First Presbyterian Church of Baton Rouge

The tugs and ambitions we feel pale in comparison to the call of Jesus to follow him and go fishing for people. We discover that life is about being transformed by Jesus’ love, and then going to offer that love to others. This new activity of fishing for people may or may not be externally different from our current daily work. The key change is in the perspective from which we view people and tasks. We live now with a new sense of purpose in life: We are to be channels of God’s love. We have a mission. It lights up everything.

• Notice Daniel's rightful fear and distress as he processes his vision and asks the angel for help.
• Read Revelation 13:1-8. What do the beasts represent beyond "four kingdoms of the world?" Sin. Evil. Satan's power. All that opposes God. The real "beast" we face is not the world in and of itself, it's the sin & evil that still exists and lurks in the world.
• However, as big and fierce as these beasts seem, the Ancient of Days is even more glorious. So much so that Daniel's attention immediately shifts from these seemingly horrific and powerful beasts, to a BIGGER Ancient of Days.
• Read verse 14 slowly. What is being said here about the Son of Man?
• Now read verses 18 and 27. Who are the "saints" or "holy ones" and what do those verses mean for them?
• We are in this world, but not of this world. We live in this already-not yet period… the “not-yet” part means that the world’s kingdoms have yet to be completely destroyed, the sin and rebellion of this world is still lurking and will have power “for a time” which means this life will be difficult, there will be suffering, and that will be true until Jesus comes again. But the “already” part means that we can ALREADY claim victory, we can ALREADY stand in victory with the one who won the war for us, we can ALREADY take our rightful place as a daughter of the One True King, as a citizen of heaven, even now. Amen.

Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts;
The whole earth is full of his glory!

Jesus said that when he was lifted up, he would draw all people to himself. He is a magnetic force in the world. The Gospel draws the human heart back to the God who made us and loves us. The Triune God of Grace is extending the length of his train (Isaiah 6: 1). His glorious robe moment by moment adds the golden stitches of hearts released to him. For, his bride, the church are his glory and his prize. He clothes us with the shimmering garment of his own righteousness.

Do you know why you were born?

This Christmas, hear the news: you are more important than you may ever know. Someone needs you to have Christmas courage. Someone needs you to have faith when theirs is failing. Someone needs you to offer prayers that are both broken-hearted for the suffering, but also defiantly hopeful in the face of despair, loss, illness, and anguish. God is not dead, nor doth he sleep. The wrong shall fail, the right prevail.

On a dark night in a tiny town God himself entered the world. Using apparently insignificant and powerless people, the world’s true King made his appearance. The humble carpenter and his young wife sheltered among the farm animals. The shepherds made their midnight way to see the child. No one in the world who mattered even knew it happened. But our God was working everything according to his plan. Things are actually not the way the world shouts at us. The dominators are merely bullies pretending they know. For God was up to something that first Christmas. He still is. Quiet. Under the nose of Caesar. Away from the listening devices of a surveillance society. Where none of the powerful are looking. God slips into the world with a life transforming agenda.

Now display thy saving power
Ruined nature now restore.

This is the astounding hope in the Christian view of the world. We have a story of what is old being made new, of what is broken getting fixed, of what is ruined being made more glorious than it had ever been even in the beginning.