TheRoadtoEmmaus

AdailydevotionalfortheForestdaleCommunityChurch

November28–December2,2016

ThisweekinStillness&SilenceTheseasonofAdventisaseasonofwaitinginexpectation.Theword“advent”means“coming,”andwhatweareexpectantlyawaitingisthecomingoftheLord.AsChristianswelookbackintimetothefirstcomingofJesus,andwelookforwardintimetoHissecondcoming.Butinthepresent,weinviteJesustocometousnow,andtomakeHispresenceknowntousbyHisHolySpirit.SoinyourtimesofstillnessbeforetheLordthisweek:• Sitdownandtakeafewdeepbreathstosettleintosilence.• CloseyoureyesandofferthisprayertoJesus,invitingHimto

havefullaccesstoyourlife:“Come,LordJesus.”(Rev.22:20b)

• Whenyoubecomedistracted,offeragainthissimpleprayertorefocusonwelcomingJesusintoyourlife.

Monday MakingtheConnectionBeStillBeforeTheLord (2minutes)ScriptureReading:Isaiah61:1

TheSpiritoftheSovereignLordisonme,becausetheLordhasanointedmetopreachgoodnewstothepoor.

Devotional

It’snothardtodiscoverJesusinthisOldTestamentprophecy,becauseJesusappliedtheseveryversestoHimselfinthesynagogueinNazareth.Jesustoldtheverypeoplehehadgrownupwith:“TodaythisScriptureisfulfilledinyourhearing.”(Luke4:3)

JesuswastellingthemoutrightthatHewastheLord’s“anointedOne”(theHebrewwordis“Messiah”).AndHewasoutliningHismissionstatement:infulfillmentofScriptureHehadcometopreachgoodnewstothepoor,bindupthebrokenhearted,proclaimfreedomforthecaptives,releasefromdarknessfortheprisoners,andproclaimtheyearoftheLord’sfavor.AndthatwasexactlywhatJesusthensetouttodo.Later,whenJohntheBaptistwasthrownintoprisonandwonderedwhetherJesusreallywastheMessiah,Jesussaid:“GobackandreporttoJohnwhatyouhaveseenandheard:Theblindreceivesight,thelamewalk,thosewhohaveleprosyarecured,thedeafhear,thedeadareraised,andthegoodnewsispreachedtothepoor.”(Luke7:22)

ThegoodnewsofAdventisthatJesuswasindeedwhoHesaidHewas.WelookbackinwonderatallthatHedid,andwelookforwardinhopetoallHewillbringtofulfillment.Question:Buthowaboutinthepresent?Inwhatpartofyourlifedoyouneedgoodnews,oramendedheart,orreleasefrombondage,orhealingofbodyorsoul?BeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)Prayer:LordJesus,comeandministerthegoodnewsofyourKingdominmylifetoday,sothatImightbesetfreetoproclaimthewondersofYourlovetothosearoundme.Amen.

Tuesday: PrayerBeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)Scripture Isaiah61:3“…andprovideforthosewhogrieveinZion—

tobestowonthemacrownofbeautyinsteadofashes,theoilofjoyinsteadofmourning,andagarmentofpraiseinsteadofaspiritofdespair.Theywillbecalledoaksofrighteousness,aplantingoftheLORDforthedisplayofhissplendor.”

DevotionalBeforeJesus,theworldwasindespairandneededaMessiah,aSavior.Isaiah’swordswerethebreathofhope.HedirectedthegrievingofZiontowardalivinghopethatwouldexceedallelse.Wheretherewereashes(deathanddesolation);hepromisedacrownofbeauty.Insteadofmourningandgrief,hepromisedthatwewouldbeanointedwithjoy.Andinsteadofdespair,wewouldbefilledwithpraise.JesusChrist,theSonofGodcameasababytolive,dieandberesurrectedforus,sothatwecanbesturdyoaksofrighteousnessforHisglory.HowamazingisGod’splan!Theprophet’swordsinIsaiah61:3,giveussomuchtobethankfulfor.AsweenterintotheAdventseason,wecanbowinprayer,thankingGodforthefulfillmentofprophecy:HopeandJoythatcameinthefleshastheMessiahwasbornonChristmas.Question:DuringthisAdventseason,howcanwewearthe

garmentofpraiseandlivefortheMessiah,ourSavior?BeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)Prayer: DearGod,thankyouforyouramazingplanofhopeforafallenworld.Pleasehelpustorememberthatyougaveusacrownofbeautyinsteadofashes.Becauseofyou,weputonthegarmentofpraise.Amen.

Wednesday:Rest

BeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)

Scripture: Isaiah61:1b-2,7Hehassentmetobindupthebrokenhearted,toproclaimfreedomforthecaptivesandreleasefromdarknessfortheprisoners,[a]2toproclaimtheyearoftheLORD’sfavor…7Insteadofyourshameyouwillreceiveadoubleportion,andinsteadofdisgraceyouwillrejoiceinyourinheritance.

