Advent - The Season of Waiting
for Jesus Christ's Return
Scripture -
Luke 21: 25-36
 Audio
Link: Advent - The Season of Waiting
In today’s Scripture, Jesus reminds us that the One who
has come is indeed coming again. Jesus was speaking not of his immediate
resurrection but of his eventual, glorious return. Some of the signs would
be in nature: the sun going dark, the moon not being seen, stars falling,
heavenly bodies being shaken.
Jesus tells a parable about the fig tree to illustrate
that the time is near. People could tell when summer was coming by
looking at the fig tree. Seeing the dry, brittle branches becoming tender,
filled with sap, and beginning to bud, people knew, without being, told that
summer is near. Just as people can interpret the seasons by watching the
signs in nature, so they can know that when they see these things
happening the Kingdom of God is near. {Watch
video now}
Across the centuries, Christians have wondered when Jesus
would return. But no one knows when this great event will occur, Jesus
told his followers to be careful and not let the temptations or worries of
this life distract them from watching and being ready for his return. The
day will come unexpectedly, and it will come upon everyone, no exceptions.
When it will be and what it will be like, are not ours to know. All we have
to do is wait faithfully.
The season of Advent starts today. According to the church
calendar, the Advent season starts four weeks before Christmas day. The word
Advent comes from the Latin word adventus, which means coming. Advent is
basically a season of waiting with hope and expectation for the coming
Messiah. Now we are in the time of waiting for someone who is very
precious. What is your understanding of waiting? According to my experience,
waiting is a painful, lonely, and unpredictable job.
I want to share my personal experience with you. From
January 1995 to June 1999, for four and half years I served the Korean
Mission Church in Salisbury, Maryland. During that time, I was in the United
States without my family for three years because of problems with SunAe’s
visa status. Once a year, for two weeks, I could go back to Korea to see
SunAe and GaHye (Rachel). I spent some tough times emotionally and
spiritually during that period.
In particular, the Christmas season was the worst experience
for me. Every church member enjoyed the mood and the spirit of the Holidays
- going shopping, exchanging gifts, sharing meals, reunion with family
members, and praising the Lord with joy, while I had to prepare a sermon and
worship service for them and their feasts. This is because I was the pastor
who had the responsibility for their spiritual life. After the Christmas
worship service, I was always left alone in my apartment without my family.
Without family I always struggled, but I kept busy, and I endured the
burden, homesickness, emptiness, waiting and loneliness.
Whenever SunAe went to the American Embassy in Korea, I
prayed that SunAe and GaHye would meet the standards for a visa and we would
be living together as soon as possible. Unfortunately, they were turned down
7 times, thus they had the same interview every six months and I was kept
waiting and waiting for almost three years. Waiting without an end in
sight was not an easy job.
This situation, however, humbled me before God and
strengthened and deepened my belief and trust in the power of prayer. I was
forced to experience and learn the real meaning of waiting for loved ones.
This experience made me think about waiting for the second coming of Jesus
Christ. I realized that waiting was possible only when I had faith that I
would eventually see the faces of SunAe and GaHye, and we soon would be
together. If I didn’t have faith and belief that eventually my family would
get together, I couldn’t have waited for such a long period. So, if we
have faith, we can wait.
Christians celebrate the four weeks before Christmas as a
time to reflect on and anticipate the “coming” of Christ at Christmas as
well as the “coming” of Christ at the end of time. Preparing for the
birth of Christ is a reminder of God’s great love for us — a love so big
that Christ lived and died as one of us. Preparing for the final coming of
Christ is a reminder of the glory that we will one day share in the Kingdom
of God.
The time of Advent is one of expectation and anticipation, a
longing for God’s actions to restore all things and vindicate the righteous.
In this season of waiting, we also anticipate a judgment on sin and a
calling of the world to accountability before God. We long for God to come
and set the world right! This is why during Advent we as Christians also
anticipate the Second Coming as another theme of the season.
Jesus told the disciples not only to keep a constant wait
and watch for his return but also to be spiritually fit. This means working
faithfully at the tasks God has given them. All believers must be ready
and alert for Jesus’ return, working for the kingdom, both because they
know of the certainty of Christ’s return and because they don’t know when
that return will happen. Although nearly two thousand years have passed
since he spoke these words, their truth remains: Christ is coming again,
and believers need to watch and be spiritually fit. Being prepared
demonstrates believers’ faith and wholehearted obedience.
From 1987 to 1990, I served in the Marine Corps as an
infantry officer for four years. After six months of hard training, I was
sent as a platoon leader in a DMZ mission to watch the North Korean Army
attentively. In the DMZ we always keep a sharp look out for the North Korean
Military for they are very aggressive and sometimes attacked our side
unexpectedly. At the time, one of the Marine Generals told me, if you fail
in battle, you might be forgiven because a soldier cannot win every war.
But, if you fall off your guard and fail, you will not be forgiven,
because a soldier should always be ready.
We must watch and pray with unfailing faithfulness. Intense
watchfulness is a manifestation of genuine spiritual life. The second
coming of Jesus is both certain and near. And also it will be quick and
unpredictable.
{Watch video now} According to Matthew 24, which has the same
message, Jesus talks about His return. “That is how it will be at the coming
of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the
other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken
and the other left. (Matthew 24:39b-41) Are we ready? Are you ready?
Are we so busy with the details of life that we are not looking for Him and
preparing for His arrival? Or are we watching eagerly to see Him come? Where
are you? We must be ready.
Thankfully God gives us Advent before Christmas. We need
Advent because everything in our culture tells us that Christmas begins at
least the day after Thanksgiving. Secular culture does not give us time to
think about the meaning of waiting and the meaning of waiting for the coming
Messiah. However, Advent offers us an opportunity to spend the time before
Christmas. Advent gives us a chance to think about the meaning of waiting.
Advent is the season for waiting, not just passively waiting but longing for
something and for somebody very special to us. Instead of rushing to fulfill
social and marketing demands, take time to notice your longing, to become
still, to hope for and to expect the fulfillment of God’s promise. He will
give us the Savior, Jesus Christ.
Our life is full of waiting. When a senior applies to
college, they eagerly wait for the reply. When new couples are pregnant,
they anticipate the due day. When a soldier is deported to Iraq, the family
prayerfully waits for their loved ones. I have learned from Harvey, that
when he goes hunting, he spends most of the time waiting. From 6 a.m. until
4 p.m., he has to wait until the right moment. Because of that moment, he
tensely waits in excitement for a long time. The important thing is not how
long he waits, but whether he actually sees the deer or not. It is the same
for our spiritual wait. The real important thing is not how long we wait,
but whether we actually see the Messiah, our Savior.
The Advent season is a time of waiting, hope and
expectation for both the first and second comings of Christ. Nobody
knows if Jesus will come this 2006 Advent season. Advent is both a time of
thanks for the gift of Christ to us in the past and a time of anticipation
of his second coming. Therefore, persevere in this waiting season. Be
prepared in this Advent season!
As we celebrate the first Advent, we are reminded there will
be a second. Knowing that Christ could return at any moment is a blessed
hope and a comfort to all who have put their faith in Him. Let’s
celebrate Jesus’ first coming and be ready to welcome Jesus’ return. Be
ready! Jesus is coming!
{Watch video now}
This Sunday's choir selection:
Are We Ready for The Babe of Bethlehem |
