By Ed Schneider

Joseph is righteous. That’s the foundation of this passage.

The word “righteous” was used with great intention by the writer. Being called righteous wasn’t simply synonymous with being some nice guy who had demonstrated good moral clarity. From a biblical perspective it was far more. This term designated people who by their wisdom, stature, and presentation were mature and firm representations of what God calls the obediently faithful to be. Joseph represented the embodiment of godliness.

Joseph, being a just man, was not willing to disgrace both Mary and her family. Humanly speaking, he had every right to be angry and frustrated by the circumstance Mary had presented to him. Mary and her family were under a cultural contract of sorts. She had broken the terms of her engagement and was soon to be exposed. Yet Joseph couldn’t see the value in causing more damage. So what was he supposed to do?

God showed him what to do by opening Joseph’s eyes and heart to a greater understanding of God’s immeasurable grace.

The Scriptures clearly testify that Mary had been intentionally touched by the Divine. God is dramatically declaring that anyone or anything that the Divine touches in any way becomes both blessed and also a profound blessing to others, regardless of what current culture may demand or argue.

Joseph was called to bring Mary completely into his life and to openly celebrate her life, even if it did not fit neatly into the accepted norms of current culture.

Just like Joseph, when God calls, we are to welcome and receive the people who make us uncomfortable or who seem unclean, so that they may experience through us the practical display of God’s love and subsequent empowerment.

Just like Joseph, we are called to move beyond what we already know to fully experience what God has in store.

Prayer: God of grace, give us a fresh understanding of the way your grace operated toward and between Joseph and Mary. Help us live into such immeasurable kindness and patience, even if the culture around us condemns.

Ed Schneider is the Fresh Start pastor of Trinity Community Church in Kent, Washington. The 2016 Advent devotions were written by RCA church planters and parent churches.

By Tim Vink

Christmas is full of new things. Every gift I’ve seen unwrapped from under a Christmas tree for decades is a new thing. Retailers love it, and for shipping companies this is the busiest season of the year.

The apostle Paul opens his letter to the church in Rome talking about the greatest gift of all time, God’s gospel. God is the greatest giver ever, and when God wanted to communicate this love, he wrapped up the gospel in the person of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Six hinges of history in God’s gospel are the pivot points for all people in all places and at all times: the birth and life of Jesus, his death, his resurrection, his ascension, the pouring out of the Holy Spirit through Jesus at Pentecost, and Christ’s second coming. Paul, who was an expert on the Old Testament, knew of the more than 300 prophecies fulfilled in real time by Jesus spanning these six essentials of the gospel.

So what is the stunningly new thing in this gift of God wrapped up in the person of Jesus? He “was declared to be the Son of God with power by his resurrection from the dead” (v. 4). Jesus did not just come back to ordinary life, amazing as resurrection was for him and others whom he raised. Instead, he is the first human resurrected to eternal living, the first of a new kind of existence sure to come for all who believe now, the evidence of the new heavens and new earth to come when he returns. This is new creation evidence before our very eyes.

Jesus is seen and touched in his resurrected status for 40 days on earth, by as many as 500 people at a time, says 1 Corinthians 15. Just 15 minutes of eyewitness testimony from each one who interacted with Jesus during those days would have a courtroom filled for five days and nights, nonstop.

The new thing God is doing at this pivotal point in history is tying the “already” (Jesus’ resurrection) to the “not yet” (new heavens and earth when the kingdom of God is fully realized). The resurrection of Jesus already demonstrates that the kingdom of God is at hand—how much more so will the complete change to the whole of heaven and earth demonstrate the explosion of power released in Jesus’ resurrection. This new creation will require the greatest power known to this universe so far, even greater than the first creation itself. Keep unwrapping that gift—forever!

Prayer: Mighty God of creation and re-creation, we see your awesome power displayed from the beginning of the story, through the middle, and all the way to end. Thank you for the great gift of gospel in the birth, life, death, resurrection, and return of King Jesus!

Tim Vink works with church planters and parent churches across the RCA as senior Church Multiplication catalyst. The 2016 Advent devotions were written by RCA church planters and parent churches.

By Bob Bouwer

Psalm 80 finds Israel divided into twelve tribes and two kingdoms. Each had its own leaders, values, and theological differences.

This has parallels with the worldwide Christian church, which consists of “tribes” of various denominations and two large “kingdoms”—Protestant and Catholic. This division continues among conservatives and liberals, traditional- and contemporary-music fans, and people who prefer high liturgy and people who prefer low liturgy.

