Advent - The Coming
A Challenge
Advent anticipates the arrival of Jesus Christ. The Latin root of advent defines `a coming`. It is a recognition of this anticipation in the Christian faith, celebrated each of the four Sundays before Christmas, with Christmas Day at its pinnacle. Below you will find some brief reflections for each day of December as we follow the birth stories about Jesus and the prophecies about his birth. Matthew and Luke penned details of Christ’s birth whilst John who began his Gospel account by clarifying who Jesus is, reveal the fulfilment of prophecies of old.
As we walk through the anticipatory season of Advent in a year full of chaos, uncertainty, isolation, unrest, and fear… let us choose to turn to Jesus, fixing our focus not on the fleeting status of this world, but the unchanging glory of God. His greatest expression of love for us was to send His One and only Son to earth to save us. He knows us personally and created us purposefully, for such a time as this. We were set in this generation, and given the opportunity to bring glory to God, our Creator, with the life He has breathed into us.
The message from Jeremiah is one of hope. In context he is looking forward to a time when the Jewish captivity in Babylon will end as God fulfils his promise to David that his kingdom will last forever. In our time, we are looking forward to celebrating the birth of Jesus whose death formed a new covenant between God and ourselves freeing us from the captivity of sin.
The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfil the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah.
Jeremiah 33:14
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What does Advent mean for you? - the business of Christmas preparation? As you look forward to celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, what would help you to wait patiently and prayerfully as the joyful day of Christmas approaches?
Pray: Lord, help us to wait patiently and prayerfully as the joyful day of Christmas approaches. Amen.
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“Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.” Matthew 1:19.
The shocking news of Mary’s pregnancy must have filled Joseph with absolute horror. Had Mary cheated on him? What next? Break off the engagement?
What is our reaction to sudden, unexpected news that comes disrupting our way of life, particularly if we feel the innocent party? Our first instinct may be to take action against the perpetrator venting anger or frustration. But can we, like Joseph, not act on instinct straightaway. Consider all consequences, consult with others and above all pray to God.
Pray –Lord God, when we feel we are innocent victims of an offence or circumstance, help us to find comfort, guidance and resolution in seeking Your will.
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“ Just when he (Joseph) had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, Matthew 1:20.
Joseph was in a similar position to us under restrictions. He had to travel home. Imagine the stress and problems he faced: Mary unmarried and about to have a baby, Then everything changes. He has a dream and is re-assured. What a gift, lifting their problems and expanding their perceptions.
Huge gifts suddenly come to us from nowhere. Images help us unravel stress, as we recognize and accept a different way forward. We can begin to see something more clearly, and know our next step.
Are you open to new ideas and images? What might God be saying to you? What medium might He use?
Pray: Lord, open our eyes and ears to see and hear You more clearly
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When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife.
Matthew 1:24
What would you do in Joseph`s position? - or similar dilemmas?
Go with your heart, and marry for love or your head and listen to family and friends and what is socially acceptable at the time?
Or maybe the decision was much simpler – as someone who believed and trusts in God, surely we would listen and obey!
It`s no easy path, trusting that God would support in facing the difficulties that lie ahead? - We know that it is no easy road, but it is the one we are called to. How about you? What has your experience been?
Pray:
Lord, thank you for your unfailing love, and for being there with me in difficult times. Please help me to listen carefully so that I can hear your message.
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"The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and they will call him Emmanuel, which means, God is with us.”
Matthew 1:23.
The name given to the child contains the whole Gospel in just one word. It reveals the nature of our God. God is Emmanuel. God is with us. God is not miles above us, aloof and uncontactable. God is not towering over us, wagging his finger disapprovingly. God is not hidden from us, waiting to catch us out. No. God is with us. Born among us, living among us, dying among us, rising among us. Completely and utterly committed to us, loving us from before we were born, loving us after we die. With us. Eternally.
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How extraordinary is that! But how do you see Him? How close is He to you? Do any of those phrases resonate - distant, disapproving, remote, waiting for us to fail?
If any do, can you recognise any reason for this in your own heart? Perhaps share with a Christian friend, and pray for the Truth that came as Light, to enlighten you and draw close to renew your joy.
Pray: God, you are with me, closer to me than I am to myself. Help me
to remember that, and so to find the strength I need for today. Amen.
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In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem.
