Episode #120 Savior of All – Awe in Advent

Hey friends, I hope you have found this series enjoyable and encouraging as you grow in awe of God this holiday season. We're continuing in this Advent series, looking at the reality that Jesus is the Savior of all.

And I know it. I hear it even as I say these words. That feels like common, familiar understanding for those of us who are Christ followers.

But it wasn't always familiar to us.

And even with our understanding of it already, there are greater revelations that God wants to give us about it.
I started off this series talking about ways that it's easy for kids to wonder at the holiday season. There's so many things that are new and incredible and exciting and miraculous or magical for children as they enter into the season with wonder. And we find that in the holidays, but also in everyday life.

I'm the mom of two sons. I have a five-year-old and now nine-year-old. It’s a pretty regular thing that we'll go through some normal everyday activity, and they will be totally captivated by it. I took them with me to the post office the other day, and we talked about the fact that post offices have these systems and employees and modes of transportation that take mail all around the world.

And that was this huge revelation to them with something that. I haven't even really thought about much for many years. And so as we go into this Advent season, we're kind of taking a similar approach. We're looking again, and we're asking God to give us fresh eyes and fresh awe of what it means that he is who he is, that he's done what he has done.

And there's so much that is miraculous about Jesus being the savior of all. Including the fact that he made it available to all.

In Romans 1:16, Paul talks about how it's first for the Jew and then for the Gentile. And those of us who are not of Jewish descent are the Gentiles.

We were not always his people. But now we are his people.
We talked a few episodes back about the message that the shepherds received in Luke chapter 2. “And the angel said to them, fear not, for I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”

You and I are part of that people. The good news wasn't just for the Israelites. The good news of the Messiah, the ministry of God through Jesus to the world, wasn't only for the Jewish people. It wasn't only for people of that time period. But we get to be included in that. Jesus is savior of all.

We see this referenced again a little bit later in Luke 2. So Jesus is being presented by Mary and Joseph at the temple as is the Jewish custom. there's a man there in the temple. His name is Simeon. And it says that the spirit of the Lord was upon Simeon, and he got to see baby Jesus. And so I'm going to pick up reading for us, Luke 2:28-33.

“he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, ‘Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.’ And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him.” (Luke 2:28-33)

Simeon responded with joy when he saw baby Jesus, and he thanked God for him, for who Jesus was and the ministry of Christ for the world, for all. and his parents marveled at what was said about him. This episode is short and sweet today. we are those included in that all that are ministered to by Jesus.

He is our Savior, and he came for us.

And here's the question that we’re going to ask him about that:

God, what joy do you want to give me about this?

When I asked God that question, he started talking to me about renewing the joy of this revelation. I came to Christ as a child, and it was around Christmas time. And having been in the faith for so many years, I can sometimes get too familiar with this reality. And so I overlook it, I miss the significance, I miss the joy and the celebration of being included in the “all.”

I don't want to take that for granted. So here's that question one more time.

God, Jesus is Savior of all. What joy do you want to give me about this?

Have a good talk.

And if you've been encouraged by this content, please share it with a friend and help them grow in their conversational relationship with God too!

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