Our text today speaks words of hope to the church worldwide and to our particular denominational context in three ways. The first is that God’s hand is on the one at his right hand, the Son of Man. This points to Jesus the Messiah and to Israel, God’s firstborn. These words remind us that God has called Israel to be one nation, one people. Under Christ Jesus, there is unity, and he is Lord over all.

The second way it speaks to us is by showing us how we should respond. We must not turn our backs on God’s Word but rather be proactive, seeking life in him and praying. These actions allow us to see God’s will for our lives.

The third way it speaks to us is by giving us hope of restoration or transformation. We turn away from God’s Word, but God can bring us back, providing grace to save us. Asking God to turn us around by his grace, mercy, and strength brings unity in diversity.

I appreciate the explanation Michael Wilcock offers in his commentary, The Message of Psalms 73-150: Songs for the People of God. He writes: “We may have the deepest misgivings about some who reckon themselves God’s people. We may deplore some of their belief and practices that flourish under the name of the church of Christ. But wherever the inheritance of biblical truth may still be found, there is the one ‘Israel of God’ and we must pray for ‘peace and mercy to all who follow this rule.’”

Prayer: God, only you could understand the unity of such a diverse body of believers. You see more than we do; you know more than we do. Help us to do our part and to pray lovingly for peace and mercy on all who follow your rule.

Bob Bouwer is pastor of Faith Reformed Church in Dyer, Indiana. The 2016 Advent devotions were written by RCA church planters and parent churches.

By Prince Couisnard Sr.

Ahaz is troubled because the enemy has plans to take over his land and set up a new king in his place. God’s immediate response is something we can cherish as believers: he sends Ahaz a messenger, Isaiah. Thus God personally reveals to Ahaz that he knows the details of his problems and encourages him not to be concerned. God gives him personal words to “take heed, be quiet, fear not, and do not let your heart be faint” (v. 4).

Along with Ahaz, all believers must realize afresh that our God is with us. We must evaluate every battle that the enemy brings with one thing in mind—that we can trust God! We are a part of an eternal plan to establish his kingdom here on earth. We should heed the warning that God clearly communicated to Ahaz, “If you do not stand firm in faith, you shall not stand at all” (v. 9).

The fact that God is always present in advancing his kingdom is surely revealed in his answer to Ahaz. The sign was to be a boy named Emmanuel—God with us! This Advent was determined before the foundations of the world.

My wife and I have been surrounded by threats in our inner city ministry. We have lost many battles, but we know through Christ that we will win the war. We thank God for his promise that he is not only in us but also with us!

I encourage you to meditate on this announcement too as you journey through Advent. Ask God to fully reveal what this sign means to you and the kingdom, so that you can share its powerful message with family and friends this season.

Prayer: In the midst of threats that invade our hearts, you provide, God who is with us and for us. Thank you for coming to us.

Prince Couisnard Sr. is pastor of Christ the Redeemer in Houston, Texas. The 2016 Advent devotions were written by RCA church planters and parent churches.

By Dave Jansen

Thirteen people. That’s it. Just thirteen attendees at our church’s seventh preview service. I think we had more people on the stage at one point than we did in the audience. It seemed like everything was going in the wrong direction. We were shrinking, not growing, and losing momentum, not gaining it—and we were a mere three months from launch. Nothing was going the way I expected it to go. And to make matters worse, I had to give a report to the synod on our progress. I was embarrassed and fully expected them to pull their support, doubting I was the man for the job, or whether God was in this work at all.

I had been so sure of our call to this work, so excited to see Christ build his church through us. But now, I began to question everything. The sadness and frustration of unmet expectations made me doubt myself, God, and even his promises.

These are the doubts I believe ran through the mind of John the Baptist as he languished in prison. He was sure that Jesus was the Messiah, so excited to prepare the way for him. He boldly pointed to Jesus saying, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!” (John 1:29). People from all over Israel came to him at the Jordan, receiving his baptism and responding to his message. But now everything had gone wrong. As he sat in prison, doubts crept in. Now in place of declarations came questions. “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” (v. 2).

The same happens to us when we encounter unexpected troubles. We begin to wonder if God is real, if he cares about us, and if we’ve been fools to put our faith in him. The answers we were once so sure of suddenly become questions again.

So what should we do? John didn’t start asking around to see what others thought of Jesus, he didn’t poll the religious experts of his day, nor did he just decide in his own mind what was true. No, he went straight to the source. He went to Jesus and asked his questions. And Jesus’ response shows that he isn’t asking for blind faith from us—but rather for faith in line with reason. He basically says, “Examine the evidence for yourself. What do you see and hear in me? Does it match up with who the Messiah is to be? The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the gospel is preached to those living in poverty. If that’s what the Messiah is supposed to do, then rejoice! You’ve got no reason to doubt.”

