This Sunday, we enter into Advent, that wonderful season of expectation before the coming of Christmas. However, the season of Advent has evolved through the years. Our expectations have grown and often revolve around our family traditions. We feel the excitement of these expectations, but also the weight of them. There are the decorations to hang, the cards to send, the gifts to buy, the family to invite, and the cookies to make. The coming month is filled with these expectations that we have created.
We feel the same excitement and weight about the expectations in the life of the church. There is worship to plan, the church to decorate, Christmas Eve anthems to learn, Advent Parish Night to celebrate, Advent books to send, candles to buy, and children’s programs to hold. This month is filled expectations.
Yes, we’ve entered into Advent, but the concern is that amidst all the expectations we’ve created for the season, we miss the significance of Advent. Our lists of expectations weigh heavily on us in terms of all the things we need to do, plan, and arrange to celebrate the coming of Christmas. The concern is that the true expectation is missed. It’s not surprising that we become tired rather than renewed. We grow hectic rather than hopeful. We long for the season to be done rather than for it to begin. And so what is the central expectation of Advent?
Long ago, the people of Israel lived in expectation. They longed for the coming of the Messiah, for God to act in this broken world and their broken lives. Christmas is the fulfillment of that expectation, that longing. God acted and in love, sent a Son, the Messiah, to be born in Bethlehem. In our day, we have the same longing for God to act in our broken world and our broken lives. We too live in expectation. Christmas is the promise that our expectation has been met. It is the promise that in love, God has acted for our sake by sending Jesus, that in love, God continues to care for us and the living of our lives, and that in love, Jesus will come again. The central expectation of Advent has taken place. We have already known the promise and we await it’s fulfillment in the coming Kingdom. This is the heart of Advent. This is why we celebrate the season. Amidst all the other expectations of this time of year, let us hold onto the center. Jesus has come and Jesus is coming again. That is the Good News. That is Advent.
Peace,
Pastor Summer
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