Come Thou Long Expected Jesus

Good Morning! 

Hear the following Wesley hymn  of this season …

1. Come, thou long expected Jesus,
born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us,
let us find our rest in thee.
Israel's strength and consolation,
hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation,
joy of every longing heart.

2. Born thy people to deliver,
born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever,
now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal spirit
rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all sufficient merit,
raise us to thy glorious throne.

What a beautiful hymn for our Christmas season, reminding us of the coming of the Christ, the Anointed One who would save all people from our sin.  From the moment Eve looked upon the forbidden fruit until Christ cried out “tetelestai”, humankind was under the condemnation of sin.  But when Jesus cried out “It is finished”, the price for our sinful nature was paid in full by His precious blood.

This morning, I was looking at one other person in the Luke account of the birth of Christ …

Luke 2:36-38 English Standard Version (ESV)

³⁶ And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, ³⁷ and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.^[a] She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. ³⁸ And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

Footnotes:

Luke 2:37 Or as a widow for eighty-four years

People in Israel had been waiting for over four hundred years … looking for the One whom they supposed would return Israel to the grandeur of the rule of David and Solomon.  Anna lived at the Temple, waiting to see the One.  And when He came, she rejoiced, giving thanks to God.

But the focus was mistaken … for God does not intend a kingdom of this world but of all creation.  This kingdom came with the birth of Jesus … who is the Messiah, Christ, Anointed.  But, because our minds are limited and our sight blinded, humankind could not conceive of such a kingdom.  When the physical restoration of Jerusalem did not occur, the people turned against Jesus … with the result being our freedom from sin.

We still await the Christ. He has promised that He will come again.  So … come thou long expected Jesus. We await that day.

Agape’

Mr. Jim

  

Prayer: Father, we await the coming of our Lord.  We know that the timing is Yours and Yours alone.  We know that the time will come when You know the last person who will receive Jesus as Lord and Savior has made that commitment.  May we continue to share Christ with all until His coming.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for today: Luke 2:36-38