Matthew 2:1.
How open are you to the idea that God’s revelation and truth can come from outside the Christian faith? Are you open to hearing and seeing God through those of a different background or faith to yourself?
We don’t know anything about these wise men apart from the fact that they came from the east and they were “wise”. They probably were gentiles, possibly priests of another religion, skilled in astronomy and the interpretation of ‘signs in the sky’. Most significant is coming from the east – the direction from which the sun rises, the direction from which new light comes.
Pray
Lord, open our eyes to see You in those around us, open our ears to hear your word whoever speaks it, open our hearts to accept your love through whatever medium You choose.
asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.’ Matthew 2:2
Magi, wise men, were advisers to leaders and kings – think Dominic Cummings! – They travelled on a diplomatic mission. They observed the stars to work out the complexities of Middle Eastern power politics, their rise and fall. An unusual conjunction of stars in the Holy Land’s area of sky brought them to Jerusalem, and to King Herod, looking for a new King. Very Unwise!
The birth of Jesus, Messiah, in Bethlehem ten miles from Jerusalem, was significant to the wider world.
Fathoming the politics of any area or party, particularly in the Middle East, is a complex role. The wise men got close, but needed a bit more information to reach the right destination. Where are you on your spiritual journey? Is there anything required to reach journey`s end?
Pray: For wisdom for those who work for good, and for God, in the complexities of our modern world. And those who seek to shape our common future in an era of change and uncertainty.
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When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him;
Matthew 2:3.
This story almost reads like a pantomime story with Herod as the baddy. Matthew is not offering us a cosy, picture book story with strange but gentle oriental kings bringing gifts to a child. Matthew tells us that Jesus is the true king of the Jews and Herod is the false one, a usurper, and like his sons did not take kindly to a new King of the Jews.
Consider how you can recognise and oppose false powers in the world today. Is there action that you need to take?
Pray: Give thanks to God, for the King has come: bringing peace, healing, and hope. A King who shares our weakness, A gentle King whose name is love. A strong King who will protect.
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Calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.
Matthew 2:4.
Herod was disturbed. He worried that he was to be challenged as to his rule. By a baby? Josephus, the historian, had already warned the aged Herod that the kingdom was going to be taken away from his family. Things were beginning to add up.
It required a first century COBRA meeting, bringing together religious and civic leaders, the lawyers and the priests. Surely they must know the answer. Herod makes the question of the Magi (wise men) his own. "Where is he?"
In Advent we each have the opportunity to reflect on this question
for ourselves. Where is Jesus, the Messiah, in our own lives.
Wise men, sort him. Are you wise and seek him too?
Pray In this time of worldwide confusion and disturbance, we pray
that the leaders of all the nations and all in authority may follow the just,
gentle rule of Christ.
Take time to seek Jesus yourself, in prayer, in the Bible and in worship.
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They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:”
Matthew 2:5.
When we say `Bethlehem` the person who springs to mind is Jesus. But for those living at the time, Bethlehem meant King David, their former godly leader. All Israel was anxiously awaiting his successor, the Messiah, who would be born in Bethlehem.
As Israel was eagerly waiting for the messiah, so we pray: Maranatha. Come Lord Jesus come.
As we look to the coming of Jesus, what actions can you take to make yourself and your community ready to greet him.
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‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.’
Matthew 2:6.
Bethlehem, of all places. ‘By no means the least’ but hardly the most likely spot for God to choose for the birth of His only son.
So began the idea, repeated throughout the gospels, that each one of us, unworthy as we are, is chosen as the object of God’s unimaginable love. All we have to do is to accept that reality and trust in His love which is present and closer than we can imagine. That’s the promise of the first Christmas in Bethlehem.
How well do you trust? We trust in many things. You no doubt are trusting right now that the chair you are sitting on will hold you firmly. What helps you trust in people? - perhaps their credentials or track record, or what others have said about them. Jesus has such a track record, with many prophets pointing to him, His friends revealing his story, and God himself proclaiming His Sonship.
Reflect on what convinces you most to trust.
Pray : Lord God, Father and Friend, grow in me to trust in Your unfailing love, whatever today and this Christmas may bring.
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Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. – Matthew 2:7
The secrecy involved in this meeting shows how much Herod feared the threat to his status as king.
