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Good Newsof Great JoyDaily Readings for Advent

John Piper



copy 2013 Desiring God

Published by Desiring God

Post Office Box 2901

Minneapolis MN 55402wwwdesiringGodorg

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

i Preface

iv Introduction

What Does Jesus Want Tis Christmas

01 December 1 Luke 983089983089983094ndash983089983095

Prepare the Way


Maryrsquos Magnificent God


Te Long-Awaited Visitation


For Godrsquos Little People


No Detour rom Calvary




Peace to Tose with Whom Hersquos Pleased

13 December 7 Matthew 983090983089ndash983090

Messiah or the Magi

15 December 8 Matthew 983090983090

Bethlehemrsquos Supernatural Star


wo Kinds o Opposition to Jesus


Gold Frankincense and Myrrh

22 December 11 Hebrews 983090983089983092ndash983089983093

Why Jesus Came


Replacing the Shadows


Te Final Reality Is Here

29 December 14 Hebrews 983096983094 Making It Real or His People

31 December 15 John 983089983088983089983088

Lie and Death at Christmas

33 December 16 Philippians 983090983097ndash983089983089

Godrsquos Most Successul Setback

35 December 17 Jeremiah 983091983089983091983089

Te Greatest Salvation Imaginable



37 December 18 John 983089983095983089983096

Te Christmas Model or Missions


Christmas Is or Freedom

41 December 20 983089 John 983091983096

Christmas Solidarity

43 December 21 John 983089983096983091983095

Te Birth o the Ancient o Days

45 December 22 John 983090983088983091983088ndash983091983089

Tat You May Believe

47 December 23 Romans 983093983089983088ndash983089983089

Godrsquos Indescribable Gif

49 December 24 983089 John 983091983095ndash983096

Te Son o God Appeared


Tree Christmas Presents

54 Conclusion My Favorite Christmas ext

58 Appendix

Old estament Shadows and

the Coming o Christ



Good News of Great Joy Daily Readings for Adventi

PREFACE

Advent is or adoring Jesus At least thatrsquos our angle on it

at Desiring GodAdvent is an annual season o patient waiting hope-

ul expectation soul-searching and calendar-watching

marked by many churches Christian amilies and indi-

vidual ollowers o Jesus Terersquos no biblical mandate to

observe Advent Itrsquos an optional thingmdasha tradition that

developed over the course o the churchrsquos history as atime o preparation or Christmas Day Many o us find

observing Advent to be personally enjoyable and spiritu-

ally profitable

Te English word ldquoAdventrdquo is rom the Latin adven-

tus which means ldquocomingrdquo Te advent primarily in view

each December is the first coming o Jesus two millenniaago But Jesusrsquos second coming gets drawn in as well as the

popular Christmas carol ldquoJoy to the Worldrdquo makes plain



Good News of Great Joy Daily Readings for Adventii

No more let sins and sorrows grow

Nor thorns inest the ground

He comes to make His blessings flow Far as the curse is ound

Advent begins the ourth Sunday beore Christmas and

ends Christmas Eve Tis means the earliest it begins

depending on where that Sunday alls is November 983090983095

and the latest it starts is December 983091 Whereas Lent (theseason o preparation or Easter) is 983092983088 days Advent ranges

in length rom 983090983090 to 983090983097 days

Christians throughout the world have their different

ways o celebrating Advent Some light candles Some

sing songs Some eat candies Some give gifs Some hang

wreaths Many o us do all o the above Christians havedeveloped many good ways o extending the celebration

o Jesusrsquos coming beyond merely the short 983090983092 hours o

December 983090983093 Te incarnation o the Son o God ldquoor us

and or our salvationrdquo as the old creed says it is too big a

thing to appreciate in just one day Indeed itrsquos something

the Christian will celebrate or all eternityOur prayer is that this little devotional might help

you keep Jesus as the center and greatest treasure o your

Advent season Te candles and candies have their place

but we want to make sure that in all the December rush

and hubbub we adore Jesus above all

So ldquoO Come Let Us Adore Himrdquo is perhaps the themesong o these Advent readings Tese meditations are

all about adoring Christ the Lord In spots yoursquoll hear

strands o ldquoO Come O Come Immanuelrdquo and in others

ldquoHark Te Heralds Angels Singrdquo And o course wersquoll



Good News of Great Joy Daily Readings for Adventiii

have a cameo rom the magi But the figure at the center

is Jesusmdashthe baby born in Bethlehem the God-man in

swaddling clothes laid in a manger destined or Calvarysent by his Father to die and rise again or his people

Te readings are drawn rom the ministry o John Piper

and as always we encourage you to access more than 983091983088

years o Pastor Johnrsquos writing and preaching at desiring-

Godorg Tanks to ony Reinke and Jonathan Parnell

who helped pull the excerptsAlso worth noting is that these devotionals correspond

with the daily readings rom Pastor John in the applica-

tion called ldquoSolid Joysrdquo which is available or ree down-

load in the iunes store I you find short daily reflections

like these to be helpul wersquod send you to Solid Joys once

Advent is doneTe Introduction is designed to be read beore the read-

ings begin on December 983089 Te Conclusion can be read as

an additional selection on Christmas Day (or any time

beore especially i yoursquore curious about Pastor Johnrsquos

avorite Christmas text) Te Appendix on Old esta-

ment shadows and the coming o Christ coordinates withthe meditation or December 983089983090 (and yoursquoll find a note in

italics there)

May God be pleased to deepen and sweeten your ador-

ing o Jesus this Advent

David Mathis Executive Editor

Desiring God



Good News of Great Joy Daily Readings for Adventiv

WHAT DOES JESUS WANTTHIS CHRISTMAS

ldquoFather I desire that they also whom you have given

me may be with me where I am to see my glory that

you have given me because you loved me beore the

oundation o the worldrdquo mdashJohn 983089983095983090983092

What does Jesus want this Christmas We can see the answer in his prayers What does he ask

God or His longest prayer is John 983089983095 Te climax o his

desire is in verse 983090983092

Among all the undeserving sinners in the world there

are those whom God has ldquogiven to Jesusrdquo Tese are those

whom God has drawn to the Son (John 983094983092983092 983094983093) Teseare Christiansmdashpeople who have ldquoreceivedrdquo Jesus as the

crucified and risen Savior and Lord and reasure o their

lives (John 983089983089983090 983091983089983095 983094983091983093 983089983088983089983089 983089983095ndash983089983096 983090983088983090983096) Jesus says he

wants them to be with him

Introduction



Good News of Great Joy Daily Readings for Adventv

Sometimes we hear people say that God created man

because he was lonely So they say ldquoGod created us so that

we would be with himrdquo Does Jesus agree with this Wellhe does say that he really wants us to be with him Yes but

why Consider the rest o the verse Why does Jesus want

us to be with him

hellip to see my glory that you [Father] have given

me because you loved me beore the oundation othe world

Tat would be a strange way o expressing his loneliness

ldquoI want them with me so they can see my gloryrdquo In act it

doesnrsquot express his loneliness It expresses his concern or

the satisaction o our longing not his loneliness Jesus is not lonely He and the Father and the Spirit are

prooundly satisfied in the ellowship o the rinity We

not he are starving or something And what Jesus wants

or Christmas is or us to experience what we were really

made ormdashseeing and savoring his glory

Oh that God would make this sink in to our souls Jesus made us (John 983089983091) to see his glory

Just beore he goes to the cross he pleads his deepest

desires with the Father ldquoFather I desire [I desire] that

they hellip may be with me where I am to see my gloryrdquo

But that is only hal o what Jesus wants in these final

climactic verses o his prayer I just said we were reallymade or seeing and savoring his glory Is that what he

wantsmdashthat we not only see his glory but savor it relish it

delight in it treasure it love it Consider verse 983090983094 the very

last verse





Good News of Great Joy Daily Readings for Adventvii

essence o heaven Tat is the gif Christ came to purchase

or sinners at the cost o his death in our place



Good News of Great Joy Daily Readings for Advent1

PREPARE THE WAY

ldquoHe will turn many o the children o Israel to the Lord their God and he will go beore him in the

spirit and power o Elijah to turn the hearts o the

athers to the children and the disobedient to the

wisdom o the just to make ready or the Lord a

people preparedrdquo mdashLuke 983089983089983094ndash983089983095

What John the Baptist did or Israel Advent can do or us

Donrsquot let Christmas find you unprepared I mean spiritu-

ally unprepared Its joy and impact will be so much greater

i you are ready

Tat you might be preparedhellip

First meditate on the act that we need a Savior Christ-

mas is an indictment beore it becomes a delight It will

not have its intended effect until we eel desperately the

December 1




need or a Savior Let these short Advent meditations help

awaken in you a bittersweet sense o need or the Savior

Second engage in sober sel-examination Advent is toChristmas what Lent is to Easter ldquoSearch me O God and

know my heart ry me and know my thoughts And see

i there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way

everlastingrdquo (Psalm 983089983091983097983090983091ndash983090983092) Let every heart prepare

him roomhellip by cleaning house

Tird build God-centered anticipation and expec-tancy and excitement into your homemdashespecially or the

children I you are excited about Christ they will be too

I you can only make Christmas exciting with material

things how will the children get a thirst or God Bend

the efforts o your imagination to make the wonder o the

Kingrsquos arrival visible or the childrenFourth be much in the Scriptures and memorize the

great passages ldquoIs not my word like fire says the Lordrdquo

(Jeremiah 983090983091983090983097) Gather lsquoround that fire this Advent sea-

son It is warm It is sparkling with colors o grace It is

healing or a thousand hurts It is light or dark nights




MARYrsquoS MAGNIFICENT GOD

ldquoMy soul magnifies the Lord

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior or he has looked on the humble estate o his servant

