September 19th, 20

 The Son has been Given

Today’s readings are Daniel 5 – 6, Psalm 130, and Luke 3.  We are reading from the New Living Translation.

Unto us a son is given.  So many sons are given.  All of them are waiting for, pointing to, leading up to THE son – the Son of God.  John the Baptist is the final herald before God Himself announces that His son has finally arrived.  Jesus is the second Adam.  Where the first Adam failed, this Son will not.  Where the first Adam brought sorrow and death, this one will bring life and joy.  Of this Son, John the Baptist says he is not even worthy to stoop down and untie his shoes.  Of this Son, God the Father says, He’s my boy, and he brings me great joy.  

Jesus is the son that‘s going to end all that’s wrong in this world.  He’s going to bring about God’s new kingdom with God’s new people.  He’s the one who will make the world right again and return this world to God.  This Son will fill the valleys.  The mountains and hills will be levelled by this son.  The curves will be straightened and the rough places made smooth.  All that’s broken and wrong in this world will be made right again.  All the injustice, war, pain, loneliness and want – it will all be no more.  Because God has found a way, through his Son, to make what was wrong, right again.  

Seventy-seven times in Luke’s genealogy, we hear the phrase, “the son of”.  All the sons, from Adam to Jesus, all the prophets, all of history, are all pointing to this moment when God comes to us, as a son.  This Son will answer the question of the crowds, the tax collectors, the soldiers, the religious people, and people like you and me – that are crying out, “What do we do?!”  What do we do about all that’s wrong in us and around us?  John’s answer is:

Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (Jn 1:29 NLT)

The Son of God, the second Adam, will take away the sin of the world, and he will give us life.

For a child is born to us,  a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called:  

Wonderful Counselor,Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!  (Isa 9:6-7 NLT)

Look to the Son, the One with whom God is pleased – the One who has the answer to your cry of: What do we do?.  Look to him, trust him and walk with him. 

You are loved!