In these final days of Advent, our anticipation grows right alongside those who waited all those years ago. Join in with the generations, and lean in. He is coming soon.
She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.
—Matthew 1:21
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69 thoughts on "The Fourth Sunday of Advent"
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Jesus is the answer to everything that has meaning in life. His name means the Lord saves! Sometimes we (and I am counting myself in this) can get caught up with less important things and make them the most important things, when in reality the most important thing is being reconciled with the Holy God of the universe. Jesus gives us the way to do this.
Today, I want to be struck by the truth that His name means ‘the Lord saves’!
Dear Father,
Thank you that you see me in all my foolishness and sinfulness and still choose to love me. Help me to hate pride and selfish ambition. I am sorry for when my mind so often fixes itself on lesser things. This is idolatry and this does not honour you.
The miracle of Christmas is that you sent your Son on a rescue mission for humanity. For individuals like me who have nothing to boast about because everything that we have is a gift from you. Jesus, you saved me, and I know and trust that you continue to save others. Help me to come to you as a friend who understands.
I commit my work day to you. You know the emotions and the stresses, and they are not too much for you to handle. Help me to shine a light! Help me to shine brightly by fixing my eyes on you.
Lord God, I want to commit to you some women whose stories have struck me these past few days. You know their names, and I just pray that they will see Jesus saving their partners.
In your mighty name,
Amen
Amen
Amen
Amen!
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i can feel my excitement growing as we reach the final days of Advent! it went by so quickly, but now we really get to focus our hearts on what happened that holy night. Jesus came to save us from our sins. He is the best Christmas gift EVER!
Such a gift that feels so undeserving. Thank you God for your promises and for sending us your Son to save us. Amen.
Praise the Lord for his gift!
She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.
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When I was a little girl, certainly much much younger than I am now, :) I came home from school, asking when my birthday was, because my friend called Christina, had told me her birthday was on Christmas day. Well carrying the same-ish name I was hoping for the answer that I was also born on Christmas day..
Well, as you may know my birthday is nowhere near Christmas. I was disappointed! Not only that, I argued for ages with my dad as to why he would call me Christiana if I wasn’t named after Jesus or born on Christmas day, I mean, come on!!
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At aged 6, I didn’t understand, now at 66,_I am getting there.
Let’s face it, there was no Angel that visited my parents and told them to call me Christiana, and I am never going to save ‘my people’ from their sins..
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BUT GOD..
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And only God. can!
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He sent us JESUS, He gave us JESUS, He showed us JESUS.
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He continues to show us JESUS, every day. JESUS was NOT JUST FOR CHRISTMAS, He was for every single day of our lives. He came to save us from our sins, from ourselves oftentimes, and ALL we had to do was/is believe in the gift He was to us.
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He INDEED was and is THE GREATEST GIFT EVER..
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The perfect gift.!
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Thank you Father God, for the gift of Jesus who brings us HOPE, daily, and through Him, we can find the peace and freedom from sin..
Thank you Father God, Thank you..
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.Amen.
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Much love to all..❤
So excited for Christmas and a chance to celebrate our savior’s birth!
We just got back home from Illinois yesterday. Tom’s mom is 95 and with the loss of her husband and son, we have been trying to go back once a month. Tom is sick with the flu. It started coming on as we were in route. He did see his mom, but from a distance and with a mask. She is the sweetest and I’m sure it grieved him to not be able to give her a kiss and hug.
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I saw my friend with ovarian cancer. I think I mentioned that she now has a tumor in her brain. She is a very strong women. Believer. I’m so glad we got together. When I’m in Illinois I have so many around me that are believers. It brings my heart comfort and joy. I miss those people so much. It is where I raised my son as well. The memories flood back.
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I’m thankful for all of you. For the gift of travel to spend time with those I love. I’m thankful for God’s greatest gift, Jesus. I can’t imagine where I’d be without God’s love and saving grace.