The Advent lesson is this: if things haven’t gone as expected and frustrations have raised questions in your mind, then go to Jesus with your doubts. Hear him out. Consider the ways he’s healed you. Consider his fulfillment of Scripture. His actions speak for themselves. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, just be sure you look to him for the answer. For even though things may go painfully wrong, he is still your Savior, healer, and friend. All evidence points to him as the fulfillment of God’s promises to you. You may be stuck in some sort of prison, but you can rejoice knowing that Jesus is still Jesus—the Savior of the world and healer of your heart.

Prayer: God, we come to you with our questions. To whom else could we turn, for you have the words of life? Help us hear. Help us trust.

Dave Jansen is pastor of CenterPoint Church in Lewis Center, Ohio. The 2016 Advent devotions were written by RCA church planters and parent churches.

By Yakuv Gurung

My four-year-old son often complains that waiting is boring. It is true that waiting is hard, boring, and irritating for most of us. However, as I travel, I have observed people who are waiting for planes or buses who also seem relaxed and engaged in reading, talking, or listening to music. And I’ve observed that their hearts are at peace and their faces are smiling. Yet they’re waiting, so why? They are certain that their planes or buses will arrive on time. They will soon be at home, work, or another desired place. This certainty makes them relaxed and peaceful, yet engaged in activities.

In a similar manner, James talks emphatically about waiting for the Lord’s coming. He is confident of the Lord’s return, but asks his audience to be patient just like a farmer waiting for the harvest. A farmer fights against all sorts of crop diseases or bugs, yet is totally dependent on God for rain and the harvest. Similarly, we wait for our Lord’s return. We fight, endure the hardships or difficulties that life brings, and yet trust in the Lord’s return and eternal reward.

Therefore, James reminds us to take courage, to wait, to be patient; Jesus is certainly coming. In this certainty, we find peace, serenity, and confidence. It is this confidence that makes us to do our daily chores while we wait eagerly like a farmer does for harvest.

May God grant us a heart to wait upon his return patiently yet confidently so that we can engage in our daily work.

Prayer: God, in the fullness of time you brought forth your Son, who will return someday, also in the fullness of time. Help us wait confidently and eagerly and to work heartily with joy.

Yakuv Gurung is pastor of Nepali-Speaking Community Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The 2016 Advent devotions were written by RCA church planters and parent churches.

By Russ Siders

Recently I heard a college professor discuss two technological developments that occurred at roughly the same time in history: the invention of the telescope and the microscope. She noted that the telescope expanded our universe by enlarging our view of the sun, moon, planets, and stars. It made us seem much smaller in comparison to the far reaches of space. At the same time, the microscope opened up another world right under our nose, the world of microbes, cells, and germs. It made us seem much bigger, and more vulnerable at the same time. Both inventions gave human beings a new perspective on our place in the grander scheme of things.

The birth of Jesus has a similar effect on our lives, as Mary shows us through her song of praise. “My soul magnifies the Lord,” she exclaims, “for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.” Then she goes on to say, “From now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me.” It’s almost as if Mary is saying, “God has become magnified, so much bigger to me than I ever supposed God could be.” Why? “Because God has focused on my minuscule life. The Mighty One has looked upon my tiny existence and has chosen to magnify my significance far beyond its true dimensions.”

This has all come about because of the incarnation, God becoming flesh within Mary through the person of Jesus. The birth of Jesus Christ is both a telescope and a microscope. Through his coming, the greatness of God’s love and the wisdom of God’s plan to save sinners rises in full view and becomes vast and unfathomable. At the same time, Jesus’ arrival means that we are not insignificant specks in space and time. God has been mindful of our humble state, our sin, our need, and God has done something great for us. In Jesus, God not only sees us, but God also acts on our behalf to deliver and lift us up. God fulfills that ancient promise to Abraham, to gather a people as numerous as the stars in the sky, a people who will also “shine like stars” as they reflect to a crooked world what God has done in saving them (Philippians 2:15).

Is your view of God too small? Look through the lens of Jesus, and your soul will magnify the Lord. Do you feel invisible? Look at Jesus, and you will see the great things that the Lord has done for you, is doing in you, and wants to do through you.

Prayer: Be magnified, God. You have looked upon our humble estate and decided to shine through us anyway. Be magnified to those who need to see your bigness, as well as those who need to understand their significance to you.

Russ Siders is pastor of Sunrise Community Church in Tulare, California. The 2016 Advent devotions were written by RCA church planters and parent churches.