Jesse Tree: December 8

December 8

Hang ornament with Coat of Colors

Gen. 37:1-36; 50:15-21

Today’s symbol is the multi-colored coat.  I am sure you can guess the main character in today’s devotion!  We are going to talk about the experience of a man named Joseph, and how God used him to preserve the nation of Israel.  

Joseph had many brothers, but he was the favorite of his father Jacob.  The entire family knew this, and the brothers were not very kind to Joseph.  One day Jacob sent Joseph out to check on his brothers, and they hatched a plot to get rid of him.  They threw him into a pit, sold him into slavery to the Midianites, and the Midianites sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, Pharoh’s officer.  

The Bible goes on to tell us that the Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man.  Even though he was put in jail at one point because of false accusations, the Lord did not forget him.  

When Pharoh had a dream which no one could explain, Joseph was summoned.  God revealed the meaning of the dream to Joseph, and Joseph explained to Pharoh that famine was coming.  Joseph proposed a way to store up reserves and prepare for this famine, and Pharoh put Joseph in charge of the whole operation.    

Genesis 41 tells us
“53 When the seven years of plenty which had been in the land of Egypt came to an end, 54 and the seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said, then there was famine in all the lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. 55 So when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried out to Pharaoh for bread; and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, you shall do.” 56 When the famine was spread over all the face of the earth, then Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold to the Egyptians; and the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. 57 The people of all the earth came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe in all the earth.” (Genesis 41:53-57, NASB)

Joseph’s father Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and he sent his sons to buy grain for their family.  Joseph recognized them, and after a time he revealed himself to his family.  

Here are our key verses for today’s Advent devotion:  Genesis 50:16-21says, 

16 So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father charged before he died, saying, 17 ‘Thus you shall say to Joseph, “Please forgive, I beg you, the transgression of your brothers and their sin, for they did you wrong.”’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” And Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 Then his brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. 21 So therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

This history of Joseph can point us to Christ in several ways.  

The Jews in Jesus’ day were just like Joseph’s brothers.  When they had Jesus crucified, fulfilling many Old Testament prophecies about the way in which our Savior was to die, they did NOT mean it for good.  They were trying to get rid of a problem, just like Joseph’s brothers were trying to get rid of a problem.  

Little did either group know, this was all part of God’s plan for preserving His people.  God used Joseph as part of His plan to physically preserve His people from starving, and God used Jesus to preserve His people from the death that is a result of sin.  

Also, it is helpful to notice HOW Joseph’s brothers went to him.  They did not come demanding their rights, but they came HUMBLY, confessing their sins, begging forgiveness, and placing themselves in a position of servanthood.  

Likewise, when we see that our only hope is God’s grace and mercy that comes through Christ alone, we must go to him humbly, confessing our sins, begging forgiveness, and placing ourselves in a position of servanthood.  

In addition, the bible tells us that Joseph spoke kindly to his brothers and promised to provide for them.  (Remember, these are the same brothers who hated him and sold him into slavery, because that would be more profitable than just killing him.)  

How can this example set by Joseph help us think about the coming celebration of Christ’s birth?   OR  How is this similar to the way that Jesus deals with us?

We are sinful people who have chosen to place ourselves against God.  Christ calls us to Himself, with kindness and promises to provide for us spiritually.  When we see that we have no hope other than Christ, we must run to him humbly in repentance.  Just as Joseph received his brothers with forgiveness, Christ does not turn us away.

Jesus promises in John 6:37, “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.”  

Jesse Tree: December 7

December 7:

Hang ornament with Ladder

Genesis 28:10-17

We have talked about Abraham, Isaac, and today we will talk about Jacob.  Do you remember that these men are referred to as the Patriarchs?  

The story of Jacob is an interesting one.  Remember, Jacob had a twin brother named Esau.  When our reading for today takes place, Jacob has tricked both his brother and his father into giving him the birthright and blessing, and now he is fleeing for his life out in the wilderness.  

God, because of His mercy and kindness, did not let Jacob get eaten or killed out in the wilderness; instead, he came to him in a dream.  We will read about it from Genesis chapter 28:

10 Then Jacob departed from Beersheba and went toward Haran. 11 He came to a certain place and spent the night there, because the sun had set; and he took one of the stones of the place and put it under his head, and lay down in that place. 12 He had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants. 14 Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” 16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”

God chose to bless a selfish trickster, and God even promised that in Jacob and his descendants all the families of the earth would be blessed.  What a wonderful reminder of God’s willingness to redeem us and give us life even while we are dead in sins.  

