Posts Tagged ‘Advent Sermons’
Sermon I Advent Yr C
1 Advent Yr C, 29/11/2009
Jer 33:14-16
Rev. Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson
Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, &
Chaplain of The Good Samaritan Society’s
South Ridge Village, Medicine Hat, Alberta
“Hope amidst hopelessness”
Do any of you know surely? I’m not talking about a person of the female gender named Shirley. No, rather, I’m speaking of that little English word. A word that refers to confidence and certainty. Surely you know it. In today’s first lesson the prophet Jeremiah speaks of it like this as he quotes what he heard from the LORD himself: “The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah.” Notice that Jeremiah does not say or quote the LORD as having said something like this: “The days are perhaps coming…” or “The days are maybe coming…” None of that kind of ambiguity here. “The days are surely coming…”
And sure enough, as day follows night, surely the season of Advent has arrived. Advent is too short, only four weeks. The season reminds us of Christ’s coming. We look at Christ’s coming from the perspective of the past as Jesus came to earth and live among us as a human being like us in every way, except without sin. And we celebrate Christ’s presence among us today in the present; as he reveals himself to us through Word and sacrament, and the communion of us sinner-saints. We also look forward into the future when he shall come again and usher in completely his eternal kingdom. Advent marks the beginning of a new church year, which usually gives us cause to look forward into the future.
However, there is much irony as we celebrate Advent for the last time here at Grace Lutheran Church. The irony bespeaks hope and sadness, loss and grief. I believe that’s why our passage from Jeremiah is tailor-made for us today. The predicament that we find ourselves in as a congregation moving into the future with sorrow and grief has similarities with the predicament of Jeremiah and the people of Judah. We, like Jeremiah, can say that “The days are surely coming…” Our predicament here at Grace Lutheran, like that of Jeremiah and his people, is one of hope amidst the hopelessness.
Jeremiah’s little oracle of hope is almost out of sync for the prophet, in that the circumstances were most likely anything but hopeful. Jeremiah was either serving time in jail or under house arrest, because he prophesied against the king, Zedekiah, and the people of Judah and Jerusalem, charging them with being unfaithful to the LORD and his covenant with them. Moreover, to add insult to injury, Jeremiah had said that the present siege of Jerusalem by King Nebuchadrezzar and his Babylonian army was God’s instrument of punishment upon the people of Jerusalem and Judah, thus it was pointless to resist them. Such a prophetic message went over like a lead balloon, no wonder Jeremiah was in jail. In contemporary times, it might be compared with something like a pastor from Lethbridge standing on main street Medicine Hat and prophesying that our city is going to be invaded and taken over by the citizens of Lethbridge; and it’s pointless to resist them, for they are God’s instrument of wrath upon us. Such a pastor might also very well be arrested, perhaps even thrown into jail, and most Hatters would likely reject and condemn their message.
And yet, Jeremiah remains faithful to God and proclaims this oracle of hope in spite of the immediate situation of hopelessness. At times it is difficult for people to live with hope when all they can see in their situation is hopelessness. Yet, as people of faith, we like Jeremiah and the people of Judah are called to live with hope—even as we face the hopelessness of closing our church doors. Jeremiah’s oracle of hope communicates certainty and confidence that God shall, in the future, make good on his promises to the people of Israel and Judah. How can we, like Jeremiah be a people of hope amidst our hopelessness? Well, by trusting in God’s Messiah-King Jesus, like Jeremiah did; for he is our righteous Branch.
I like that image of Jesus as our righteous Branch. Apparently one of the military tactics that the Babylonian army engaged in against the people of Judah and Jerusalem was to chop down the olive trees. The olive orchards were, in many respects part of “the life-blood” of the economy for God’s people—providing food and oil for eating, cooking and other uses. So, when the olive trees were cut down, the people of Judah and Jerusalem no doubt lamented at their loss. Such a hostile act would have made them feel hopeless. Yet Jeremiah sees hope amidst that situation of hopelessness. Jeremiah sees the righteous Branch. Looking into the future, Jeremiah knew that the olive orchard stumps would produce shoots and branches. In a few years down the road, they’d even come to live again and produce olives.