For behold om now on all generations will call me

blessed or he who is mighty has done great things or me

and holy is his name

And his mercy is or those who ear him

om generation to generation He has shown strength with his arm

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts o their hearts

he has brought down the mighty om their thrones

and exalted those o humble estate

he has filled the hungry with good things

and the rich he has sent away empty He has helped his servant Israel

in remembrance o his mercy

as he spoke to our athers

to Abraham and to his offspring oreverrdquo mdashLuke 983089983092983094ndash983093983093

December 2






THE LONG-AWAITED VISITATION

ldquoBlessed be the Lord God o Israel or he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn o

salvation or us in the house o his servant David as

he spoke by the mouth o his holy prophets om o old

that we should be saved om our enemies and om

the hand o all who hate ushelliprdquo mdashLuke 983089983094983096ndash983095983089

Notice two remarkable things rom these words o Zecha-

riah in Luke 983089

First nine months earlier Zechariah could not believe

his wie would have a child Now filled with the Holy

Spirit he is so confident o Godrsquos redeeming work in the

coming Messiah that he puts it in the past tense For themind o aith a promised act o God is as good as done

Zechariah has learned to take God at his word and so has

a remarkable assurance ldquoGod has visited and redeemedrdquo

Second the coming o Jesus the Messiah is a visitation

December 3




o God to our world ldquoTe God o Israel has visited and

redeemedrdquo For centuries the Jewish people had lan-

guished under the conviction that God had withdrawnthe spirit o prophecy had ceased Israel had allen into the

hands o Rome And all the godly in Israel were awaiting

the visitation o God Luke tells us in 983090983090983093 that the devout

Simeon was ldquolooking or the consolation o Israelrdquo And

in Luke 983090983091983096 the prayerul Anna was ldquolooking or the

redemption o JerusalemrdquoTese were days o great expectation Now the long-

awaited visitation o God was about to happenmdashindeed

he was about to come in a way no one expected




FOR GODrsquoS LITTLE PEOPLE

In those days a decree went out om Caesar Augustusthat all the world should be registered Tis was the

first registration when Quirinius was governor o

Syria And all went to be registered each to his own

town And Joseph also went up om Galilee om

the town o Nazareth to Judea to the city o David

which is called Bethlehem because he was o thehouse and lineage o David to be registered with

Mary his betrothed who was with child

mdashLuke 983090983089ndash983093

Have you ever thought what an amazing thing it is that

God ordained beorehand that the Messiah be born inBethlehem (as the prophecy in Micah 983093 shows) and that

he so ordained things that when the time came the Mes-

siahrsquos mother and legal ather were living in Nazareth and

that in order to ulfill his word and bring two little people

December 4




to Bethlehem that first Christmas God put it in the heart

o Caesar Augustus that all the Roman world should be

enrolled each in his own townHave you ever elt like me little and insignificant in a

world o seven billion people where all the news is o big

political and economic and social movements and o out-

standing people with lots o power and prestige

I you have donrsquot let that make you disheartened or

unhappy For it is implicit in Scripture that all the mam-moth political orces and all the giant industrial com-

plexes without their even knowing it are being guided

by God not or their own sake but or the sake o Godrsquos

little peoplemdashthe little Mary and the little Joseph who

have to be got rom Nazareth to Bethlehem God wields

an empire to bless his childrenDo not think because you experience adversity that

the hand o the Lord is shortened It is not our prosperity

but our holiness that he seeks with all his heart And to

that end he rules the whole world As Proverbs 983090983089983089 says

ldquoTe kingrsquos heart is a stream o water in the hand o the

Lord he turns it wherever he willrdquoHe is a big God or little people and we have great

cause to rejoice that unbeknownst to them all the kings

and presidents and premiers and chancellors o the world

ollow the sovereign decrees o our Father in heaven that

we the children might be conormed to the image o his

Son Jesus Christ




NO DETOUR FROM CALVARY

And while they were there the time came or her to give birth And she gave birth to her firstborn son

and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him

in a manger because there was no place or them in

the inn mdashLuke 983090983094ndash983095

Now you would think that i God so rules the world as touse an empire-wide census to bring Mary and Joseph to

Bethlehem he surely could have seen to it that a room was

available in the inn

Yes he could have And Jesus could have been born into

a wealthy amily He could have turned stone into bread

in the wilderness He could have called 983089983088983088983088983088 angels tohis aid in Gethsemane He could have come down rom

the cross and saved himsel Te question is not what

God could do but what he willed to do

Godrsquos will was that though Christ was rich yet or your

December 5






PEACE TO THOSE WITH WHOMHErsquoS PLEASED

ldquoAnd this will be a sign or you you will find a baby

wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a mangerrdquo

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude o

the heavenly host praising God and saying ldquoGlory to

God in the highest and on earth peace among those

with whom he is pleasedrdquo mdashLuke 983090983089983090ndash983089983092

Peace or whom Tere is a somber note sounded in the

angelsrsquo praise Peace among men on whom his avor rests

Peace among men with whom he is pleased Without aith

it is impossible to please God So Christmas does not

bring peace to allldquoTis is the judgmentrdquo Jesus said ldquothat the light has

come into the world and men loved darkness rather than

the light because their deeds are evilrdquo (John 983091983089983097) Or as

the aged Simeon said when he saw the child Jesus ldquoBehold

December 6




this child is set or the all and rising o many in Israel

and or a sign that is spoken againsthellip that the thoughts

o many hearts may be revealedrdquo (Luke 983090983091983092ndash983091983093) O howmany there are who look out on a bleak and chilly Christ-

mas day and see no more than that

ldquoHe came to his own and his own received him not

but to as many as received him to them gave he power

to become the sons o God to as many as believed on his

namerdquo It was only to his disciples that Jesus said ldquoPeaceI leave with you My peace I give to you not as the world

gives do I give to you Let not your heart be troubled nei-

ther let it be araidrdquo

Te people who enjoy the peace o God that surpasses

all understanding are those who in everything by prayer

and supplication let their requests be made known to GodTe key that unlocks the treasure chest o Godrsquos peace

is aith in the promises o God So Paul prays ldquoMay the

God o hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing rdquo

(Romans 983089983093983089983091) And when we do trust the promises o

God and have joy and peace and love then God is glorified

Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men with whom he is pleasedmdashmen who would believe




MESSIAH FOR THE MAGI

Now afer Jesus was born in Bethlehem o Judeain the days o Herod the king magi om the east

arrived in Jerusalem saying ldquoWhere is He who has

been born King o the Jewsrdquo mdashMatthew 983090983089ndash983090

Unlike Luke Matthew does not tell us about the shep-

herds coming to visit Jesus in the stable His ocus is imme-diately on oreigners coming rom the east to worship Jesus

So Matthew portrays Jesus at the beginning and end-

ing o his Gospel as a universal Messiah or the nations

not just or Jews

Here the first worshipers are court magicians or astrol-

ogers or wise men not rom Israel but rom the Eastmdashper-haps rom Babylon Tey were Gentiles Unclean

And at the end o Matthew the last words o Jesus are

ldquoAll authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth

Go thereore and make disciples o all the nationsrdquo

December 7




Tis not only opened the door or the Gentiles to

rejoice in the Messiah it added proo that he was the Mes-

siah Because one o the repeated prophecies was that thenations and kings would in act come to him as the ruler

o the world

For example Isaiah 983094983088983091 ldquoNations will come to your

light and kings to the brightness o your risingrdquo So Mat-

thew adds proo to the messiahship o Jesus and shows that

he is Messiahmdasha King and Promise-Fulfillermdashor all thenations not just Israel




BETHLEHEMrsquoS SUPERNATURAL STAR

ldquoWhere is He who has been born King o the Jews For we saw His star in the east and have come to

worship Himrdquo mdashMatthew 983090983090

Over and over the Bible baffles our curiosity about just

how certain things happened How did this ldquostarrdquo get the

magi rom the east to JerusalemIt does not say that it led them or went beore them It

only says they saw a star in the east (verse 983090) and came to

Jerusalem And how did that star go beore them in the lit-

tle five-mile walk rom Jerusalem to Bethlehem as verse 983097

says it did And how did a star stand ldquoover the place where

the Child wasrdquoTe answer is We do not know Tere are numerous

efforts to explain it in terms o conjunctions o planets

or comets or supernovas or miraculous lights We just

donrsquot know And I want to exhort you not to become

December 8




preoccupied with developing theories that are only tenta-

tive in the end and have very little spiritual significance

I risk a generalization to warn you People who are exer-cised and preoccupied with such things as how the star

worked and how the Red Sea split and how the manna ell

and how Jonah survived the fish and how the moon turns

to blood are generally people who have what I call a mental-

ity or the marginal You do not see in them a deep cherish-

ing o the great central things o the gospelmdashthe holiness oGod the ugliness o sin the helplessness o man the death

o Christ justification by aith alone the sanctiying work

o the Spirit the glory o Christrsquos return and the final judg-

ment Tey always seem to be taking you down a sidetrack

with a new article or book Tere is little centered rejoicing

But what is plain concerning this matter o the star isthat it is doing something that it cannot do on its own it

is guiding magi to the Son o God to worship him

Tere is only one Person in biblical thinking that can

be behind that intentionality in the starsmdashGod himsel

So the lesson is plain God is guiding oreigners to

Christ to worship him And he is doing it by exertingglobalmdashprobably even universalmdashinfluence and power

to get it done

Luke shows God influencing the entire Roman Empire

so that the census comes at the exact time to get a virgin to

Bethlehem to ulfill prophecy with her delivery Matthew

shows God influencing the stars in the sky to get oreignmagi to Bethlehem so that they can worship him

