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Advent Devotional for Friday, December 7
Philippians 1:18b-26
Leading into today’s passage, Paul speaks from prison to the early church with words that sound all too modern: “Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; the latter do it out of love ... the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives” Paul then says an amazing thing: “whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice.” He even says it twice in case the readers/hearers can’t believe their ears. Yes, Paul rejoices even when Christ is proclaimed for the wrong reasons!
Can we, should we, rejoice when someone is using Christ and his birthday to market goods? Can we, should we, rejoice when someone we politically disagree with is touting Christ to support their agenda? Can Paul possibly mean such a thing? What better time than Advent to think about the use or misuse of the gospel message?
Paul has learned that God uses circumstances that seem like defeat to achieve greater success than we finite humans can understand. Paul’s point is central to the Christmas story. A baby born in poverty changes the world. A homeless man preaches a message that changes millions of lives. A man who experiences capital punishment is the savior of the world. No matter how “counterintuitive” the message, it is in God’s hands. In this season, we can proclaim, no matter how bad things look, that God has come among us in the person of Jesus Christ, to be present with us and to work God’s purpose out. These are tidings of great joy!
Oh God, who has expressed your great love for us by coming among us, grant us the firm and certain knowledge of your love for us in Christ, that we might know in our minds and in our hearts that we are yours, and all will be well. For it is in the name of Emanuel, God with us, we pray, Amen.
Gordon Blackman, Jr.
Middler MDiv student from Shreveport, Louisiana
For the glory of God and to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary is a seminary in the Presbyterian-Reformed tradition whose mission is to educate and equip individuals for the ordained Christian ministry and other forms of Christian service and leadership; to employ its resources in the service of the church; to promote and engage in critical theological thought and research; and to be a winsome and exemplary community of God's people.
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