He Gathers You

Deuteronomy 30:1-3 When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come upon you and you take them to heart wherever the Lord your God disperses you among the nations, 2 and when you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, 3 then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you.
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Romans 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 
 
TODAY is the first day of the season in the church known as Advent. “Advent” means arrival, expectation and appearance. You could include “revelation” as God reveals himself through the personal arrival of his expected Son, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Even though we are at the end of our calendar year, it is the beginning of the new year in the church. Appropriately Advent is about beginning.
   As Bible passages around Jesus’ birth from Isaiah, Luke and Matthew are most commonly read during this season, you likely wonder how Deuteronomy and Romans would be appropriate for Advent scriptures. In truth, the entire Bible is about Advent. God’s Word records the expectation of the Messiah. Now that he has come, we live each day with sure expectation Jesus is coming again to establish the new heaven and earth. The church’s purpose in the Advent season is to remember God has kept his promise to come, and know he will keep his promise to come again.
   These promises are the connection between Deuteronomy – a book of the law – and Romans – an epistle to declare grace has fulfilled the law. See Deuteronomy’s commands and promise in “take them (the law) to heart” and “when you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul … then the Lord your God will … gather you again from all the nations.” Then compare with Romans’ words, confess with your mouth and believe in your heart…you will be saved. In the law and the gospel, God reveals the faithful heart that loves God is the key to living with God. God’s promise in Deuteronomy to gather you is fulfilled in Romans’ way to gather us with a believing heart.
   In addition, Moses wrote seven times in Deuteronomy to “Love the Lord your God.” Then he added this promise in Deuteronomy 30:20 For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  A heart obeying and loving God was then the key to living with God. 
   Then Jesus graciously came to fulfill that promise. He preached the gospel to prepare the church for the time he will send his angels and gather his elect. (Mark 13:37a) God is Emmanuel. He has come through the law. He has come through the gospel. He is with us now in Spirit as we confess with our hearts we love and believe in him. Proclaim with your mouth and in your heart, “I am a sinner. Forgive me Lord. Jesus is risen from the grave and ascended to heaven. Jesus saves.” You can then faithfully expect Jesus’ second coming will be your great reward.
 
Prayer: As we await your Second Coming, Lord Jesus, we pray we do so with our hearts full of love, that we may joyfully live in your commands. Amen.