Tis is Godrsquos design He did it then He is still doing it

now His aim is that the nationsmdashall the nations (Mat-

thew 983090983092983089983092)mdashworship his Son




Tis is Godrsquos will or everybody in your office at work

and in your neighborhood and in your home As John 983092983090983091

says ldquoSuch the Father seeks to worship himrdquoAt the beginning o Matthew we still have a ldquocome-seerdquo

pattern But at the end the pattern is ldquogo-tellrdquo Te magi

came and saw We are to go and tell

What is not different is that the purpose o God is the

ingathering o the nations to worship his Son Te magni-

ying o Christ in the white-hot worship o all nations isthe reason the world exists




TWO KINDS OF OPPOSITIONTO JESUS

When Herod the king heard this he was troubled

and all Jerusalem with him mdashMatthew 983090983091

Jesus is troubling to people who do not want to worship

him and he brings out opposition or those who do Tis

is probably not a main point in the mind o Matthew butit is inescapable as the story goes on

In this story there are two kinds o people who do not

want to worship Jesus the Messiah

Te first kind is the people who simply do nothing

about Jesus He is a nonentity in their lives Tis group

is represented by the chie priests and scribes Verse 983092ldquoGathering together all the chie priests and scribes o the

people [Herod] inquired o them where the Messiah was

to be bornrdquo Well they told him and that was that back

to business as usual Te sheer silence and inactivity o the

December 9




leaders is overwhelming in view o the magnitude o what

was happening

And notice verse 983091 says ldquoWhen Herod the king heardthis he was troubled and all Jerusalem with himrdquo In other

words the rumor was going around that someone thought

the Messiah was born Te inactivity on the part o chie

priests is staggeringmdashwhy not go with the magi Tey are

not interested Tey do not want to worship the true God

Te second kind o people who do not want to worship Jesus is the kind who is deeply threatened by him Tat is

Herod in this story He is really araid So much so that he

schemes and lies and then commits mass murder just to

get rid o Jesus

So today these two kinds o opposition will come

against Christ and his worshipers indifference and hostil-ity Are you in one o those groups

Let this Christmas be the time when you reconsider

the Messiah and ponder what it is to worship him




GOLD FRANKINCENSE AND MYRRH

When they saw the star they rejoiced exceedinglywith great joy Afer coming into the house they saw

the Child with Mary His mother and they ell to

the ground and worshiped Him Ten opening

their treasures they presented to Him gifs o gold

ankincense and myrrh mdashMatthew 983090983089983088ndash983089983089

God is not served by human hands as though he needed

anything (Acts 983089983095983090983093) Te gifs o the magi are not given

by way o assistance or need-meeting It would dishonor a

monarch i oreign visitors came with royal care-packages

Nor are these gifs meant to be bribes Deuteronomy

983089983088983089983095 says that God takes no bribe Well what then dothey mean How are they worship

Te gifs are intensifiers o desire or Christ himsel in

much the same way that asting is When you give a gif to

Christ like this itrsquos a way o saying ldquoTe joy that I pursue

December 10




(verse 983089983088) is not the hope o getting rich with things rom

you I have not come to you or your things but or your-

sel And this desire I now intensiy and demonstrate bygiving up things in the hope o enjoying you more not

things By giving to you what you do not need and what I

might enjoy I am saying more earnestly and more authen-

tically lsquoYou are my treasure not these thingsrsquordquo

I think thatrsquos what it means to worship God with gifs

o gold and rankincense and myrrhMay God take the truth o this text and waken in us

a desire or Christ himsel May we say rom the heart

ldquoLord Jesus you are the Messiah the King o Israel All

nations will come and bow down beore you God wields

the world to see that you are worshiped Tereore what-

ever opposition I may find I joyully ascribe authority anddignity to you and bring my gifs to say that you alone can

satisy my heart not theserdquo




December 11

WHY JESUS CAME

Since thereore the children share in flesh and bloodhe himsel likewise partook o the same things that

through death he might destroy the one who has

the power o death that is the devil and deliver

all those who through ear o death were subject to

lielong slavery mdashHebrews 983090983089983092ndash983089983093

Hebrews 983090983089983092ndash983089983093 is worth more than two minutes in an

Advent devotional Tese verses connect the beginning

and the end o Jesusrsquos earthly lie Tey make clear why

he came Tey would be great to use with an unbelieving

riend or amily member to take them step by step through

your Christian view o Christmas It might go somethinglike thishellip

ldquoSince thereore the children share in flesh and bloodhelliprdquo




Te term ldquochildrenrdquo is taken rom the previous verse and

reers to the spiritual offspring o Christ the Messiah (see

Isaiah 983096983089983096 983093983091983089983088) Tese are also the ldquochildren o GodrdquoIn other words in sending Christ God has the salvation

o his ldquochildrenrdquo specially in view It is true that ldquoGod so

loved the world that he sent [Jesus] (John 983091983089983094)rdquo But it is

also true that God was especially ldquogathering the children o

God who are scattered abroadrdquo (John 983089983089983093983090) Godrsquos design

was to offer Christ to the world and to effect the salvationo his ldquochildrenrdquo (see 983089 imothy 983092983089983088) You may experience

adoption by receiving Christ (John 983089983089983090)

ldquohelliphe himsel likewise partook o the same things

[flesh and blood]helliprdquo

Christ existed beore the incarnation He was spirit He

was the eternal Word He was with God and was God

(John 983089983089 Colossians 983090983097) But he took on flesh and blood

and clothed his deity with humanity He became ully

man and remained ully God It is a great mystery in many

ways But it is at the heart o our aith and is what theBible teaches

ldquohellipthat through deathhelliprdquo

Te reason Jesus became man was to die As God he could

not die or sinners But as man he could His aim was todie Tereore he had to be born human He was born to

die Good Friday is the reason or Christmas Tis is what

needs to be said today about the meaning o Christmas




ldquohelliphe might destroy the one who has the power o

death that is the devilhelliprdquo

In dying Christ de-anged the devil How By covering all

our sin Tis means that Satan has no legitimate grounds

to accuse us beore God ldquoWho shall bring any charge

against Godrsquos elect It is God who justifiesrdquo (Romans 983096983091983091)

On what grounds does he justiy Trough the blood o

Jesus (Romans 983093983097)Satanrsquos ultimate weapon against us is our own sin I

the death o Jesus takes it away the chie weapon o the

devil is taken out o his hand He cannot make a case or

our death penalty because the Judge has acquitted us by

the death o his Son

ldquohellipand deliver all those who through ear o death

were subject to lielong slaveryrdquo

So we are ree rom the ear o death God has justified

us Satan cannot overturn that decree And God means

or our ultimate saety to have an immediate effect on ourlives He means or the happy ending to take away the slav-

ery and ear o the now

I we do not need to ear our last and greatest enemy

death then we do not need to ear anything We can be

ree ree or joy ree or others

What a great Christmas present rom God to us Androm us to the world




REPLACING THE SHADOWS

Now the main point in what has been said is thiswe have such a high priest who has taken His seat

at the right hand o the throne o the Majesty in the

heavens a minister in the sanctuary and in the true

tabernacle which the Lord pitched not man

mdashHebrews 983096983089ndash983090

Te point o the book o Hebrews is that Jesus Christ

Godrsquos Son has not just come to fit into the earthly system

o priestly ministry as the best and final human priest but

he has come to ulfill and put an end to that system and

to orient all our attention on himsel ministering or usin heaven

Te Old estament tabernacle and priests and sacrific-

es were shadows Now the reality has come and the shad-

ows pass away

December 12




Herersquos an Advent illustration or kids (and or those

o us who used to be kids and remember what it was like)

Suppose you and your mom get separated in the grocerystore and you start to get scared and panic and donrsquot know

which way to go and you run to the end o an aisle and

just beore you start to cry you see a shadow on the floor at

the end o the aisle that looks just like your mom It makes

you really happy and you eel hope But which is better

Te happiness o seeing the shadow or having your momstep around the corner and seeing that itrsquos really her

Tatrsquos the way it is when Jesus comes to be our High

Priest Tatrsquos what Christmas is Christmas is the replace-

ment o shadows with the real thing

(For more on how the coming o Christ replaces the Old es-tament see the appendix at the end o this book)




THE FINAL REALITY IS HERE






Christmas is the replacement o shadows with the real thing

Hebrews 983096983089ndash983090 is a kind o summary statement Te

point is that the one priest who goes between us and God

and makes us right with God and prays or us to God is

not an ordinary weak sinul dying priest like in the Old

estament days He is the Son o Godmdashstrong sinless with an indestructible lie

Not only that he is not ministering in an earthly taber-

nacle with all its limitations o place and size and wearing

out and being moth-eaten and being soaked and burned

December 13




and torn and stolen No verse 983090 says that Christ is minis-

tering or us in a ldquotrue tabernacle which the Lord pitched

not manrdquo Tis is the real thing in heaven Tis is what caston Mount Sinai a shadow that Moses copied

According to verse 983089 another great thing about the

reality which is greater than the shadow is that our High

Priest is seated at the right hand o the Majesty in heaven

No Old estament priest could ever say that

Jesus deals directly with God the Father He has a place o honor beside God He is loved and respected

infinitely by God He is constantly with God Tis is not

shadow reality like curtains and bowls and tables and

candles and robes and tassels and sheep and goats and

pigeons Tis is final ultimate reality God and his Son

interacting in love and holiness or our eternal salvationUltimate reality is the persons o the Godhead in rela-

tionship dealing with each other concerning how their

majesty and holiness and love and justice and goodness

and truth shall be maniest in a redeemed people




MAKING IT REAL FOR HIS PEOPLE

Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much moreexcellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is

better since it is enacted on better promises

mdashHebrews 983096983094

Christ is the Mediator o a new covenant according toHebrews 983096983094 What does that mean It means that his

bloodmdashthe blood o the covenant (Luke 983090983090983090983088 Hebrews

983089983091983090983088)mdashpurchased the ulfillment o Godrsquos promises or us

