Here is the Messiah!

Wednesday, First Week of Advent SCRIPTURE Matthew 24:23 35 (NRSV) The end is coming Then if anyone says to you, 'Look! Here is the Messiah!' or 'There he is!' do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce great signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. Take note, I have told you beforehand. So, if they say to you, 'Look! He is in the wilderness,' do not go out. If they say, 'Look! He is in the inner rooms,' do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather. "Immediately after the suffering of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see 'the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven' with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. DEVOTION Ha! I've always taken great joy in knowing that when Jesus comes for the second time I will be well aware of it! I love the words, For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. During this Advent Season, we take joy in living with a spirit of anticipation. We are waiting with baited breath. We are hoping that Jesus will come, or arrive, in our midst! Perhaps he will come to us in the Old Testament prophesies that we read in our Bibles. Perhaps he will come to us in Word or Sacrament. Perhaps he will come to us in our quiet time for reading, meditation, and prayer... Or maybe, the sky will be split open and a trumpet will sound and the dead in Christ will rise up into the air, and Jesus will establish a new heaven and a new Earth in our midst this CHRISTmas Season! Ah! Isn't this wonderful to contemplate? I love Advent. I love waiting. After all, good things come to those who wait...Right? Let's pray: Oh God, I'm hoping. I'm praying. I'm dreaming. I'm imagining. I'm waiting for you. Fill up my heart with the joy and please help me to declare your glory today and every day. I pray this in Jesus' Name, Amen. INVITATION If you have questions about how to become a friend and follower of Jesus, please see the devotion entitled, “Come to Jesus” @ http://bit.ly/JVhaLta