Advent Reading Plan: Luke 2:1-21
Have you ever noticed that in the Bible, when angels appear to people, their first words are often, “Do not be afraid”?
We see this in the angelic messages to Mary (Luke 1:30), Zechariah (Luke 1:13), and the shepherds (Luke 2:10).
To be fair, if the angels looked like the ones described in Revelation 4:6-8, then they would be in the running for the scariest thing you ever saw.
This pattern points to the heart of God’s message. A message of hope, peace, joy, and love.
The opposite of fear is not bravery, courage, or another Merriam-Webster antonym. The opposite of fear is love.
1 John 4:18 reads, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love” (NIV). Meaning, to fully experience God’s love we need to let go of fear.
The next time in the Bible we see an angel say “Do not be afraid” is on Resurrection Sunday (Matthew 28:5).
Advent invites us to let go of the fear, knowing that God’s perfect love has come to us through Christ.”
From the manger to the empty tomb, the message is the same: “Do not be afraid.” Advent invites us to let go of fear and experience God’s love through the birth of Christ.
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Nick Chellsen 
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