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Advent devotions 2008

DEC. 12 - FINDING OUR VOICE AGAIN
By Rachel S. Gerber, apartment manager

SCRIPTURE: John 1:6-8, 19-28 (NRSV)
Scroll down for complete Scripture.

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DEVOTIONAL:
In our text today, we hear a loud voice -- John the Baptist preparing the way for Jesus’ ministry. His sense of clarity of purpose and mission challenges me. John knew who he was and responded to others out of it.

Likewise, I wonder, ‘What shall I cry?’ And suddenly, I’m at a loss for words. It seems like as the Church, in this world of many voices, we have lost ours. In the past, it seems that when the Church responded, it tended to do more harm than good. It’s no wonder the world is cynical and distrusting of religion. And I bet there might be a good number of current church-goers that feel the same way. Because of this, our response to God’s call to “cry out,” turns silent.

But what if we got again to the heart of Christianity -- Jesus -- and found our voice there? What would it sound like? What if Christianity is not so much about “getting yourself saved,” as it is about an invitation to join the mission of God’s people to meet the world’s needs?

In the season of Advent, we await the coming of God in the person of the baby Jesus. This is not a season where we simply wait for an anniversary to come, but rather it’s a time to reflect on the nature of the One who came first to us, and who invites us to jump on board with what this One is doing in our world. So what then, shall we cry out? Let us discover together how God is calling us anew today, so that we too might join in the words of John to prepare the coming way of the Lord!

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SCRIPTURE: John 1:6-8, 19-28 (NRSV)
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.

This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, 'Who are you?' He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, 'I am not the Messiah.' And they asked him, 'What then? Are you Elijah?' He said, 'I am not.' 'Are you the prophet?' He answered, 'No.' Then they said to him, 'Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?' He said, 'I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, "Make straight the way of the Lord" ',
as the prophet Isaiah said.

Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, 'Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?' John answered them, 'I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.' This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.

Posted at 22:53 #