As we make our way through Advent inching closer to Christmas, our days are consumed with many tasks. Our “to do” list grows each day. At times we are often out of breath and wondering if we will complete everything on our list before Christmas Day. We gather on this Second Sunday in Advent to spiritually prepare for what God has done and continues to do in our lives and in our world. We have been too busy with all our activities and tasks so that we are in danger of missing out on the miracle of Christmas. We come in the language of John the Baptist to “Prepare the way” removing all the clutter from our lives to experience once again the birth of our Savior.
“For me,” Patty Kirk writes, “the waiting is complicated by anxiety and doubt. Will joy ever come?” At some point she claims that joy does come. “Sometimes a song at church cheers me, or an act of kindness from one of my daughters. Once, it was the hilarious moment when, while decorating our tree, we discovered my previous year’s present from my mother-in-law.”[1]
Instead of feeling overwhelmed by empty tasks we can turn to the Bible. The stories of faith contained within scripture actually become our own story. The examples of faith are meant to encourage us in our faith walk. At those times when nothing seems to be going the way we desire, we turn to the stories of faith and are encouraged through the example of those who have gone before us.
The apostle Paul, writing to the church at Rome, a church he had not yet visited, made an amazing claim, “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.” When we discover how others dealt with a variety of problems and setbacks yet held on to their faith, we know that we too will make it through the rough times. By reflecting on biblical characters we are encouraged to continue on our journey of faith filled with hope.
We find that those who cling to faith are able to endure much adversity in their lives. When we read such examples we are filled with a fresh sense of hope, those heroes of faith made it through difficult days so we too will endure.
As we read our Bibles daily this sense of hope is instilled within us. We think of people we know who do not have this sense of hopefulness but are mired in a pit of despair. The focus of Advent is that God has already acted in sending Jesus to us while the message of Christmas is that God loves and cares for all people. According to the apostle Paul one of the reasons Jesus came to live among us was to break down all the barriers that divided people. Throughout Jesus’ earthly ministry he repeatedly broke down cultural and social barriers. Jesus shocked the religious leaders by eating and socializing with prostitutes, tax collectors, and other sinners. “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:2) the religious leaders complained not understanding why Jesus would want to spend time with people they believed to be undesirable. Jesus showed love and respect to all people. He broke down the barriers that existed between women and men, Jews and Samaritans.
Paul repeatedly addressed tensions in the life of the early church. The first believers were from a Jewish background. Although they claimed Jesus as their Lord and Savior they continued to keep the laws of the Torah. Problems arose when people came to know Jesus who did not come from that same background. Would they have to observe Jewish practices before becoming believers? Paul championed the cause of Gentiles (those who were not Jewish), breaking down the barriers that separated and divided people. Paul pleaded his case of unity in the name of Christ to those who at first were reluctant. Paul wrote, “To live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus.”
Instead of seeing only the obvious differences, Paul urged the believers to celebrate their unity in Christ. Elsewhere Paul claims, “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). These were radical words in a time when people were defined by their heritage, gender, and social class. When you stop to think about it, those words continue to be revolutionary today. We are to love and accept people who have different life experiences than we do; we can make them feel welcome at our church.
Paul always was the pragmatist and quoted scripture to drive home his point. “Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles, and sing praises to your name,” and “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him.” Without question Paul believed that in Christ all earthly differences were no longer important for all were one in Christ.
A Vietnam veteran recalls an experience he had on Christmas Eve in 1972. His squad was ambushed by the enemy, everyone was killed except him. Following a struggle and with great force he was captured. “I was thinking how much I did not want to spend Christmas, let alone the remaining six months of my tour of duty, in a POW camp,” he explains.
They kept traveling through the night. When they finally stopped the Vietnamese lieutenant gave him food to eat. “Merry Christmas” he said in perfect English. His captor told him it would be an honor to celebrate Christmas with him. His name was Nugent. He explained that he had been educated in Canada and that his family had been killed. “Silent Night” was Nugent’s favorite Christmas Carol. The two men began singing it together.
Early the next morning shots rang out. “Bullets were flying all around,” the American soldier recalls. Nugent was shot in the chest. He held him in his arms. “Thanking me for the Christmas songfest.” He started singing “Silent Night” knowing that it was Nugent’s favorite carol.
“Nugent put his bloody hand to my lips, ‘the voice of angel, I go in peace.’ Thank you were his last words. At that moment I did not see an enemy, but a friend and a brother. Here was a man who started as an enemy, showed compassion, became a friend, died as a brother.”[2] God loves and cares for all people and we should do the same.
The message of Advent is to continue to break down the barriers that divide people today. As modern-day disciples of Jesus we strive for harmony and unity. We sing, “Let There Be Peace on Earth” the last line states “and let it begin with me.”[3] What better time of the year to seek reconciliation with those we might not have seen eye to eye with during the year. When we are able to do this we are one step closer to peace on earth. “Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God,” Paul penned. Paul knew the importance of welcoming and accepting others into the fellowship. May each one of us make an extra effort to welcome people to our church this month.
As Paul read the scriptures and prayed he concluded that Jesus came to this earth for all people. That all people be united in Christ was God’s ultimate plan for humanity. As we live out our faith in our church, in our community, and ultimately in our world, we do so knowing that we are part of God’s larger plan. Like the prophets of old, we might not live to see the results of all of our efforts, but we continue in the name of Christ, trusting that God will bless our efforts.
It was as if Paul visualized Jesus surrounded by all people, Jew and Gentile alike when he wrote, “So that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The stories of faith inspire and encourage us in our daily lives. We reach out to others breaking down the barriers that divide people knowing that we are part of God’s divine drama. Our closing verse serves as Paul’s desire, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” As we live out our faith fresh hope is instilled in us which yields to joy. Amen.
1. Patty Kirk, “Slower than Christmas” Today’s Christian Woman, December 23, 2008.
2. Delilah, Love Matters (Ontario Canada: Harlequin, 2008), pp. 43-47.
3. “Let There Be Peace on Earth,” The United Methodist Hymnal, 1989, #431.