Christmas is Saturday this year and plenty of people will get together with family members to open up gifts that were placed under the tree. They will pontificate on and on with friends about which football team is better than the other. Most families will eat, drink, and be merry. There is a small religious group of people that understand the nature of the season. These churchgoers are aware that Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Christ. We come together to either be in church or to love on Jesus by being with family and friends on Christmas day. Some families even go to church as GBFIC will do on Christmas Eve. In addition to all the hoopla, there is a great number of people around the world dealing with depression, anxiety, fear, grief, and other true emotions that are difficult to express during what is supposed to be such a joyous time.

Having this in mind is why the Advent readings are so critical for those individuals that are going through challenges. Let's look at those for a moment. Below are the four Sunday readings that you can find in the December 8th Bishop’s Buzz.

Advent Readings (Four Sundays before Christmas)

1. Hope (or promise) – The hope and promise of salvation both from tyranny and from sin. “O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Behold, the Lord GOD will come with a strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.” (Isaiah 40:9-11 KJV)
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion. Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 52:7-9 KJV)

2. Preparation (waiting or prophecy) – Having believed in the promise, we as believers are to wait and prepare for the promise to become a reality. “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, Which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight.” (Mark 1:1-3 KJV)

3. Joy (peace) – After preparing ourselves for the coming prophecy to manifest, we move to a spirit of joy. Joy because we know the promised King is coming, and Joy because he is bringing salvation, healing, and victory as well. “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:10-14 KJV)

4. Love (adoration) – The last Sunday reading is about God’s love washing over us and through us to develop a loving environment for the arrival of the promise and the lasting love that comes with Jesus entering the earth and returning to the earth and saving it. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:16-18 KJV)

If we work towards adhering to the themes of these readings it should offer peace to those who may be going through a difficult time as the season comes to an ultimate close on Saturday. I am reminded to give the gift of Jesus’s love to those that are less fortunate than I and I hope you will follow my lead and do the same. I don’t just mean sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I refer to you reaching out and showing love by giving your substance, time, and talent to those who need your attention and assistance. We have to give others a lift up as Jesus gave us a lift up.
So let us not forget the Christmas season and of course the reason for the season in the first place. Jesus so loved the world that he gave his greatest gift. Find someone that is in need and give them the ultimate gift, “Jesus’s love and peace.”

Thank you for reading another Bishop’s Buzz. A buzz is not a buzz unless you share it!

God Bless,
Bishop Adam Blackstock