Advent 101: Part 1

The church we attended while I was growing up would celebrate Advent each year. I loved it!! It recently came to my attention that many people are unfamiliar with this fantastic "season". If you are one of those unfortunate souls, this rather lengthy tutorial is my (Christmas) gift to you.

BACKGROUND
Advent means "coming" or "arrival". Technically, the Advent season refers to the time period a month before Christmas. It begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day, which is the Sunday nearest November 30, and ends on Christmas Eve (Dec 24). If Christmas Eve is a Sunday- as it is this year- it is counted as the fourth Sunday of Advent, with Christmas Eve proper beginning at sundown.

Advent is the season of spiritual preparation for Christ's birth. The Advent celebration focuses not only of Christ's birth (1st advent) but also His return (2nd advent), while highlighting truths about God: His faithfulness, judgment of sin, grace, and love. It is the celebration of the revelation of God in Christ by which all of creation might be reconciled to God.

For Christians, Advent is the celebration of:

1) God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promise (a 2,000 year promise!)

Galatians 3:8-9

The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you." So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

Jeremiah 23:5-6

"The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety.
This is the name by which he will be called The LORD Our Righteousness."

Matthew 1:21-23

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"-which means, "God with us."

2)God's deliverance of His people, enslaved to sin

Romans 5:10

For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

John 8:34

Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin."

3) We have been redeemed and reconciled to God through Christ. We have peace with God!

Galatians 4:4-7

But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

Romans 5:1, 8-11

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ...But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

4) Christ's sacrifice and God's new relationship with His people

Just as the temple curtain was torn from top to bottom (Mark 15) at the moment of Christ's death exposing the temple's inner sanctuary, it was His death that gave us direct access to God.
Hebrews 10:18-20

And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin. Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body,

5) God's blessing once reserved for His chosen people, the Israelites, now for all peoples.

Galatians 3:14

He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

Christ's genealogy (Matthew 1) includes men of big faith who made big mistakes (eg: Abraham, David), a prostitute, and Caananites and Moabites (traditionally enemies of God's people).

6) He is coming back!!

Revelation 21:3-7

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

2 Peter 3:13

But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

Revelation 22:20

"Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.