So it was spiritually too. Jeremiah was saying to his people: “Don’t give up hope in the midst of this Babylonian hopelessness. Yes, we will go into Babylonian exile. However, look into the future, the LORD shall fulfill his promises to us. Hope in him and he shall not disappoint you. He shall send his Messiah-King, the righteous Branch to govern us. One day we shall be back in the Promised Land and eat from the fruit of the olive orchards. On a new day we shall worship the LORD in a new Jerusalem temple. My people, don’t lose your hope amidst the hopelessness—even if you cannot see the hope now. Hang onto it, for the LORD is a God of hope and where there’s hope there is life.”
Members and friends of Grace Lutheran, can you see the hope amidst the hopelessness? Yes, the doors of this edifice shall close at the end of December. And yes, such an event breaks your hearts. We all had hopes, now that are in the past and lost, for the situation to improve here at Grace so we could carry on our ministry. We mourn those lost hopes of the past. Now we face the future. Advent is a season of hope—pointing us to Christ our righteous Branch. After the ministry here comes to an end and our doors close; when we’ve completed all of the last things, then we shall go into a new future. A future where we can find another congregation and become accepted in that faith community. In that future a new hope can be born after the sorrow, pain, sadness and loss—just as new olives are born from chopped down tree stumps.
The days are surely coming, Jeremiah prophesies, when the Messiah-King shall come to rule with justice and righteousness. According to later Jewish tradition, the rabbis said: “The life of a single righteous person is equal in value to the whole world.” And: “Through the merit of one righteous [person] the world survives…”1 That, too, is our hope. The first Sunday of Advent points us to the one righteous person—Jesus, our righteous Branch. He can and does save the world and ensures that the world survives. As the old familiar song puts it: “He’s got the whole world in his hands.” Moreover, Jeremiah tells us: “He shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.” According to this promise, we are reminded that there is no justice without hope.
Hope is symbolized by the birth of the Christ child, who taught us by example how to make peace, how to heal division, how to restore community.
Hope is born when an Hasidic Jew extends his hand to a fallen Arab, helping him to safety before the collapse of the twin towers.
Hope is born when the parents of savagely murdered teenager Reena Virk help their daughter’s killer gain parole so that he may begin to “lead a useful life.”
Hope is born when the Amish Mennonite parents of five murdered schoolgirls in Pennsylvania encircle the family of their executioner, ensuring forgiveness amid embraces and tears.
Love—not law—is the spirit of justice. Hope is the agenda of justice. There can be no justice where there is no hope. To do justice is to create hope. Justice without hope is like law without gospel.
Restoring hope in this 21st Century will require great sacrifices—especially among those of us who have gotten used to receiving far more than we are willing to give. Whether we take up the cross freely in love or have it forced upon us in hatred, that will be our personal and political choice.2
So brothers and sisters in Christ, do not give up hope for your future amidst the hopelessness. Let go of past hopes so that out of them a new hope shall be born—just like the new olives from the chopped-down olive tree stump. Live with expectation that Jesus our righteous Branch is coming. Prepare for his coming into your hearts, minds and lives this Advent. Be ready to welcome his coming at Christmas. Find the hope for your future and the future of your fellow members of Grace by trusting that Jesus our Messiah-King shall lead you through your hopelessness and exile, sadness and grief into the realised hope of his Promised Land; the kingdom which shall have no end. Amen.
1 Cited from: Rabbi Alexander Feinsilver, The Talmud For Today (New York: St Martin’s Press, Inc., 1980), p. 48. 2 Cited from: Erich & Miranda Weingartner, “No Justice Without Hope,” in Canada Lutheran, December 2006 (Winnipeg, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada), p. 13.
Sermon III Advent Yr B
III Advent Yr B, 14/12/2008
Jn 1:6-8, 19-28
Rev. Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson
Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, &
Chaplain of The Good Samaritan Society’s
South Ridge Village, Medicine Hat, Alberta
“John the second fiddle”
In Vienna, Austria, you will find a church in which the Hapsburgs, the former ruling family of Austria, are buried. It is said that when royal funerals finally arrive at the church for the burial rites, the mourners leading the funeral procession knock at the door to gain entrance.
“Who is it that desires admission here?” a priest asks through the locked door.
“His apostolic majesty, the emperor!” calls the guard.
“I don’t know him,” answers the priest.
A second knock follows and a similar question is asked. This time, the funeral guard announces the deceased as “the highest emperor.”
