Here we are, the 4th Sunday of Advent. Christmas just 4 days away. It’s been a good month of preparing to celebrate the first advent of our Lord and in that being more prepared for the second Advent of our Lord because Jesus is coming back. We have a certain hope in that and we feed that hope, prepare to celebrate it by daily being in God’s word. We are recipients of peace, and we prepare for Christmas by being people of peace, sharing it, living it. And we have talked about preparing a joy that is in obeying God rather than ourselves, to find joy in what our Savior found joy. And today we come to the fourth word of Advent, love. What does love mean, what does it do?

Here we are, the 4th Sunday of Advent. Christmas just 4 days away. It’s been a good month of preparing to celebrate the first advent of our Lord and in that being more prepared for the second Advent of our Lord because Jesus is coming back. We have a certain hope in that and we feed that hope, prepare to celebrate it by daily being in God’s word. We are recipients of peace, and we prepare for Christmas by being people of peace, sharing it, living it. And we have talked about preparing a joy that is in obeying God rather than ourselves, to find joy in what our Savior found joy. And today we come to the fourth word of Advent, love. What does love mean, what does it do?

The biggest impact of celebrating the first coming of Jesus should be our readiness for His Second Coming. Have you ever thought of Christmas that way? We’ve looked at hope and said we need to encourage that sure hope with reading our Bible daily. We have looked at peace and said we need to be a people always working at peace as that is a purpose of Christmas. And today we look at joy. Hope, peace, joy are words that adorn our Christmas cards, Christmas songs, and Christmas messages. Important words we can give little thought to. God has for us in Christmas a deeper joy, an eternal joy, but it is maybe a joy that requires the biggest course correction in our lives. Christmas is Jesus coming to this world and showing us life. In Him we learn what joy is.

The biggest impact of celebrating the first coming of Jesus should be our readiness for His Second Coming. Have you ever thought of Christmas that way? We’ve looked at hope and said we need to encourage that sure hope with reading our Bible daily. We have looked at peace and said we need to be a people always working at peace as that is a purpose of Christmas. And today we look at joy. Hope, peace, joy are words that adorn our Christmas cards, Christmas songs, and Christmas messages. Important words we can give little thought to. God has for us in Christmas a deeper joy, an eternal joy, but it is maybe a joy that requires the biggest course correction in our lives. Christmas is Jesus coming to this world and showing us life. In Him we learn what joy is.

Last week we learned that Advent has been around for over 1500 years and most of that time the focus of Advent, of preparing for Christmas was repentance and fasting. We’re thinking about preparing for Christmas in a way that God says, 'You’re prepared', and that is a place of great richness, strength, and joy. Last week we looked at hope in the sermon and then the devotional took you to 5 more places to think on hope and then a day 6 and 7 to repenting and fasting. Today we look at peace in our sermon, and the devotional will take us to 5 more days of thoughts on peace, and then repentance and fasting. So, there is a rhythm.

Last week we learned that Advent has been around for over 1500 years and most of that time the focus of Advent, of preparing for Christmas was repentance and fasting. We’re thinking about preparing for Christmas in a way that God says, 'You’re prepared', and that is a place of great richness, strength, and joy. Last week we looked at hope in the sermon and then the devotional took you to 5 more places to think on hope and then a day 6 and 7 to repenting and fasting. Today we look at peace in our sermon, and the devotional will take us to 5 more days of thoughts on peace, and then repentance and fasting. So, there is a rhythm.

Are you ready for Christmas? We ask each other about our readiness for lots of things: vacation, a new job, start of school; but that all pales in comparison to how we inquire of each other’s readiness for Christmas. We ask strangers if they are ready for Christmas! What are we asking about? Cooking and shopping, maybe travel plans, or parties to prepare. Church! Don’t forget that Christmas Eve service. With the time, money and energy we give to preparing, seems appropriate to ask, 'Does God think we are prepared?'

Are you ready for Christmas? We ask each other about our readiness for lots of things: vacation, a new job, start of school; but that all pales in comparison to how we inquire of each other’s readiness for Christmas. We ask strangers if they are ready for Christmas! What are we asking about? Cooking and shopping, maybe travel plans, or parties to prepare. Church! Don’t forget that Christmas Eve service. With the time, money and energy we give to preparing, seems appropriate to ask, 'Does God think we are prepared?'

As we have taken time to think about God’s good in our lives, there is no greater good than the gift of His Son, a gift He gave because He loved. Not because we were owed. Not because we were pretty good at heart. Not even because we had asked. He sent His Son as gift because He loved. And it was Jesus’ love for His Father, His love for You and me that brought Him to the cross.

As we have taken time to think about God’s good in our lives, there is no greater good than the gift of His Son, a gift He gave because He loved. Not because we were owed. Not because we were pretty good at heart. Not even because we had asked. He sent His Son as gift because He loved. And it was Jesus’ love for His Father, His love for You and me that brought Him to the cross.