Reflections – 2016.12

Coming …

The idea of someone or something “coming” always elicits some sort of a response.  “The British are coming” led the early American patriots to get ready and prepare for battle.  The statement that “Santa Claus is coming to town” is meant to fill a child with anticipation of receiving gifts.  “Uncle Jim is coming for a visit” might lead one to rejoice (if Uncle Jim is a well-loved uncle) or become anxious (if Uncle Jim is known for launching into angry tirades about this or that topic) or to get busy (if one likes to spend time preparing for visitors).   “The IRS is coming to audit your taxes” might cause a taxpayer to lose sleep and dread the day when the IRS arrives.

We are entering into a time of the year known as Advent.  Advent means “coming” in Latin and is the name given by the Church in its early days for the season of the year prior to Christmas.  In Christian tradition, this four week season was a time to reflect on and celebrate the coming of Jesus.  This “coming” is usually spoken of in three ways – the coming of Jesus as a baby in Bethlehem, the coming of Jesus into the heart of man in salvation, and the coming of Jesus in the future to, as our creed says, “judge the living and the dead” …

Throughout this season, I will be preaching a series of sermons on the Coming of Christ.  We will look at the Coming of Immanuel (God with Us), the Coming of the King, the Coming of the Shepherd, the Coming of the Savior and the Coming of the Son.  And as we consider Christ’s coming into the world, we will do so as a congregation who is coming into a new place of worship.   There is much anticipation, excitement, and joy surrounding this move.  There are also questions, details, works to do, and new people who we will meet and welcome in worship.  I think of the coming of Christ and imagine that His coming was surrounded with the same sort of thing – a lot of anticipation, from Mary, shepherds, angels, and wise men, and a lot of joy in His birth, considering what He had come to accomplish.  With that anticipation would come questions, details, works to do, people to meet and welcome and heal and teach and call into a relationship with the living God, along with a great deal of suffering.  Praise the Lord that He came and did all that He came to do.

As we come into our new place and as we consider Christ’s coming into our world, may our hearts rejoice in the truth that Christ has come and is coming again, and that we belong to Him, the One who is the Son of God, who is our King, Shepherd, and Savior… the One who is Immanuel, God with Us.