Again, “I don’t know him,” echoes throughout the vaulted burial chamber.
Finally, a third knock is heard. “Who is it?”
“A poor sinner, your brother,” comes the final answer. Then the door is opened and the royal burial completed.1
Humility. A virtue often made fun of and belittled, sometimes even despised. Yet, a quintessential virtue among God’s faithful servants. In today’s gospel, John epitomizes humility. Rather than call him John the Baptizer, I’d be more inclined to call him John the Second Fiddle. As you likely know, the second fiddle in an orchestra is not in the limelight. Yet, the role of the second fiddle is equally as important as the first fiddle. Where would an orchestra be without second fiddles? It would be a lot poorer, that’s where. The second fiddle adds beauty and texture to the sound of a composition—giving the listener a sense of the larger picture of the whole piece, highlighting the organic unity of the entire composition. So, the role of second fiddle is essential for an orchestra, even though second fiddlers are not in the limelight.
John the second fiddle epitomizes humility in that our gospel tells us: “He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.” Then, when the Jerusalem delegation of religious leaders question John about his role and identity he tells them: “I am not the Messiah.” When asked whether he was Elijah, he states, “I am not,” even though in another gospel Jesus describes John as a second Elijah. And when asked whether he is “the prophet,”—that is, like Elijah, the prophet was considered a forerunner of the Messiah—John again answers in the negative.
There is irony here, John is a witness to Jesus the light, not the light, and he even quotes Isaiah 40:3 to describe his role and identity: “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord.’” That quotation from Isaiah sounds to me a lot like the role of an Elijah or another prophet preparing for the Messiah’s coming. Perhaps John’s humility was so deeply entrenched that at this point in his life he did not realise that he was the second Elijah preparing for the Messiah’s coming. This too seems to fit with his words in verses 26 and 27, where he answers the question as to why he is baptizing. John replies: “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.” Now that’s humility! Considering the fact that it was the role of a servant or slave to untie their Master’s sandals, John here is telling the Jerusalem delegation of religious leaders that he’s even less than a servant or slave of “the one who is coming after me.” Again there is irony here. John the most humble of God’s servants publicly declares his humility in contrast to the Messiah, yet he is the one who heralds the coming of the Messiah—NOT the Jerusalem religious elite!
I wonder, is it precisely because John is a very humble servant of God that he is able to herald the Messiah’s coming? If he were not so humble, would he have listened to God’s call to be the Messiah’s forerunner? Who listens the best, the proud religious elite or the most humble folk on society’s margins? Is the voice of the Lord today to be listened to and heeded among the most humble of God’s servants? The humble of heart do seem to be God’s voice in the world. Think of the gospel of Matthew twenty-five a couple of weeks ago. Do you recall that Jesus, in separating the righteous from the unrighteous said that those who had provided food and drink, and clothing; those who had cared for the sick; those who had visited the prisoners were the blessed ones. Why? Because, Jesus said, in doing these things to the least of his brothers and sisters we do it to him. In other words, Jesus speaks to us, makes himself known to us through the most humble of human beings. If the humblest, most numerous folk in the world are the voice and presence of Christ—then how can we help but not hear Christ’s voice and welcome him in our midst?!
Coming back to John again, it requires a great deal of humility to be a preparer, a sign, a pointer to the Messiah. John’s second fiddle role is not always easy; there may have been times when he struggled with his ego; struggled not to become number one celebrity in the limelight. Yet, in humility he is clear that he is only a witness to the light, only a forerunner of Jesus, that’s all. What about us? How do we witness to Christ our light? The following story is rather instructive:
The day of graduation had finally come. Not only for the University college coeds but for the graduate school and the divinity school. All three graduations blended into one glorious processional of young and old who had worked hard to celebrate this day. Also longed for was to hear the graduation speaker of well-known propriety, Rev. Jesse Jackson. He was to speak on “The Unseen Guest At Graduation.”
Not only were the graduates anticipating, but the parents, faculty, administration and the media this well-known preacher turned political prophet. It was just before the processional of the graduates that the rumor was heard that Rev. Jesse Jackson would not be the speaker. There was a hush upon the crowd following the graduates’ procession as to just exactly who would be the speaker. There was much concern for all had anticipated and looked forward to this dynamic speaker. Who could fill his shoes?
