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December 22, Sunday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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The Value of Holiness — We see holiness in this passage from two different perspectives, first from the father, or trainer, and then from the child, or the student’s point of view. The first paragraph uses the argument of lesser-to-greater. If we accept that our human fathers applied discipline “for our good” (v. 10), then “much more” should we accept being “subject to the [heavenly] Father” (v. 9). Human fathers discipline “as it seemed best to them” (v. 10a), but unlike the heavenly Father, they are not perfect. God the Father disciplines us not only “for our good” but also “that we may share in his holiness” (v. 10b). “Holiness” is the highest value of “good.” The Father knows what is the greatest good for us. Do we have the same view of holiness? If so, then the second paragraph assigns our responsibility: “Strive for … the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (v. 14). To strive for it means that we are to work at becoming more holy, more sanctified, more set apart for God’s purposes. Reading our Bible and praying every day is a very important part of that. Saying “No!” to temptations to sin is another way to strive for holiness. When we do sin, we must confess it to God as soon as we recognize our wrongdoing. Becoming more holy voluntarily is much more pleasant than being urged toward it through discipline.
Lord, Make Me More Holy – YouTube
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December 23, Monday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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Blessed Are the Dead — After announcements of judgments by three angels, the Holy Spirit speaks this positive message in the last verse: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord” (v. 14). The first angel’s message was a call to worship: “Fear God and give him glory … worship him” (v. 7). The second angel proclaimed a warning from the history of literal Babylon’s fall in Daniel’s time, the coming fall of figurative Babylon, i.e., Rome, in John’s day, and the fall of perpetual human systems of rebellion against God. The third angel warned of an eternal hell for those who do not repent. Following that, John issued “a call for the endurance of the saints” (v. 12a), which is applicable for our day. We are to “keep the commandments” and keep our “faith in Jesus” (v. 12b) until the end of our lives. Exit in faith! That is the call for those who are to be among the “blessed … dead.”
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December 24, Tuesday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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Carried Away by the Spirit — John was seeing a vision within a vision in this paragraph. One of the seven angels in the primary vision invited John to “Come…” (v. 1) to see a further revelation, but John had no ability to move, so he had to be “carried … away in the Spirit” (v. 3). God must supply the power for us to respond to any of His invitations; all He wants from us is our willingness. It was the angel who carried John away, but the Holy Spirit was the orchestrator of it all. What is the Spirit leading you to do today, that only He has the power to accomplish? Are you willing to be transported to an unknown, untried location or situation to see God work through you? Has He been urging you to help a particular person, minister to a hurting fellow believer, or share your faith with someone you have been praying for? Are you willing to let Him demonstrate His power?
Hark, the Voice of Jesus Crying – YouTube
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December 25, Wednesday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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The Spirit of Prophecy — The marriage supper of the Lamb is heaven’s formal celebration of the eternal bonding of Christ, the Lamb, with the Church, His Bride. Notice the contribution of the Bride here: “His Bride has made herself ready … to clothe herself with fine linen … the righteous deeds of the saints” (vv. 7-8). Those efforts contributed to the clothing she wore but not to the means of her getting there. She, the collective saints, was “invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb” (v. 9). The sacrifice of Jesus was His proposal for marriage. The RSVP came from those who were willing to become part of His Bride. This passage ends with the twice repeated, “the testimony of Jesus” (v. 10), which is called “the spirit of prophecy.” In my opinion, the NIV rightly capitalizes “Spirit” here because, as Peter said, “no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:21). The “testimony of Jesus” is the gospel, which was anticipated in the OT by prophets and revealed in the NT. It is the message we share with others, inviting them to accept Jesus’ gracious proposal.
I couldn’t find a video for this appropriate song:
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December 26, Thursday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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The New Jerusalem — “Come, I will show you…” (v. 9) are the same words used by one of the seven angels who invited John to see the judgment of the great prostitute (17:1), and in today’s reading, to see “the Bride, the wife of the Lamb” (21:9). As before, John was carried away “in the Spirit” (v. 10a) to see another vision within a vision. What is a bit surprising is that, instead of seeing something that looks like a bride, John is shown a huge city, “the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God” (v. 10b). Earlier in this chapter, it is called both “the holy city” and the “new Jerusalem” (v. 2). It appears to be the eternal dwelling place of all the believers throughout history as symbolized by the names of the 12 tribes of Israel inscribed on the 12 gates (v. 12) and the names of the 12 apostles on the 12 foundations. Therefore, the symbol of the Bride here is unity, composed of those from every people group on earth, every skin color, and every language. How we will be able to communicate is a mystery now, but that will be easily solved in God’s infinite wisdom. The new Jerusalem, the holy city, is our final home.
I Feel Like Traveling On – YouTube
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December 27, Friday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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Come! — This passage begins with Jesus’ promise to return (“I am coming soon”—v. 12), and it ends with two prayerful pleas to “Come” (v. 17). Those pleas can be thought of in two ways, however. First, it could be a direct response to Jesus’ promise to come, as it is three verses later: “’Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come Lord Jesus!” (v. 20). It seems somewhat strange to me, however, that “The Spirit” would also be calling for Jesus to come. The second way this call could be understood is as an invitation to unsaved people, as it seems to be in the phrase immediately following: “And let the one who is thirsty come … [to] take the water of life without price” (v. 17b). In that way, it makes more sense that the Holy Spirit as well as the Church would be calling sinners to repent. Come, Lord Jesus! Come thirsty sinner!
Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy – YouTube
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December 28, Saturday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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Sanctified Through Blood — This passage is filled with comparisons and contrasts between the old and new covenants. Holiness is one of the themes, using the Greek adjective for the “holy places” within the tabernacle or temple (v. 11), and also using the verb form of the same word, “to sanctify” (v. 12). In contrast to the blood of animals brought into the “holy places,” is the blood of Jesus shed “outside the gate” (v. 12), transferring the focus of sacrifice from lambs to the Lamb and broadening the location of worship from the tabernacle or temple to the world. The “sacrifice for sin” in verse 11 was offered once a year on the Day of Atonement, whereas the sacrifice of Jesus was offered once for all time. Then, in a different way, there is our “sacrifice of praise,” which we “continually offer” (v. 15) in grateful response for what God has done for us. Also viewed as our sacrifice in verse 16 is for us “to do good,” in general, and “to share what you have,” in particular. Our sacrifices to God are to be those of praise and generosity.
Awake, My Soul, and With the Sun – YouTube
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