Come Up Here And See

Oxford defines Advent as the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event.

Advent 2023 started December 3, the fourth Sunday before Christmas, and ends December 24. In the Christian calendar, it is the preparation for the celebration of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ while at the same time preparing for the Second Coming of Christ.

Let us think about why Jesus came, and here are a couple of the reasons. We will spend eternity thanking Him for coming.

Jesus came to do the will of His Father and not His own. We think about Jesus’s obedience because we are to be like Him.

• John 17:4 NASB I glorified You on the earth by accomplishing the work which You have given Me to do.
• Hebrews 10:7 NASB Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come (It is written of Me in the scroll of the book) To do Your will, O God.’”
• 1 Peter 2:21 NASB For you have been called for this purpose, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you would follow in His steps,

Jesus came to take away our sins. When the first Adam sinned, God had a plan for our redemption that we be freed from sin and not live in damnation for eternity. The Old Testament sacrificial lamb could only provide redemption for a year was a picture of our Lord, the second Adam. Jesus is the slain Lamb of God, and only He deserves the glory.

• John 1:29 NASB The next day he *saw Jesus coming to him, and *said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
• 1 Peter 1:18-19 NASB knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, ¹⁹ but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.
• 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 NASB For since by a man death came, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. ²² For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ, all will be made alive.

Jesus came to destroy Satan and his works. Hallelujah. Satan was stripped of his authority through the cross. The bible reminds us that the enemy does prowl about for prey, but we overcome the enemy by the blood of the Lamb. We were once sinners, and now saints, set apart and living like Christ.

• Revelations 1:17b-18 NASB “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, ¹⁸ and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.
• Colossians 2:13-15 NASB And when you were dead in your wrongdoings and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our wrongdoings, ¹⁴ having cancelled the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. ¹⁵ When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
• 1 John 3:8 NASB the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.

Our sweet obedient, loving Jesus came to make the Father known. He wanted to restore our relationship with our Abba Father. He wanted us to know truth and love. He heals our broken fatherless hearts by showing us God the Father. Jesus knew that the only way to reveal the Father was by becoming flesh and being with us.  Jesus showed us the Father’s compassion for the prodigals like you and me.

• John 1:18 NASB  No one has seen God at any time; God the only Son, who is in the arms of the Father, He has explained Him.
• John 1:14 NASB And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
• Luke 15:20 NASB So he set out and came to his father. But when he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

Jesus came to prepare for a second Advent. No one is sure of the day or hour of His return except for the Father. When He returns every eye will see Him. Jesus is coming for His bride who has been washed by the Word of God, meaning that we have received correction, holy like our Lord, blameless and without spot or wrinkle. Thank you, Lord, for coming to prepare us for the Second Advent.

• Matthew 24:36 ESV “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.
• Hebrews 9:28 NASB so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.
• Ephesians 5:26-27 NASB so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, ²⁷ that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.

As we are celebrating Advent these are prayers that I have praying for you and me. Lord, have we been obedient to the will of God the Father, because we want to be like Jesus? Please show us if we have accepted the gift of God of eternal life in Christ Jesus by asking for forgiveness for our sins. Reveal to us if we are practicing righteousness or are loving lawlessness? Father, please continue to prepare us to become a spotless, holy and blameless bride so that we are presentable to our Lord Jesus Christ for the Second Advent. We are grateful, Lord, for Your persistent love, patience, and kindness because we know that You want us to repent and be saved. In Jesus’ name, amen.