Blog:
ADVENT [ad-vent] meaning ‘Coming’

Posted by Chris Mason
on 14th December 2011

Tis the season to be jolly – yes it really is.  Advent is the season of the year when those that believe in Jesus, and to be honest most of the western world, celebrate His coming as a baby into this world.

Phillipians 2 tells us that “though he (Jesus) was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.”

Isaiah the prophet who lived 750 years before Jesus was born looked forward and saw that “in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned” – like a the suns light filling the landscape changing darkness into light before you actually see the sun in appearance, so Jesus’s coming was foretold so far in advance – a light was shining and the landscape of humanity would be changed forever.

Week 1 of Advent is about HOPE.  The hope found in the coming of Jesus.  The story of Zechariah, John the Baptists dad, in the gospel of John helps us to see this hope in reality.  The baby John is a miracle child, born to a old baron woman who conceives a child who will be full of the Holy Spirit for his whole life and bring many people of Israel back to God – a hope of redemption, a light is dawning, the King is coming.

Then Jesus himself will come to bring hope not just for the Jews but for the rest of us too – hope is coming – you and me can receive relationship with God.

Then He will come again.  After Jesus’ death and resurrection He ascended to be in Glory with God the Father leaving His Holy Spirit with those who believe in Him – a seal – a hope of what is to come – a eternity with God in Glory – full restoration and redemption.

Advent isn’t a calendar event – it’s narrowing of our gaze season that allows us to see the coming of Jesus not just as a birth day, but as the coming of a new Kingdom, a light shining in the darkness.

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