It means that God brings about our inner transorma-

tion by the Spirit o Christ

And it means that God works all his transormation inus through aith in all that God is or us in Christ

Te new covenant is purchased by the blood o Christ

effected by the Spirit o Christ and appropriated by aith

in Christ

December 14




Te best place to see Christ working as the Mediator o

the new covenant is in Hebrews 983089983091983090983088ndash983090983089

Now the God o peace who brought up om the dead

the great Shepherd o the sheep through the blood o

the eternal covenant [this is the purchase o the new

co983158enant] even Jesus our Lord equip you in every

good thing to do His will working in us that which is

pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ to whom

be the glory orever and ever Amen

Te words ldquoworking in us that which is pleasing in his

sightrdquo describe what happens when God writes the law on

our hearts in the new covenant And the words ldquothrough

Jesus Christrdquo describe Jesus as the Mediator o this glori-

ous work o sovereign graceSo the meaning o Christmas is not only that God

replaces shadows with Reality but also that he takes the

reality and makes it real to his people He writes it on our

hearts He does not lay his Christmas gif o salvation

and transormation down or you to pick up in your own

strength He picks it up and puts in your heart and in yourmind and seals to you that you are a child o God




LIFE AND DEATH AT CHRISTMAS

ldquoTe thie comes only to steal and kill and destroy I came that they may have lie and have it

abundantlyrdquo mdashJohn 983089983088983089983088

As I was about to begin this devotional I received word

that Marion Newstrum had just died She and her hus-

band Elmer have been part o Bethlehem longer thanmost o our members have been alive Marion was 983096983095 Tey

had been married 983094983092 years

When I spoke to Elmer and told him I wanted him to

be strong in the Lord and not give up on lie he said ldquoHe

has been a true riendrdquo I pray that all Christians will be

able to say at the end o lie ldquoChrist has been a true riendrdquoEach Advent I mark the anniversary o my motherrsquos

death She was cut off in her 983093983094th year in a bus accident in

Israel It was December 983089983094 983089983097983095983092 Tose events are incred-

ibly real to me even today I I allow mysel I can easily

December 15




come to tearsmdashor example thinking that my sons never

knew her We buried her the day afer Christmas What a

precious Christmas it wasMany o you will eel your loss this Christmas more

pointedly than beore Donrsquot block it out Let it come

Feel it What is love or i not to intensiy our affectionsmdash

both in lie and death But O do not be bitter It is tragi-

cally sel-destructive to be bitter

Jesus came at Christmas that we might have eternal lieldquoI came that they might have lie and have it abundantlyrdquo

(John 983089983088983089983088) Elmer and Marion had discussed where they

would spend their final years Elmer said ldquoMarion and I

agreed that our final home would be with the Lordrdquo

Do you eel restless or home I have amily coming

home or the holidays It eels good I think the bottomline reason or why it eels good is that they and I are des-

tined in the depths o our being or an ultimate Home-

coming All other homecomings are oretastes And ore-

tastes are good

Unless they become substitutes O donrsquot let all the

sweet things o this season become substitutes o the finalgreat all-satisying Sweetness Let every loss and every

delight send your hearts a-homing afer heaven

Christmas What is it but this I came that they might

have lie Marion Newstrum Ruth Piper and you and Imdash

that we might have Lie now and orever

Make your Now the richer and deeper this Christmasby drinking at the ountain o Forever It is so near




GODrsquoS MOST SUCCESSFUL SETBACK

ldquoTereore God has highly exalted him and bestowedon him the name that is above every name so that at

the name o Jesus every knee should bow in heaven

and on earth and under the earth and every tongue

coness that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory o God

the Fatherrdquo mdashPhilippians 983090983097ndash983089983089

Christmas was Godrsquos most successul setback He has

always delighted to show his power through apparent

deeat He makes tactical retreats in order to win strate-

gic victories

Joseph was promised glory and power in his dream(Genesis 983091983095983093ndash983089983089) But to achieve that victory he had to

become a slave in Egypt And as i that were not enough

when his conditions improved because o his integrity he

was made worse than a slave mdash a prisoner

December 16




But it was all planned For there in prison he met Pha-

raohrsquos butler who eventually brought him to Pharaoh

who put him over Egypt What an unlikely route to gloryBut that is Godrsquos way mdash even or his Son He emptied

himsel and took the orm o a slave Worse than a slave mdash

a prisoner mdash and was executed But like Joseph he kept

his integrity ldquoTereore God has highly exalted him and

bestowed on him the name that is above every name so

that at the name o Jesus every knee should bowrdquo (Philip- pians 983090983097ndash983089983088)

And this is Godrsquos way or us too We are promised glory

mdash i we will suffer with him (Romans 983096983089983095) Te way up is

down Te way orward is backward Te way to success

is through divinely appointed setbacks Tey will always

look and eel like ailureBut i Joseph and Jesus teach us anything this Christ-

mas it is this ldquoGod meant it or goodrdquo (Genesis 983093983088983090983088)

You earul saints esh courage take

Te clouds you so much dread

Are big with mercy and will break In blessings on your head




THE GREATEST SALVATIONIMAGINABLE

ldquoBehold the days are coming declares the Lord when

I will make a new covenant with the house o Israel

and the house o Judahhelliprdquo mdashJeremiah 983091983089983091983089

God is just and holy and separated rom sinners like us

Tis is our main problem at Christmas and every otherseason How shall we get right with a just and holy God

Nevertheless God is merciul and has promised in Jer-

emiah 983091983089 (five hundred years beore Christ) that someday

he would do something new He would replace shadows

with the Reality o the Messiah And he would powerully

move into our lives and write his will on our hearts so that we are not constrained rom outside but are willing rom

inside to love him and trust him and ollow him

Tat would be the greatest salvation imaginablemdashi

God should offer us the greatest Reality in the universe to

December 17




enjoy and then move in us to see to it that we could enjoy it

with the greatest reedom and joy possible Tat would be

a Christmas gif worth singing aboutTat is in act what he promised But there was a huge

obstacle Our sin Our separation rom God because o

our unrighteousness

How shall a holy and just God treat us sinners with so

much kindness as to give us the greatest Reality in the uni-

verse (his Son) to enjoy with the greatest joy possibleTe answer is that God put our sins on his Son and

judged them there so that he could put them out o his

mind and deal with us merciully and remain just and holy

at the same time Hebrews 983097983090983096 says ldquoChrist was offered

once to bear the sins o manyrdquo

Christ bore our sins in his own body when he diedHe took our judgment He canceled our guilt And that

means the sins are gone Tey do not remain in Godrsquos

mind as a basis or condemnation In that sense he ldquoor-

getsrdquo them Tey are consumed in the death o Christ

Which means that God is now ree in his justice to

lavish us with the new covenant He gives us Christ thegreatest Reality in the universe or our enjoyment And

he writes his own willmdashhis own heartmdashon our hearts so

that we can love Christ and trust Christ and ollow Christ

rom the inside out with reedom and joy




THE CHRISTMAS MODELFOR MISSIONS

ldquoAs you sent me into the world so I have sent them

into the worldrdquo mdashJohn 983089983095983089983096

Christmas is a model or missions Missions is a mirror o

Christmas As I so youFor example danger Christ came to his own and

his own received him not So you Tey plotted against

him So you He had no permanent home So you Tey

trumped up alse charges against him So you Tey

whipped and mocked him So you He died afer three

years o ministry So youBut there is a worse danger than any o these which

Jesus escaped So you

In the mid-983089983094th century Francis Xavier (983089983093983088983094ndash983089983093983093983090) a

Catholic missionary wrote to Father Perez o Malacca

December 18




(today part o Indonesia) about the perils o his mission to

China He said

Te danger o all dangers would be to lose trust and

confidence in the mercy o Godhellip o distrust him

would be a ar more terrible thing than any physical

evil which all the enemies o God put together could

inflict on us or without Godrsquos permission neither

the devils nor their human ministers could hinder us

in the slightest degree

Te greatest danger a missionary aces is to distrust the

mercy o God I that danger is avoided then all other

dangers lose their sting

God makes every dagger a scepter in our hand As JW

Alexander says ldquoEach instant o present labor is to be gra-ciously repaid with a million ages o gloryrdquo

Christ escaped the danger o distrust Tereore God

has highly exalted him

Remember this Advent that Christmas is a model or

missions As I so you And that mission means danger

And that the greatest danger is distrusting Godrsquos mercySuccumb to this and all is lost Conquer here and noth-

ing can harm you or a million ages






bondage through ear o death It is the power to keep

men in sin so that death comes as a horrid thing

But Jesus stripped Satan o this power He disarmedhim He molded a breastplate o righteousness or us that

makes us immune to the devilrsquos condemnation

By his death Jesus wiped away all our sins And a per-

son without sin puts Satan out o business His treason is

aborted His cosmic treachery is oiled ldquoHis rage we can

endure or lo his doom is surerdquo Te cross has run himthrough And he will gasp his last beore long

Christmas is or reedom Freedom rom the ear o

death

Jesus took our nature in Bethlehem to die our death in

Jerusalem that we might be earless in our city Yes ear-

less Because i the biggest threat to my joy is gone then why should I ret over the little ones How can you say

ldquoWell Irsquom not araid to die but Irsquom araid to lose my jobrdquo

No No Tink

I death (I said deathmdashno pulse cold gone)mdashi death

is no longer a ear wersquore ree really ree Free to take any

risk under the sun or Christ and or love No more bond-age to anxiety

I the Son has set you ree you shall be ree indeed




CHRISTMAS SOLIDARITY

Te reason the Son o God appeared was to destroythe works o the devil mdash983089 John 983091983096

