Third Sunday of Advent

What are you expecting for Christmas this year?

Probably not much, huh?

Especially these days with a general malaise pervading our world, the war drums pounding louder and louder, the seemingly unending threats from terrorism, the economic doldrums, and the years and years of Christmases past, most of us will approach Christmas this year with low or no expectation.  

While the world around us views these days before Christmas as a time for buying gifts and parties and entertaining, the Christian church calls this a time of Advent – a time of expectancy.

“The coming of the Lord has been the inspiration of the Christian world.  The power of any life lies in its expectancy.”   These words were written some 200 years ago by Phillips Brooks, who also wrote “O Little Town of Bethlehem”; but, they are pertinent today: The power of any life lies in its expectancy. 

What you expect affects what you see.
What you expect affects what you experience.

Expect the worst, and you usually find it, don’t you?
But, the thing is, there are always surprises, aren’t there?

During these days before Christmas, our Advent season, we will be looking at stories in our faith that are about expectancy – and surprise. 

For us, Christmas is about surprise.  It is about the presence of Emmanuel – God With Us.  In the stories we remember and read and tell at Christmas, almost everyone is surprised, aren’t they?  Mary was surprised.  Joseph was surprised.  The Shepherds were surprised.  The folks in Bethlehem were surprised.  The political leaders of the day were surprised.  Even the wise men were surprised.  (Perhaps the only ones who were not surprised were Old Anna and Old Simeon who lived with the complete expectation that they would see and experience Emmanuel in their lifetimes.)

You see, we remember and celebrate Christmas because of Emmanuel – a concept so radical and so surprising that it affects our entire world-view. 

Our Christmas stories confirm that God’s ways are mysterious.  
God really does seem to prefer to be incognito.  
This seems to have been true 2000 years ago.  
And it seems to be true today, doesn’t it?

For me, our primary task during Advent is to point to signs of the presence of this incognito Emmanuel in our world and lives today.  
Our Advent theme song could be:
“Where, O where is Emmanuel?  Where, O where can he be?”

Like that children’s game, Where’s Waldo?, let us hone our discernment skills so we can see Emmanuel in these days and times of our lives.

During these Sundays ahead, we will tell the stories from our faith-history –  stories you will hear no where else! 
These are stories we need to hear, again and again.
These are the stories our children need to hear, and our children’s children need to hear!
These are stories that speak to what we may expect to experience – if we only knew where and how to look.

Where else are these stories being told today?  
Not on TV. 
Not in school.  
Not in many family gatherings.  
It is so important to make church a part of our schedule – especially at this time of year. [Yes, I think there should be a rule: no opening of presents until after the Christmas Eve Candlelight service of stories and songs.]

The power of any life lies in its expectancy. 
Expect more.
Expect God to be with us in our malaise.
Our God is with us!
Don’t miss his presence this year!

See you in church,

    Clyde Griffith