A Christmas Sign

Isaiah 7:13-14 Then Isaiah said, “Listen well, you royal family of David! Isn't it enough to exhaust human patience? Must you exhaust the patience of my God as well? All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).

I read that “Advent” is a season observed in the Christian church as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity at Christmas. The term is an anglicized version of the Latin word adventus, meaning "coming."  For Christians, the season of Advent anticipates the coming of Christ from two different perspectives. The theme of readings and teachings during Advent is often to prepare for the Second Coming while commemorating the First Coming of Christ at Christmas. Pastor JJ reminded us last Sunday that there is nothing more important in the world than the search for God and His “Plan of Rescue” from sin; a search that cannot wait. The birth of the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ is our sign. But note that the sign (a gift) came directly from God, from Heaven above. We have a faith and knowledge focused on forgiveness and the sure hope of eternal life because God showed up.

Luke 2:10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. The sign is for all people. In verse 14, “you” means “you all”. Jesus is a gift from God for the whole world.

John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. The sign was a miraculous baby, born from a virgin. Anyone can do the natural, but there is no doubt that this gift is from God. God with us, God incarnate, come to redeem the world.

This is the reason for the season, but are we serious about it? Or has busy distractions to “no where” really captured our attention? A beloved Christmas Carol goes: “Joy to the world the Lord is come; let earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare him room, and heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing, and heaven, and heaven, and nature sing. As we prepare our hearts this Advent season, let us ask ourselves a few important questions. (1) What is life really all about? … Do we take it seriously? (2) Are we living life like we've figured it all out or walking with the Lord? … Who really meets our needs? (3) Where are we going … are we on the path towards life and a future?  Advent is about reflecting on a Christmas sign that saves a sinful world … and me.

Matthew 1:21 “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.”

O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining, It is the night of the dear Savior's birth. Long lay the world in sin and error pining. Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth. A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn. Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices! O night divine, the night when Christ was born; O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!

In Christ, Brian