Advent 2022 Reading
Below is the Advent reading for this season. I pray this will serve us well as we take this time of the year to recall and focus on God’s gift to us, the Child, Christ Jesus.
As I have considered God’s direction for the Advent season of 2022 one thing keeps coming to mind, the child. A few weeks back Glenda, Aaron, and I were gathered for our weekly staff meeting and were considering God’s movement this year within our church. Each year is unique and, I believe, laced with purposes that only God fully knows. It is, at times, clearer to see the definitive work of the Lord in retrospect. Obvious for our ministry team in consideration of 2022 was that God has blessed our little faith community abundantly with children this past year. Some in the form of birth and also through other means as well.
I write this in the latter days of November 2022 and to date Middle Creek has been able to welcome 5 new infants into our church with at least one if not more to follow in 2023! The 127th Psalm states that “children are a heritage from the Lord” and that the “fruit of the womb is a reward”. Arguably, Christ’s church is on the decline in our world. Attendance, monetary giving, mis-prioritized motives, and more importantly lack of discipleship growth are only a small portion of the concerns facing Christ’s bride. However, I believe, despite the impending challenges, God is faithful and intentionally at work within His church. In this calendar year Middle Creek has clearly been blessed with “fruit”, “reward” and therefore a continuing “heritage”. I encourage us to this: if we remain faithful to Him we will be overjoyed and grateful in Him.
Given the work of the Lord among us this year I challenge you to spend time with Him in His Word this advent season considering the importance of the child. While it is the direct work of the Lord and His blessing in abundance that we have been able to fill our nursery, we are still in need of something more. For example, new parents have joy but also concerns about the care, growth, and life of their newborns. Also, we as a congregation have been awarded a great responsibility to care for, support, and help these newest additions in conjunction with all other members of the body. The reality is we all struggle with sinful thoughts, selfish attitudes and physical impairments. We need help to truly live out our faith with the joy God offers to us through a specific Child. To address this challenge, I want you to consider this Advent season the Child, the Christ, Jesus. The One our loving God promised and gifted to the world over two thousand years ago.
On Sunday November 27th we will begin lighting candles each Sunday morning during our corporate gatherings. For each lit candle I want to challenge you to spend time with God in His Word meditating on questions for the week regarding the Child, Jesus. These questions along with suggested scripture are for you to consider read this Advent season. They will be both in print and on our church’s website under the Pastor’s Blog.
Will you join with others this season in these readings and services observing the Incarnation of the Divine? I hope you will!
Pastor Corey
November 27th-December 3rd
God’s Plan
November 27th Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 7:12-14a. And Matthew 1:17
“When your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up after you your descendant, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son.”
2 Samuel 7:12-14a. CSB
“So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations; and from David until the exile to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the exile to Babylon until the Messiah, fourteen generations.”
Matthew 1:17 CSB
This section from Samuel reveals the prophetically spoken words by Samuel to King David. This account both reaffirms and also further establishes a clear recorded promise from God that the true and lasting King would be a direct descendent of David. As we consider “the Child” also consider the first 17 verses of Matthew chapter 1. In this text Matthew traces 42 generations of the genealogy of Jesus’ father Joseph. Matthew does this to document the proof of ancestry from the origin of the line to “the Child”, Jesus.
Questions for week one of Advent
How does Matthew’s documentation of numerous generations reveal the faithfully fulfilled promises of God despite the sinfulness of humanity?
In consideration of the span of time Matthew covers from Abraham to Jesus (2,000 plus years) how anticipated would “the Child” have been?
What do these texts say about the grace or good news from God offered to you through the Messiah?
December 4th - December 10th
The Problem of sin and “the Child’s” solution
December 4th Scripture Reading: Isaiah 7:14. And Luke 2:12
“Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: See, the virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel.”
Isaiah 7:14 CSB
“This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.””