This ladder in Jacob’s dream, which is often referred to as “Jacob’s Ladder,” is our symbol today.  It reminds us of how God does all things for His glory, and it can also remind us of the way that Christ goes to the Father on our behalf.  That is called MEDIATION.  We can read about this dream and think about Christ as the ladder.  

He is this ladder, the foot on earth in his human nature, the top of the ladder in heaven being His divine nature.  Everything that goes on between heaven and earth since the fall is by this ladder.

Christ is the way; all God’s blessings come to us, and all our services go to him by Christ.  We have no way of getting to heaven, but by this ladder; if we climb up any other way, we are thieves and robbers.  

Christ refers to this picture of Himself in the book of John when he speaks of the angels of God ascending and descending upon the son of man.  All of the kind things the angels do, and the benefits we receive by their works are all because of Christ.  Jesus has reconciled things on earth and things in heaven and made them all meet in Himself. (Paraphrased from Matthew Henry’s Commentary, Genesis 28:10-15)

Jesse Tree: December 6

Hang ornament with ram

Today’s ornament is the ram, and we will be talking about Abraham again.  God always keeps His promises, and he did indeed bless Abraham and Sarah with a son named Isaac.  This is where we pick up the story, and it is one of FAITH and SACRIFICE. 

Our reading comes from Genesis 22:1-18:

 Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance. 5 Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.” 6 Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. 7 Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” And he said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together.

9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” 13 Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son. 14 Abraham called the name of that place The Lord Will Provide, as it is said to this day, “In the mount of the Lord it will be provided.”  15 Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 16 and said, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18 In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”

“What a demand God made! But Abraham did not withhold his only son of promise. What God wanted was Abraham’s heart, not Isaac’s life. So when the knife was raised to slay Isaac, a provided substitute appeared.”*

Abraham was ready to give up his son for a sacrifice to honor God, and on that occasion, God promised to give His Son as a sacrifice for the Salvation of man.  God provided a lamb for Abraham, and at the same time, God promised to provide another Lamb through Abraham.  

This promised Lamb of God, who came to take away the sins of the world, is Jesus.  God sent his Son Jesus to be THE sacrifice for our sins.  1 Peter tells us that we are redeemed “with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.” 

Christ came to earth and took flesh and blood, that he might obey and suffer as a man.  He kept the whole law for his people, but he never sinned.  He was holy, blameless, and undefiled, and he lived a life of perfect obedience to the law of God.  Not only did he live a perfect life while He was here on earth, but also He satisfied divine justice by his sufferings and death in the place of sinners.  So He lived a life without sin, AND he suffered all of the punishment that our sins deserve.  

Through the years, godly people were saved by believing in this Savior to come, and they offered sacrifices to show their faith.  These sacrifices represented Christ, the Lamb of God, who was to die for sinners.  But now, we no longer need to make sacrifices.  Hebrews chapter 10 tells us, “But He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God... For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified....”  God’s saving work is complete through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son, and that is exactly why we are waiting expectantly during this season of celebrating Christ’s birth!

* From Biblegateway.com resource, “All Men of the Bible”

Jesse Tree: December 5

December 5:

Hang ornament with star

Today’s ornament is the star.  I bet you can think of several different Bible stories that involve stars, but today we are going to talk about God’s promise to Abraham. 

We live way out in the country in Mississippi.  There are no street lights or city lights, and when we turn off our house lights and go outside on a clear night, the stars are AMAZING.  We can see so many more than when we are in town, and we would not even dream of trying to count them all!  

Let’s think about Abram (whose name was changed to Abraham).  There was no electricity in his day, and so at night everything for miles and miles was dark.  It’s easy to imagine what the sky might have looked like on the evening when the Lord spoke to Abram.    

1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying,

“Do not fear, Abram,
I am a shield to you;
Your reward shall be very great.”

2 Abram said, “O Lord God, what will You give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir.” 4 Then behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.” 5 And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” 6 Then he believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.

