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ADVENT SEASON REFLECTIONS

SCRIPTURE READINGS

ISAIAH 2:1-5

ROMANS 13:11-14

MATTHEW 24:36-44

SUNDAY REFLECTIONS – FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Advent is the season observed by Christians in preparation for Christmas. The word Advent means the arrival or coming of a notable person. There are two important understandings of the Advent season. The first understanding is the commemoration of the incarnation or birth of Jesus Christ for which we celebrate Christmas and the second understanding is the preparation towards the second coming of our Lord Jesus. It is for this reason, we shall reflect on the theme “Awake and keep watch for His coming” We shall reflect on the following points

1. All nations must be awake and keep watch for His coming
2. Overcoming the desires of the flesh will enable us to be Awake and keep watch for His coming.

Firstly, although Jesus is a Jew by birth, His salvation is for all nations therefore all nations must be awake and keep watch for His coming. When Jesus arrived the first, all nations benefitted from His first coming. Today the Good News is all over the world and people of different nations are beneficiaries of the first Advent of Jesus Christ, Isaiah confirmed this fact he said that “It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” (Isaiah 2:2-3) The forgoing prophecy was fulfilled with the coming of Jesus Christ, Jesus now cautions us about the second advent when He said that “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father…“Therefore keep watch because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. ..So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. Matthew 24:36,42,44). Jesus now makes reference to His second and final Advent. The first Advent was that of grace and an invitation to all nations to be saved but the second Advent is going to be that of judgement and salvation for those who have been faithful to the end. It is for this reason, Jesus cautions us to “…keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come (Matthew 24:42)

Secondly, how then shall we be awake and keep watch for His coming? Paul admonishes us in his letter to the Romans when he wrote that “And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed… So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armour of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. (Romans 13:11, 12-14). Dear friend Advent season offers us the opportunity to have sober reflections on our relationship with Jesus Christ and ask for strength to overcome our fleshly desire even as we remain awake and keep watch for His coming. In the 21st Century, the Advent season is taken for granted although many desire to celebrate Christmas. How do we awake and keep watch for His coming when our Advent season is filled with the fleshly desire and obsession with pre-Xmas shopping, our focus is mainly on what we are going to eat, drink and wear even as we commemorate the birth of Christ. If truly understand the importance of Advent then we would less concerned about the desires of the flesh and will be more concerned about preparing ourselves morally and spiritually for the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The period of Advent is not a period of shopping and euphoria about X-mass bonanzas and sales but it is rather a period of prayer, fasting, Bible Study and reflection on our salvation and relationship with God. It is when we have effectively prepared spiritually during the Advent season being awake and keeping watch for His coming that Chrismas and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ will bring us immeasurable joy, peace and grace. We have many Christians ignoring the Advent season, the period of keeping watch yet they are eager to celebrate Christmas. To them, Christmas is just another celebration to have fun and make merry. Will you be awake and keep watch for His coming this Advent season? What are you going to be doing as a sign of being awake and keeping watch for His coming?

In summary, we have discussed the theme ” “Awake and keep watch for His coming” and we have identified two facts. These are all nations must be awake and keep watch for His coming and overcoming the desires of the flesh will enable us to be awake and keep watch for His coming. May the Holy Spirit strengthen us to be awake and keep watch for His coming now and always. Amen