So glad you made it home safely and had an uplifting visit. So sorry Tom missed out on those precious moments. Praying his flu is short-lived and that you don’t come down with it! ❤ Thankful your friend is a believer and pray God’s mervy on her! ❤
So glad He saved us!
JESUS!
Joy to the World!
Join in with the generations….that hit differently. I has never thought of it like that before. Thank you Jesus for coming!
Amen
Joy to the World the Lord has Come!!!!! Amen and amen!!!
…”He will save His people from their sins.
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Even before Jesus was born, even before He went to the cross — we were referred to as “His people”.
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Jesus – Prophet – Priest – King
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Thank you Father God for the mos wonderful, priceless gift that ever good have been given!
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Blessings to all my SRT sisters this morning! ❤️
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‘She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’ Matth 1:21
And this is what Christmas is all about. What extravagant love. Hallelujah. Thank you Lord that you are our Savior.✝️
On this 4th Sunday of Advent, may you all rest in of the hope, peace joy and love of Jesus and His presence fill your hearts and homes. Merry Christmas SRT sisters❤️
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Missed it the first time and watched the replay of The First Christmas last night, which portrayed this verse well.
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“He is coming soon.”
Reminded me of an oldie, Jesus Is Coming Soon, Robert E Winsett. Oak Ridge Boys and others have versions, and we sang it many many times in that little country church ….
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JOANNA SHAW Praying for your family
ADRIENNE praying for your husband’s eye, treatment and healing. And for both of you in navigating the healing period. Reminded me of an injured animal rescue attempt where it lashed out at everyone due to pain and confusion.
Thank you so much.
Great song and one we enjoyed singing as a mixed quartet many years ago!
Where did you access The First Christmas?
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Watched it on abc regular tv but not sure it will show again as I think it is now only streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.
GM!
“He will save the people from their sins!”
Hallelujah! No more animal sacrifices- though we do make sacrifices which at first may seem hard, but as we grow closer to Jesus, and KNOW the beautiful, saving sacrifice for ME- it is overflowing Joy and Love! It gives purpose to it all! Life- the hard, the painful, loss. It all can have new meaning with the light breaking in the darkness. We find joy and love among our troubles and keep going. Even the mundane becomes triumphant because we know our purpose for sharing Yeshua! The gift that is eternal!!
My flight was great! It’s good to be back home. :)
❤️ thankful for the safe trip, for the time with your family, for your dad’s health, the phone call with your nephew -praying for his salvation and safety.
Glad you had a great trip and safe travels. :)
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As I sat and read today, I tried to imagine how this news would have hit Mary and did some diving into what biblical echoes Mary would have heard from it. Here is what I found: “For nothing is impossible for the Lord” echoes the Lord’s response to Sara when she laughed at the promise of a child: “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” Mary is being reminded that:
God has often begun His redemptive work through impossible births. Her virginity is not a barrier to God’s purposes.
The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.” (Luke 1:32) recalls 2 Samuel 7, where God promised David an eternal throne and a son whose kingdom would never end, reminding Mary that God has not forgotten His promise to David and that the Messiah is coming through her.
“Greetings, you who are highly favored.” (Luke 1:28)
This mirrors how God addressed people like Gideon (Judges 6:12) an unlikely deliverer and Hannah (1 Samuel 1–2) a humble woman exalted by God. Mary is being reminded that God consistently chooses the lowly, and His grace, not status or power, drives His plan.
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you…” (Luke 1:35)
This recalls Genesis 1:2 the Spirit hovering over creation and God’s Spirit bringing order and life where none existed. Mary’s womb becomes the place of new creation.
“Let it be to me according to your word” shows she understands she is stepping into God’s ongoing redemptive story, not a random miracle.
RHONDA – hope you made it home pain free!
ADRIENNE – praying the Lord gives your husband ears to hear – mine too! lol
LYNNE from Alabama – praying for you this season and others who have lost loved ones.
TRACI GENDRON – glad the quote by Henri Nouen spoke to you. It sis me as well! I have been saying I feel disconnected and then that quote comes across my path as well as something similar, plus prayers from my SRT family, and I felt like God was saying, “I’m here – just slow down and look around.” I’m going to try to do that:)
Have a blessed day ladies!