Te assembly line o Satan turns out millions o sins every

day He packs them into huge cargo planes and flies them

to heaven and spreads them out beore God and laughs andlaughs and laughs

Some people work ull-time on the assembly line Oth-

ers have quit their jobs there and only now and then return

Every minute o work on the assembly line makes

God the laughing stock o Satan Sin is Satanrsquos business

because he hates the light and beauty and purity andglory o God Nothing pleases him more than when crea-

tures distrust and disobey their Maker

Tereore Christmas is good news or man and good

news or God

December 20




ldquoTe saying is sure and worthy o ull acceptance that

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinnersrdquo (983089 imo-

thy 983089983089983093) Tatrsquos good news or usldquoTe reason the Son o God appeared was to destroy the

works o the devilrdquo (983089 John 983091983096) Tatrsquos good news or God

Christmas is good news or God because Jesus has

come to lead a strike at Satanrsquos assembly plant He has

walked right into the plant called or the Solidarity o the

aithul and begun a massive walk-outChristmas is a call to go on strike at the assembly plant

o sin No negotiations with the management No bar-

gaining Just single-minded unswerving opposition to

the product

Christmas Solidarity aims to ground the cargo planes It

will not use orce or violence but with relentless devotionto ruth it will expose the lie-destroying conditions o the

devilrsquos industry

Christmas Solidarity will not give up until a complete

shutdown has been achieved

When sin has been destroyed Godrsquos name will be whol-

ly exonerated No one will be laughing at him anymoreI you want to give a gif to God this Christmas walk

off the assembly line and never go back ake up your

place in the picket line o love Join Christmas Solidarity

until the majestic name o God is cleared and he stands

glorious amid the accolades o the righteous




THE BIRTH OF THE ANCIENT OF DAYS

Ten Pilate said to him ldquoSo you are a kingrdquo Jesus answered ldquoYou say that I am a king For this purpose

I was born and or this purpose I have come into the

worldmdashto bear witness to the truth Everyone who is

o the truth listens to my 983158oicerdquo mdashJohn 983089983096983091983095

Tis is a great Christmas text even though it comes romthe end o Jesusrsquos lie on earth not the beginning

Te uniqueness o his birth is that he did not originate

at his birth He existed beore he was born in a manger Te

personhood the character the personality o Jesus o Naz-

areth existed beore the man Jesus o Nazareth was born

Te theological word to describe this mystery is not cre- ation but incarnation Te personmdashnot the body but the

essential personhood o Jesusmdashexisted beore he was born

as man His birth was not a coming into being o a new per-

son but a coming into the world o an infinitely old person

December 21






THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence othe disciples which are not written in this book but

these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is

the Christ the Son o God and that by believing you

may have lie in his name mdashJohn 983090983088983091983088ndash983091983089

I eel so strongly that among those o us who have grownup in church and who can recite the great doctrines o

our aith in our sleep and who yawn through the Apostles

Creedmdashthat among us something must be done to help

us once more eel the awe the ear the astonishment the

wonder o the Son o God begotten by the Father rom

all eternity reflecting all the glory o God being the veryimage o his person through whom all things were created

upholding the universe by the word o his power

You can read every airy tale that was ever written every

mystery thriller every ghost story and you will never find

December 22




anything so shocking so strange so weird and so spell-

binding as the story o the incarnation o the Son o God

How dead we are How callous and uneeling to hisglory and his story How ofen have I had to repent and

say ldquoGod I am sorry that the stories men have made up

stir my emotions my awe and wonder and admiration and

joy more than your own true storyrdquo

Te space thrillers o our day like Star Wars and Te

Empire Strikes Back can do this great good or us theycan humble us and bring us to repentance by showing us

that we really are capable o some o the wonder and awe

and amazement that we so seldom eel when we contem-

plate the eternal God and the cosmic Christ and a real liv-

ing contact between them and us in Jesus o Nazareth

When Jesus said ldquoFor this I have come into the worldrdquo hesaid something as crazy and weird and strange and eerie as any

statement in science fiction that you have ever read (John 983089983096983091983095)

O how I pray or a breaking orth o the Spirit o God

upon me and upon you I pray or the Holy Spirit to break

into my experience in a rightening way to wake me up to

the unimaginable reality o GodOne o these days lightning is going to fill the sky rom

the rising o the sun to its setting and there is going to

appear in the clouds one like a son o man with his mighty

angels in flaming fire And we will see him clearly And

whether rom terror or sheer excitement we will tremble

and we will wonder how how we ever lived so long withsuch a domesticated harmless Christ

Tese things are written that you might believe that

Jesus Christ is the Son o God who came into the world

Really believe




GODrsquoS INDESCRIBABLE GIFT

I while we were enemies we were reconciled to Godby the death o his Son much more now that we

are reconciled shall we be saved by his lie More

than that we also rejoice in God through our Lord

Jesus Christ through whom we have now received

reconciliation mdashRomans 983093983089983088ndash983089983089

How do we practically receive reconciliation and exult in

God One answer is do it through Jesus Christ Which

means at least in part make the portrait o Jesus in the

Biblemdashthe work and the words o Jesus portrayed in the

New estamentmdashthe essential content o your exultation

over God Exultation without the content o Christ doesnot honor Christ

In 983090 Corinthians 983092983092ndash983094 Paul describes conversion two

ways In verse 983092 he says it is seeing ldquothe glory o Christ

who is the image o Godrdquo And in verse 983094 he says it is seeing

December 23




ldquothe glory o God in the ace o Jesus Christrdquo In either case

you see the point We have Christ the image o God and

we have God in the ace o ChristPractically to exult in God you exult in what you see and

know o God in the portrait o Jesus Christ And this comes

to its ullest experience when the love o God is poured out

in our hearts by the Holy Spirit as Romans 983093983093 says

So herersquos the Christmas point Not only did God pur-

chase our reconciliation through the death o the Lord Jesus Christ (verse 983089983088) and not only did God enable us to

receive that reconciliation through the Lord Jesus Christ

(verse 983089983089) but even now verse 983089983089 says we exult in God

himsel through our Lord Jesus Christ

Jesus purchased our reconciliation Jesus enabled us to

receive the reconciliation and open the gif And Jesushimsel shines orth rom the wrappingmdashthe indescrib-

able gifmdashas God in the flesh and stirs up all our exulta-

tion in God

Look to Jesus this Christmas Receive the reconcilia-

tion that he bought Donrsquot put it on the shel unopened

And donrsquot open it and then make it a means to all yourother pleasures

Open it and enjoy the gif Exult in him Make him

your pleasure Make him your treasure




THE SON OF GOD APPEARED

Little children make sure no one deceives you theone who practices righteousness is righteous just as

He is righteous the one who practices sin is o the

devil or the devil has sinned om the beginning

Te Son o God appeared or this purpose to destroy

the works o the devil mdash983089 John 983091983095ndash983096

When verse 983096 says ldquoTe Son o God appeared or this

purpose to destroy the works o the devilrdquo what are the

ldquoworks o the devilrdquo that he has in mind Te answer is

clear rom the context

First verse 983093 is a clear parallel ldquoYou know that Heappeared in order to take away sinsrdquo Te phrase ldquohe

appeared tohelliprdquo occurs in verse 983093 and verse 983096 So probably

the ldquoworks o the devilrdquo that Jesus came to destroy are

sins Te first part o verse 983096 makes this virtually certain

December 24




ldquoTe one who practices sin is o the devil or the devil has

sinned rom the beginningrdquo

Te issue in this context is sinning not sickness or bro-ken cars or messed up schedules Jesus came into the world

to help us stop sinning

Let me put it alongside the truth o 983089 John 983090983089 ldquoMy little

children I am writing these things to you so that you may

not sinrdquo In other words I am promoting the purpose o

Christmas (983091983096) the purpose o the incarnation Ten headds (983090983090) ldquoAnd i anyone sins we have an Advocate with

the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and He Himsel is

the propitiation or our sins and not or ours only but also

or those o the whole worldrdquo

But now look what this means It means that Jesus

appeared in the world or two reasons He came that wemight not go on sinning and he came to die so that there

would be a propitiationmdasha substitutionary sacrifice that

takes away the wrath o Godmdashor our sins i we do sin




THREE CHRISTMAS PRESENTS






Ponder this remarkable situation with me I the Son o

God came to help you stop sinningmdashto destroy the works

o the devilmdashand i he also came to die so that when you

do sin there is a propitiation a removal o Godrsquos wrath

then what does this imply or living your lieTree things And they are wonderul to have I give

them to you briefly as Christmas presents

December 25




1 A Clear Purpose for Living

It implies that you have a clear purpose or living Nega-

tively it is simply this donrsquot sin ldquoI write these things to

you so that you may not sinrdquo (983089 John 983090983089) ldquoTe Son o God

appeared to destroy the works o the devilrdquo (983089 John 983091983096)

