Advent Devotional

Here is the link to the Advent Devotional for 2018. 
The full Advent Devotional is there- written by Ben Sloan for this year. 

Each Day we will update the daily devotional. The first week focuses on the prophecies about the coming of Christ. 

12/4- The Hope of Abraham- “Blessing to All Nations” Genesis 12:1-3

1The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.  2“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. ^a 3I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

Thoughts: It would be hard to leave this great prophecy out.  This is a prophecy of God’s choosing a people with an eye for saving the world.  For 2,000 years the Lord worked with the Jews- giving them a Law as a model for nations, watching them fall away into a remnant and then come back.  But the Gospel opened up to all nations through the coming of Jesus.  He was the Jewish descendant of Abraham who sought to give hope to all the peoples.  The Lord of all the earth wants all the earth to come to Him and His plan involved Abraham. 
      Jesus helped the Syro-Phoenician woman’s daughter who said, “even the dogs beg for crumbs from the table.”  He marveled at the faith of a Roman centurion.  He healed the Gerasene demoniac from the Gentile region of the Decapolis. He journeyed through the gentile countries of Egypt (as an infant), Samaria, and the Decapolis.  His parable of the Good Samaritan can be seen not only as the need for mercy and help but also salvation to go across national and racial lines.  In His discourse about the end of times he said, “And this Gospel will be preached to all nations (tribes) then the end will come” (Mt. 24:6).  After the resurrection He made clear that the Gospel would be for all peoples. He said, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Lo I am with you always even to the end of the world” (Mt. 28:19,20).  His concern is for every people and He desires commitments from people of all nations.  Acts 1:8 remembers Jesus as saying, “And you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.”  In Revelation it pictures people from every tribe, language and nation around the throne of God in heaven.  This is a blessing to all and every nation.  The fulfillment of Abraham’s blessing is not simply through moral influence.  The opening up of the hope of the Gospel to all people means the door of salvation is no longer closed.  There is no more keep out sign at the Temple.  The curtain of the Temple tore in two at the death of Jesus the Christ.  God’s blessing the world through Abraham occurred through the coming of his descendant, Jesus.  It is our hope today.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the father of faith, Abraham.  Thank you that we can stand in his path today because Jesus opened up the way.

Song: (#49)  “The God of Abraham praise”
The God of Abraham praise, who reigns enthroned above. The Ancient of Eternal Days the God of love.  The Lord, the great I am, by earth and heaven confessed, we bow before your holy name forever blest.