December 3
By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness:
He who was revealed in the flesh,
Was vindicated in the Spirit,
Seen by angels,
Proclaimed among the nations,
Believed on in the world,
Taken up in glory. (1 Timothy 3:16)
God was revealed in the flesh as the incarnation of Jesus Christ. The Word became flesh. The Messiah arrived. God the Son became a man. He was vindicated in the Spirit when the Spirit descended on Him as a sign to those present that He was who He claimed to be—the Messiah, God incarnate, who was completely righteous in the Father’s eyes. The ministry of Jesus captured the attention of those on earth and in heaven, both humans and angels alike. After His work was finished, Jesus ascended in glory and returned to the right hand of the Father. Not even Jesus’ death could stop the forward motion of the gospel. His message and His name have continued to spread far and wide, bringing people of every nation to faith.
We are called to make disciples of Jesus Christ. So, it is very important that we know how to concisely present the story of Christ. Notice that 1 Timothy 3:16 is a perfect summary of the gospel because it touches on the key points of the life of Christ. This is the message of the gospel in a nutshell. If you have difficulty knowing where to start when sharing your faith with others, start with this verse. Memorize it, share it, and use it as an outline for witnessing to others, because it’s a powerful summary of the life and ministry of Christ.
- If you had just a minute to convey the purpose of advent, could you do it? Take a moment and summarize what advent means to you.
- What fear keeps you from sharing what Christ has done and will do in your life and the world?