I have a confession to make that may surprise you. I didn’t grow up in a church that focused on Advent during December.
Oh, we had the typical Sunday sermons on the Christmas story, but the word Advent was not a part of our Christmas vocabulary. In fact, several years ago, when I wrote The Best Gifts of Christmas someone asked me about my advent book, and I wasn’t really sure what they meant.
However, each year after Thanksgiving is over my mind shifts to the activities and events of the Christmas season and I found myself writing in my journal today, “Let the Advent-ure Begin”.
And what an adventure it was!
“One day Zechariah’s group of priests were on duty, and he was serving God as a priest…11 All at once an angel from the Lord appeared to Zechariah at the right side of the altar. 12 Zechariah was confused and afraid when he saw the angel. 13 But the angel told him: Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayers. Your wife Elizabeth will have a son, and you must name him John. 14 His birth will make you very happy, and many people will be glad. 15 Your son will be a great servant of the Lord. He must never drink wine or beer, and the power of the Holy Spirit will be with him from the time he is born.
16 John will lead many people in Israel to turn back to the Lord their God. 17 He will go ahead of the Lord with the same power and spirit that Elijah had. And because of John, parents will be more thoughtful of their children. And people who now disobey God will begin to think as they ought to. This is how John will get people ready for the Lord.
18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know this is going to happen? My wife and I are both very old.”…23 When Zechariah’s time of service in the temple was over, he went home. 24 Soon after this, his wife was expecting a baby, and for five months she did not leave the house. She said to herself, 25 ‘What the Lord has done for me will keep people from looking down on me.’” Luke 1:10-25 CEV
Zechariah and Elizabeth were godly people. Little did they know they had a part to play in the coming of the Messiah. Old Testament prophecy said that the Son of man would be proceeded by “one crying in the wilderness”. This would be their son.
“Someone is shouting: ‘Clear a path in the desert! Make a straight road for the Lord our God. 4 Fill in the valleys; flatten every hill and mountain. Level the rough and rugged ground.
5 Then the glory of the Lord will appear for all to see. The Lord has promised this!” Isaiah 40:3-5 CEV
“ It began just as God had said in the book written by Isaiah the prophet, ‘I am sending my messenger to get the way ready for you. 3 In the desert someone is shouting, ‘Get the road ready for the Lord! Make a straight path for him.’ ” 4 So John the Baptist showed up in the desert and told everyone, “Turn back to God and be baptized! Then your sins will be forgiven.” Mark 1:2-4 CEV
The arrival of Christ was not happenstance. It was designed and orchestrated by God. The cast of characters was many, each had a part, not knowing that others were being enlisted in this grand plan. It was all designed to reconcile us all to God.
We also have a part to play. We are called to share the good news of the Gospel.
Let the Advent-ure Begin!
