Pastor Dan’s Advent Newsletter
Peace of the Lord I wish for you all as we approach this Advent season. Before we become completely consumed with everything associated with the world's "Christmas Season", I wanted to first remind you of the glorious and special season that Advent can be for Christians around the world. Firstly, I will be preparing and preaching a series of Advent sermons each week until Christmas Eve on our preparation and journey together for this coming King, Jesus. We, of the church, believe strongly that the God who once entered Bethlehem's manger will come to this world again to establish His Kingdom forever. This acknowledgment onto itself should give us all the joy and anticipation necessary for Christmas 2021.
As I stated in a previous message, we should all be living as if God is already here with us, because, indeed, God is already here, and He IS with us. Advent is a time where you and I prepare ourselves for this coming Messiah, who has already come in the past and continually comes to us in the here and now and will come again in the future. We embrace that truth and have that full confidence in His return.
In Isaiah 2:1-5, we find preparation hints to help us. First, by preparing a straight path through the wilderness so we can see the future. Clearing our minds and hearts for these days ahead. Preparing for Jesus and just living into the Advent of this reality can be, for all of us, the most wonderful time of the year. Also, deciding to live with the hope of Christ instead of the hype of the "holiday season" can signify a life change where our values change, and that life "can" take on a different focus if you will allow this to happen to your heart. The old meaning of Advent and Christmas changes and is replaced with a whole new lifestyle and mindset of the season.
The God who came, who is coming again, comes to us every day. This is not "holiday hype", but the promise of hope through Jesus Christ. Let’s each of us keep awake and alert. Living each day through this Advent season in hopeful expectation not just on this day, or these weeks, but every day. Let’s pray throughout the month together that the day will come when all people everywhere will "beat their swords into iron plows and their spears into pruning tools" and that the peace of Jesus Christ will indeed dwell in their hearts. We pray all this in the name of the Prince of Peace. Amen.
In Christ,
Pastor Dan