Receive Christ’s Coming

by Annie Yorty ©2021

With the promise of Christmas right around the corner, we have one final week to celebrate Advent, the coming of Christ. We have been Anticipating Christ’s Coming, Preparing for Christ’s Coming, and Making a Way for Christ’s Coming. But this week, let’s think about how to receive Christ’s coming.

I remember cowering as a little girl in my bedroom at night. Like many children, I was instinctively uncomfortable in total darkness. I strained my eyes to see shadows in the depths as my imagination filled in where sight failed. But I didn’t dare fuss for a night light. Every now and then, however, someone would turn on the hall light outside the bedroom door. A streak of light sliced through the crack at the door jamb, illuminating and comforting me.

Jesus is characterized as a “great light.”

The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined (Matthew 4:16 NLT).

This verse leads to a final Advent contrast.

Light vs. darkness

It’s probable that the people in this verse who were sitting in darkness had grown accustomed to the gloom. But these words in Matthew, which were first spoken and written hundreds of years earlier by Isaiah, perhaps lingered in the back of their darkened minds. When they heard about Jesus fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy of coming light, a glimmer of hope dawned. They were ready to receive Christ’s coming.

People in darkness are not experiencing a perpetual solar eclipse. Instead, their hearts are eclipsed by sin. The darkness of sin brought the penalty of death. But the light of Jesus pierces the death shroud covering every human and offers life.

Jesus is the Light of the World.

The sun lights the earth for just a part of each day, but the Son of God is the eternal Light of the World. Light is Jesus’ essence.

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life” (John 8:12 NLT).

When Christ made this announcement about His identity, He coupled it with a conditional promise. If you follow Him, you will have light and life. His light dispels all darkness and brings new life.

You have a choice.

Because the promise is conditional, we must take an action to receive the outcome. We must choose to receive Christ’s coming. Only then does the Light of the World shine into our dark hearts and breathe life into dead flesh.

How do you receive Christ?

Jesus says, “Follow Me.” But still, how?

The steps are not complicated, and you can’t earn God’s favor. But there is a cost.

We were designed to live at peace with God, totally satisfied and happy. But our sin—doing anything that is not right in God’s eyes—separates us from a peace-filled relationship with God. Jesus’ light beams, eradicating the darkness and death of sin. Forgiveness is a gift freely given to those who will receive it.

Here’s your part:

1. Admit to God you need a Savior and turn away from your sins.
2. Believe Jesus Christ is God’s Son, He died for your sins, and God raised Him to life after His death on a cross.
3. Surrender your life—your will and your ways—to God’s will and God’s ways.

You can use these steps to receive Christ as your Savior. The cost? You relinquish control of your life to God. It will sometimes seem difficult, but over time you will learn His ways are best.

For more information about following Christ, click the link here for Next Steps.

Make a daily choice.

If you have already chosen to follow Jesus, you still have a daily choice.

How will you display the light of Christ to the world?

We string lights on our Christmas trees. Decorate bushes and shrubs outside with twinkling globes. Some set a candle in every window of the house. A few even don light-up necklaces. What is our fascination with lights?

Symbolizing the light of Christ illuminating the world at Jesus’ birth, this tradition goes way back to the 17^th century. By it we are also reminded that our lives should become beacons lighting the way to Christ. Like airport runway lights guide pilots safely to ground, followers of Christ should emblazon a clear path pointing to our Savior.

Are you hiding your light under a bushel basket or setting it on a stand for all to see (Matthew 5:14-15)?

Shine on this Christmas and every day of the new year!

Practical Ideas

To help you receive Christ’s coming, I created an Advent Acronym for you to download and repost on social media. The acronym helps us to celebrate the Advent season and anticipate Christ’s coming.

For this week, I also suggest some family activities to focus on receiving Christ’s coming. Each day have a family discussion on one of the Bible verses I have provided. Memorize a verse over the course of the week. Use the family activity to celebrate the birthday of Jesus–Light of the World.

Birthday Party for Jesus—a family activity to celebrate the Light of the World

Put a party for Jesus on the calendar in December. You could invite just family, but it’s also fun to invite friends to the party. Hand out party invitations and decorate the house. Make a homemade birthday cake for Jesus. Play special party games and watch a movie about the birth of Jesus together. Light candles on the cake and turn off the lights. Notice together how the candlelight dispels the darkness in the room like Jesus dispels the darkness in our hearts.

Verses for memory and discussion

Isaiah 9:2 NLT

The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.

Discussion: Who are the people walking in darkness, and who is the great light in this verse?

John 1:5 NLT

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

Discussion: Why is it good to have a light when it’s dark? How does Jesus’ light help us?

Ephesians 5:8 NLT

For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!

Discussion: How do people full of darkness live? What is different when you have light from the Lord?

Acts 26:17-18 NLT

Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.

Discussion: How can we shine the light of Jesus to people we know?

1 John 1:7 NLT

But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

Discussion: How does the light of Jesus shine brighter when believers come together in fellowship and ministry?

Join the conversation:

How will you shine for Jesus this Christmas?

I welcome your comments!