Advent is a time we can refresh our amazement in the prophecy and arrival of Jesus the Messiah, growing closer to Him as we proclaim our longing for His coming again. We pray this devotional will challenge and remind you of the hope, joy, preparation, and love that we experience as we anticipate Christ’s birth.
John the Baptist
To start today, ask yourself this one simple question:
When you think about the good news of Christmas, does it feel impossible to hold that good news in, or does it feel impossible to speak it out?
Now look back at the significant things you face that you wrote at the start of this devotional:
When you listed out areas where God is calling you to trust Him, did you include anything about proclaiming the gospel of Jesus?
Read Luke 1:5-25
What do you notice about the kind of man Zechariah was? What did the angel tell Zechariah to name his child? How did he respond to the angel’s proclamation? What did the angel do? Why did the angel do that?
Read Luke 1:57-66
What triggered the opening of Zechariah’s mouth? What is the importance of Zechariah choosing the name John (Luke 1:13)? What did Zechariah say when he could speak?
Zechariah was unable to speak because of his unbelief. But when he finally believed what the angel said — so much that he was willing to walk in line with it by naming his son John — his lips were opened. God has said that He will return when the gospel is proclaimed in all the world. He has come to you with that message. However, for many of us, when we contemplate the significant things we want to do with our lives, proclaiming the gospel doesn’t even make the list.
Read Matthew 28:18-20
The good news is that because of Christmas, even the task of sharing the gospel is not left for us to accomplish alone.
The command to make disciples is bookmarked by two great truths. What are they? How does the truth of Immanuel equip you to complete the most significant task we have ever been given?
This Jumpstart Advent series was written and produced by Park Community Church in Chicago, IL.
JumpstartCPC.com 