Advent I – Sunday

THE FIRST WEEK IN ADVENT – SUNDAYLESSON: MATTHEW 21:1-9Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on an ass, and on a colt, the foal of an ass. Matthew 21.5This Gospel in a special manner arouses and demands faith. It portrays Christ in His coming grace. No one can really receive and accept Him unless he believes that He is the man in the sense portrayed in this Gospel. All that is set forth here in Christ is pure grace, gentleness and goodness. He who believes this regarding Christ is saved.Look at Him! He rides no stallion, an animal mostly associated with war. He does not come in splendor and animal, accustomed to burdens and toil in the service of men. In this way He shows that He comes not to tempt men, nor to come down upon them with force and suppress them, but to them, to bear their burden and to take it upon Himself.Although it was the time-honoured custom of the country to ride on asses and to use horses for war, as often recorded in Scripture, all that is narrated here is intended ot make known how this King rides in gently, with nothing but good intent.To demonstrate this point, a prophetic statement is introduced here (Zechariah 9.9) to draw us to faith and the acceptance of Christ in a very friendly manner. For the sake of this statement, the events of this Gospel took place and were set down in writing as the evangelist also declares. Let us pay careful attention to this statement and the chief point of this Gospel, for herein Christ is highlighted for us in regard to what we are to hold and believe concerning Him, what we are to expect from Him, what we are to seek in Him, and how we are to avail ourselves of His help and make use of Him.PRAYER: Lord Jesus, fill us at all times with your saving grace. Lead us to true faith and preserve us therein, for your love’s sake. Amen.