Sermons on Advent
Courage can feel like we are trying to light a wet match, but since love cannot wait, neither can courage!
God’s hope and peace are similar, so we can get them confused because they are both rooted in the love of God! Hope, though, is our motivation; peace is our goal!
Advent is a season that slows us down so we can get our bearings, thinking through everything we do with greater care.
We can meet the harshness of this world with the gentleness of Christ by giving away one coat when we have two, by protecting others from being taken advantage of, and by treating others fairly and with compassion. This is the joy of Christ!
The only question left to ask is, “How should we respond?” It is the question at the very heart of Christmas. What are we to say standing there beside the manger? What are we to do in such a holy moment?
Advent is meant to slow us down, so we can reclaim Jesus, remembering what he said, what he did, and what he thought was important. We slow down to reclaim the joy of new life, which binds us to others.
Isaiah deepens our understanding of God’s hope in the story of Christmas, where the heavens open up and God comes down, making all things new.
In the manger, God leans into our world with such love, so we are called to lean into the Spirit of God in the same way. When we do, we find courage.
Advent reminds us of the dreams of God. What is it that God dreams about for this world? What does God hope for? Is it the wolf and the lamb living together in peace? If so, how do we make God’s dream our dream?
Advent is about leaving room for God. It is about leaving room for the birth of Jesus.