Welcome to Advent
This next Sunday, November 28, is the first Sunday of Advent 2021 — welcome.
Welcome to this special season so needed by the cynic in us all. And I mean that. Over the last decade (at least), cynicism has been the dominant mood in our society. What do I mean by cynicism?
I mean that sneering bitterness toward all things true and deep. That subtle contempt in our hearts that wants to swat down the cheeriest of moments. That slow, thick, pessimistic smoke that toxifies the lungs of our hope, suffocating any glad-hearted embrace that God is doing something meaningful in our lives. That mocking laugh which trades childlike faith for the whataboutism of another angle as to why things happen the way they do.
Basically cynicism is unbelief, but dressed up a little, and it’s what all the cool kids are doing these days.
But Advent crashes that party, in the best of ways.
When we’re so conditioned to expect the worse, to defend ourselves against disappointment, to never, ever be seen as naive — Advent comes and tells us to stop and wait. Wait some more and keep waiting. Everything in our 21st century American bones wants to roll its eyes, except here’s the thing: this is a waiting that can’t deny there’s something on the other side.
Our Advent waiting is a recitation of the waiting of all the faithful who lived prior to 4 BC, the year that scholars agree Jesus was born. Those faithful waited for Jesus and he came. He really did, actually, historically, verifiably. Jesus entered our world.
And that means we should cut out the cynicism. Advent reminds us that the joke is not on those who wait, but on those who don’t — and it’s an invitation to us all:
“Set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
No backups. No qualifiers. Hope in Jesus with every fiber of your being. And know that joy has come — joy deeper than the universe, and joy that will be ours forever, one day, when our waiting is over for good.
Advent Sermon Series
November 28: Jesus, Our Lord
December 5: Jesus, Our Savior
December 12: Jesus, Our Treasure
December 19: Jesus, Our King
December 26: Christmas Yesterday, Today, and Forever