I you ask ldquoCan you give us that positively instead

o negativelyrdquo the answer is Yes itrsquos all summed up in 983089

John 983091983090983091 Itrsquos a great summary o what Johnrsquos whole let-

ter requires Notice the singular ldquocommandmentrdquomdashldquoTis

is His commandment that we believe in the name o His

Son Jesus Christ and love one another just as He com-

manded usrdquo Tese two things are so closely connected or

John he calls them one commandment believe Jesus and

love others Tat is your purpose Tat is the sum o the

Christian lie rusting Jesus loving people rust Jesus

love people Terersquos the first gif a purpose to live

2 Hope That Our Failures Will Be Forgiven

Now consider the second implication o the twoold truth

that Christ came to destroy our sinning and to orgiveour sins Itrsquos this We make progress in overcoming our

sin when we have hope that our ailures will be orgiven

I you donrsquot have hope that God will orgive your ailures

when you start fighting sin you give up

Many o you are pondering some changes in the new

year because you have allen into sinul patterns and wantout You want some new patterns o eating New patterns

or entertainment New patterns o giving New patterns

o relating to your spouse New patterns o amily devo-

tions New patterns o sleep and exercise New patterns




o courage in witness But you are struggling wondering

whether itrsquos any use Well herersquos your second Christmas

present Christ not only came to destroy the works o thedevilmdashour sinningmdash he also came to be an advocate or

us when we ail in our fight

So I plead with you let the reedom to ail give you the

hope to fight But beware I you turn the grace o God

into license and say ldquoWell i I can ail and it doesnrsquot mat-

ter then why bother fightingrdquomdashi you say that and meanit and go on acting on it you are probably not born again

and should tremble

But that is not where most o you are Most o you want

to fight sinul patterns in your lie And what God is say-

ing to you is this Let the reedom to ail give you hope to

fight I write this to you that you might not sin but i yousin you have an advocate Jesus Christ

3 Christ Will Help Us

Finally the third implication o the double truth that

Christ came to destroy our sinning and to orgive our sins

is this Christ will really help us in our fight He really will

help you He is on your side He didnrsquot come to destroy

sin because sin is un He came to destroy sin because it is

atal It is a deceptive work o the devil and will destroy us

i we donrsquot fight it He came to help us not hurt us

So herersquos your third Christmas gif Christ will help

overcome sin in you 983089 John 983092983092 says ldquoHe who is in you is

greater than he that is in the worldrdquo Jesus is alive Jesus is

almighty Jesus lives in us by aith And Jesus is or us not

against us He will help you rust him




MY FAVORITE CHRISTMAS TEXT

My avorite Christmas text puts humility at the heart o

Christmas So this Christmas I am marveling at Jesusrsquoshumility and wanting more o it mysel Irsquoll quote the text

in a moment

But first there are two problems im Keller helps us

to see one o them when he says ldquoHumility is so shy I

you begin talking about it it leavesrdquo So a meditation on

humility (like this one) is sel-deeating it seems But evenshy people peek out sometimes i they are treated well

Te other problem is that Jesus wasnrsquot humble or the

same reasons we are (or should be) So how can looking at

Jesusrsquos Christmas humility help us Our humility i there

is any at all is based on our finiteness our allibility and

our sinulness But the eternal Son o God was not finiteHe was not allible And he was not sinul So unlike our

humility Jesusrsquo humility originated some other way

Here is my avorite Christmas text Look or Jesusrsquos

humility

Conclusion




Tough he was in the orm o God [Jesus] did not

count equality with God a thing to be grasped but

made himsel nothing taking the orm o a servantbeing born in the likeness o men And being ound

in human orm he humbled himsel by becoming

obedient to the point o death even death on a cross

(Philippians 983090983094ndash983096)

What defines Jesusrsquos humility is the act that it is mainly aconscious act o putting himsel in a lowly servant role or

the good o others His humility is defined by phrases like

rsaquo ldquohe emptied himsel [o his divine rights to be ree rom

abuse and suffering]rdquo

rsaquo ldquohe took the orm o a servantrdquo

rsaquo ldquohe became obedient to the point o death even death

on a crossrdquo

So Jesusrsquos humility was not a heart disposition o being

finite or allible or sinul It was a heart o infinite perec-

tion and inallible truthulness and reedom rom all sin which or that very reason did not need to be served He

was ree and ull to overflow in serving

Another Christmas text that says this would be Mark

983089983088983092983093 ldquoTe Son o Man came not to be served but to serve and

to give his lie as a ransom or manyrdquo Jesusrsquos humility was not

a sense o deect in himsel but a sense o ullness in himsel put at the disposal o others or their good It was a voluntary

lowering o himsel to make the height o his glory available

or sinners to enjoy

Jesus makes the connection between his Christmas




lowliness and the good news or us ldquoCome to me all who

labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest ake

my yoke upon you and learn rom me or I am gentle andlowly in heart and you will find rest or your souls For my

yoke is easy and my burden is lightrdquo (Matthew 983089983089983090983096ndash983091983088)

His lowliness makes our relie rom burdens possible I

he were not lowly he would not have been ldquoobedient unto

death even death on a crossrdquo And i he had not been obe-

dient to die or us we would be crushed under the weighto our sins He lowers himsel to take our condemnation

(Romans 983096983091)

Now we have more reason to be humble than beore

We are finite allible sinul and thereore have no ground

or boasting at all But now we see other humbling things

Our salvation is not owing to our work but his grace Soboasting is excluded (Ephesians 983090983096ndash983097) And the way he

accomplished that gracious salvation was through volun-

tary conscious sel-lowering in servant-like obedience to

the point o death

So in addition to finiteness allibility and sinulness

we now have two other huge impulses at work to humbleus ree and undeserved grace underneath all our blessings

and a model o sel-denying sacrificial servanthood that

willingly takes the orm o a servant

So we are called to join Jesus in this conscious sel-

humbling and servanthood ldquoWhoever exalts himsel will

be humbled and whoever humbles himsel will be exalt-edrdquo (Matthew 983090983091983089983090) ldquoHave this mind among yourselves

which is yours in Christ Jesushelliprdquo (Philippians 983090983093)

Letrsquos pray that this ldquoshy virtuerdquomdashthis massive ground o

our salvation and our servanthoodmdashwould peek out rom




her quiet place and grant us the garments o lowliness this

Advent ldquoClothe yourselves all o you with humility toward

one another or lsquoGod opposes the proud but gives grace tothe humblersquordquo (983089 Peter 983093983093)




OLD TESTAMENT SHADOWS ANDTHE COMING OF CHRIST

One o the main points o the book o Hebrews is that theOld Covenant system o worship is a shadow replaced by

Christ So Christmas is the replacement o shadows with

reality (You can see this in Hebrews 983096983093 where it says that

the priests ldquoserve a copy and shadow o the heavenly thingsrdquo)

Consider six such shadows that the coming o Christ

replaces with reality

1 The shadow of the Old Covenant priesthood ldquoAnd the or-

mer priests on the one hand existed in greater numbers

because they were prevented by death rom continuing

but he on the other hand because he abides orever

holds his priesthood permanentlyrdquo (Hebrews 983095983090983091ndash983090983092)

2 The shadow of the Passover sacrifice ldquoClean out the old

leaven that you may be a new lump just as you are in

act unleavened For Christ our Passover also has been

sacrificedrdquo (983089 Corinthians 983093983095)

Appendix




3 The shadow of the tabernacle and temple ldquoNow the main

point in what has been said is this we have such a high

priest who has taken his seat at the right hand o the

throne o the Majesty in the heavens a minister in the

sanctuary and in the true tabernacle which the Lord

pitched not manrdquo (Hebrews 983096983089ndash983090)

ldquoJesus answered and said to them lsquoDestroy this temple

and in three days I will raise it uprsquo Te Jews thereore

said lsquoIt took orty-six years to build this temple and will you raise it up in three daysrsquo But he was speaking

o the temple o his bodyrdquo ( John 983090983089983097ndash983090983089)

4 The shadow of circumcision ldquoCircumcision is nothing

and uncircumcision is nothing but what matters is

the keeping o the commandments o Godrdquo (983089 Corin-

thians 983095983089983097)

5 The shadow of dietary laws ldquoAnd he said to them lsquoAre

you so lacking in understanding also Do you not

understand that whatever goes into the man rom out-

side cannot defile him because it does not go into his

heart but into his stomach and is eliminatedrsquo (Tushe declared all oods clean)rdquo (Mark 983095983089983096ndash983089983097)

6 The shadow of feast days ldquoTereore let no one act as

your judge in regard to ood or drink or in respect to a

estival or a new moon or a Sabbath daymdashthings which

are a mere shadow o what is to come but the substance

belongs to Christrdquo (Colossians 983090983089983094ndash983089983095)

Te meaning o Christmas is that the substance belongs to

Christ Tat is religious ritual is like a shadow o a great

and glorious Person Let us turn rom the shadow and look




the Person in the ace (983090 Corinthians 983092983094) My little chil-

dren keep yourselves rom (religious) idols (983089 John 983093983090983089)



Desiring God

Post Office Box 2901 Minneapolis Minnesota 55402

8883464700 maildesiringGodorg

The mission of Desiring God is that people everywhere would under-

stand and embrace the truth that God is most glorified in us when

we are most satisfied in him Our primary strategy for accomplish-

ing this mission is through a maximally useful website that houses

over thirty years of John Piperrsquos preaching and teaching including

translations into more than 40 languages This is all available free of

charge thanks to our generous ministry partners If you would like tofurther explore the vision of Desiring God we encourage you to visit

wwwdesiringGodorg



Advent is for adoring Jesus

It is a season of preparation for that special day when we mark

Immanuelrsquos arrival mdash the coming of our eternal God in frail

human flesh

This is the greatest wonder of historyrsquos many wonders some-

thing too stupendous to celebrate just on one day Advent is a

way of lengthening the joy of Christmas

These 25 brief devotional readings from John Piper begin on

December 1 and carry us to Christmas Day Our prayer is that

God would use these readings to deepen and sweeten your ado-ration of Jesus this December and keep him as the center and

greatest treasure of your Christmas season The candles and

candies have their place but we want to make sure that in all

the Christmas rush and hubbub we adore Jesus above all

John Piper is founder and teaching of desiringGodorg and

chancellor Bethlehem College amp Seminary He is author of more

than 50 books and more than 30 years of his teaching ministry

is available online free of charge at desiringGodorg



copy 2013 Desiring God

Published by Desiring God

Post Office Box 2901

Minneapolis MN 55402wwwdesiringGodorg

Permissions

You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this

material in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in

any way and do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction

For web posting a link to this document on our website is required

Any exceptions to the above must be approved by Desiring God

Please include the following statement on any distributed copy

copy Desiring God Website desiringGodorg

Cover design and typesetting

Taylor Design Works

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added by the

author or editor



TABLE OF CONTENTS

i Preface

iv Introduction



Prepare the Way














Messiah or the Magi








Why Jesus Came






31 December 15 John 983089983088983089983088








37 December 18 John 983089983095983089983096




41 December 20 983089 John 983091983096


43 December 21 John 983089983096983091983095



Tat You May Believe








58 Appendix


the Coming o Christ




PREFACE









ally profitable






















































italics there)




