Why Advent Matters

Chuck Colson describes the invasion that won WWII in his book The Faith. On D-day, June 6, 1944, some 6,900 allied vessels took the shores at Omaha beach, including 12,000 aircraft dropping thousands of men and 10,000 tons of bombs. In the first hours, more than 2,400 died. As the battle progressed inland, the U.S. would eventually lose 29,000 men and see more than 100,000 wounded and missing. The British lost 11,000 men and Canada 5,000. While the Battle of the Bulge and other potential reversals were to come, the invasion of Normandy was so massive and so successful, that it guarenteed that the Allies could turn every counterattack into an eventual victory.

Colson writes, “As if preordained, the outcome was clear; the evils of Hitler and fascism would be conquered.” Colson goes on to compare the invasion of Normandy to the invasion of God on Christmas Day:

It was a quiet invasion. Few people understood what was happening. Mary, the mother of Jesus, knew that she was with child, but she also knew that she had never been with a man, not even Joseph, to whom she was engaged. She had learned of her pregnancy and what was to be a virgin birth when an angel told her that she was pregnant with the Son of God…. Most of the people in Palestine at the time of Jesus’ birth were expecting a Messianic invasion like we saw at D-day—conquerors in armor bringing a sword to set the people free from oppression. Jesus only added to the bewilderment of the people who knew Him when He announced: “The time has come …. The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news” (Mark 1:15). This was the time the Jews had waited for, for so long? Liberation? And who was this ordinary Nazarene carpenter to say he was bringing in the Kingdom of God?

It can be hard to remember that the coming of Emmanuel won the war over death’s power to suck the life out of us. Emmanuel has come and the bills are still due, our job may be lost, we may dread every minute in an abusive job that we cannot leave, foreclosure papers may be sitting on our table. We can feel empty from bankruptsy losses, theft, or the betrayal of a trusted friend. If the economy has not mowed us down, our relationships can hurt, the actions of others may double us over in pain, our health may be failing, the memory one we have lost may overcome us as we face Christmas without them. The power of death can make Hitler sound like a petty past tyrant. Hitler lived and died. However horrid, Hitler was only a man. Who can stop the power of death? Death is not a man. We cannot kill it. It cannot die. But, it can be overcome!

Romans 6:6-11 (the Message)- Could it be any clearer? Our old way of life was nailed to the cross with Christ, a decisive end to that sin-miserable life—no longer at sin’s every beck and call! What we believe is this: If we get included in Christ’s sin-conquering death, we also get included in his life-saving resurrection. We know that when Jesus was raised from the dead it was a signal of the end of death-as-the-end. Never again will death have the last word. When Jesus died, he took sin down with him, but alive he brings God down to us. From now on, think of it this way: Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word. You are dead to sin and alive to God.

This is the POWER of the Christ child’s Advent. As D-day turned a world at war, Emmanuel’s arrival guarantees every future battle. Everything has changed. The war to find a meaningful life has been won! We will face remaining battles in our own “concentration camps” as our hope arrives. So, listen and hear the Spirit of God. The Spirit of Advent is near to you for the glory of God and revealed in the Gospel. Share in this hope! No matter what your “concentration camp” of hopelessness, as you find the power of God to change your life, every attack of death will begin turning toward victory. Have faith.

“God energizes those who get tired, gives fresh strength to dropouts. For even young people tire and drop out, young folk in their prime stumble and fall. Those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, They run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind.” Isaiah 40: 30-31 (the Message)

The Kingdom of God has come. It is here! Gather with those who also know this to be true and the power of death will lose its hold over you!  

Charles Spurgeon preached the following on June 17, 1855: I know a village, once, perhaps, the most wicked in England-a village inundated by drunkenness and wickedness of the worst kind, where it was almost impossible for an honest traveler to stop in the city without being annoyed by dense profanity; a place noted for arsons and robbers. One man, the ringleader, listened to the voice of God. That man’s heart was broken. The whole gang came to hear the gospel preached, and they sat and seemed to reverence the preacher as if he were a god, and not a man. These men were changed and reformed; and everyone who knows the place affirms that such a change had no other explanation than that it had been accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit. Let the gospel be preached and the Holy Spirit poured out, and you will see that it has the power to change the conscience, to improve the conduct, to raise the debased, to chastise and to curb the wickedness of men and women. The change will be so noticeable that you must give the glory to God. I say, there is nothing like the power of the Holy Spirit. Only let that come, and, indeed, everything can be accomplished.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8   

The Christ child has come. His Spirit resides with us. The gates of hell (or depression, or poverty, or ill health, or betrayal, or any manner of evil) cannot endure before us!  Matthew 16:18  

Have faith and do not lose heart! Luke 18:1-8

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