Devotional: Jesuswasanextraordinaryteacher.HewasteachinginallthesynagoguesashetraveledfromGalileetohishometownofNazareth.OntheSabbathdayhewashandedthescrolloftheprophetIsaiahwherehereadfromIsaiah61.

AttheendofHisreadingJesusbeganbysayingtothem,“Today,thisscriptureisfulfilledinyourhearing!”Canyouimaginetheastonishmentofpeopleinthesynagoguethatday,knowingthatJesuswasJoseph,thecarpenter’sson?TheyknewabouttheawaitedMessiahandtheyarehearingJesussay,“IamHe.”

Theirunbeliefangeredthem.Butwhataboutus?Insteadofshamewehavereceivedadoubleportionofgrace.Insteadofdisgraceweareabletorejoiceinourinheritance.CanwebelievethisgoodnewsandrestintheamazingassurancethatJesushasusheredintheyearoftheLord’sfavor?

Question:DoyoubelievethatJesusisWhoHeclaimedtobe?WhathaveyouheardandexperiencedfromJoseph’sson?

BeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)

Prayer: IdelightgreatlyintheLORD;mysoulrejoicesinmyGod.ForHehasclothedmewithgarmentsofsalvationandarrayedmeinarobeofHisrighteousness,asabrideadornsherselfwithherjewels.ThankyouSovereignLordforthegiftofimputedrighteousness.WerejoiceandlookforwardtodwellinginthehouseoftheLordwithYouforever.Amen.

Thursday:RelationshipsBeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)Scripture:Isaiah40:31

“TheythatwaitupontheLord…..”

Devotional

Advent,atimeofwaiting….wespendmuchofourliveswaiting.Waitinginline,waitingforaphonecall,waitingforthenextchapterinourlives,waitingintraffic,waitingforsomeonetochange,waitingforourselvestochange….somuchwaiting.Somewaitingisexcitingwhileotherkindsofwaitingmakeusfrustratedandimpatient.Andforthosethingsthatreallymatter,longingisaddedtothewaiting.It’sourrelationshipwithChristthatcanmakewaitingnotonlybearable,butalsofilledwithhope.

Whichmakesmethinkofthisstillnesswearetryingtopracticewhileusingthesedevotionals.Stillnessisn’tjustanyoldformofwaiting.It’swaitingontheGodoftheUniversetomove.It’ssaying,“Lord,myrelationshipwithyouismoreimportantthananythingelse.”It’ssoimportantthat,“Iwillmakeeverythingelseinmylifewait,whileIsitwithyou.”ThisisthekindofwaitingwherelongingscanbemetandourrelationshipwiththeLordcanbedeepened.Question:Haveyoutried“waitingontheLord”throughstillness?BeStillBeforetheLord(2minutes)Prayer:Lord,letthisAdventseasonbirthinus,anewappreciationfor‘waitingonyou.’Clearawaythedistractionsandcauseourlongingforadeeperrelationshipwithyoutogrow.Amen.

Friday: WorkBeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)Scripture:Isaiah61:1-2

“TheSpiritoftheSovereignLordisonme,becausetheLordhasanointedmetoproclaimgoodnewstothepoor.Hehassentmetobindupthebrokenhearted,toproclaimfreedomforthecaptivesandreleasefromdarknessfortheprisoners,toproclaimtheyearoftheLord’sfavor.”

Devotional TheyearoftheLord’sfavorisreferringtotheperiodwhensalvationwouldbeproclaimed–theMessianicAge.IsaiahwasprimarilypredictingtheliberationofIsraelfromtheirfutureBabylonianexile,butJesusproclaimedliberationfromsinandallitsconsequences. JesushasfulfilledthesescripturesandfinishedHiswork.Heaccomplishedthatonthecross.OurworkofChristianlivingrequiresgreatcommitment.Therearesomanysinsandtemptationstodistractus,thatourtaskasChristianscanbecomeexhausting.Aswelookatourstruggleswithsin,I’dlikeyoutoreadthefollowingfromC.S.Lewis,“Weneverfindoutthestrengthoftheevilimpulsesinsideusuntilwetrytofight:Christ,becauseHewastheonlymanwhoneveryieldedtotemptation,istheonlymanwhoknowstothefullestwhattemptationmeans.”Heknowswhattemptsus;HeistheOnewhowillgiveusstrengthsolongasweleanonHim!Halleluiah!Question:Whatsinortemptationareyoubattlingonyourown?Whatsinortemptationhaveyounotyettriedtobattle?Prayer:LordJesus,theverythoughtofyouovercomingalltemptationsiscompletelybeyondallunderstanding.Simplyknowingthatyoucanrescueusfromtemptationsbringssuchasighofrelief.HowcanwepossiblyexpressouradmirationandappreciationforYou?Amen.BeStillBeforetheLord(2minutes)

TheDevotionalwritersthisweek:

Monday: PaulMcPheetersTuesday:ChrisRedford

Wednesday: NancyMcLaughlinThursday:BethGovoni

Friday: ChristineBartholomew