Advent is Here!

Greetings,

I apologize for the break in postings.  I have spent the last few days celebrating the Thanksgiving break with my family.  But it is Sunday, the 29th of Novemeber and Sunday is a work day for me.  So, as I sit here in my office preparing for my Sunday school class and going over my sermon, I thought I might share with you one of my most favorite times of the liturgical calendar, Advent.

Advent is the four weeks prior to Christmas day.  In the church today is the first day of the new liturgical calendar.  Advent is a time when we stop the busyness of the Christmas holiday and look forward.  Actually, to look forward at Advent also causes us to look back as well.  Advent is a time when we celebrate  the coming of our Lord that Christmas morning.  It is a time when we recall the moment that "the word became flesh and dwelt among us". (John  1:14 )  However, Advent is also a time that we look forward to the second coming of Christ.

Scripture tells us that there must be signs of the coming of Christ ( Luke 21).  For many years people have taken the opportunity to warn us of the second coming.  The fact is you can take the warning signs that Christ gives to us in the 21st chapeter of Luke and find that they apply to our world in, almost, any time period.  There is always going to be famine, there is always going to be war, and men's hearts are always going to be failing with fear.

I believe that the true point of Advent is to see those warnings in a more positive light.  It is not that I think war is good or that famine is a positive thing.  The point I make is that when I do see those happenings that Christ has given to us I should be encouraged.  Christ doesn't want us to take that scripture and use it a rally cry for the end of the world just so we sell a few books or become a minister of dooms-day prophecy.  He wants us to know that we are to be ready for His coming.  That is our Advent.

I know there are many books and TV shows, movies and sermons that call our attention to the end of the world.  I cringe whenever someone tells me that they saw a show on TV and then tells me what day the world is going to end.  Every time I hear that I sense fear in that person's voice.  Advent, or the second coming, is not supposed to be a scary event for us.  The Advent of Christ is supposed to be a time when we prepare ourselves for His return.  This means that we avoid being so caught up in the business of the Christmas season that we forget to make Christ's advent the reason for our season.

Brothers and sisters, look forward to Christ's return but don't let the looking forward impair your ability to see the truth.  The truth is that God sent His son into this world so that we might know Him and He is sending His again so that we might be with Him.  Take this Advent season and prepare your heart and your mind for the coming of Christ.  Live life to the fullest, love with the heart of God, forgive where forgiveness is needed.  In short, live like there is no tomorrow...because there might not be.

May this Advent season be a blessing to you and your loved ones and may you be blessed this Christmas season.

Blessings,


Derek