Abram was old.  His wife Sarah was old.  They had not yet had any children, and there were a LOT of stars.  The promise of descendants numbering the stars seemed incredible.  YET ABRAM BELIEVED GOD, and God counted him righteous.  

There are two things going on here.  On one level, there is the amazing power of God and the granting of a child to Abram and Sarah against all odds.  Now childless Abram would have an heir, and Abram would become Abraham; he would be known as one of the patriarchs- Abraham, Isaac, Jacob- and the 12 tribes of Israel would be born directly through him.   

That’s great- and even miraculous- but why would we put this star on the Jesse Tree as we expectantly wait for the celebration of the birth of Christ?  

On another level, there is the promise of the coming of Christ through Abraham’s family line. We can look to Galatians Chapter 3 in the New Testament for a little explanation.  

6 Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. 7 Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. 8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer...

16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ...

29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise. (Galatians 3:6-9, 16, 29 NASB)

Galatians tells us that Abrahams’s descendants are not only those who are directly related to him.  All who are in Christ are the offspring of Abraham, and therefore heirs. 

 When we look up at the stars on a clear night, we quickly realize that it is impossible to count them all. When God told Abram to “count the stars, if you are able to count them”, He knew it would be impossible for Abram also. Yet even small children can count to one, and there is one Star on which we can continuously gaze. 

The wise men actually saw a star in the sky which guided them to Jesus. We have much better than that. We have the Word of God and the Spirit of God to guide us to Christ, the only Star really worth gazing upon. It is those who follow that Star who are the real descendants of Abraham.

Jesse Tree: December 4

December 4:

Hang ornament with rainbow

Today we get to hang the ornament with the rainbow!  I have always loved the bright colors of the rainbow, because they make me feel cheerful and hopeful.  The rainbow has been a symbol of hope and promise for a long, long time.  In fact, the very first rainbow was meant as a promise. 

After the fall of mankind, humans continued in sin and choosing self over what was right. 

Genesis chapter 6 says, 

“5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 The Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.”  (Genesis 6:5-8)

Because Noah had found favor in the eyes of the Lord, He spared Noah and his family from the destruction of the earth.  When the waters had subsided and the family had come out of the ark, God made a covenant with them. 

What is a covenant?  A covenant is an agreement between two or more people.  It’s like a promise that we KNOW will not be broken.  

We read about it in Genesis chapter 9. 

 8 Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying, 9 “Now behold, I Myself do establish My covenant with you, and with your descendants after you; 10 and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you; of all that comes out of the ark, even every beast of the earth. 11 I establish My covenant with you; and all flesh shall never again be cut off by the water of the flood, neither shall there again be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12 God said, “This is the sign of the covenant which I am making between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all successive generations; 13 I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth. (Genesis 9:8-13, NASB)

When God made this covenant with Noah and his sons, God knew that man would still be born with a sinful nature.  He knew that the world would become wicked once again.  

Why do we put a rainbow on the Jesse Tree?  Even though God knew we would still choose sin, God promised not to destroy the earth by flood again.  

God does not deal with us according to our sins.  He deals with us according to His mercy through the righteousness of Jesus Christ, His Son.  Let’s think about that for just a moment.  

We are all born with what kind of nature?  A sinful nature.  This means we are all bent toward sin and we all choose sin.  Sin deserves consequences, and the bible says that, “The wages of sin is death.”  We deserve death and separation from God because that is what our sins have earned us.  However, the good news is in the second half of that same verse:  “but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)  

Mercy is God NOT giving us what we deserve.  God does not deal with Christians according to their sins.  When we place our faith and trust in Jesus and HIS righteousness, we receive mercy and eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

When we see the rainbow, whether it is on the Jesse Tree or in the sky after a storm, we can remember God’s kindness and mercy to man.  Sending His Son Jesus into this world was God’s GREATEST act of kindness and mercy, and THAT is what we are celebrating this December.  

Jesse Tree: December 3

December 3:

Hang ornament with snake and apple.

Yesterday we talked about how Jesus, who was fully God and fully man, created the earth.  We also talked about how we are created in God’s image and for His glory.  

Today’s ornament is a snake and an apple.  Does anyone have a guess about what we are going to read about?  

Our Scripture reading for today is a full chapter from the book of Genesis.  Let’s listen and try to figure out why this ornament is part of our Advent story.

 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; 3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’” 4 The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! 5 For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.

