The Advent season has begun and what a glorious opportunity it presents for us to make much of Jesus Christ. Whether you’re single, married, married with young children, empty nesters, or grandparents, the opportunity is there. While the world around us goes commercial with new, “special” days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it just sees holidays as yet another excuse for boosting sales figures; we are ones who have the opportunity and responsibility to demonstrate by our actions and words what this season is really about.
The Advent of Jesus Christ is simply astonishing to consider. That He decided to become a man in order to save us from our sins is astonishing enough by itself. But that He also chose to come into the world in such a humble manner—a baby, born in a barn, into a blue-collar family—makes it even more astonishing.
The world simply cannot comprehend the Incarnation. Their eyes and minds are blinded to the reality of it and magnificent significance of it. We can help them. We can testify to the reality of Christ through our words in conversations with unbelievers. We can testify through our gift-giving, our family traditions, our hospitality to neighbors and strangers—we can testify even through our household decorations. Whatever you can do for the sake of making much of Jesus during this Advent season, do it with intentionality and in faith and hope that you will bring good news to the perishing in the process.
May the Lord bring great honor and glory and praise to His great name during this season as we testify to His greatness and glory through Jesus Christ—Immanuel, God with us.
Wishing to make much of Jesus with you,
Tim Tomlinson
President
Bethlehem College & Seminary
Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for those potential seminary students who are now busily finishing their applications right up to the December 1st deadline. Pray that the Lord would guide and direct our applicants as they seek to find their place in our next year’s class of seminarians.
- Please also pray for our current students as we head into the final days of the semester. These can be stressful days as the assignments and exams often all come due during the last week(s) of school. Pray that they would do their work well and to the glory of God!
- Please continue to pray for our Serious Joy Scholarship needs. The month of December is the most important month of the year in terms of financial support. Please pray that the Lord would overwhelm us with His generous provision through friends like you throughout this month!
- Also, please be in prayer with us as we continue our search for a new faculty member for Fall 2017. Pray that the Lord would lead us to just the right person for this position.