unbelieving. I have oftentimes witnessed former “hellions,” (who had very little religious upbringing) go all in for Jesus more than those privileged to grow up in the teachings of Christianity. These magi may have been born in dark places of the earth, yet they became “wise unto salvation.”

In all their mystery, the story of Christmas wouldn’t be complete without the magi. They were likely ethnic outcasts, strangers to God’s “chosen people,” the Jews. Yet their wisdom exceeded that of the rabbis of the time. They sought for Jesus diligently and in reverent worship, and they brought him their costly “treasures.” They offered Jesus the best “gifts” they had—gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They remind us that God’s grace goes out to all people regardless of racial, ethnic, or religious backgrounds, and that He is worthy of our best worship in return.

Additionally, the fact that various kings in the ancient world frequently consulted magi because of their skill in interpreting omens, signs, and the stars, illustrates that God’s love is not just for the poor and lonely (shepherds), but also for the wealthy, the well-educated, and the dignitaries who rub shoulders with the rich and powerful. It’s not just the materially poor who need Jesus, it’s the elite as well. As I often say in our cross-cultural missions training, there is no greater poverty in the world than gospel-destitution—regardless of first world or third world dilemmas. Spiritual poverty doesn’t have material prejudices. Sin makes us all equally bankrupt before a holy God.

But herein is the Good News: God loves us despite our sin. “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” (John 3:16). Whether you find yourself at the top of the social ladder or at the bottom, or somewhere in-between, God loves you and sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be your Savior. How are you responding to His unconditional love?

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, as we spend time remembering the Christmas story this Advent, may we not miss the beauty of your boundless love that has no prejudices or class-preference. You love the whole world, rich and poor, and everyone in between. May we not put restrictions on your love. As we have been loved unconditionally, may we love others the same.

Advent Reading: Week 2
12/4 Sunday – John 1:1-14
12/5 Monday – Luke 18:1-8
12/6 Tuesday – Isaiah 61:8-11
12/7 Wednesday – Matthew 14:22-33
12/8 Thursday – 1 Corinthians 1:26-29
12/9 Friday – Ecclesiastes 5:13-20
12/10 Saturday – Luke 1:26-40; 2:1-20

The post Advent Reading Week 2: LOVE appeared first on Jimmy Larche.

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” —Isaiah 7:14

When thrills of hope don’t find you
He loves you just the same
You don’t have to be OK
Just because it’s Christmas

With today being the first Sunday of Advent, those lyrics from Anne Wilson’s “Just Because It’s Christmas” resonate deeply with my soul.

This is that perennial season of decking the halls with all the tinsel and glitter, while the holiday “spirit” can often feel like fabricated joy or pseudo peace. As the songwriter says, “Just because it’s Christmas, doesn’t mean your heart don’t hurt.” It’s fitting to be reminded that everything in your world doesn’t have to be tidied up to worship the King. You don’t have to check your wounds at the door of the stable before coming in to bow down at that manger.

For centuries, Christians around the world have used the four weeks leading up to Christmas to prepare for the celebration of Jesus’ birth. It’s a time when we observe his first coming while we also anticipate his second coming—that climactic event when our returning King, righteous and just in every way, will finally rectify every injustice in this fallen world. And over the next four weeks, our devotional series will focus on the Advent themes of Hope, Peace, Love, and Joy, as we prepare our hearts to encounter God’s provision of each—even when life hurts or the seasonal “thrills” can sometimes feel… counterfeit.

Hope is essential to the human existence. It’s been said that a person can live forty days without food, four days without water, four minutes without air, but only four seconds without hope. That might be a bit trite, but it certainly underscores the fact that HOPE is a gamechanger. In Hebrew, the word “yachal” means “to wait, tarry, expect, or hope for.” This kind of hope isn’t just wishful thinking or some flimsy “pie-in-the-sky” dreaming. Biblical hope is rooted in the personhood, character, and trustworthiness of the living God and the promises of his covenant.

Noah and his family had to “yachal” (wait) for weeks for the waters to recede after the destruction of a global flood. Micah talked about how farmers “yachal” for the morning dew that nourishes their crops. Israel suffered under the yoke of Egyptian slavery for 400 years before their liberation. Even then an entire generation wandered in the wilderness, gave up hope, and yielded themselves to false gods.

Isaiah prophesied that he was waiting with anticipation for the coming Messiah to save his people from their sins and set up his kingdom reign. His people toiled under Roman occupation for decades before Christ’s birth. But the Messiah finally appeared as promised, even though it had been 400 years since the prophets had spoken—a “silent” period that must’ve tested the hope of even the most faithful.