Although Herod’s subsequent actions are extreme, his reaction to a threat to his status is very human. Which of us has not, at some point in our life, feared a change in our perceived status? Retirement, children leaving home, relationship break ups and even a newcomer in our workplace or circle of friends can make us question our place in the community and in the lives of our family and friends.
How well do you cope with change? What qualities have you which are not dependent on how others see you?
Pray: Lord, give us the confidence to see ourselves as you see us; to be the people you want us to be and not be constrained by our desire to be important to others.
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Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.'
Matthew 2:8.
If Herod was a diligent caring ruler Jesus would have been no threat to him.
Blaming the “other” is often what poor leaders do to deflect from their own
shortcomings, or the shortcomings of their followers.
Pray: For opportunities to share the truth of Jesus this Christmas period.
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When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was.
Matthew 2:9.
The stars have provided a compass for humans for millennia, helping us place ourselves on this earth and in the seasons. Looking up to the stars never fails to remind us that there are greater things.
I like to think that the Wise Men’s arrival in the Christmas story is the moment when science and faith meet.
There is no conflict at that meeting, no either – or. There is acceptance, respect, empathy and understanding.
The world around us can reveal much if we allow it.
If you go outside on a clear night and look up. The longer you stand there, the more stars you are able to see. We may say our eyes adjust to the light. Think about the way more is revealed to us the more time and space we allow.
Pray: Dear God in heaven and on earth, give us courage to follow your star, wisdom to recognise the gift you sent us and an open mind to be able to see your glory. Amen.
15
When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy.
Matthew 2:10.
How wonderful that after such an arduous and long journey, accompanied by the faithful, star, the Magi had a wonderful inspirational moment of realisation: that all they had hoped and longed for and travelled so far to see was now within their grasp
When were you last overwhelmed with a deep and immovable joy? What were the circumstances that brought a sense of God`s presence around you?
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Pray: Jesus, joy of all our hearts, you send your life-affirming Holy Spirit to us, to reawaken a simple trust within us. Through your cleansing flame, and bright light we give thanks that a simple desire for God brings life to our hearts.
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On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Matthew 2:11
These expensive gifts given to a poor family shortly going to flee as refugees have value and purpose for worship, embalming and pain relief. Similar gifts are mentioned in Isaiah 60:6 bringing relief after redemption, with opportunity to rebuild the temple. Hearers would also be reminded of the time of Solman's rule when the Queen of Sheba provided luxurious goods for the building of the original Temple. These echo the joy of finding Jesus. The poor baby is recognised as the King of Kings, Lord of Lords.
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These gifts bear no comparison with the ones that we will be giving or receiving over Christmas but, as we sometimes say it’s the spirit in which they’re given that really counts. Reflect on what you bring to Jesus, daily. What is your attitude towards giving?
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Pray: Lord, help us to remember your words that ‘it is better to give than to receive’ and to be thankful
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Having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road. Matthew 2:12
The Magis’ role in the story of the Nativity can be adapted to our own journeys and lives. As human beings who are born into this life with free will and the ability to choose whether or not to follow God’s Word, it is inevitable that we too will encounter temptations. Every day we make decisions. Which way is best? Most decisions are easy, common sense. Others are difficult. We struggle. Conscience, warnings or encouragement, accumulated wisdom, experience, even a dream, intuition. Perhaps a moment of quiet reflection and prayer, waiting for God in Jesus to open our eyes and help us glimpse what is the right decision.
How hard is it to change your mind from your original plan and take a very different path?
What are the temptations present in your life?
What might lead you astray from the path that leads to Jesus that He has revealed to you?
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Pray: Lord help me to look out for and listen to your wisdom that I may seek to do what is right in your eyes.
18
An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.' Matthew 2:13
When God spoke to Joseph His instructions must have been so difficult to listen to. God told him to gather up his family and travel miles to become refugees in a strange country. What energy and courage that demanded.
But Joseph did listen and he obeyed God because he loved and trusted Him completely.
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God is longing for us to listen to Him.
Find a moment, no matter how short, to stop, be still and just listen.
Pray: Speak, Lord, for your servant hears. Grant us ears to hear, Eyes to see, Wills to obey, Hearts to love.
19
Joseph got up, took the child and his mother
by night, and went to Egypt,”
Matthew 2:14
Joseph is taking Mary and Jesus away from home. Joseph is doing what he has been told to do, and is making them all homeless refugees, in order to keep Jesus safe from Herod.
