Sunday, November 28, 2010

Ad Te Levavi: A Devotional Commentary


Jeremiah 23:5-8 Behold, the days come, says Yahweh, that I will raise to David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is his name by which he shall be called: Yahweh our righteousness. Therefore behold, the days come, says Yahweh, that they shall no more say, As Yahweh lives, who brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but, As Yahweh lives, who brought up and who led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all the countries where I had driven them. They shall dwell in their own land.

Romans 13:11-14 Do this, knowing the time, that it is already time for you to awaken out of sleep, for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first believed. The night is far gone, and the day is near. Let’s therefore throw off the works of darkness, and let’s put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day; not in reveling and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and lustful acts, and not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, for its lusts.

Matthew 21:1-9 When they drew near to Jerusalem, and came to Bethsphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village that is opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them, and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and immediately he will send them.” All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, “Tell the daughter of Zion, behold, your King comes to you, humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” The disciples went, and did just as Jesus commanded them, and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their clothes on them; and he sat on them. A very great multitude spread their clothes on the road. Others cut branches from the trees, and spread them on the road. The multitudes who went before him, and who followed kept shouting, “Hosanna to the son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”


Your king comes to you! Today the season of Advent begins when we remember the time leading up to the Nativity of our king and look forward to His second Nativity. Your king comes to you!


In the first Nativity our king came in lowliness. For us men and our salvation, He took upon a human nature. Our king was an embryo in the womb of a woman. Our king grew in His mother's womb and was born a helpless baby. Our king took your sins upon Himself and was crucified for you.


In the second Nativity our king will come in power and glory to judge the living and the dead. But do not be mistaken. Do not think that the coming of our king is just some future event. Our king comes to us now. Now is not the time where our king displays His power and glory but our king comes to us through humble means. Our king comes to us through the foolishness of preaching. Our king comes to us in the bread and wine of the Lord's Supper. It doesn't look like anything special but neither did the first Nativity. Jesus didn't have a halo over His head when He was born. He just looked like a regular baby. It looks like regular bread and wine but our king gives us His very body and blood in the Lord's Supper for the forgiveness of our sins.

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