We have hope of deliverance from the God who hears and is not silent. It can be difficult to feel hopeful, but biblical hope means trusting in God’s character and choosing hope despite our circumstances. This takes a preparation or cultivation of the heart. You may feel like you are in a silent period and all alone. You may be waiting for the waters of tragedy, suffering, loss, or failure to recede. You may be waiting for the alignment of external circumstance to finally “reward” all your hard work and investments. You may be dealing with addiction, mental health struggles, or wavering somewhere between theological doubts and functional idolatry. Yet hope is still near because hope is not a feeling, but a Person.

Advent can be a time for us to repent, believe, and turn away from the false hopes and idols that we have allowed to drive our existence. Advent is a time to find, or rediscover, the reality of Immanuel—God with us, and encounter this living hope in an abiding way.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, no matter what my feelings or circumstances may say, you are true. Thank you for a covenant of faithfulness in which your reputation has never failed. Thank you for your Son, Jesus, the incarnation of that hope. As I go about this Advent season, help me to lean into this living hope and sense your nearness through all the stuff of this holiday season. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Advent Reading: Week 1
11/27 Sunday – Matthew 1:8-25
11/28 Monday – 1 Thessalonians 5:12-15
11/29 Tuesday – Isaiah 9:2-7
11/30 Wednesday – John 17:15-19
12/1 Thursday – Ephesians 1:3-7
12/2 Friday – Isaiah 40: 1-5
12/3 Saturday – Matthew 6:25-34

The post Advent Reading Week 1: HOPE appeared first on Jimmy Larche.

“Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.” —James 3:18

It was Christmas Eve, 1944. Twelve-year-old Fritz Vincken and his mother were retreated in a hunting cottage in the Ardennes Forest, not far from the German-Belgian border. Though a charming cottage in the snowy woods might seem like a wonderful place to nestle for Christmas, the Battle of the Bulge was raging just outside their little cabin. It was the last major German offensive of WWII.

There was a knock on the door. It was three cold and battered American soldiers who had found their way to the isolated cottage, one of them having been seriously wounded. Recognizing their need for refuge, Fritz’s mother let them in, despite the risk it posed to her family in aiding the enemy. As she prepared them a meal, the pleasing aroma of savory potatoes soon attracted another knock at the door. It was four German soldiers.

Before inviting them in, Frau Vincken warned them there were other “guests” whom they would not consider friends, and they must leave their guns outside on the woodpile because, “It is Christmas,” she said, “and there’ll be no shooting here” on such a sacred night of peace. Tensions slowly eased as the ranking German soldier, who had studied medicine before the war began, tended to the wounds of the injured America. They sat down for a meal together, while another German opened a bottle of wine as a token of good will—“Prost.” Fritz said that his mother read from the Bible and declared that there would be “at least one night of peace in this war.”

In a little hunting cottage in the Ardennes Forest on Christmas Eve, mortal enemies who had been trying to kill each other just hours before came to experience an uncommon bond together. At the center of it all was a godly woman of peace.

Nothing can rival the miracle of peace. Reconciliation and unity are uncommon virtues in a world of common hostility. When we read the Christmas story of Christ’s birth in Luke 2, we find a great multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:10-14). Christ came to usher in a new era of peace with God and peace with others. Our sins had separated us from our God (Isaiah 59:2), but when Jesus died in our place on Calvary’s cross, he took the punishment those sins deserved (2 Corinthians 5:18-21)—affording us a forever peace with God (Romans 5:1) and the ministry of reconciliation with others.

You never know when a temporary ceasefire can lead to a permanent change. A miracle can happen anytime, in any place, under any circumstances. Because God is always present, peace is always proximate.

Has your soul been infected by the contagious hostilities of this world—social discord, political madness, hatred, racism? Have your thoughts and emotions been hijacked by internal stresses—financial hardship, health challenges, marital disharmony, or fractured relationships? Have you been in conflict with other brothers and sisters in Christ? The Prince of Peace is not just an idea, the catchy name of a song, or a children’s book theme; He is the real Son of God, bringing real peace to real struggles in your life. Let the peace of this Prince bring His rule and governance over all your fears, worries, conflict, and tension as you seek to abide in Him this week.