Suddenly, the replacement appeared. People rose to their feet as Alan Aida appeared with his smile through the doorway of the gymnasium. People began to applaud and wave.
He took the podium and was introduced as not Rev. Jesse Jackson who could not be the speaker due to illness. He addressed the packed audience with the message that he was not Jesse Jackson, nor could he fill his shoes, nor did he intend to. Yet, he had come with a message. A powerful message erupted from his heart. His words penetrated the hearts of all gathered that day for graduation. He pointed to the “Unseen Guest at Graduation.”
Alan Aida was a voice that spoke that day as one who spoke to prepare for the coming of the Lord. He was not the light, he came to bear witness to the light.2
So it was with John, and so it is with us, John was not the light, we are not the light, John came to bear witness to Jesus the light, we too have come to bear witness to the light. Therefore remember the words spoken, the calling that you were given, that we were all given when we were baptized, when the baptismal candle was lit, we were given the following call and commission: “Let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
We are not Christ the Light, we are however, like John, only Jesus the Messiah’s humble forerunners, signs, pointers, preparers. Our baptismal covenant, call and commission is to reflect Jesus the True Light of the world to others. So it is that in the darkness of our times; over against all indicators that would have us believe there is no Light; we as an Advent people bear witness to Jesus our True Light as we watch and wait with hope, peacefully and joyfully expecting our Saviour’s appearing, as we sing, pray, and live those familiar words: “Amen! Come Lord Jesus! Come and live in and through our hearts, minds and lives; today, tomorrow, always and forever! Amen! Come Lord Jesus! Come and save your people from the darkness of sin, death and evil. Amen.
1 Wm. J. Bausch, A World Of Stories for Preachers and Teachers (New London, CT: Twenty-Third Publications, Eighth Printing, 2007), pp. 326-327.
2 Emphasis, Vol. 23, No. 4, November-December 1993 (Lima, OH: CSS Publishing Co., Inc.), p. 47.
Sermon Advent II Yr B
II Advent Yr B, 7/12/2008
Ps 85:1-2, 8-13
Rev. Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson
Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, &
Chaplain of The Good Samaritan Society’s
South Ridge Village, Medicine Hat, Alberta
“Righteousness and peace will kiss each other”
The theme for this second Sunday of Advent is peace. The biblical vision of peace is way more than the absence of war. Peace has everything to do with living with hearts, minds, and lives wide open—viewing life and living it in a holistic manner. That’s why in the Bible righteousness and peace are frequently connected with each other, as in our psalm today, where they are actually personified in verse ten, where we are given this beautiful picture, the psalmist says: “Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other.”
According to scholars, this psalm may have been written around the time when the Jewish people were returning to Judah and Jerusalem, and perhaps during the season just after the gathering in of the harvest, when they were celebrating the harvest festival and during the Feast of Tabernacles. At any rate, the psalm makes the connection of peace and righteousness taking shape in a just society, which is also blessed by God making the land fertile. These two go hand in hand here—a just society where peace and right relationships flourish, and a fertile land with bumper crops.
For both Jews and Christians today, these connections between right relationships of peace and justice and caring for the land that it may bless God’s people continue to be important spiritual, as well as economic and political values, as we learn from the following contemporary, inspirational story:
Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathai, whose tree-planting movement defied political leaders, was praised by Samuel Kobia, the World Council of Churches’ general secretary—and a fellow Kenyan—for being named the Nobel Peace Prize winner for 2004.
“Being the first African woman in history to receive this prestigious prize, you have brought honour to the African continent and its people,” said Kobia, a Methodist minister who in January (2004) became the first African to lead the worldwide ecumenical church alliance.
Maathai, 64, (at the time was) Kenya’s deputy environment minister, was named the winner of the prize for her leadership of the Green Belt Movement, which has sought to empower women, improve the environment and fight corruption in Africa for almost 30 years. She challenged policies of Kenya’s former government, led by President Daniel Arap Moi before he stepped down after elections in 2002.
“We believe that Maathai is a strong voice speaking for the best forces in Africa to promote peace and good living conditions on that continent,” the Nobel committee said in its citation. The peace prize (was) awarded December 10, (2004).
Maathai was Nairobi University’s first woman professor before she left full-time academic life to found the Green Belt Movement, a women’s environmental group fighting the clearing of forests for charcoal and property development. “Your campaign against deforestation across Africa is a unique contribution not only to save African forests, but also African lives,” Kobia said.
