Advent...Reset

The peh Factor

“Seeking balance in a polarized world”

I didn’t grow up practicing Advent. Until I attend a Presbyterian Church for the first time I don’t even recall hearing the word. Now here, almost 50 years later, I am participating in the Christian Season of Advent once again.

What is this Christian Season of Advent?

Advent is the beginning of the Christian year. During this year, Christians are given the opportunity to walk with Jesus from birth, through his baptism and calling to serve, through his temptation and empowerment by Holy Spirit, through his passion, death, and resurrection, through our empowerment and spiritual growth and service. The Christian year ends with Christ the King Sunday when we anticipate Jesus’ return to destroy evil and establish God’s Kingdom forever.

Just like the dynamics from New Year’s Eve to New Year’s Day, as Advent begins so does our new Christian year. As we go through the cycle again we hope our walking with Jesus will deepen and our spiritual lives and servicing will grow. In this regard this year long process is an exercise bike for our soul. It is like going to the gym and doing the same exercises and weight training regime day after day and year after year. With physical exercise we hope to stay in our best physical self. With our spiritual exercise we hope to stay spiritually fit.

How long has the Christian year been around?

The earliest reference to a season of Advent is the institution by Bishop Perpetuus of Tours (reigned 461–490) of a fast before Christmas, beginning from St. Martin’s Day on November 11. Known as St. Martin’s Lent, the custom was extended to other Frankish churches by the Council of Mâcon in 581. Wikipedia

Advent is an appropriate word for the beginning of the Christian year.

The word Advent is an Old English word. It comes from the Latin adventus meaning 'arrival' and is made from the Latin verb, advenire, from ad- 'to' + venire 'come'. So, when we think of Advent we are preparing for Jesus’ arrival.

Of course, within our cultural Advent always causes us to look back and prepare for the birth of Jesus. Christmas Pageants are a mainstream of churches. Often those programs lead to great stories like:

A little boy in a Christmas program had but one sentence to say, “Behold, I bring you good tidings.” After the rehearsal he asked his mother what tidings meant. She told him tidings meant “news.” When the program was put on, he was so scared before the large congregation that he forgot his line, Finally the idea came back to him and he blurted out, “Hey, I got news for you!”

Advent is more than simply looking back. Advent also means looking forward. As Christians we understand that Jesus came the first time to live with us (the incarnation), to die for us (atonement) and to rise to new, eternal life. This gift is summed up in two passages of Scripture:

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

And

For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourself, it is a gift of God not of works lest anyone should boast. Ephesians 2:8, 9

This is the Good News given to all who believe in Jesus Christ. It is not earned. It is received as God’s gracious gift.

Based on this Good News of Salvation, Advent is also a time to look forward. Scripture teaches that a day is coming when Jesus will return and bring this crazy world to completion (Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21; 1 Thess. 4; 2 Thess. 2; Revelation). At that time evil in all its forms and consequences will be defeated, Satan will be bound, and God’s Kingdom will be established without rebellion. Peace will be the commodity of the day. As Isaiah prophesied

2:2 In the Last days

the mountain of the Lord’s house

shall be established as the highest of the mountains,

and shall be raised above the hills;

all the nations shall stream to it.

3 Many peoples shall come and say,

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,

to the house of the God of Jacob;

that he may teach us his ways

and that we may walk in his paths.”

For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,

and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

4 He shall judge between the nations,

and shall arbitrate for many peoples;

they shall beat their swords into plowshares,

and their spears into pruning hooks;

nation shall not lift up sword against nation,

neither shall they learn war any more.

As Christians we are caught in between remembering the past when Jesus came as a baby and preparing for the future when he will return as the king. As a result, Advent, the beginning of a new year focused on Jesus Christ, is a time to reset the focus of our lives.

† We need to work backwards from Jesus’ return and the reality of the Kingdom of God to how we live in 2020 and 2021.

† WE need to strive to live the Lord’s Prayer where it says, “…Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

† We need to be Christ-followers first before Republicans or Democrats, Presbyterian or Baptist or Catholic or Methodist.

† We need to listen to the Word of God above our favored news outlets as to what our priorities should be and how we should respond to circumstances.

† We need to look at our neighbors as people that God already loves (whether they know it or not) and people for whom Jesus gave his life and not our enemies.

In Short, Advent, the beginning of a new year as Christians, gives us the opportunity to reset our lives focusing on this Jesus who became one of us, this One we are called to follow as disciples and serve as the Lord of our lives.

May this be a happy and meaningful Advent to each of you.

God Bless. Paul