PRAYER

Lord, thank you for the peace that passes all understanding—a kind of peace that only comes from you. Help us to learn of your peace, to walk in that peace, and to become agents of peace as we flesh out the ministry of reconciliation with others. Thank you that all of this comes from your power and grace at work in our lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Questions for Reflection and/or Group Discussion

1. When has peace been elusive in your life?
2. When have you experienced a miracle of peace?
3. What areas of your life do you find it difficult right now to bring under the governance and rule of the Prince of Peace (Jesus)?
4. Is there a situation or conflict you sense that God is calling you to be involved in as a “person of peace,” or a mediator of reconciliation with others?
5. Is there a particular sin, pride, resentment, offense, or hostility that God is convicting you to repent of, so that you can live in the joy of His peace?

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The post A True Peace Miracle From WWII appeared first on Jimmy Larche.

“Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.” —Hosea 6:1 ESV

On the last Sunday of Advent, we reflect on scriptures from the Old and New Testaments about God’s love for us. God’s love undergirds the whole story of the Bible: creation, fall, redemption, and the ongoing process of restoration.

Hosea is an Old Testament love story—just not the kind of romance you might be familiar with. Essentially, God told the prophet Hosea to pursue and marry a prostitute (“wife of whoredom”), and then go and take her back again after she proved to be unfaithful in marriage. The same Hebrew term indicating illicit sexual behavior in this passage (Hosea 1:2) is the one Moses uses in Genesis 38:24 to refer to Tamar’s posing as a shrine prostitute in order to entice Judah. Hosea’s wife, Gomer, bears this label, as she becomes a woman characterized by sexual infidelity.

Gomer’s adulteress ways are prophetic symbolism of a people who have committed “great whoredom by forsaking the Lord.” This is the first of a series of expressions in Hosea where God puts himself in the place of a forsaken human lover.

In this story, Israel had become a “luxuriant vine that yields its fruit.” The more God’s chosen people prospered, the more their altars were defiled. Their heart was “false” (Hosea 10:1-2). Instead of shepherding the people, their priests had plunged into full-fledged idolatry (10:5). Their worship had become vain words and empty oaths. They had forgotten their God (Hosea 13:6). God said, “The more they were called, the more they went away” (11:2), and “My people are bent on turning away from me” (11:7). The coldness of their spiritual apathy and the callousness of their infidelity were necessitating judgment. “I will fall upon them like a bear robbed of her cubs,” the Lord pronounced (13:8). Soon after Hosea prophesied, Israel was ravaged, destroyed, and carried off to Assyria (2 Kings 18:9–12). But this was not to be the end for God’s people in the land, as a return is promised (Hosea 3:5), which was fulfilled when exiled Judah returned from Babylonian captivity.

Hosea culminates with a plea for unfaithful Israel to abandon its idols and return to the Lord. “Break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you” (Hosea 10:12, 14:1-2). God assures them that He is greater than their idols, and He is greater than their failures. His love overshadows their infidelity. His compassion breaks through the darkness of sin and shame, exposing their guilt while promising them a restored future—“They shall return and dwell beneath my shadow” (Hosea 14:7).

It’s ironic that such a depiction of adultery and infidelity ends up contrasting the greatest love story ever known to man—“This is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:10). This love has chased after you throughout your entire life, even in your most unlovable moments and most deplorable seasons. This love took the punishment of your sins so that you can be free.

Advent is a time to recognize that the Lord Jesus Christ is coming to rescue us from all of our personal idols. He intends to shatter our altars of hedonism and self-indulgence. He wants to free us from our spiritual apathy and lukewarmness. He wants to break up the fallow ground of our hearts and annihilate our narcissism. No matter how unfaithful you have been—the depth of your shame, or the guilt you bear—God is rewriting your story. It’s a story about His redemptive love, and a story so much bigger than your failures. As He pursues you and reminds you that Christ’s sacrifice on the cross has obliterated your sin and paid your ransom in full, make room for His love this Christmas. Let Jesus liberate you from every infidelity and every idol—every trapping of the world that promises fulfillment while delivering vanity. Make room for your heart to be recaptured by the passion of your first love.

Are you making room for Jesus this Christmas? Think about that as you seek to abide in His love this week.

PRAYER

Dear Lord, my life would look so different apart from your love. Thank you for the advent of your love. This week, help me to reflect more intentionally over how my life has benefitted from of your love and to consider how I can be more practical in sharing that love with others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Questions for Reflection, Small Group or Family Discussion:

1. What qualities do you cherish about the person who loves you most?
2. How is God’s faithfulness to us an example of the way we should treat others?
3. What are the “idols” in your life from which you should turn away?
4. What loyalties, things, or relationships do you need to hand over to God?
5. How can you show love and acceptance to someone in your network of relationships who might be in desperate need of forgiveness or affirmation?

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The post Advent Devotions (Week 4): Love and a Prostitute appeared first on Jimmy Larche.