What is Advent?
Advent – arrival
Christmas is an invitation to set our gaze on the incarnate Christ.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. – John 1:14 NKJV
More than we are swept up in the cultural magic of the season, may we be swept up in the sacred mystery of the miracle of Christ.
• Holy Spirit invites us to slow down, to wait.
• We teach our hearts and minds to long for Messiah.
• We detox from culture and receive a fresh outpour of the Spirit.
We live between the two advents of Christ. He has come and He will come again.
What is Christian hope?
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. – Titus 2:11-14 NKJV
Yakhal – to wait for
Qavah – to wait with tense expectation or bind together
For You are my hope, O Lord God ; You are my trust from my youth. – Psalm 71:5 NKJV
We practice hope.
We practice hope at the table of the Lord.
For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” – 1 Corinthians 11:23-25 ESV
Advent