To play the audio, just click the play button above at left. To download, click the "Advent 4" title in yellow in the box above, which will take you to a site where you can down load it as an mp3 file. If you see no image above or the audio will not play, click here for audio.
So - love all. This last theme of the Advent conspiracy seems pretty simple on the surface, doesn't it? But let's be honest. It's probably the hardest to really live out. Love itself is a big enough topic - but then when the invitation and challenge is to love all - we've got a tall order on our hands.
Who is the hardest person for you to love today? Is it someone you know or not?
Is it harder for you to love when you don't feel loved?
The radical, groundbreaking nature of Christ is that in his ministry, teachings, and life, we know that all is truly the intent. Jesus sought to love and reach out to those at the margins. The coming of God in Jesus means John 3:16 but also John 3:17 - "for Christ did not come to condemn the world, but that the whole world (kosmos) might have eternal life." As Christians, reflecting Christ's love, then, the invitation is not to let any barrier stop us - of social status, race, age, class, gender, conflict, disagreement, politics, past, but simply to love ALL. The challenge is to live it out.
In Galatians 5 we read about the hope and waiting we live out in Advent, and the fact that in Christ no label or division can keep us, but only love:
5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that counts is faith working through love.
At the end of today's podcast, we're giving you a brief preview of where we're headed. This podcast/blog will go on hiatus for a couple weeks and pick up mid-January, for the Epiphany season. Listen to today's podcast and stay tuned for what's ahead!
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