Can Advent and Christmas make a lasting difference to your life?

Can Advent and Christmas make a lasting difference to your life?

Yesterday marked the second Sunday of Advent, a celebration of the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.  We lit the candle of peace with the desire that the Advent of Christ will be served by his children becoming peace-makers that change the world. 

We were deeply touched as we remembered the death of one of the greatest peace-makers of our century last week, Nelson Mandela. He sacrificed for the sake of righteousness and laboured with devotion for peace, forgiveness, redress, reconciliation -  and the triumph of caring over judgementalism and concern for others instead of prejudice and discrimination.  He made peace amongst us through forgiveness and the celebration of freedom and life.

But do we understand that this Season is indeed about sacrifice and kingdom-work, rather than entertainment, self-indulgence and consumerism?

Carl Trueman in his book “The Wages of Spin” explains why people are so caught up in entertainment that it becomes an idol.   He writes:   Distraction is the production of entertainment for the purpose of taking one’s mind off the deeper realities of life.

Many create their own “messiahs” to distract them from the true questions that the Season challenges us with.   And the ultimate question is about how I live my life and how I worship and serve because my Saviour is coming to the world to save, to give hope, to bring peace and to love us, whoever we are and whatever it costs.

Yet a self-sacrificing Messiah who wants to serve us and our world through our obedience and service is not what self-seeking, entertainment worshiping, self indulging consumers are tempted to seek!

The messiahs whom we want, are the ones who will save us from deep thought. We prefer saviours that help us avoid life changing choices, because, we say, this is a festive season, these are happy holidays.

So, if I think my real problem is boredom, then someone please buy me a toy to stop the pain;   but if my problem is sin, death, and the wrath of God because of sin, I am going to need something (Someone!) that money cannot buy. 

The Advent season is not about entertainment. Mat 1:21 states that the Child-king came to rescue from sin and death. The Magi or Wise Men came from the East came to Israel to pay homage to the newborn King. They offered royal gifts to the Child. They spent their time and their money on the Child. What an exceptional act of worship and praise!! 

The Infant-king deserves our adoration, but he deserves it in a way that is backed by real investment in his Kingdom and in authentic worship time. 

Let’s be different than the pagan world!

Let’s stop being self centred during Advent and Christmas seasons - and bow down before the only King that matters, reflecting deeply on our faith in Jesus and how to follow and honour him. 

Let’s contemplate how he calls us to serve his Advent, his coming to our lives, our churches and our nation.

Let’s bring homage to the Child-king - who is no child anymore, but the almighty Christ, the eternal King that reigns in heaven, on earth and in our lives today.