December 01, 2021 | Letters from the Lead Pastor by Brandon Lenhart
Advent 2021. It’s hard to believe, isn’t it? We’ve come to the close of another year, and now we face Christmas once again with a reminder that there is hope, and joy, and peace, and love, wrapped up in One we call Jesus.
Though the past two years have not been quite what we may have hoped for, GOD is still active, alive, and well, moving and working to bring about His good and perfect will amidst a world seemingly gone mad. Without hope, there is no peace.
As we focus on the birth of Christ this month, let us remember what Jesus’ birth represents. In order to do this, a look at Isaiah’s prophecy, some 700 years before the birth of Christ, is warranted. In chapter nine, Isaiah writes:
“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!” (vs. 6-7)
Jesus’ birth represents something of eternal value. The characteristics that represent who He is in these two verses speak volumes.
The government (or governmental structures) would rest on His shoulders. He would, in essence, bear the weight of the systems of this world, and would succumb to the punishment of its injustices. However, though the government would rest on His shoulders, He would not break under its weight, but rather, resolve its inadequacies through His death and resurrection.
The fact that He would be known as “Wonderful Counselor” attests to the fact that Jesus, the coming Messiah, would give counsel that would soothe generational wounds and sorrows, as well as form the basis for a healthy society.
The fact that He would be known as “Mighty God,” would prove the divine nature of His very existence. Jesus would not be merely man, but rather, GOD in human flesh. One who dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.
The fact that He is the “Everlasting Father,” testifies to the reality of His eternality. And the fact that He is known as the “Prince of Peace” confirms the nature of His kingdom. Truly His government and its peace will never end! And the laws of His land are governed by true fairness and justice that the legal systems of this world have never known.
This is our reason for hope! Jesus fulfilled all these things and He now sits at the right hand of the Father in Heaven advocating on our behalf and awaiting the command of the Father to return again to establish His kingdom forever with the founding of a new heaven and a new earth.
For now, we patiently wait on that second advent; the return of Christ our Savior. For now, we are citizens of a kingdom that hasn’t fully been realized in this fallen and broken world. However, GOD is truly with us, and His Holy Spirit guides, empowers, and sustains us till He returns.
Let this be your hope this season, and let this hope be your peace. And as we look forward to a new year, let us not grow weary, but rather, wait upon the LORD to renew our strength.
Merry Christmas!
