Advent
Advent, the four Sundays proceeding Christmas, starts on November 29 this year. Many people think of this time of the year as the “Christmas season”. Technically the Christmas season is December 25 through January 6. We’ll look at that next month.
Advent is a time of waiting. Here in 2020 this time of waiting is even more pronounced. COVID has divided us from our families and greatly reduced our gatherings. We are waiting and praying for God to intervene through miracle or vaccine. The waiting is quite frankly exhausting.
Some people think advent is merely waiting for the celebration of Christ’s birth at Christmas. This is part of the story, but there’s more to Advent. Advent is a reminder of waiting in the past, the present and the future.
We are reminded of the past when the nation of Israel looked and waited for their Messiah. Centuries rolled on as prophets spoke and people prayed for his coming. Sometimes the waiting was difficult. Sometimes the people lost faith. Sometimes false messiahs rose to lead them astray. Down through all that time God was still working his plan in perfect timing.
We are reminded of present when Christ lived, died, rose again and established his kingdom here on earth in the form of his church, and then ascended into heaven. When the fullness of time had come, the divine put on flesh when the Son of God was born in a manger and was given the name Jesus. The kingdom of God was proclaimed in us and among us. And the people who were looking for the messiah missed it. Jesus was executed. But it was all part of God’s plan to redeem us from our sin. We are still living in this present time – the church age.
We are reminded of the future when Christ will return from heaven and establish his kingdom over all other kingdoms. The dead will rise and all people will be judged. Those who know Christ will inherit eternal life – life where this is no sorrow or suffering or death or sin. Like those Israelites of old, we look for and pray for his coming.
This year’s Christmas celebrations may be subdued this year due to COVID. But as we enter this season of waiting I want to remind you of the celebration that will eventually come for all of us.
“After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”” (Revelation 7:9–10, NIV)
Pastor Richard