Merry Christmas church!
It’s a good day. I’m at one of my favorite coffee spots, the fire (albeit fake) is roaring, it’s snowing outside, and we’re less than a week away from Christmas. If I didn’t know better, I would say it is a perfect day. But, I do know better or, at least, I have been shown better and it’s not perfect. There is something more to hope for. Romans 8:18-19 says, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.”
2 Corinthians 4:17 says, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” Both of those passages remind me that even the most idyllic experiences of this life will pale in comparison to what is to come for those who have responded in saving faith to the call of Jesus. We are given glimpses or tastes of them now, all the while knowing they are not complete. That is why those of us who know Jesus can say we have been redeemed, but we await redemption with eager expectation. It’s sometimes called “the already, but not yet.”
This is also the truth of Ruth 4. As you read the chapter in preparation for church on Sunday morning, you will see it is the climax of the story. Boaz will redeem Ruth, Naomi will be cared for as a widow, and to all of them a son will be given. The book closes with this child. His name is Obed, which is not terribly significant. What is important is that Obed has a son. His name is Jesse. Then, Jesse has a son. Jesse’s son’s name is David. God chose David and made Him the greatest king in the history of Israel. About 1000 years after David, God sent Jesus. He would be born into the line of David and thus the line of Obed. Jesus is the greater David. He is the greatest King.
The Book of Ruth ends well. If I didn’t know better, I would say it ends perfectly. And, in a way it does, because it begins to point to Jesus, but at the end of Ruth we still must wait. The message of Ruth is the message of Christmas, which is the message of the Bible; that because He came the first time we may be redeemed and because He is coming again we wait in eager expectation for our redemption. Let’s join together on Sunday morning saying, “Come quickly Lord Jesus” with eager expectation.
The snow is starting to stick, I think it’s going to be a good Christmas…but a better one is coming.
Merry Christmas,
Pastor Adam
