We are going to start a study that will take us to the end of the year and it follows the traditions of the Advent season. Advent is a time or season that is celebrated by most of the Christian church world, that includes the Catholic Church, most Protestant denominations, and many non-denominational churches. Eastern Orthodox Christians do not recognize Advent per se, but have a longer season that is rather like Advent.
Advent starts the Christian year like January starts the beginning of the calendar year.
We keep track of time and seasons of the year by using calendars that provide us opportunities to observe, commemorate, and celebrate certain events or occasions. The changing seasons of the year also provide us with recurring opportunities to celebrate the Christian Faith in worship. The Christian church, following earlier Jewish tradition, has long used the seasons of the year as an opportunity for festivals and holidays, sacred time set aside to worship God as the Lord of life.
Beyond Christmas and Easter, many churches in the Protestant tradition do not celebrate the various seasons of the church year in any deliberate or sustained way . However, the observance of the seasons of the church year has a long history in the life of the Christian Faith. When most of the people in the church were poor and had no access to education, the church festivals and the cycle of the church year provided a vehicle for teaching the story of God and his actions in human history. Even in the Old Testament, the concept of sacred time became a vehicle for teaching the faith (for example, Exodus 12-13). Planned and purposeful observance of the Christian seasons and festivals can become an important tool for education and discipleship in the Faith, as well as a vehicle for spiritual growth and vitality.
Anybody know what Advent is?
The History of Advent
The word “Advent” is derived from the Latin word adventus, meaning “coming,” which is a translation of the Greek word parousia. Scholars believe that during the 4th and 5th centuries in Spain and Gaul, Advent was a season of preparation for the baptism of new Christians at the January feast of Epiphany, the celebration of God’s incarnation represented by the visit of the Magi to the baby Jesus, his baptism in the Jordan River by John the Baptist , and his first miracle at Cana. During this season of preparation, Christians would spend 40 days in penance, prayer, and fasting to prepare for this celebration; originally, there was little connection between Advent and Christmas.
By the 6th century, however, Roman Christians had tied Advent to the coming of Christ. But the “coming” they had in mind was not Christ’s first coming in the manger in Bethlehem, but his second coming in the clouds as the judge of the world. It was not until the Middle Ages that the Advent season was explicitly linked to Christ’s first coming at Christmas.
Advent Today
Today, the Advent season lasts for four Sundays leading up to Christmas. The time before Christmas is Advent, a season of preparation for Christmas. Christians prepare for celebrating the birth of Jesus by remembering the longing of the Jews for a Messiah. In Advent, we’re reminded of how much we ourselves also need a Savior, and we look forward to our Savior’s second coming even as we prepare to celebrate his first coming at Christmas.
The themes most often used for the four weeks of Advent are Hope, Peace, Joy and Love
Had we started on time we would have started on the Sunday after Thanksgiving the 29th and this would be the 3rd Sunday and we would be on the Peace theme so we are going to have to catch up so we may actually go past Christmas.
Hope (a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen)
G.K. Chesterton wrote, “Hope is the power of being cheerful in circumstances that we know to be desperate.” It is not a blissful ignorance or wishful thinking but a subversive cheer that refuses to let circumstance triumph over courage, doubt overcome faith, or adversity conquer compassion. This is not easy; it is not our default setting. When we hit brick walls, the first emotion that naturally arises is generally not hope. Hope requires a strength that comes from focusing on a greater vision than what is wrong. We may not have every problem figured out, but we serve a God who loved this world enough to join us in it. We trust that when Jesus said, “Behold, I am making all things new,” he meant it.
Hope is two-dimensional.
Advent teaches us to not only to expect hope for eternity, but we can expect hope for today. If Jesus could remain obedient to death on a cross, surely we can get through what seems hopeless for us today.
If we keep focusing on the lowly conditions in which Jesus came into the world and on His painful death on the cross, then we, too, can have hope for the days ahead of us. Remember, what you are going through today is not to harm you but to strengthen you for what's ahead for you.
Isaiah 9:1-2 (HCSB)1 Nevertheless, the gloom of the distressed land will not be like that of the former times when He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali. But in the future He will bring honor to the Way of the Sea, to the land east of the Jordan, and to Galilee of the nations.2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness.
