Archive for December, 2006
King Jesus: The God-man is Born
An exegetical treatment of Luke 1:26-38 addressing the theme of Jesus’ birth. This sermon was originally preached December 24th of 2006 at The Resolved Church in San Diego, CA.
Good News of Great Joy
An exegetical treatment of Luke 2:8-20 addressing the theme of Jesus’ birth and Christian hedonism. This sermon was originally preached December 17th of 2006 at The Resolved Church in San Diego, CA.
What is Advent?
The word “Advent” comes from the Latin word Adventus, which is a translation of the Biblical Greek word parousia, meaning “coming” “arrival” or “appearing.” Out of the 24 times it occurs in the New Testament, only one of those actually refers to the incarnation or birth of the God-man: Jesus, on earth (2 Pet 1:16). The majority of all the other occurrences refer to the time when Jesus promised he will come once again to earth, a second advent or coming when he will not come as a baby, poor and lowly but as a powerful king full of glory.
Thus interestingly, the Christian season of advent is really a season which anticipates and looks forward to the future day when Jesus will come again. The first coming birth of Jesus is only significant in so far as Jesus isn’t just a figment of our imagination but in fact a real person who is alive because he conquered death and is now currently sitting on a throne as the victorious king awaiting the appointed day when he will advent once again for all his people. To say it in a fancy way, the birth of Jesus is elliptical and eschatological and therefore the celebration of Advent is really a celebration of the reality of the Christian faith and the longing for the appearing of Jesus once again for us.
