We have entered the season of advent, four weeks before Christmas. Advent means a coming into place, view or being; arrival. So, what do we celebrate that is coming into being, the fulfillment of God’s promise long ago of a savior, redeemer Messiah.
Emmanuel is God with us as our redeemer and friend. Not an angry God who has come to destroy, but to give life through His death. God with us means we don’t need to walk through this life alone or try and figure things out on our own. We have a counselor and helper who brings comfort and hope. People are searching for truth and a sense of security in life and Jesus Christ came to deliver it. He sent the Holy Spirit who continues to bring hope and safety through faith and obedience in the death and resurrection of Christ.
Advent is the coming of divine love for a people who are unloving, rebellious and indifferent to God. His love surpasses anything we experience in this world and this is the love we all hunger for, unconditional and sacrificial.
Advent is the coming of a promise keeper, the faithful one who will always keep every promise, receive all who come to him in faith and forgives every sin. He is indeed the gift that keeps on giving. Somehow each of us need to work out how we will keep Christ in Christmas, and not preoccupied with the fake narrative of a holiday season rather than the birthday of the King. To remind ourselves and especially our children that Christmas is about the greatest birthday party of all time. May we not snub the Lord by not remembering whose birthday it really is.
Pr. Bob Snitzer
By the Way:
December 6, 9:00 Sunday morning worship and Holy Communion. Sermon: Life in a Temporal World Sunday school for all. Dec. 6, 10:15