Desiring God


















Introduction








us to be with him



















last verse











PREPARE THE WAY









i you are ready





December 1








































December 2













riah in Luke 983089








December 3































December 4


























Son Jesus Christ


















December 5





















December 6

































not just or Jews






December 7







o the world






















December 8






















to get it done




































December 9





was happening









get rid o Jesus























December 10





















December 11

WHY JESUS CAME




















































the death o his Son



























ows pass away

December 12


































December 13



































in Christ

December 14








































December 15



















tastes are good




















gic victories





December 16






































December 17








our unrighteousness

































December 18





China He said

































death





No No Tink




















news or God

December 20














the product





























December 21




















December 22





























Really believe



















December 23


















tion in God























December 24


































December 25










































and should tremble
























in a moment












humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










or sinners to enjoy













(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh
















TABLE OF CONTENTS

i Preface

iv Introduction



Prepare the Way














Messiah or the Magi








Why Jesus Came






31 December 15 John 983089983088983089983088








37 December 18 John 983089983095983089983096




41 December 20 983089 John 983091983096


43 December 21 John 983089983096983091983095



Tat You May Believe








58 Appendix


the Coming o Christ




PREFACE









ally profitable






















































italics there)




Desiring God


















Introduction








us to be with him



















last verse











PREPARE THE WAY









i you are ready





December 1








































December 2













riah in Luke 983089








December 3































December 4


























Son Jesus Christ


















December 5





















December 6

































not just or Jews






December 7







o the world






















December 8






















to get it done




































December 9





was happening









get rid o Jesus























December 10





















December 11

WHY JESUS CAME




















































the death o his Son



























ows pass away

December 12


































December 13



































in Christ

December 14








































December 15



















tastes are good




















gic victories





December 16






































December 17








our unrighteousness

































December 18





China He said

































death





No No Tink




















news or God

December 20














the product





























December 21




















December 22





























Really believe



















December 23


















tion in God























December 24


































December 25










































and should tremble
























in a moment












humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










or sinners to enjoy













(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh



















Messiah or the Magi








Why Jesus Came






31 December 15 John 983089983088983089983088








37 December 18 John 983089983095983089983096




41 December 20 983089 John 983091983096


43 December 21 John 983089983096983091983095



Tat You May Believe








58 Appendix


the Coming o Christ




PREFACE









ally profitable






















































italics there)




Desiring God


















Introduction








us to be with him



















last verse











PREPARE THE WAY









i you are ready





December 1








































December 2













riah in Luke 983089








December 3































December 4


























Son Jesus Christ


















December 5





















December 6

































not just or Jews






December 7







o the world






















December 8






















to get it done




































December 9





was happening









get rid o Jesus























December 10





















December 11

WHY JESUS CAME




















































the death o his Son



























ows pass away

December 12


































December 13



































in Christ

December 14








































December 15



















tastes are good




















gic victories





December 16






































December 17








our unrighteousness

































December 18





China He said

































death





No No Tink




















news or God

December 20














the product





























December 21




















December 22





























Really believe



















December 23


















tion in God























December 24


































December 25










































and should tremble
























in a moment












humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










or sinners to enjoy













(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh
















37 December 18 John 983089983095983089983096




41 December 20 983089 John 983091983096


43 December 21 John 983089983096983091983095



Tat You May Believe








58 Appendix


the Coming o Christ




PREFACE









ally profitable






















































italics there)




Desiring God


















Introduction








us to be with him



















last verse











PREPARE THE WAY









i you are ready





December 1








































December 2













riah in Luke 983089








December 3































December 4


























Son Jesus Christ


















December 5





















December 6

































not just or Jews






December 7







o the world






















December 8






















to get it done




































December 9





was happening









get rid o Jesus























December 10





















December 11

WHY JESUS CAME




















































the death o his Son



























ows pass away

December 12


































December 13



































in Christ

December 14








































December 15



















tastes are good




















gic victories





December 16






































December 17








our unrighteousness

































December 18





China He said

































death





No No Tink




















news or God

December 20














the product





























December 21




















December 22





























Really believe



















December 23


















tion in God























December 24


































December 25










































and should tremble
























in a moment












humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










or sinners to enjoy













(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh

















PREFACE









ally profitable






















































italics there)




Desiring God


















Introduction








us to be with him



















last verse











PREPARE THE WAY









i you are ready





December 1








































December 2













riah in Luke 983089








December 3































December 4


























Son Jesus Christ


















December 5





















December 6

































not just or Jews






December 7







o the world






















December 8






















to get it done




































December 9





was happening









get rid o Jesus























December 10





















December 11

WHY JESUS CAME




















































the death o his Son



























ows pass away

December 12


































December 13



































in Christ

December 14








































December 15



















tastes are good




















gic victories





December 16






































December 17








our unrighteousness

































December 18





China He said

































death





No No Tink




















news or God

December 20














the product





























December 21




















December 22





























Really believe



















December 23


















tion in God























December 24


































December 25










































and should tremble
























in a moment












humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










or sinners to enjoy













(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh































































italics there)