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Thanks.
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Ya… I think he learned a definite lesson here.
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Amen!
Amen
Amen!
Like several of you, Advent has always seemed a “tradition “ for Sundays. I am so enlightened by what this lesson has taught me. It’s so exciting to see the history and prophecy becoming reality. The SRT studies always go deep and my sould is hungry for that teaching. Thank you SRT leadership!
Amen!
Amen! ❤
From the NET Bible study notes:
“The Greek form of the name Iēsous, which was translated into Latin as Jesus, is the same as the Hebrew Yeshua (Joshua), which means “Yahweh saves” (Yahweh is typically rendered as “LORD” in the OT). It was a fairly common name among Jews in 1st century Palestine, as references to a number of people by this name in the [Greek OT] and Josephus indicate.”
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You took on “common” flesh and were given a “common” name, all veiling the uncommon glory of Heaven. Thank You, Yeshua.
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SHERRY – praying the Lord floods your grandmother with His peace as she transitions to eternity.
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JOANNA SHAW – praying the Lord’s presence is tangible for your family in this time of need.
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ADRIANNE – praying for peace and healing in your home. Matthew 7:3 :-)
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RHONDA J – trusting the Lord carried you through the flight home.
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MARIA BAER – did you get moved in to your rebuilt house yet?
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Celebrate that Love has come (and will come again) with your church family today!
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Thanks a bunch!
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Amen ❤️
She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.
—Matthew 1:21
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
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From Paul Tripp Everyday Gospel;
God’s generosity reached its crescendo with the gift of Jesus. Every gift he had given pointed to his final gift. In this gift, we get forgiveness, reconciliation, and the transformation of our hearts. In all of God’s giving, there is no gift like Jesus.
God is still showering down his generosity on you. He blesses you everyday with his presence, promises, power and grace.
Such a gift as no other! Thank you God!
AMEN!
Amen ✝️
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I always enjoy Paul Trpp’s observations.
Amen♥️
AMEN! Love the song lyrics!!
I’ve never fully understood the meaning of Advent until I did this study. Praise God!
Praise God!!
Amen!
On this 4th Sunday of Advent – Love candle is lit.
As the song below says, ” Hallelujah, Love has come”!
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John 3:16 NLT-
For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
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SONG SHARE – Natalie Grant – God’s Gift To Us
Lyrics:
There’s a story of a holy night in Bethlehem
It’s the meaning still the reason why we worship Him
For God so loved the world
For God so loved the world
Glory, glory in the highest
The Light of the World has come
Holy, holy, this is Jesus
The face of unending love
How precious and perfect
Worthy of worship
Savior and Son sent down from above
God’s gift to us
See the Alpha and Omega safe in Mary’s arms
He is tender like a whisper to our broken hearts
For God so loved the world
Wonderful Counselor
Mighty forever
Father and Prince of Peace
Mercy unfailing
Majesty reigning
Jesus, the King of Kings
Oh, Hallelujah, love has come
Glory, glory in the highest
The Light of the World has come
Holy, holy, oh, this is my Jesus
The face of unending love
How precious and perfect
Worthy of worship
Savior and Son sent down from above
It’s God’s gift to us
Hallelujah, love has come
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I was up late and have a very busy morning ahead so I did my reading and post before bed. ☺ I look forward to catching up with your comments tomorrow evening! Have a blessed day of worship and fellowship!
Love, hugs, and prayers! ❤
Thank you Cee Gee ,what a beautiful way to start the morning. The words are gorgeous and I will listen to Natalie Grant‘s recording. Be blessed my friend.
Thank you, Eileen and may you be blessed! ❤
Amen ❤️
Thank you for sharing this song Cee Gee – I can’t wait to listen to it!
❤ I hope it blesses you, Cat-tee!
Hope your busy morning goes well
Thanks, Kelly; it did! Home in recovery mode now. Last big church event of this year. ☺ ❤
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