December 2, 2024
The Righteous Branch - Part 1
Jeremiah 23:5
12/02/2024
5 ``Behold, the days are coming,'' declares the
LORD, ``when I will raise up for David a righteous
Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal
wisely, and shall execute justice and
righteousness in the land.'' (ESV)
Yesterday marked the first Sunday in Advent, the time in the
Church Year that we prepare for the coming of Jesus Christ. The
Gospel lesson for this week was Matthew's account of Palm Sunday,
when Jesus rode into Jerusalem, acknowledged by the crowds as
God, only to die on the following Friday to pay the price of our
sin.
Our message as Christians is two-fold. We are first
confronted with the law, the truth that we have fallen short of
the standards set both by God and the world. God's standard is
perfection, even if the world will allow some leniency. Because
of the sin of Adam and Eve, we are born corrupt.
As we come to the realization that we have sinned in
thought, word, and deed, we also realize that we cannot by our
own reason or strength pay the price of our sin. We stand
rightly condemned.
We are confronted with God's grace and mercy as our heavenly
Father sent His only-begotten Son to pay the price of our sin.
The prophet Jeremiah, six hundred years before the birth of
Jesus, wrote of this undeserved love of the Father towards His
sinful creation.
``Behold, the days are coming,'' declares the LORD,
``when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch,
and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall
execute justice and righteousness in the land.''
Advent is about the coming of the Righteous Branch, the Son
of David, who took upon Himself our sins. As true God, He was
conceived without sin. As true Man, He died and rose again to
earn for us the forgiveness of our sins and to grant us life
everlasting. May our Lord help us to prepare for His coming by
confessing our sins and by trusting in His promises. Amen.