Desiring God


















Introduction








us to be with him



















last verse











PREPARE THE WAY









i you are ready





December 1








































December 2













riah in Luke 983089








December 3































December 4


























Son Jesus Christ


















December 5





















December 6

































not just or Jews






December 7







o the world






















December 8






















to get it done




































December 9





was happening









get rid o Jesus























December 10





















December 11

WHY JESUS CAME




















































the death o his Son



























ows pass away

December 12


































December 13



































in Christ

December 14








































December 15



















tastes are good




















gic victories





December 16






































December 17








our unrighteousness

































December 18





China He said

































death





No No Tink




















news or God

December 20














the product





























December 21




















December 22





























Really believe



















December 23


















tion in God























December 24


































December 25










































and should tremble
























in a moment












humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










or sinners to enjoy













(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh































Introduction








us to be with him



















last verse











PREPARE THE WAY









i you are ready





December 1








































December 2













riah in Luke 983089








December 3































December 4


























Son Jesus Christ


















December 5





















December 6

































not just or Jews






December 7







o the world






















December 8






















to get it done




































December 9





was happening









get rid o Jesus























December 10





















December 11

WHY JESUS CAME




















































the death o his Son



























ows pass away

December 12


































December 13



































in Christ

December 14








































December 15



















tastes are good




















gic victories





December 16






































December 17








our unrighteousness

































December 18





China He said

































death





No No Tink




















news or God

December 20














the product





























December 21




















December 22





























Really believe



















December 23


















tion in God























December 24


































December 25










































and should tremble
























in a moment












humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










or sinners to enjoy













(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh





















us to be with him



















last verse











PREPARE THE WAY









i you are ready





December 1








































December 2













riah in Luke 983089








December 3































December 4


























Son Jesus Christ


















December 5





















December 6

































not just or Jews






December 7







o the world






















December 8






















to get it done




































December 9





was happening









get rid o Jesus























December 10





















December 11

WHY JESUS CAME




















































the death o his Son



























ows pass away

December 12


































December 13



































in Christ

December 14








































December 15



















tastes are good




















gic victories





December 16






































December 17








our unrighteousness

































December 18





China He said

































death





No No Tink




















news or God

December 20














the product





























December 21




















December 22





























Really believe



















December 23


















tion in God























December 24


































December 25










































and should tremble
























in a moment












humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










or sinners to enjoy













(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh
























PREPARE THE WAY









i you are ready





December 1








































December 2













riah in Luke 983089








December 3































December 4


























Son Jesus Christ


















December 5





















December 6

































not just or Jews






December 7







o the world






















December 8






















to get it done




































December 9





was happening









get rid o Jesus























December 10





















December 11

WHY JESUS CAME




















































the death o his Son



























ows pass away

December 12


































December 13



































in Christ

December 14








































December 15



















tastes are good




















gic victories





December 16






































December 17








our unrighteousness

































December 18





China He said

































death





No No Tink




















news or God

December 20














the product





























December 21




















December 22





























Really believe



















December 23


















tion in God























December 24


































December 25










































and should tremble
























in a moment












humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










or sinners to enjoy













(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh





















































December 2













riah in Luke 983089








December 3































December 4


























Son Jesus Christ


















December 5





















December 6

































not just or Jews






December 7







o the world






















December 8






















to get it done




































December 9





was happening









get rid o Jesus























December 10





















December 11

WHY JESUS CAME




















































the death o his Son



























ows pass away

December 12


































December 13



































in Christ

December 14








































December 15



















tastes are good




















gic victories





December 16






































December 17








our unrighteousness

































December 18





China He said

































death





No No Tink




















news or God

December 20














the product





























December 21




















December 22





























Really believe



















December 23


















tion in God























December 24


































December 25










































and should tremble
























in a moment












humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










or sinners to enjoy













(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh


























riah in Luke 983089








December 3































December 4


























Son Jesus Christ


















December 5





















December 6

































not just or Jews






December 7







o the world






















December 8






















to get it done




































December 9





was happening









get rid o Jesus























December 10





















December 11

WHY JESUS CAME




















































the death o his Son



























ows pass away

December 12


































December 13



































in Christ

December 14








































December 15



















tastes are good




















gic victories





December 16






































December 17








our unrighteousness

































December 18





China He said

































death





No No Tink




















news or God

December 20














the product





























December 21




















December 22





























Really believe



















December 23


















tion in God























December 24


































December 25










































and should tremble
























in a moment












humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










or sinners to enjoy













(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh












































December 4


























Son Jesus Christ


















December 5





















December 6

































not just or Jews






December 7







o the world






















December 8






















to get it done




































December 9





was happening









get rid o Jesus























December 10





















December 11

WHY JESUS CAME




















































the death o his Son



























ows pass away

December 12


































December 13



































in Christ

December 14








































December 15



















tastes are good




















gic victories





December 16






































December 17








our unrighteousness

































December 18





China He said

































death





No No Tink




















news or God

December 20














the product





























December 21




















December 22





























Really believe



















December 23


















tion in God























December 24


































December 25










































and should tremble
























in a moment












humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










or sinners to enjoy













(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh







































Son Jesus Christ


















December 5





















December 6

































not just or Jews






December 7







o the world






















December 8






















to get it done




































December 9





was happening









get rid o Jesus























December 10





















December 11

WHY JESUS CAME




















































the death o his Son



























ows pass away

December 12


































December 13



































in Christ

December 14








































December 15



















tastes are good




















gic victories





December 16






































December 17








our unrighteousness

































December 18





China He said

































death





No No Tink




















news or God

December 20














the product





























December 21




















December 22





























Really believe



















December 23


















tion in God























December 24


































December 25










































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Conclusion
















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(Romans 983096983091)







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Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










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December 6

































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December 8






















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December 9





was happening









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December 10





















December 11

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the death o his Son



























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December 12


































December 13



































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December 14








































December 15



















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gic victories





December 16






































December 17








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December 18





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No No Tink




















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December 20














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December 21




















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Really believe



















December 23


















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December 24


































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Conclusion
















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thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










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December 6

































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December 7







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December 8






















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December 9





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December 10





















December 11

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December 12


































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December 14








































December 15



















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December 16






































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December 18





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December 20














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December 21




















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Really believe



















December 23


















tion in God























December 24


































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Conclusion
















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(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































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thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










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December 7







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December 8






















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December 9





was happening









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December 10





















December 11

WHY JESUS CAME




















































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December 12


































December 13



































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December 14








































December 15



















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December 16






































December 17








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December 18





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December 20














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December 21




















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Really believe



















December 23


















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Conclusion
















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Desiring God










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December 8






















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was happening









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December 10





















December 11

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the death o his Son



























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December 12


































December 13



































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December 14








































December 15



















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December 16






































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December 18





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December 20














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December 21




















December 22





























Really believe



















December 23


















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December 24


































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in a moment












humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










or sinners to enjoy













(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






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December 8






















to get it done




































December 9





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December 10





















December 11

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December 12


































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December 14








































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December 16






































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December 18





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December 20














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December 21




















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December 23


















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December 24


































December 25










































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Conclusion
















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(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










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December 9





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December 12


































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December 14








































December 15



















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December 16






































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December 18





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December 20














the product





























December 21




















December 22





























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December 23


















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December 24


































December 25










































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Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










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(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh










































December 9





was happening









get rid o Jesus























December 10





















December 11

WHY JESUS CAME




















































the death o his Son



























ows pass away

December 12


































December 13



































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December 14








































December 15



















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December 16






































December 17








our unrighteousness

































December 18





China He said

































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No No Tink




















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December 20














the product





























December 21




















December 22





























Really believe



















December 23


















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December 24


































December 25










































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Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










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(Romans 983096983091)







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Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh


















was happening









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December 10





















December 11

WHY JESUS CAME




















































the death o his Son



























ows pass away

December 12


































December 13



































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December 14








































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December 16






































December 17








our unrighteousness

































December 18





China He said

































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December 20














the product





























December 21




















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Really believe



















December 23


















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December 24


































December 25










































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Conclusion
















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(Romans 983096983091)







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Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






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December 10





















December 11

WHY JESUS CAME




















































the death o his Son



























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December 12


































December 13



































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December 14








































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December 16






































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December 18





China He said

































death





No No Tink




















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December 20














the product





























December 21




















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Really believe



















December 23


















tion in God























December 24


































December 25










































and should tremble
























in a moment












humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










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(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh


































December 11

WHY JESUS CAME




















































the death o his Son



























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December 12


































December 13



































in Christ

December 14








































December 15



















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December 16






































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December 18





China He said

































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December 20














the product





























December 21




















December 22





























Really believe



















December 23


















tion in God























December 24


































December 25










































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Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










or sinners to enjoy













(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh





















































the death o his Son



























ows pass away

December 12


































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in Christ

December 14








































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tastes are good




















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December 16






































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our unrighteousness

































December 18





China He said

































death





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December 20














the product





























December 21




















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Really believe



















December 23


















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December 25










































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humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










or sinners to enjoy













(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh






























ows pass away

December 12


































December 13



































in Christ

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December 15



















tastes are good




















gic victories





December 16






































December 17








our unrighteousness

































December 18





China He said

































death





No No Tink




















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December 20














the product





























December 21




















December 22





























Really believe



















December 23


















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December 25










































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Conclusion
















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(Romans 983096983091)







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Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh















































December 13



































in Christ

December 14








































December 15



















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December 16






































December 17








our unrighteousness

































December 18





China He said

































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December 20














the product





























December 21




















December 22





























Really believe



















December 23


















tion in God























December 24


































December 25










































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in a moment












humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










or sinners to enjoy













(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh
















































in Christ

December 14








































December 15



















tastes are good




















gic victories





December 16






































December 17








our unrighteousness

































December 18





China He said

































death





No No Tink




















news or God

December 20














the product





























December 21




















December 22





























Really believe



















December 23


















tion in God























December 24


































December 25










































and should tremble
























in a moment












humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










or sinners to enjoy













(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh





















































December 15



















tastes are good




















gic victories





December 16






































December 17








our unrighteousness

































December 18





China He said

































death





No No Tink




















news or God

December 20














the product





























December 21




















December 22





























Really believe



















December 23


















tion in God























December 24


































December 25










































and should tremble
























in a moment












humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










or sinners to enjoy













(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh
































tastes are good




















gic victories





December 16






































December 17








our unrighteousness

































December 18





China He said

































death





No No Tink




















news or God

December 20














the product





























December 21




















December 22





























Really believe



















December 23


















tion in God























December 24


































December 25










































and should tremble
























in a moment












humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










or sinners to enjoy













(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










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gic victories





December 16






































December 17








our unrighteousness

































December 18





China He said

































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December 20














the product





























December 21




















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Really believe



















December 23


















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December 24


































December 25










































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humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










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Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






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December 17








our unrighteousness

































December 18





China He said

































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December 20














the product





























December 21




















December 22





























Really believe



















December 23


















tion in God























December 24


































December 25










































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humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










or sinners to enjoy













(Romans 983096983091)







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Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh





















our unrighteousness

































December 18





China He said

































death





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December 20














the product





























December 21




















December 22





























Really believe



















December 23


















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December 24


































December 25










































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humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










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(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh






























December 18





China He said

































death





No No Tink




















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December 20














the product





























December 21




















December 22





























Really believe



















December 23


















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December 24


































December 25










































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Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










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(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh


















China He said

































death





No No Tink




















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December 20














the product





























December 21




















December 22





























Really believe



















December 23


















tion in God























December 24


































December 25










































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in a moment












humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










or sinners to enjoy













(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh




























death





No No Tink




















news or God

December 20














the product





























December 21




















December 22





























Really believe



















December 23


















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December 24


































December 25










































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in a moment












humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










or sinners to enjoy













(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh





























news or God

December 20














the product





























December 21




















December 22





























Really believe



















December 23


















tion in God























December 24


































December 25










































and should tremble
























in a moment












humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










or sinners to enjoy













(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh



























the product





























December 21




















December 22





























Really believe



















December 23


















tion in God























December 24


































December 25










































and should tremble
























in a moment












humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










or sinners to enjoy













(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh































December 21




















December 22





























Really believe



















December 23


















tion in God























December 24


































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humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










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(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh

































December 22





























Really believe



















December 23


















tion in God























December 24


































December 25










































and should tremble
























in a moment












humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










or sinners to enjoy













(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh










































Really believe



















December 23


















tion in God























December 24


































December 25










































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in a moment












humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










or sinners to enjoy













(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh
































December 23


















tion in God























December 24


































December 25










































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in a moment












humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










or sinners to enjoy













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the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh































tion in God























December 24


































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in a moment












humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










or sinners to enjoy













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the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh































December 24


































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humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










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the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh















































December 25










































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Conclusion
















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the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh























































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in a moment












humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










or sinners to enjoy













(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh




















in a moment












humility

Conclusion
















on a crossrdquo










or sinners to enjoy













(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh





























on a crossrdquo










or sinners to enjoy













(Romans 983096983091)







the point o death




































Appendix

















thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh

























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Desiring God










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human flesh







































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thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh






























thians 983095983089983097)





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh





















Desiring God










wwwdesiringGodorg






human flesh



















human flesh














christmas bible study

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