Day 17: Real Comfort

Welcome to our 25 day Advent study and Advent Calendar which we are preparing through November to be able to use in December.   Each day has a Bible Study related to Advent, a worship video, a passage telling the Christmas Story and a Bible verse to ise on your Advent Calendar.  You can download the PDF with today's study and verses here.

Advent Study
“Comfort, comfort My people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, and that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.”   Isaiah 40:1-2

What if you believed that this Christmas you would receive “double for all your sins.” Would you find that comforting? You might say, “That depends ... double what?” If it were double the punishment, then you would surely not take comfort. However, as God proclaims the coming of the Savior of the world through the words of Isaiah, He brings comfort instead.

God instructs the prophet Isaiah to give a threefold message of double comfort: First, he is to comfort God’s people that their “hard service had been completed.” Second, their “sin has been paid for,” as Christ would pay for the sins of all people.

Finally, God’s people hear about a double reward from the Lord’s hand. This reward doesn’t come because we or anyone else deserves it, or because God feels sorry for any pain that’s been inflicted. No, in spite of our sinfulness and the punishment we deserve, Christ Jesus has made sure that we receive a double reward of God’s grace, much like Job received (compare Job 42:12 with Job 1:3).

Prayer
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for forgiving me and comforting me when I least deserve it. I know you are always faithful and trustworthy. Amen.

Ponder
I imagine a soft cuddly blanket wrapped around me when I am seeking comfort. Have you found His comfort? What brings you comfort when you are worried?



Worship Video

Christmas Story
Luke 2:15-18
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.


Bible Verse
Luke 2:16
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.


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