Advent Reflections 2022

Week 1, Thursday, December 1

2 Peter 3:11-18
 
Vs 11-13
 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of persons ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be kindled and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire! But according to his promise we wait for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Does your family use an advent calendar?

For years we have given our kids a paper box calendar that has those tiny little chocolates that you pop out as you count down from December 1st to the 25th. They now make cheese calendars, lego calendars and basically anything you could imagine. A person could seemingly select their own personal countdown to Christmas using whatever ‘goody’ they choose.

If the Second Letter of Peter were an advent calendar - it would be full of apocalyptic warnings and ‘how to’s’ on avoiding wrong living. BUT! It has the ultimate ‘goody’: a countdown surprise that is more wonderful than anything we could imagine.

Yes, the heavens will be kindled and dissolved.

Yes, the elements may melt with fire.

But in the end, there is to be a new heaven and new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Peter asks the believer, “what sort of people ought we be” as we live and breathe in the advent of the second coming?

Specifically people that wait expectantly for the coming of the Lord, in holiness and godliness. People that know, without a shadow of a doubt, that the Lord will indeed fulfill his promises and bring about a new heaven and a new earth, bursting with his righteousness (someday).

We are called to be more than people that simply pop open the ‘goodies’ of God, forgetting to pause or be changed when we experience his grace.

We are called to be more than people that try to shape this Advent to fit our tastes.

We are called to believe in his promise, and wait faithfully.

Week 1, Friday December 2

Matthew 22:1-14
 
Vs 8-14
Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the thoroughfares, and invite to the marriage feast as many as you find.’ And those servants went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good; so the wedding hall was filled with guests. “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment; and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”

When I was in grade school, a little girl that lived across the street invited me to her birthday party. It was a Disney Princess party! I was so excited. I had my cute outfit on, the gift wrapped and a huge smile on my face. I walked in, and my countenance fell. Every little girl there was wearing a Disney Princess costume; glitter and taffeta and everything that I did NOT have on. I was the only one not in proper attire, and I was mortified. I didn’t even own a Disney Princess dress that I could run home and change into!

I did not have the proper garment.

I didn’t even have the ability to put on the right garment if I had wanted to!

I still remember that feeling of embarrassment 30 years later, and to this day I double check invitations. I am doubly sure to prepare as I wait for the date to arrive.

Jesus is not concerned about taffeta and glitter or if our outfit matches others at the table. He has not pre-selected a theme that the guests must abide by.

The Lord is concerned with our spiritual garments: how have we prepared ourselves for joining God at the heavenly banquet?

Will we get kicked out of his party if we are not dressed appropriately?

No. Well, and yes.

We don’t own the right outfit. But Jesus does.

It is HIS righteousness, grace, and forgiveness that we put on.

These are things that we do not own, and cannot purchase, and we are completely incapable of dressing ourselves in them. These garments are gifts from God.

And we have been given the time to prepare ourselves. While we wait for the arrival of his great heavenly banquet, we have the invitation to clothe ourselves in faith and prayer and adorn ourselves in Christ. These are the appropriate garments.