Advent 2017: The Hope of Messiah's Coming

Today marks the first Sunday of Advent, the time when Christians the world over begin the celebration of the Incarnation, when God became human and made his dwelling among us in the form of Jesus, the Messiah. The first Sunday of Advent is typically dedicated to the idea of "hope", and the focus is on the expectation of the completion of the rescue of humanity from sin and death. The focus is also placed upon the return of Jesus to complete the work of salvation by rescuing those who trust in him.

The expectation that God would intervene, even invade this earth, to provide a means of humanity being properly related to him finds expression in the Jewish hope for a Messiah and in the Christian belief that Jesus is that Messiah who has come and will one day soon return. Jesus' sacrificial death and miraculous resurrection are the means by which this rescue is effected for us in the present time, but the completion of the rescue will not be complete until Jesus returns to establish God's reign as intended from the beginning.

Some of the passages associated with this first Sunday of Advent include Isaiah 63:19-64:5 and 1 Corinthians 1:3-9. Here they are from the HCSB translation:

Isaiah 63:19 We have become like those You never ruled over, like those not called by Your name. 64:1 If only You would tear the heavens open and come down, so that mountains would quake at Your presence--2 as fire kindles the brushwood, and fire causes water to boil--to make Your name known to Your enemies, so that nations will tremble at Your presence! 3 When You did awesome deeds that we did not expect, You came down, and the mountains quaked at Your presence. 4 From ancient times no one has heard, no one has listened, no eye has seen any God except You, who acts on behalf of the one who waits for Him. 5 You welcome the one who joyfully does what is right; they remember You in Your ways. But we have sinned, and You were angry; we will remain in Your ways and be saved.  

 1 Corinthians 1:3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I always thank my God for you because of God's grace given to you in Christ Jesus, 5 that by Him you were made rich in everything--in all speaking and all knowledge--6 as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you, 7 so that you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful; by Him you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Both of these passages remind us that God's invasion into creation in the form of the Incarnation not only began the rescue so desperately needed and expected, it also provided the means by which humanity could live in the manner God intended them. Some might call that the "magic" of Christmas or "the Christmas Spirit". Paul speaks of this in the Corinthian passage above as God's provision of spiritual gifts from Christ himself to aid us in accomplishing the present work here on earth as we await the return of Jesus to finish the rescue.

God invaded in the past as a babe, but he will return in a more dynamic way. This is what we celebrate in this season of Advent. The promise of Messiah's advent, the coming of God's Messiah to rescue humanity from sin, from darkness, and from oppression. The first coming set the standard as Jesus lived the life God desires of us all and then sent his Spirit to empower us to live as God intends. The second coming will set into concrete the kingdom way of life that God has for his people. The ideal will be realized in the future, but in the time between then and now God provides for us all that we need for life in his way.

That provision is revealed to us in that Child who was born to die and to rise and to redeem, and by these acts Jesus creates a kind of opportunity for humanity to imitate his humble service and sacrifice in everyday life until he returns again. The very atmosphere at Christmas can sometimes seem charged with the energy of Christ; an energy that helps humans act in ways that God intended. 

As we embrace the idea of God becoming human, as we recognize the humility of Jesus (who being God chose to humble himself to serve us all to the point of death), we find in these actions a pattern for life. We find that humility and service is our proper end, and we also find that as we serve others we introduce the possibility of "hope" for all humanity. In fact, sometimes the very spirit of Christmas can cause people to act better and with more grace. It reminds me of a poem by Edgar A. Guest. 

As we remember the promise of Jesus' return, we are hopefully incited to live in a way that he will find acceptable when he comes to establish his rule. In other words, the "Christmas Spirit" should become the everyday life of the follower of Christ who looks back to Jesus' sacrifice and forward to his return/reign. What does that life look like?

In the poem below Guest elaborates on how a person responds to the "Christmas Spirit" and how it can cause a change in a person's life.  The poem puts into my mind the image of a repentant Scrooge, fresh off his encounters with the ghost of Christmas, now engaging faithfully to live a less self-focused life.

I know that times have changed, and I realize that people do not always have "Christmas cheer" at this time of year.  Nonetheless, my prayer for all of us is that we become the people God intended us to be, especially now as we celebrate the Advents of our Lord Jesus.  May we live in such a way as to create "hope" in others. May our humble service lead to changed lives and a more hopeful future. May the Hope of Advent cause you to emulate the life of Jesus. I hope this poem blesses you!

Thanks for reading!

At Christmas by Edgar Albert Guest

A man is at his finest towards the finish of the year;
He is almost what he should be when the Christmas season is here;
Then he’s thinking more of others than he’s thought the months before,
And the laughter of his children is a joy worth toiling for.
He is less a selfish creature than at any other time;
When the Christmas spirit rules him he comes close to the sublime.

When it’s Christmas man is bigger and is better in his part;
He is keener for the service that is prompted by the heart.
All the petty thoughts and narrow seem to vanish for awhile
And the true reward he’s seeking is the glory of a smile.
Then for others he is toiling and somehow it seems to me
That at Christmas he is almost what God wanted him to be.

If I had to paint a picture of a man I think I’d wait
Till he’d fought his selfish battles and had put aside his hate.
I’d not catch him at his labors when his thoughts are all of pelf,
On the long days and the dreary when he’s striving for himself.
I’d not take him when he’s sneering, when he’s scornful or depressed,
But I’d look for him at Christmas when he’s shining at his best.

Man is ever in a struggle and he’s oft misunderstood;
There are days the worst that’s in him is the master of the good,
But at Christmas kindness rules him and he puts himself aside
And his petty hates are vanquished and his heart is opened wide.
Oh, I don’t know how to say it, but somehow it seems to me
That at Christmas man is almost what God sent him here to be.