The greatest gift is salvation. In gift-giving, there is a giver and a receiver. Both receive joy. What kind of gifts have I been passing out?
The Advent of Christ: Exile and Return
Genesis 3:22,23,24 Why did Jesus come? Because there was a problem.
In the Old Testament, there were many examples of exile (e.g., Abraham, David, the Isrealites). This isn’t God's intention as a permanent and final situation.
Am I exiled from the presence or God or have I returned?
Anger, resentment, bitterness, and unbelief are all kinds of exile. Sometimes emotional states, such as loneliness, are like an exile caused by another person or a situation.
One of greatest gifts and responsibilities of a Christian is altruism: to serve another without expectation in return.
Isaiah 55:1,,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 I will have a witness to the nations.
How to return from exile:
- Thirsting
- Listening
- Seeking
- Forsaking
Thirsting
Matthew 5:6 What am I thirsting after? What caused it? What quenches my thirst? Do I say I am thirsting after God but am never quenched?
Listening
If heaven is silent during my daily walk, it’s because I have stopped listening.
Genesis 6:5 The inclination of the heart matters.
Incline - or bend - toward God. He is not a respecter of persons.
Seeking
Seeking involves movement. If my spiritual condition is “stiff” or caught between exile and return, I need to move. There is effort and energy needed, even if I don’t perceive a reward at the end of the journey.
When the enemy confronts me, I am not meant to just take it. I must fight back with prayer and seeking.
Forsaking
Listening and seeking don’t happen unless I am thirsty for righteousness.
A person might be thirsty, but must also listen to what the Lord says and seek after His will to forsake. This is still in a state of exile.
John the Baptist and Jesus taught people to repent. This is another word for return.
What do I need to forsake to follow the Jesus of Christmas?