We hear regularly of the plight of the homeless, and refugees. Can you imagine how you would have coped this year, without somewhere to call home?
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Pray We pray for those who have no shelter and no home this Christmas; for those who have had to flee their homes in order to seek safety.
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I will send my messenger, who will prepare
the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the Lord Almighty
Malachi 3:1
John the Baptist was the messenger sent in advance of Jesus ministry and fulfilled this prophetic preparation.
At times mistaken, ignored or ridiculed by those of the world (and of the church) the most unlikely of people in the most unlikely of places, are the ones who God sends to us to prepare the way and get things ready
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As we journey through this time of Advent who are the messengers of this age who prepare the way for His coming once again? As we look at what is going on around us, locally, nationally and globally, where are the ones proclaiming good news and the promise of God’s covenant.
What support might you provide?
Pray Loving God, may we seek out your messengers for these times, listen to what they have to teach us and in doing so, engage with them, that we too might be ones who get things ready and help prepare the way for your coming. Amen
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. .... In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it. John 1 v 1-5
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Our season of Advent usually lasts around four weeks. However, when we understand the breadth of time that Advent truly represents, we begin to see that the whole of history leading up to the birth of Jesus was advent – a story waiting for the main character to arrive. From the very beginning, we see that Jesus resides above and within the fabric of creation, as we read in this famous passage from John 1.
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Jesus has always been the plan and God keeps His promises. Reflect on the plan of your life. Have there been unexpected twists? How do you see God`s involvement in those plans? How does that make you feel?
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Seek God`s light in your story/
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In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David's line; he will do what is just and right in the land. Jeremiah 33:15
In those days and at that time; when Jeremiah made this prophecy, he didn’t know when it would come to fruition, but he knew that it would at the right time. In Advent, we look back at the prophecies of the prophets concerning the one who was to come, and see how they were fulfilled by the coming of Jesus. We also look forward, to when they will be fully fulfilled throughout the world, when Jesus comes again.
Have a close look at the branch of a tree. The branches are bare now, but on them you can see the buds that will open next spring. A picture for the promises God makes, that will be fully revealed and blossom when the time is right.
Review promises made to you. Have you given up on them? - Ask God to shine a light on His promises to you and be encouraged.
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Pray Thank you Lord for the promises you make to us. Help us to live with a sense of expectancy and belief that they will come to fruition. Amen
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An angel of the Lord appeared to the
m, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. Luke 2:9
The angel announcing the birth of Jesus could have visited any number of people. However, the angel specifically spoke to shepherds. They were terrified. Not only did they see this angel shining with God’s glorious light, but then, many more appeared. The shepherd’s uneventful night became an experience which forever changed their lives.
If you were with these shepherds, how would you have approached the baby Jesus? What thoughts would occupy your mind as you drew near to Him? What would it be like to look upon the face of Jesus in those humble, stark surroundings? As you read the nativity story this Christmas, stop for a moment and place yourself in the sandals of the shepherds. How would you have worshiped Him?
Pray: As the routine life of shepherds - providing, protecting, and caring, resembled the ministry of the Great Shepherd, may our routine responsibilities reflect the ministry of Jesus.
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For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Isaiah 9:7
Amidst political turmoil, jealous leadership, searchers and seekers, a young couple whose lives were interrupted by a holy message, a miracle happened. The longed-for Messiah, of which the prophet Isaiah spoke, was born.
In a year full of interruptions of its own, we too have been given the ingredients to ensure that God comes to us. It takes what it took for Mary and Joseph and those wise seekers from the East – belief and hope in God’s promises, loving obedience and a deep sense of expectancy. Together they create the perfect conditions for God’s own miracle for us.
Where would you put a mark on a scale of Uncertainty <----> to Hope ?
What does hope mean to you? How might you cultivate spiritual hope in your life?
Isaiah`s prophecy didn`t provide a time scale. Mary and Joseph had no idea how long they would be refugees in Egypt, but they had a promise that God`s son would come out of Nazareth.
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Pray
Loving God, in the busyness, the challenges, the expectations, the sadness, the wonderment of Christmas, come with your presence. Give us a touch of that great miracle that is your Son Jesus Christ and fill our hearts and homes with the wonder, the power and the everlasting touch of your peace. Amen