Here Isaiah was talking about the gloom in Israel because they had been captured by Assyria but in the future, (in this case the distant future from the time of Isaiah’s prophecy) honor would come through Jesus who would headquarter His ministry in Galilee. This is a prophecy of the Messiah. So there was hope for the land.
1 Peter 1:3-5 (HCSB)3 Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to His great mercy, He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.5 You are being protected by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
Psalm 80:1-7 (HCSB)1 Listen, Shepherd of Israel, who leads Joseph like a flock; You who sit enthroned ⌊on⌋ the cherubim, rise up2 before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh. Rally Your power and come to save us.3 Restore us, God; look ⌊on us⌋ with favor, and we will be saved. LORD God of Hosts, how long will You be angry with Your people’s prayers?5 You fed them the bread of tears and gave them a full measure of tears to drink.6 You make us quarrel with our neighbors; our enemies make fun of us.7 Restore us, God of Hosts; look ⌊on us⌋ with favor, and we will be saved.
This psalm is a lament (a passionate expression of grief or sorrow) of Israel because of the exile probably. They were in trouble and because of their rebellion had been rejected by God. Like we talked about how we feel in difficult times. So this should sound familiar. Because they felt this way, just like Jeremiah, and like we should do, they prayed. This psalm is their prayer of lament. They wanted God to rescue them because if He did, and when He rescues us, nothing can stop us. This psalm was around when Mary and Joseph were alive and living in Palestine, but this time under Roman occupation. The nation was in decline and trouble again and when they were alive remember that the Jews had not heard from God in about 400 years. The last prophet to them was Malachi and here is what ends his prophecy and the Old Testament:
Malachi 4:5-6 (HCSB)5 Look, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome Day of the LORD comes.6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to ⌊their⌋ children and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise, I will come and strike the land with a curse.”
Most theologians and historians believe that was about 430 BC. When the New Testament opens with the announcement of Jesus birth we know that the King was Herod the Great who reigned from 37 to 4 BC.
So they were waiting for the one who would deliver them. In fact they mention Him in their prayer of lament;
Psalm 80:17 (HCSB)17 Let Your hand be with the man at Your right hand, with the son of man You have made strong for Yourself.
God had promised That Man (The Messiah) would come and save and rescue them and He did. He didn’t come to save just Israel but all the lost.
Luke 19:10 (HCSB)10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”
With everything that’s going on in this country and the world we may feel like the nation of Israel felt. We’re in decline, we’re in trouble, we need a revival and restoration. We can and should pray this same prayer as Psalm 80 but the reality is that the promised One has come and all power is in His hands;
Matthew 28:18 (HCSB)18 Then Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
Because He did come….nothing can ever stop us not even death.
Matthew 16:18 (HCSB)18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the forces of Hades will not overpower it.
We can have hope for a successful future.
Jeremiah 29:11-13 (HCSB)11 For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
We can joyfully anticipate something better ahead; that is, if we maintain hope. We eagerly await something beyond what we could either think or ask.
As long as you are going through something, then there is HOPE!
While things may seem hopeless we should be reminded that the promised One has come in glory and power to rescue, revive, restore, and save.
Peace (freedom from disturbance; quiet and tranquility)
Isaiah 9:6 (HCSB) For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on His shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
He will rule God's kingdom with God's authority. He will be a Wonder of a Counselor. That is, as a person of two distinct natures—God and Man—he will truly be a wonder from Jehovah; and as the One who alone has the words of eternal life, he will be a counselor like none other. As mighty God, he will be the irresistible battle champion (as this word for "mighty" implies) who will obtain the final victory in the arena of history. As everlasting Father (lit., Father of Eternity), he will be not only lord of eternity but the author of eternal life to the redeemed. As Prince of Peace he will bestow what shālôm, "peace," implies in its fullest meaning: health to the sin-sick soul; a sound and healthy relation between sinners and God, as well as between sinners and fellow sinners; and a sound condition of universal righteousness and prosperity prevailing over the earth. - The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13 (HCSB)1 LORD, You showed favor to Your land; You restored Jacob’s prosperity.2 You took away Your people’s guilt; You covered all their sin.Selah 8 I will listen to what God will say; surely the LORD will declare peace to His people, His godly ones, and not let them go back to foolish ways.9 His salvation is very near those who fear Him, so that glory may dwell in our land.10 Faithful love and truth will join together; righteousness and peace will embrace.11 Truth will spring up from the earth, and righteousness will look down from heaven.12 Also, the LORD will provide what is good, and our land will yield its crops.13 Righteousness will go before Him to prepare the way for His steps.
