Can you really believe that one ordinary looking man, born in a little unknown, dusty, sleepy, podunk town in Palestine, is the eternal blueprint of what God has been doing since the beginning of time “in Christ”? That is what we believe when we say we believe in both the “Jesus” from that dusty town and the “Christ” that we’ve discovered and celebrate.

From heaven you came helpless babe, Entered our world, your glory veiled, Not to be served but to serve And give Your life that we might live.

This is our God, the Servant King, He calls us now to follow Him, To bring our lives as a daily offering Of worship to the Servant King.

There in the garden of tears, My heavy load, He chose to bear His heart with sorrow when torn ‘Yet not My will but Yours, ‘ He said.

Come see His hands and His feet, The scars that speak of sacrifice, Hands that flung stars into space To cruel nails surrendered.

So let us learn how to serve, And in our lives enthrone Him, Each other’s needs to prefer For it is Christ we’re serving.

This is our God, the Servant King, He calls us now to follow Him, To bring our lives as a daily offering Or Worship to our Servant King.

We, the faithful will always face challenges. These challenges may cause doubt, suffering and anguish, testing our faith. But Jesus assures us that if we stay, no, not “if” but when we stay and remain faithful, we will share in his ultimate victory over sin and death, gaining eternal life in his kingdom. Placing our hope in his victory will help and empower us to persevere during those trial times. This hope is grounded in the sure and certain knowledge that Christ’s victory is assured and that, as members of His Body, we never ever face these challenges alone. We are anchored by the eternal Christ and buoyed by all the Jesus-faces who surround and support us every day. Jesus is Emmanuel—God with us. Sounds like Advent.

Soon, Advent will once again appear. And our collective waiting word is? I can’t seem to think of it right now. “Jesus” is the Alpha-beginning of new beginnings, renewed promises, a hope that this world cannot teach us but is patiently lived in this world. “Christ” is the Omega-ending ending in fulfillment. Offering to God ourselves with a confident satisfaction of a life worthily lived. All of these “new beginnings,” “promises,” “hopes,” and “patience” are sampled, tested and nippled upon during this earthly Godly kingdom. All of them are then ripened in God’s eternal Kingdom.

Gosh, I remember that word now. It’s joy.