The Joy of Advent

“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.” – Isaiah 1:18 ESV

The weather forecasters were all talking yesterday about the snow that was to come overnight. 2-4 inches of accumulation, they said. With that prediction, the excitement quickly mounted as the evening approached. People were making last-minute trips for groceries. Others were topping off their tanks of gas. Children were hoping and praying for a snow day. Regardless of whether you’re 6 or 60, there is something exhilarating about the arrival of the first winter snow.  Sure enough, the forecasters were accurate this time, and as the new day dawned, the white winter blanket covering everything was evident.

This month we celebrate Advent, which is all about the coming of Jesus Christ on that first Christmas night.  As we go through each day of the December calendar approaching Christmas Day, the excitement builds over the arrival of the promised newborn King. Yes, we know how the story ends. Yes, we know Jesus is born as the Savior from sin for God’s people. Still, the excitement, wonder and awe are all present again this year. In Isaiah 1:18, there are three joys to embrace for this Christmas season.

First, God extends an invitation to all:  “Come now, let us reason together.”  During Advent, join God in his written word and experience his Spirit illumining your heart and mind to the eternal truths there. God did not leave us in our sin, but mercifully sent us his Son as a Savior. God made promises of his coming in the Old Testament, and the fulfilled those promises. God always keeps his promises. What a wonderful reality to embrace this holiday!

Second, God is well aware of your sins. During the Christmas season people often wrap things to keep them hidden from the prying eyes of others, especially children. Each of us has a strong tendency to hide our sins and our unrighteousness from others. We don’t want them to know. We fear of what they may think if they became aware of our deepest transgressions.  God however, knows all the dark secrets we shield from others. He still sent his Son to save us despite them.  Romans 5:7-8 says, “For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God loves you just as you are, and the demonstration of it is the Incarnation of his Son.

Third, God brings forgiveness and transformation. With the falling of the fresh snow, the ground and everything touched by it is transformed into something pristine and clean. In a similar way, when God touches your heart and mind through His saving grace, he cleanses you and transforms you. He no longer sees the ugliness of your sin, but the whiteness and purity of his Son Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

The fresh snow blanket present this morning will quickly fade. Roads will be plowed and salted, and sidewalks will be cleared. Tracks will clutter the once smooth surfaces. Eventually the snow will disappear and will be only a memory.

With the coming of Advent, however, the goodness and purity Jesus brings remains forever. Regardless of circumstances, sickness, heartache or pain, Jesus transforms all things and makes them continually new. That’s the merciful, enduring nature of the God we serve.

This holiday season, will you join me in the excitement, wonder, and awe of awaiting the coming of Jesus, and all the hope it brings? The coming of Jesus is the heart of the season. He’s the reason we celebrate, sing carols, and display generosity toward one another. Let’s rejoice together in all that God has done through the Word becoming flesh to save us from our sins.

With a shepherd’s heart,

Pastor David