The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. Isaiah 9:2 NIV
Nov 29, 2020
Today is the first Sunday of advent, a Sunday where we light our first candle… the hope candle. It is the promise God gave, fulfilled in the message that the shepherds heard on the hills outside of Bethlehem, the long awaited Savior had been born.
As we light this candle, like the shepherds, we are starting on a journey, Yes, this message of great hope requires a response from us. It is a message we’ve heard many times, maybe some of us think too many times. But the message is the same – a savior is born to us, Christ the Lord.
But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, we need to clarify, what is hope? It is a term that can so easily be thrown around. “I hope the weather is nice tomorrow”, “I hope they lift the restrictions”, “I hope people are sensible” and so on, but that is not the kind of hope that is represented by this lone candle.
The hope represented by that candle, is much greater and much grander. It represents the hope of each of us, of an entire nation, it represents the hope of the entire world. It represents something that you and I often take for granted.
As I said, we probably hear the Christmas story every single year and don’t give it much thought. I could cue up an old Peanuts cartoon with Charlie Brown’s lament, “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?
You know the scene - Linus replies “"Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about.” He shuffles to center stage. “Lights please”. Yes, you could probably quote this from memory. You’re probably even smiling as I say this “And there were in the same country shepherds, abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
And Linus picks up his blanket and shuffles back to his friend “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”
It is a great message of a hope fulfilled.
Can you imagine what it was like before that very first Christmas; what it was like before the savior came. Imagine yourselves in the sandals of those shepherds.
“Church” then was much more about following strict laws and coming into the sanctuary to pay the atonement for the breaking of those strict laws you were supposed to be following. A religious circle; breaking laws that were impossible to follow, and then making payment for your sins. Always falling short. Can you imagine how tired, how defeated, how desperate you would feel, always having to pay your way into God’s favour and finding you never had quite enough to make full payment. The people were living in darkness.
But there was HOPE. The promise would be fulfilled. God promised. All of the hope of the coming messiah hinges on the true purpose for the coming of the messiah: freedom from sin and death.
As we begin our journey to Bethlehem this year, let us remember this hope. Let us remember what it was like before Jesus came, when mankind was a slave to sin and death.
Looking at this hope, the promise, the prophecies; let us look back to the newborn in the manger and see Him through the eyes of a shepherd, gazing on his Lord for the first time, realizing what a huge fulfillment of hope the baby represented. Christmas is not the beginning of Hope, it is the culmination; it is the embodiment of Hope.
Let us hold that same hope in our hearts, knowing the price that has been paid for our souls, and knowing what a joyous and hope-filled thing it is to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.
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