WEEK 2 -FOUNDATION STONES FOR CHRISTMAS
King’s Cross Ministries has prepared 3 special devotional studies for this Advent Season – 1 for each week leading up to Christmas. Each devotional study is based on an aspect of our Foundation Stones course.
Week 2
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
The words in our John 14: 6 reading for this week are words that cut both ways. For you and I, who are saved through recognising the unique Person of Christ, we find tremendous comfort in these words. At the same time, we fear for our family members and friends who will not, or cannot, recognise Jesus. We know for sure that they will not be able to be restored to God any other way.
For the next week we are going to focus on catapulting off Christmas in a renewed effort to have Faith in God (the third Foundation Stone) for those who are not yet in Christ. And in doing this, let us be very, very encouraged by the story of Christmas. For the story of Christmas shows us that God is already at work. His heart and His work is most evident and clear in Jesus. We look at the Son and see the Father who cannot be seen. You’re not alone in reaching out to your friends, family, and neighbours. God has already gone ahead of you.
So how can we link arms with the Lord this Christmas and offer Him our faith for friends and family?
- Invite them to a carol service or a Christmas service
- Christmas creates a natural environment in which to speak about Jesus, so pray and ask the Lord to set up those Divine appointments
- Give them a gift they REALLY need. You know the people you’re praying for and so does God. What do they need most right now?
Love
At Christmas, God demonstrated his love for us by sending his Son to be born as a human baby—to live among us and ultimately die for us. As we receive God’s love and are transformed by it, we are called in turn to love God by loving others as his representatives in this broken world. Is there a way of showing love to this person?
Joy
The angels announced to the shepherds that the coming of Jesus was a great and joyful event that was significant for everyone. God had come to live among us! Life in this world is often difficult, but living with God’s constant presence and an eternal hope allows us to experience joy no matter what we may face. God’s presence in our lives is always a reason for joy. The joy of the Lord is our strength – should you be speaking to that person about the real source of joy?
Purpose
By sending his Son at Christmas to reconcile us to himself, God demonstrated his desire to reach out to us and to call us into friendship with himself through Jesus. Our purpose in life is first to joyfully embrace this friendship with God, and then to join God in his redeeming work in the world, whatever form that might take. Does this person lack a sense of purpose? Can you approach the subject of God from this angle?
Forgiveness
By sending Jesus at Christmas, God was putting into action his plan for our forgiveness and redemption. Through his eventual death on the cross, Jesus would pay for our guilt before God and pave the way to our reconciliation with him. And as those who have been forgiven, we are called upon to give forgiveness to all those who have wronged us. Do you need to forgive this person?