Listen Now

True unity is dependent on equal benefit, and if all people have the same access to what is true. But the rest of the world focuses on fear and division, and making sure different people have different wisdom and understandings of life. But the people of God are not to be like that. True godly wisdom is never owned or dependent on a human source, can be verified by a common authoritative source, be freely accessed, and given to all people. All so the church is seen as a benefit to the world, and in a better position to usher the kingdom into its midst.

We are called to be a people united for a single purpose and mission, in order to correct each other and demonstrate a better life to the world-at-large. But that demonstration does not come by us forcing or manipulating others into belief, otherwise would we be any different than another worldly organization? What we can control is what we believe and allow to influence our vision for the world, which is what the way of Jesus teaches us. Only by allowing that vision to drive and unite us will the world suspect something different is happening with the church.

The fellowship of believers are the witnesses to the reign of God coming into the world, and demonstrate the effects of such a reign over creation. The church represents what is possible when all peoples gather together with a common desire and purpose. The unity such an ingathering has is more powerful than what we can do alone, and testifies to the power of God and its ability to transform the world.

The promises and guarantee of baptism help us to remember who we now are and who we belong too. But those promises are not the end of our transformation, but lead us into what we are to do now with others who have accepted the same invitation. The body of Christ, the fellowship of the saints, is more than just a group of people doing and believing the same thing. But is a much deeper calling and resolve, and union, which anchors us in our new lives and understanding of God’s rule over the world.

The festivals which help us to transition from Christmas into Epiphany, the Feasts of the Epiphany and the Baptism of the Lord, might seem like they have nothing to do with the arrival of Jesus. But the idea of God’s revealing, leading, and declaring his love and power is what marks this season. Now that the divine light has arrived, Jesus being born, we understand how humanity is being invited and attracted to the certainty by which he bestows.

The light of Christ has come into the world to brighten up our world, and to deliver good things to those who need them. But this event is more than just God giving his creation a free gift. The divine light has come in order to change our world, and reveal the deeper mysteries about the life we live. What does the coming of Jesus reveal about us, and how can we allow it to impact who we want to become?

The festival of our Lord Jesus Christ’s birth is a celebration of divine light coming into our world. The cold and bareness of the season is a stark reminder of how essential this light is for our lives, but how far does it go to bring about change? What does its presence show us in contrast to what the world provides? And what drives us to embracing and celebrating its arrival, verses anything else we rely and depend upon?

As the appointed time for our Lord’s birth draws near, we wait with anticipation the result of his entry into our world. But this entry also come with a recognition of what we expect, verses what is the reality. What we want for the world, and our lives, verses what God is willing to reveal. But allowing such an unobstructed view of reality is a means by which God draws us into his rule, and allows his truth to change and transform our beings. All so disappointment is not a factor in this event, but rather an excitement because this coming Savior is hand-picked for our benefit. And the character of our God sets the tone for what is coming soon.

Expecting and yearning for the coming of God can be one of the most frustrating actions of the season, and our lives. With as much evil and suffering there is in the world, we want to accelerate the arrival and hasten the hope by which we depend on. But patience is a necessary action we must have, knowing that God’s timing is not the same as our own. In the process of patiently waiting we will grow to understand what we truly need, and what is already at work to aid us in our troubles.

Part of expecting the coming of Christ, and the reign of God over our lives, is imagining what that reign brings into our world. What does this expected arrival bring to our world, how does it arrive amid the problems we face, and how does it allow change to enter the situations humanity always seems to grapple with? When it seems like all other leaders are always trying to impress their vision of the world onto us, what is different about what the divine offers?

As the rest of the world prepares its preparations for Christmas, the church is preparing as well. But not through decorating, buying gifts, or planning parties. Instead, the church is entering into a season of preparation called Advent. Meant to make Christians realize what it means that God is entering our world. To help them prepare for what the coming, and return, of God’s representative to humanity means for our society and all our lives.