8 They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 Then the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 He said, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.” 11 And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.” 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” And the woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” 14 The Lord God said to the serpent,

“Because you have done this,
Cursed are you more than all cattle,
And more than every beast of the field;
On your belly you will go,
And dust you will eat
All the days of your life;

15  And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her seed;
He shall bruise you on the head,
And you shall bruise him on the heel.”

16 To the woman He said,
“I will greatly multiply
Your pain in childbirth,
In pain you will bring forth children;
Yet your desire will be for your husband,
And he will rule over you.”

17 Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, 

‘You shall not eat from it’;                                                                                                       Cursed is the ground because of you;
In toil you will eat of it
All the days of your life.

18 “Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you;
And you will eat the plants of the field;

19 By the sweat of your face
You will eat bread,
Till you return to the ground,
Because from it you were taken;
For you are dust,
And to dust you shall return.”

20 Now the man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all the living. 21 The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.

As we celebrate this season of advent, remembering the fall of man reminds us how much we need a savior. 

Remember those questions and answers we talked about a few days ago?  Well, we have learned a few others that go like this:  

Q: What happened to our first parents when they had sinned?  

A: Instead of being holy and happy, they became sinful and miserable.  

Q: What effect had the sin of Adam on all mankind?  

A: All mankind is born in a state of sin and misery.

Q: What do we inherit from Adam as a result of this original sin?

A: A sinful nature.  

In Genesis 3, mankind was cursed as the consequence for sin, but GOD did not leave it at that.  Remember the part about the serpent eating dust and being bruised on the head?  In those verses we are given a promise, and that is why we have hope.   

God gives us a gracious promise about Christ in this passage, telling us He will be our Deliverer from the power of sin and Satan.  God was talking to the serpent, but Adam and Eve were present, and surely they took the hints of grace being given to them.  They would have seen the door of hope that had been opened to them, or else they would have been completely overwhelmed.  This was the dawning of the gospel day.  A terrible wound was given, but God provided a remedy.  Here, in the very beginning of the Bible, we see the hope for the promised Christ, a Savior. (Summary of Matthew Henry’s Comments) 

If we are not convinced that Adam and Eve were given hope at this point, we can always look to verse 21.  Genesis 3:21 says, “The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.”  

Adam and Eve had tried to make coverings for themselves, but they were too small and insufficient.  God’s covering for them was much better, and it showed that although there would be consequences for disobedience, He still cared for them.  Where do we think God got skins to clothe Adam and Eve?  This was the first sacrifice, and a picture of God covering sinful Man. 

As we look forward through History, we see God’s Son, Jesus, as the fulfillment of this promise.  Because of Adam’s sin, everyone is born with a sinful nature.  We can never cover our own sin, and any covering we try to make is always going to be too small and insufficient, just like the fig leaves.   BUT, when we place our faith in Jesus Christ and turn from our sins, He will cover us with His righteousness and make us right with God.  HE alone is our acceptable covering.  

Jesse Tree: December 2

December 2:

Hang ornament with the symbol of the world. 

As we look forward to the coming celebration of the birth of Jesus, let us start at the beginning.  Today’s reading is from Genesis chapter 1.

Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."  God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.  God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth."  (Genesis 1:26-31 NASB)

Our family has learned a series of questions and answers to help us learn about God.  The first three questions we learned go like this...

1.  Who made you?

     A.  God made me.

2.  What else did God make?

     A.  All things

3.  Why did God make you and all things?

     A.  For His own glory.

The passage we just read in Genesis tells us all of this about God's creation, and it also tells us that He created us in His image.  

We are going to read three more short passages from the New Testament.  As you listen, keep in mind that God made you in His image and for His glory, and see if you can figure out why we would put a symbol about creation on our Jesse tree.

First, from Colossians...

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.  For by Him all things were created,  both  in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. (Colossians 1:15, 16 NASB)

And also from Romans...

For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.  And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for  our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. (Romans 8:22, 23 NASB)

One more from John...

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. (John 1:1-4 NKJV)

Why do we put an ornament about creation on our Jesse tree? 

Because Jesus made us and all things!  The Bible tells us that Jesus was the firstborn of all things, and even now all things are waiting expectantly for Him to return.  Our everlasting God is Creator and the source of all life and spiritual light.