Advent is a season of waiting and preparation for the nativity of Jesus Christ. I have been pleased to see many friends doing the “30 days of Thanksgiving” thing on Facebook. I’m more encouraged by 30 days of Thanksgiving than by 60 or even 90 days of Christmas. If you watch some classic movies, from say the 40’s or 50’s, you’ll see Dad bringing home a tree on Christmas Eve! The family decorates the tree, hang their stockings, then celebrate Christmas the very next day. Part of the beauty of Christmas is waiting for it to arrive. Continue reading
Tag Archives: Advent
Christmas Creep
Have you seen it yet? Most retailers are geared up for Halloween, but you get the distinct feeling that Christmas isn’t too far behind. Except for the fact that it’s still three months away.
I’m not referring to your weird uncle (everybody has a weird uncle). Christmas creep refers to the gradual tendency for Christmas celebration (retailing) to start a little earlier each year. Continue reading
Celebrating Advent
I sort of imagine there are two kinds of people out there: those who understand Advent well and continue to observe time honored traditions, and then those who don’t know/don’t care what it is. If you are from a rich tradition of keeping Advent, then I should probably be reading your thoughts on the subject. If you’re in the don’t know/don’t care camp… well, I guess you didn’t even read this far, huh? But perhaps there is a third sort of person. If you have heard about Advent and are curious, then just maybe I can help you. Continue reading
The Church Year
Chaplain Mike is doing a series on the liturgical church year at Internet Monk. I’m not going to link each post, but this is the introduction. The first follow-up has already been posted. We are about to enter the season of Advent, and this would be a great time to start. I grew up in the Baptist tradition which tends to do little with liturgy, but even the SBC churches I’ve been in light the candles of the Advent wreath each week. If the concept of the Christian calendar is new to you, I highly recommend following Chaplain Mike’s series.
Advent: Faith
Week 2 of Advent is about faith, and we light the Bethleham candle. This candle reminds us of the faith Joseph and Mary had to go to Bethleham, believing God was fulfilling his promise to Israel and blessing their family at the same time. I began by reading Psalm 79. Most of the psalm is a lement over the destruction of Jesrusalem. Continue reading
4th Sunday in Advent – Peace
Today is the 4th Sunday of Advent. Let’s begin with a review. The first Sunday of the Advent season was Hope, and we lit the candle of Prophecy. The second Sunday was Faith, and we lit the Bethlehem candle. The third Sunday was Joy, and we lit the Shepherd’s candle. Today is the Sunday of Peace, and we will light the Angel’s candle.
Luke chapter 2 tells the story of the angels appearing to the shepherds as they watched their flock. On the third Sunday we focus on the joy the shepherds experience as they hear the good news and then find the baby lying in a manger. On this day, our focus is on the angels themselves, and their delivering the message of peace; specifically “peace on earth, good will toward men.” If you read Rethinking the Angelic Choir, it’s ironic that the angels singing about peace and were probably all holding swords. There are plenty of anti-war demonstratorsthat will quickly tell you peace cannot be brought with a gun; that peace is not brought with violence. In Scripture, however, peace is brought with violence. There cannot be peace as long as Satan is deceiving the nations. He and his demonic forces are the enemies of peace. God will cast Satan and all his followers, human and angelic, into the lake of fire. After His righteous judgement, death and hell will be cast into the lake of fire, and then Jesus will rule the nations… with peace. Recall the prophecy of Isaiah:
To us a child is born, to us a son is given; the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighy God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end… -Isaiah 9:6-7
At his first appearing (or advent) Jesus did not come to bring peace. He came to offer himself as a sacrifice, in order to reconcile us to God. Read Ephesians 2:13-22, which I saw tonight in a whole new light. This may be the best one paragraph summation of the Gospel anywhere in scripture. It explains the sacrificial work done by Jesus Christ and his relationship to the Father and Spirit perhaps better than any other single text. At his next appearing, however, Jesus will not come as a baby in a manger. He will be riding a white horse and wielding a sword. He came before to be our sacrificial lamb; He will back as a concurring king. At his first appearing, he became the savior to all nations; at his next, he will judge the nations.
Even as we celebrate the Advent of Jesus Christ, let us be found spreading the Gospel message and preparing for his second appearing. That is our hope of peace.
Advent, week 3
Today is the third Sunday of Advent. As I’ve been writing on Advent, I had to admit that I’m sort of new to celebrating it myself. My family didn’t have an Advent tradition as I grew up, so I’ve only been studying it for a couple of years. I shared some resources in my first post, here are two more good ones.
The Vanderbilt Divinity Library offers a scripture lectionary for each Sunday of Advent, as well as other resources. Mark D. Roberts has written extensively on Advent, and his site is indexed and searchable. Begin with his multi-part Introduction to Advent. He breaks down each Sunday with themes and suggested scripture reading. I would like to do something similar next year early on, instead of each Sunday as we go through the season.
Almost Getting Christmas
This is part two of Almost Getting Jesus. It was just way too long to be a single post.
Many believe Christmas to be Jesus’ birthday, and his birth is why we celebrate. Yes; and no. Mostly no. The wise men brought gifts, which is why we exchange gifts. Perhaps; but I don’t think so. The true meaning of Christmas is about peace on Earth and goodwill toward men, right? That’s what the angels proclaimed to the shepherds, but that’s not what Christmas really means to Christianity; not really. What’s wrong with all of these statements you ask? There’s nothing majorly wrong with them, and they are close to the Gospel. Continue reading
Advent, week 2
The first Sunday of Advent celebrates Hope, and we lit the candle of Prophesy. If you need the introductory lesson, click What is Advent? This second Sunday of Advent is called Faith, and we light the Bethlehem candle to remind us of the faith Joseph and Mary had as they trusted God and waited for the birth of Jesus. Continue reading
Advent Candles
This is the Advent wreath that my wife put together. When I wrote my post What is Advent, the greenery hadn’t been added yet. The wreath is a combination of cedar, pine, holly and one other everygreen plant (sorry). We also collected a few very small pine cones. The candles are traditional purple and pink, though the center candle should probably be white. The red candle was taller, and looked good in the arrangement.
The Master's Table 