Thanksgiving is over. The leftovers are dwindling. We are entering a new season. Trees are going up, pumpkin spice is making way for peppermint, the stores are packed with people trying to purchase the perfect gifts. Soon, we will celebrate Christmas. First though, the church has a season set aside for preparation called Advent.
According to the dictionary, advent means “a coming into place, view, or being; arrival.” It is during this time that we look forward to the day we celebrate God coming into place, view, being through the arrival of the person, Jesus. Each Sunday leading up to Christmas, our attention is drawn to the themes of hope, love, joy, and peace. This week, we focus on hope.
It seems the last couple of years have melded into one as we navigate a worldwide pandemic. In addition to the hardships brought on by covid-19, we have experienced polarization over politics and ideals, arguments abound. Add to that the struggles that are with us year in and year out–addiction, poverty, mental illness, physical illness, loss of loved ones, war, strained relationships, abuse, etc, perhaps hope is far from our minds. I wonder, was hope far from the minds of those awaiting the Messiah, the one promised to deliver?
“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.” Luke 2:1-5, NIV
It is said that there were only a few reasons a census would be taken, none of them good. A call for a census would leave people wondering if they were going to be required to pay more taxes or if the government were preparing to send men to war. Either of these would not have filled people with hope, but dread. It was in the midst of this time that Joseph traveled with Mary to Bethlhem where Jesus was born, his birth proclaimed to shepherds and revealed to wisemen who came to worship him and brought him gifts worthy of a king. Hope was born!
But what is this hope? The hope of the gospel! For decades, the gospel, or good news, has become known as Jesus dying in order to forgive people of their sins so they can go to heaven when they die. Is this it though? Is our hope nothing more than an insurance policy? I don’t think so! How could that be all when Jesus preached the gospel Himself?
“Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News (gospel in other translations) about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness.” Matthew 4:23, NIV
The Kingdom of God come to earth is the gospel, the good news. What’s this kingdom look like?
In the fourth chapter of Luke, Jesus quotes the prophet Isaiah about Himself and we see.
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4:18-19, NIV
The Kingdom of God is one of justice, righteousness, health, and freedom.
I personally have faced a lot of injustice this year. It has been traumatic, causing much pain. I don’t know what you’ve experienced in the last several months, what you might be going through right now–illness, loss, setbacks, broken relationships, but I would wager that the idea of justice, righteousness, health, and freedom sounds pretty good. In fact, if that’s what we saw as we looked forward, we just might experience…HOPE! Well, that is God’s desire for the world he created, that’s what Jesus came to preach and bring, and it is what we can partner with Him to bring as we follow His example and love one another.
I pray that as we look forward to Christmas, that your hope will be renewed as you ponder God come to earth in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
Finding the Extra-Ordinary in the Ordinary 