The 3 Advents

ad·vent
/ˈadˌvent/ Advent 
noun

  1. the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event.
    appearance
    dawn
    birth
    coming
    nearing
    advance
  2. the first season of the Christian church year, leading up to Christmas and including the four preceding Sundays. The coming or second coming of Christ.

Most of us are familiar with the season of Advent leading up to Christmas Day. A quick stroll through the grocery store proves that Advent calendars are more associated with gobbling up chocolates hidden behind little cardboard windows than they are with Christ. Here’s a picture of my kiddos’ devoured Advent “calendar”  (left). But what is the meaning of Advent and how is it intended to work down into our everyday lives?

Various dictionaries offer general definitions for Advent, such as “arrival,” “coming,” or “appearing.” The word, of course, is most commonly utilized in Christian theology and worship to connote our celebration of Christ’s first coming and our anticipation of His return.

But more is discovered beneath these surface investigations. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153 AD), a long-ago leader in the Medieval church, described not just two but three Advents through his deep study of Scripture.[1] Centuries later, Martin Luther, the great Reformer of the 1500’s, echoed the same teaching.

 

First Advent

The first draws our attention and celebration toward Christ’s incarnation: “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Christ’s arrival as an infant proclaimed the clearest sermon on humility the world has ever heard. Jesus came as God-in-the-flesh, fully divine and yet also fully human.

He had every holy right and prerogative to reside in the glories of heaven. Yet He voluntarily and lovingly showed up in the middle of humanity’s mess. He arrived as a dependent infant to be the Savior of a beautiful yet broken world. He “emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men, being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil. 2:7-8). Our baby King was swaddled in strips of cloth, which may also have been used for unblemished lambs raised for temple sacrifice (Luke 2:12). So as we gaze upon our baby-King Redeemer, we are called to clothe ourselves with the same humility and self-sacrificial love toward one another (Phil. 2:3-5).
Our worship at the manger beckons us to ask: Is Christ’s humility and sacrifice shown each day in my life?

Second Advent

The second points our hearts toward the hope of Christ’s return. Today, we live with the birthpangs of sin-riddled world. Suffering is a daily, universal reality. All creation groans and longs for the day of final, full redemption (Rom. 8:18-25). But at His appearing, Jesus will make all the sad things come untrue by redeeming and reconciling all things to Himself. His Kingdom rule will be consummated on earth in power and great glory. Perfect justice and righteous will reign and our tears will be wiped from our eyes (Rev. 21:4). Satan and his hoard of fallen angels will finally be conquered by the “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” (Rev. 19:16b, 20-21; 20:7-10).

The power and presence of sin will be no more. No more disease or death. No more distrust, division, or war. Peace will cover the earth because the government will rest on our Savior’s shoulders (Isa. 9:6-7).
Our hope-focused worship invites us to ask: Is Christ, the Blessed Hope, changing how I consider suffering and pain? Is Christ’s any-moment return governing my peace and outlook right now? How are my decisions of work, time, money, service, and family storing up eternal treasures in heaven? Is His not-yet Kingdom already my rule-of-life right now?

 

Third Advent

The third and less familiar opens our understanding to the experience of Christ’s presence in our hearts. The disciples were anxious and worried about Christ’s departure on the eve of His crucifixion (Jn. 14:1, 27). We, too, often fret and worry about the challenges, decisions, and difficulties of the day. Yet Christ’s promise to His first-century followers also holds true in the twenty-first century: The very presence and power of Christ is with us anytime – anywhere – by the indwelling Holy Spirit. Has not Christ said, “and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20b)? His commitment of presence to us comes through the Helper, who is given by the Father and the Son to be in us: “the Spirit of truth . . . He abides with you and will be in you” (Jn. 14:17, cf. v. 16).

Therefore, we have peace in the middle of any circumstance: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you” (Jn. 14:27a). The presence of the Spirit continually advances the arrival of Christ’s grace and truth upon our hearts. We experience Him in our prayers, reading of the Word, gathering in worship, observing baptisms, receiving the Lord’s Supper, in our rising and our lying down, indeed, in every facet of life. He is ever near.
Our Advent worship of Christ guides us to ask: Is my heart resting in the truth that Christ’s presence is with me wherever and in whatever circumstance? Is my soul troubled and worried so that I’ve forgotten to run to the ever-present Christ?

Today, dear brothers and sisters: 

Rejoice in the humility and sacrifice of our Savior. Remember the hope of the glory yet to come. Rest in the advent of His ever-presence.

Celebrating, Anticipating, and Resting in the Advents of Christ,

Pastor Michael 

 

 

 

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FOOTNOTES

  1. St. Bernard of Clairvaux (Sermo 5, In Adventu Domini, 1-3: Opera Omnia, Edit. Cisterc. 4 {1966}, 188-190. It appears in the Office of Readings for Wednesday of the First Week of Advent.  
  2. Martin Luther wrote, “For God’s ancient people that time was fulfilled with Christ’s advent in the flesh, and in like manner it is still being fulfilled in our daily life, whenever a person is illumined through faith, so that our serfdom and toil under the Law come to an end. For Christ’s advent in the flesh would be useless unless it wrought in us such a spiritual advent of faith. And verily, for this reason He came in the flesh, that He might bring about such an advent in the spirit. For unto all who before or after believed in Him thus coming in the flesh, even to them He is come. Wherefore, in virtue of such faith, to the fathers of old His coming was ever present.
    From the beginning of time to the end of the world everything must needs depend upon this coming, this advent, in the flesh, whereby humanity is set free from bondage, whensoever, wheresoever and in whomsoever such faith is wrought. And the fulness of time is come for every person when we begin to believe in Christ as the One whose advent was promised before all times and who has now come.” – Sermon for the Sunday after Christmas, 1522

Author: Michael Breznau

:: Who I AM: Husband | Father | Pastor | Speaker | Author | Singer | :: I am a redeemed follower of Jesus, and I'm passionate about inspiring others to follow Him with radical faith. | :: What I DO: I love and pursue knowing the Triune God. I am crazy-in-love with my amazing wife and 4 children. After 14 incredible years in pastoral ministry, including 9 years as a Lead Pastor, I now serve as an active-duty US Air Force Chaplain at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. I am the preaching pastor for the Protestant Chapel and the day-to-day chaplain for the 88th Air Base Wing's Mission Support Group, totaling 1,800 Airmen. | :: The Wallpaper: God gave me the opportunity to be trained for ministry at Dallas Theological Seminary, where I completed the Master of Theology program (Th.M in Pastoral Ministries). I'm currently a 4th year Doctor of Ministry student at Talbot School of Theology - BIOLA University. NOTICE: All views expressed on this website are my own and do not, in part or in whole, reflect the policies or positions of the US Air Force or the US Department of Defense.

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