Here is what The Wycliffe Bible Commentary says about verses 8-13;
In prophetic fashion the psalmist pauses to hear God's message in answer to the prayer of the people. He is certain that it will be a message of peace. By means of vivid personifications, he describes how real is God's salvation. The union of God's mercy or covenant love and our truth or faithfulness, of His righteousness and our peace of heart, of earth and heaven are certain when God and men meet. As a result of this encounter, God will provide for men's needs and lead them in right paths. For us today, the meeting-place can only be at the foot of the cross.
The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
In a recent blog post “The Peace That Passes Understanding” I wrote that this peace is not just a psychological state of mind; this peace is spiritual peace…the peace of the God of all Creation. This is the peace of people whose sins are forgiven
Romans 5:1 (NKJV) Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
This peace is the opposite of anxiety. It is the tranquillity that comes when you commit all your cares to God in prayer and don’t worry about them anymore. You are confident that God can and will do what is best for you.
Philippians 4:6-7 (HCSB) 6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
This peace guards you from anxiety, fear, and worry. From the very beginning, or at least after man sinned in the garden of Eden, God promised to do something about all the agitation and distress in our world. He promised to restore the peace, and He did. He sent the Prince of Peace to come and do what we can’t do for ourselves. Jesus brings true, lasting peace, the kind of peace that all of us are desperately seeking.
The Greek word for peace eirēnē, corresponds to the Hebrew word shalom and expresses the idea of peace, well-being, restoration, reconciliation with God. Reconciliation with God happens at salvation and that only happens through the right relationship with the Prince of Peace, Jesus. The peace that comes from being in a right relationship with Jesus is not a peace that depends on everything going well. If that’s the case, when things go bad, that peace quickly goes away. Jesus made this distinction;
John 14:27 (NKJV) Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Without a relationship with Jesus we are in opposition to God, we are His enemies.
Colossians 1:21-22 (NKJV)21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight--
Romans 5:10 (NKJV) For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
Sin created a barrier between us and God and we can’t destroy that barrier on our own. Without God’s intervention, we would have never found the way of peace with Him. But He provided the perfect solution to our sin problem. He sent His Son, Jesus, the Prince of Peace, to pay for our sins and remove the separation that existed between us and Him. When we trusted Jesus as our Savior, we were reconciled to God and no longer His enemies. In Jesus, the Prince of Peace, we have peace with God.
Here’s what the angel said when he announced the birth of the Prince of Peace to the shepherds;
Luke 2:14 (NKJV) "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"
Let’s look at a couple of examples of how people connected with the coming of the Prince of Peace reacted. One person reacted with disbelief and the other with a calm and peace.
Luke 1:5-25 (HCSB)5 In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest of Abijah’s division named Zechariah. His wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth 6 Both were righteous in God’s sight, living without blame according to all the commands and requirements of the Lord.7 But they had no children because Elizabeth could not conceive, and both of them were well along in years.8 When his division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,9 it happened that he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense.10 At the hour of incense the whole assembly of the people was praying outside.11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and overcome with fear.13 But the angel said to him: Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.14 There will be joy and delight for you, and many will rejoice at his birth.15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord and will never drink wine or beer. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb.16 He will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God.17 And he will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to make ready for the Lord a prepared people.18 “How can I know this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “For I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.”19 The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and tell you this good news.20 Now listen! You will become silent and unable to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary.22 When he did come out, he could not speak to them. Then they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept making signs to them and remained speechless.23 When the days of his ministry were completed, he went back home.24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived and kept herself in seclusion for five months. She said,25 “The Lord has done this for me. He has looked with favor in these days to take away my disgrace among the people.”