Luke 2:12 CSB
These two selections of scripture are separated by as much as 800 years. Clearly the Isaiah text speaks about a child to come who would be Immanuel “God with us” while the Luke text accounts for the prophesied child that came. 800 years is a long time and reveals to us much regarding God’s knowledge, strength, and faithfulness. God desired to be with His people, save them from their sins, and humbled Himself greatly in and through the child to do so.
Questions for week 2
Do you believe God’s prophetic Word in Isaiah along with Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth?
If God came to be with His people, do you feel close to God this Advent Season through the child Christ?
If so, how?
If not, why and, potentially, what sins do you need to admit and repent from?
December 11th - December 17th
Everlasting Help
December 11th Scripture Reading: Isaiah 9:6. And John 1:14
“For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”
Isaiah 9:6 CSB
“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1:14 CSB
Our text for this week again includes an Isaiah prophecy along with a gospel account of “the child”, Christ Jesus. I encourage you to consider from these texts the reality of the aid that God provides for us through His Son. This help clearly leads us away from our internal and external turmoil and in place of the divide gives us the help needed to live a life of lasting significance centered on God and His everlasting glory.
Questions for week 3
God gifted us with the child, Christ Jesus, to rightfully govern, build, and offer atonement for sin and as a result provide help in having everlasting peace. What turmoil do you have in your life that is attempting to steal peace from you?
Would you repent, pray, and trust in God’s gift through the child to aid you in your unrest this advent season?
December 18th - December 24th
Unspeakable Joy
December 18th Scripture Reading: Luke 2:1-7. And John 16:33
“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole empire should be registered. This first registration took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town. Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant. While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. Then she gave birth to her firstborn son, and she wrapped him tightly in cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.”
Luke 2:1-7 CSB
“I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”
John 16:33 CSB
It is the week before Christmas! This week consider the text above with this thought: Life is hard and often times frustrating and I suspect you may read this and have things in your life that are less than ideal. The circumstance of Jesus’ birth was as humble as any of ours, and He lived a life full of challenges, but did so perfectly faithful. This week consider the questions below with joy. Things may not be perfect, but the gift God provided for us in the Child provides for us an unspeakable joy.
Questions for week 4
Fill in the blank below of what John 16:33 records that, the Child, Jesus has done for us.
“In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have ___________ the world” ESV
What are the things in your life that bring you the most joy?
Consider your trials in light of the fact that Jesus promises to overcome them for you.
December 25th: Matthew 1:18-2. And 1 John 2:1-2
The Child Arrives
“The birth of Jesus Christ came about this way: After his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, it was discovered before they came together that she was pregnant from the Holy Spirit. So her husband, Joseph, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her publicly, decided to divorce her secretly. But after he had considered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel, which is translated “God is with us.” When Joseph woke up, he did as the Lord’s angel had commanded him. He married her but did not have sexual relations with her until she gave birth to a son. And he named him Jesus.”
Matthew 1:18-25 CSB
“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. So he assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people and asked them where the Messiah would be born. “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they told him, “Because this is what was written by the prophet: And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah: Because out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.” Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you find him, report back to me so that I too can go and worship him.” After hearing the king, they went on their way. And there it was — the star they had seen at its rising. It led them until it came and stopped above the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overwhelmed with joy. Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another route. After they were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Get up! Take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. For Herod is about to search for the child to kill him.” So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night, and escaped to Egypt. He stayed there until Herod’s death, so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled: Out of Egypt I called my Son. Then Herod, when he realized that he had been outwitted by the wise men, flew into a rage. He gave orders to massacre all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, in keeping with the time he had learned from the wise men. Then what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; and she refused to be consoled, because they are no more. After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, because those who intended to kill the child are dead.” So he got up, took the child and his mother, and entered the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned in a dream, he withdrew to the region of Galilee. Then he went and settled in a town called Nazareth to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.”
Matthew 2:1-23 CSB
“My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father — Jesus Christ the righteous one. He himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world.”
1 John 2:1-2 CSB