Maathai was a keynote speaker in 1979 at a major World Council of Churches conference in Boston on “Faith, Science and the Future.” The onetime Anglican, said now to be Catholic, recently contributed a chapter to a new book, Healing God’s Creation (Morehouse).1
This inspiring story connects the flourishing of land with peace and righteousness—the latter of which entails right relationships between God and humans, humans with each other, and humans with the land. These are what make for a just society where everyone has—insofar as is possible in a sinful world—enough and their basic needs, rights and freedoms are respected and protected.
When one begins to dig into the Bible one discovers that there are several other passages that also connect peace with righteousness.
For example, in Isaiah 32:17, we read: “The effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness quietness and trust forever.” I like that—during this season of Advent, of course as we look into the future coming of Jesus, we can place our trust in him with quiet, peaceful hearts. Trust, of course, is required for all healthy relationships.
In Isaiah 60:17, in the vision of a New Jerusalem, the prophet, like the psalmist in our text today, personifies peace and righteousness, saying: “I shall appoint Peace as your overseer and Righteousness as your taskmaster.”
In the New Testament, the apostle Paul in Romans 14:17 says: “For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” And so, according to the Bible righteousness and peace go hand-in-hand—both are the building blocks of healthy, lasting relationships, churches and societies.
The oldest known comedy in all literature is that written by Aristophanes and called “The Acharnians.” The plot is very simple. One translator has outlined it as follows: An honest citizen, finding it impossible to get the State to conclude a peace with Sparta, makes a private peace on his own account, and thenceforward is represented as living in all the joys and comforts of peace whilst the rest of the City continues to suffer the straits and miseries of war. Many amusing incidents result. It would be hard to describe more clearly that wonderful difference which God has put upon believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. They are in the world but not of it (John 17:11, 14). We are privileged to live in all the joys and comforts of Christ (who is our Prince of Peace).2
So, on this second Sunday of Advent, we wait, watch, work, and pray for the coming of Jesus our Prince of Peace to reign more fully in our hearts, lives, Church and world. Amen, come, Lord Jesus!
1 Cited from: The Christian Century, October 19, 2004 Vol. 121, No. 21, <www.christiancentury.org/dept_news04.html>.
2 Cited from: Donald Grey Barnhouse, Bible Truth Illustrated (New Canaan, Connecticut: Keats Publishing, Inc., 1979), p. 103.
Sermon I Advent Yr B
I Advent Yr B, 30/11/2008
Isa 64:1-9
Rev. Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson
Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, &
Chaplain of The Good Samaritan Society’s
South Ridge Village, Medicine Hat, Alberta
“Waiting for God”
Well, here we are in one of my favourite seasons of the church year—Advent. Advent is the beginning of a new church year; hence it is a season offering the possibility of new beginnings, fresh starts, which we all need. Advent is, as you likely know, the Latin word for coming. In Advent, we celebrate three “comings” of Jesus: first as a human being who came in the past to live with us on earth; second as Jesus comes to us in the present through, primarily, the preaching of the word and administration of the sacraments; and third, we look forward into the future to his promised second coming, at a time no one knows, except God the Father. Advent is therefore a season of preparation—we prepare for Jesus as he comes to us each day to guide and direct our lives that his will be done. We prepare for his future second coming, so that we may be found faithful and ready to greet Jesus at that time. We prepare too for the next season after Advent, Christmas, so that we can truly be ready to celebrate with joy the birth of Jesus. Therefore, it is appropriate during the season of Advent to wait, to watch, to live in readiness by preparing for Jesus. So welcome to Advent, and yes, Happy New Year!
In our instant society, it is a huge challenge to wait; people want and expect everything to happen in a nano-second. Our high-tech world keeps speeding up and those of us who are growing older are increasingly challenged to live life not in the fast lane, not in the faster lane, but in the fastest lane! Yet, the season of Advent moves us in the opposite direction. We are called and challenged to slow down, and to wait.