When Zechariah got this news from Gabriel ( we do have to admit that this was unbelievable, life changing news) he responded in unbelief so he wanted a sign. (18 “How can I know this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “For I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.). Maybe he was just scared by the angel appearing, but regardless he didn’t respond to the news with joy, peace, hope and faith, even though He was in the temple. He actually responded with agitation and doubt.
Gabriel responded with agitation and doubt? What was the sign that he got?
This really dovetails with our study on doubt. Zachariah wants to know how, but Gabriel emphasizes belief. When we get confusing, or bad news we often want to know why rather than resting in God’s peace because our faith in in Him and His promises.
This Christmas we can learn from Zechariah and learn to believe in God’s words to us and the plan He has for our lives;
Jeremiah 29:11 (HCSB) For I know the plans I have for you”—⌊this is⌋ the LORD’s declaration—“plans for ⌊your⌋ welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
Romans 8:28 (HCSB)28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.
Whether the news is bad or too-good-to-be-true news (which is really the news that Zachariah got) what we can learn from Zack is that God really can be trusted and that should bring us great peace.
Luke 1:25 (HCSB) After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived and kept herself in seclusion for five months. She said,25 “The Lord has done this for me. He has looked with favor in these days to take away my disgrace among the people.”
Now let’s look at a response to a message from Gabriel that is the direct opposite to Zack;
Luke 1:26-38 (HCSB)26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,27 to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.28 And ⌊the angel⌋ came to her and said, “Rejoice, favored woman! The Lord is with you.”29 But she was deeply troubled by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be.30 Then the angel told her: Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.31 Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will call His name Jesus.32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not been intimate with a man?”35 The angel replied to her: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.36 And consider your relative Elizabeth—even she has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called childless.37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”38 “I am the Lord’s slave,” said Mary. “May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.
Mary, a young girl, probably as young as 13, was going about her own business when Gabriel appeared and gave her, like the news to Zachariah, unbelievable, life changing news. Her initial response was much like Zack’s;
Luke 1:34 (HCSB)34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not been intimate with a man?”
She was no doubt confused, nervous, afraid, excited.
But there was a difference in her response to Gabriel. What was the difference?
Here’s the difference though Zack demanded a sign, Mary responded with;
Luke 1:38 (HCSB)38 “I am the Lord’s slave,” said Mary. “May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.
Think about that. Mary would have known that she would be labeled a suspected adulteress because even though engagement back then meant that she and Joseph were legally married except the sexual consummation, here she was pregnant. Would Joseph divorce her, would she be tried and found guilty and stoned? She may also feared for her unborn child. When he grew up he would be taunted as an illegitimate child. Yet she replied “May it be done to me according to your word”
Instead of yielding to fear Mary was at peace. That peace gave her the courage to obey and accept whatever the Lord had for her. Mary can be an example to accept with peace bad or too-good-to-be-true news
That’s two reactions to unexpected, news. Both Zechariah and Mary were told they would have a child, and both of them shouldn't have been able to. Zack responded in disbelief; he had no peace about this announcement because he thought he and his wife were too old. Because he didn’t believe he couldn’t talk until after his son John was born. So his lack of peace with the news caused him to become mute.
On the other hand mary responded with peace. There is a song that Mary sings when she goes to visit her cousin, who just happens to be Zack’s wife. In that song Mary predicts that everybody will know that God has blessed her.
Luke 1:48 (HCSB)48 because He has looked with favor on the humble condition of His slave. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed,
Mary had peace with God’s word to her and she trusted Him.
Pursue the peace that passes understanding in all you do because there is something greater at stake. In this world where there seems to be no peace and no way to achieve it, we need to be the ones who say that real peace is available only in the Prince of Peace. Make this one of the gifts, in fact the most important gift, you give this Christmas. Your witness.
Here is the way that Philippians 4:7 reads from “The Passion Translation”, a new translation of the Bible
Lord Jesus Christ, my Prince of Peace, I come to you to tell you every detail of my life, so that “God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding, will make the answers known to me through Jesus Christ”
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