Week One
In the first advent, Jesus came with lowly poverty;
in the second, He comes with power and glory.
Meditate
The first advent of Christ began in stillness and obscurity—a young girl greeted by an angel, shepherds startled awake by a chorus of heavenly hosts, and a baby wrapped in cloth and laid in a manger. Gabriel’s announcement to Mary and the angelic proclamation to the shepherds marked the entrance of heaven into the humblest corners of earth. Jesus came not with riches or royal fanfare but in lowly poverty. Yet even in that quiet stable, the King had come to conquer—not with sword or throne, but through surrender. His mission was victory through humility, life through death, and freedom through love. The manger was the opening act in a divine campaign to overthrow sin and death.
Revelation 1:4–20 reveals the same Christ in His second advent, but in an entirely different light. No longer the infant dependent on His mother’s care, He appears as the glorified Son of Man, radiant and fearsome, clothed in majesty and authority. “Behold, He is coming with the clouds,” John declares, echoing Daniel 7:13–14, where the Son of Man receives everlasting dominion. Every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him. Where the first advent invited shepherds to kneel in wonder, the second will summon all nations to bow in awe. The angel Gabriel lovingly told a young girl and an unprepared father, “Fear not.” Now, Jesus speaks those same words to John—not because He brings good news, but because He is the Good News: “I am the First and the Last, the Living One.”
Between these two advents lies our season of hope. The first advent prepared the way for the second. Through His birth, life, death, and resurrection, Jesus became “the firstborn from the dead,” the beginning of eternal life for all who believe. In His poverty, He conquered our poverty of spirit; in His victory, He shares His eternal riches. Even now, He reaches out to us, saying “fear not,” inviting us into relationship with the eternal Alpha and Omega—the One who was, and is, and is to come.
This Advent, as you meditate on who Jesus is, consider how the humility of the manger points toward the majesty of His return. He is the faithful witness who loved unto death, the ruler and king who reigns forever, the righteous judge who will make all things right. The greatest gift this season is not found under a tree, but in knowing the One who holds the keys of death and life. The question remains: Who do you say Jesus is—and how will His coming again shape your hope today?
Study
- Luke 1:30-33
- Luke 2:10-12
- Revelation: 1:4-20
- Zechariah 12:10
- Daniel 7:9-14
Pray
Lord Jesus,
We come before You in awe of both Your humility and Your majesty. You, who entered our world in poverty and gentleness, are the same One who will return in power and glory. Thank You for coming near to us in the first advent—for stepping into our darkness as the Light of the world, for conquering sin through Your love, and for offering us eternal life through Your resurrection.
As we remember the manger, help us not to forget the throne. Teach us to live in this in-between time with hearts that are both humble and expectant—grateful for Your grace, yet longing for Your return. When fear and doubt creep in, remind us of Your words: “Fear not, for I am the First and the Last.” Let that truth steady our souls and fill us with courage to follow You faithfully.
Lord, fix our eyes on You—the faithful witness, the beginning and the end, the righteous judge who will make all things right. May our waiting be active and our worship sincere. Prepare us for the day when every eye will see You, and every heart will know that You reign forever.
Come quickly, Lord Jesus. Until You do, may our lives reflect both the peace of the manger and the hope of Your glorious return.
Amen.
Listen
- Manger Throne – Phil Wickham
- O Come All Ye Faithful – Red Rocks
- Away in a Manger/Worthy is Your Name – Maverick City Music
- Silent Night – Lauren Daigle
- Gently – Cecily, Ashton Barber