Waiting can be and often is a challenge, yet that is what God often requires us to do. In Advent we wait for God. I like the following humorous story about waiting, as told by Edwin Robertson:
At the Opening Service of the Oslo World Student Conference in 1947, when Bishop Eivind Berggrav’s sermon was ended and he moved down from the pulpit to the altar to give the blessing, a misunderstanding with the organist occurred. Berggrav began, somewhat quietly, with the explanation, “If I may, I will give the blessing in Norwegian.” The organist did not hear, and assumed it as the usual greeting: “The Lord be with you,” and played for the congregational response, “And with thy spirit.” As Berggrav then said, “The Lord be with you,” the organist thought it was the blessing, and thundered out the threefold “Amen,” followed with his usual piece after the blessing, going on for some time. Berggrav stood quite still until the organ was silent. Then he finally said in a loud voice and this time in English, “So is it often in life that one has to wait for God’s blessing, but it always comes.”1
In our first lesson today, the people of Israel, returning from their Babylonian exile also discovered this truth, that one does have to wait for God’s blessing, but it always comes. The passage, described by scholars as a community lament, consists of Israel’s deep longing for God to come as he had in the past. The desire for God to reveal himself by tearing open the heavens and the mountains quaking at God’s presence is reminiscent of the past, like for example, God revealing himself to Moses on Mount Sinai. For the Israelites, God ruling over the natural world were signs of God’s power that evoked in human beings a state of reverential fear and awe towards God.
As the passage continues, Israel is reminded of the blessings that God gives through waiting and being obedient to God’s ways, they recite the following promise, which was fulfilled over and over again for them, and continues to be for us as well when we wait and are obedient to God’s ways, they said: “From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who works for those who wait for him. You meet those who gladly do right, those who remember you in your ways.”
So it is with us too, our waiting for God is blessed when we are faithful, when we are obedient to the LORD. For example, a student waits for her or his day to come when they finish and graduate and find that dream job. Yet, it involves more than waiting. It also involves faithfulness in study, attending classes, doing the assignments, writing the exams and calling on God for help and grace to learn what is necessary to learn for the future.
For a congregation to flourish, it also involves waiting on God, as well as acting in obedience to the LORD’s ways. A congregation, as you know, cannot survive when people do not love God and neighbour. This love includes both waiting on God and acting in faith, by obeying God’s ways. There are times in the history of a congregation when hardships and troubles seem overwhelming. Yet, at precisely those times a congregation needs to wait even more on God and act in obedience to him and his ways. At our Southern conference convention, Bishop Mayan told the story of a small rural congregation in our synod that was struggling to survive and wondered if they should close their doors. However, as time passed it became clear to the congregation that they would stay open longer. However, this involved some changes for them, one of which is a Sunday evening worship service once a month along with a potluck meal instead of worshipping during the day. This particular change has become well received and popular in the community.
Speaking of change, those ancient Israelites also realised that they had sinned against the LORD because the LORD had hidden his face from them and delivered them into their own sins. God allowed them to suffer the consequences of their sins by carting them off into Babylonian exile. They confessed their sins and repented of them. Then they appealed to God as their Father to mould and shape them as the potter does with clay. This theme of repentance, of turning away from our sin and toward the LORD and his forgiveness is an important one during the season of Advent.
According to former LAMP Pastor-Pilate Les Stahlke: We think that flying in the North is quite safe, but there is one simple practice that makes it even more so. That is the willingness to turn around when something is wrong. Reversing course or “doing a one-eighty” as we call it, when faced with poor weather or mechanical problems, reduces the risk dramatically and prevents us from getting into serious trouble. Making that decision is not always easy because of “get-home-it is” or simple pride that tempts us to say, “Aw, I can handle this.”
In life we must make similar decisions. Our Advent King said of Himself, “I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” Yet we are still tempted to speed on to our own destruction because we don’t want to admit that we need help or that we have gotten ourselves into deep trouble. “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that they turn from their evil way and live, says the Lord.”
Advent is a good time to reassess the direction our lives are taking.2
In turning to God, our Potter, we can live in hope—for he will form us creatures of clay in ways that are pleasing to him. He can shape us in beautiful ways so that we can indeed wait patiently and respond when the time is right by acts of obedience and serve his holy purposes. As Advent people, we live in hope; for Christ our Saviour has come, continues to come, and shall come. Our future is hopeful as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled in Jesus our Messiah. Amen.
1 Edwin Robertson, Bishop of the Resistance: The Life of Eivind Berggrav, Bishop of Oslo, Norway (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 2000), pp. 174-175.
2 LAMP Advent Devotions 1988, p. 6.
