Our passage this week finds Jacob in the consequences of his sin: alone, running for his life, and with an uncertain future. Perhaps you can relate to some or all these feelings in your own life. Yet it is in this dark, lonely place where God graciously meets Jacob--and delights to meet us--with his amazing grace.
In Matthew 24 and 25 so far, we've learned the importance of being ready for Christ's second coming. But as we conclude our Advent series in Jesus' Olivet Discourse this Sunday, we see a picture of the Lord's return and his final judgment. What is the basis for this judgment—the difference between eternal punishment and eternal life? The answer might surprise you.
In this Sunday’s passage, our “gentle and lowly” Savior gets angry. Very angry. This is no out-of-control explosion, but an intentional declaration of God’s judgment on Jerusalem’s religious leaders. So what caused him to get so angry? Religious hypocrisy. We’ll see not only why this particularly provokes Jesus’ anger but also how to spot it, especially in our own lives.
When was the last formal invitation you received in the mail? Perhaps it was for a wedding or a work party. Jesus tells us in this Sunday's passage that the greatest invitation we will ever receive is a call into his kingdom. Why is it so crucial that we RSVP, and, as this parable tells us, make sure we're dressed appropriately for the occasion?
