The Hope of Advent
Ephesians 2:1-10
In the 19th century, there was a wave of enthusiasm for prophecies predicting the actual date for the Second Coming of Christ. One such prophecy was an Adventist leader name William Miller. After studying Daniel 8, Miller predicted that Christ would return on March 21, 1842, but then revised the date to April 3, 1843. Over 3,500 of his followers jammed the Boston Advent Temple, only to be disappointed. You might have thought that the movement would have died. But it didn’t. Rather it continued to grow. Miller decided to recalculate his date for the Second Coming and soon publicized a new date - April 18, 1844. When the messiah did not show up on that date, there was again frustration and some followers left the Adventist ranks. Undeterred, Miller came up with a third date – October 22. 1844. And, surprisingly, this third date rallied his followers. They began to spread the news of the new date of the Second Coming with an enthusiasm that had not seen before. Churches that did not accept this message were denounced as agents of “Babylon.” and the devil. And - despite opposition from established, mainline religious groups, thousands of people – including many clergy – began to prepare. One account notes that “Fields were left unharvested, shops were closed, people quit their jobs, paid their debts, and freely gave away their possessions with no thought of repayment.” Huge press runs of Advent publications like The Midnight Cry warned the public that “The Time Is Short”. “Prepare to Meet Thy God!” and “The Lord is Coming!” William Miller himself began peddling white “ascension robes” to the faithful, many of whom waited for the miraculous event in freshly dug graves. But as we all know, the Second Coming did not occur. A few weeks later after the Great Disappointment, William Miller wrote, “Although surrounded by enemies and scoffers, my mind is perfectly calm and my hope in the coming Christ is as sure as ever… I have fixed in my mind upon another time and here I mean to stand until God gives me more' light. And that is Today, Today Today. Until He comes and I see Him, my soul yearns for him.”
It is during this season of Advent that we focus on hope and that hope is centered on the Second Coming of Christ. Advent is not just about preparing for the coming of the Christ child. It is also about looking to the Second Coming of Jesus when he will establish His kingdom here on earth. Marques Silva writes, “In college I was surprised when a close friend explained her family crèche. It wasn’t the style or the model that caused me to pause. It was the addition of a figurine that I had neither seen nor considered before. This particular set included not only the baby Jesus but an additional Jesus… hung over the crèche, above the position where the angel usually is placed. As odd as this image may seem to us, it does reflect what the church encourages us to meditate on during the season of Advent and that is the true hope of Jesus’ return. This should be the longing of our heart. Revelation 20:17 directs us to pray, “The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come.’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come?'” Or again in verse 20, “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” And then Marques Silva writes, “The hope of the Christian is that He returns to us quickly in glory. Advent is actually is about slowing down and patient watchfulness so as to prepare ourselves for the coming of the Kingdom – first in our hearts through an infant savior and then in joyful anticipation of His coming in glory like a Bridegroom to his Bride.”
In expectation of Christ’s birth and His intended return comes hope. And that hope is sure and real. James Chandler tells the story of saying grace before Thanksgiving dinner. In his prayer, he included the phrase, ‘Dear God, I sure hope the Oakland Raiders make it to the Super Bowl.’ He learned that wasn’t really appropriate. But as He grew, he also learned that real hope is not the kind of hope he mentioned in his prayer. Real hope is not a wish but confidence in certainty.” Advent is a time we are to be reminded of the certainty that Jesus entered the world to die on the cross for our sins and of His return to establish the Kingdom of God in our midst. It is in the assurance of that hope upon which we stand, worship, serve and live.
Hope is essential in life. James Addison said that there are three essentials in life: something to do, someone to love and something to hope for.” In short, we need hope to live. One night at dinner told the story of a Flagstaff, Maine which is no longer there. The town was to be flooded as part of a large lake for which a dam was being built. In the months before it was to be flooded, all improvements and repairs came to a screeching halt. What was the use of painting a house if it were to be covered in water six months later? Why repair anything when the village would be wiped out? And so week by week, the whole town became more and more run down. Then he said, “Where there is no faith in the future, there is no power in the present.” We need not only hope for the future but the power it gives us for the present. This is why one of the things we focus on in Advent is hope, and not just any hope, but in the hope of the Second Coming of the Savior and the establishment of His Kingdom here on earth.
The problem is that if you look at the world today and listen to all of the terrible things that are happening around us from burglaries to murders to even war itself, it can stalk out hope. It seems we wake up almost everyday to hear of another shooting or killing in the city. Turn on the news and it all seems to be bad news. And over time that can wear on us. In fact, it can steal our hope. But our hope for the future is instead rooted in God’s promises for the present. Lewis Smedes tells the story of a terminally ill young man who came in for his usual treatment. A new doctor who was on duty casually said to him, “You know, don't you, that you won’t live out the year.” As the young man left, he stopped by the Director’s desk and wept as he said, “That man took away my hope.” “I guess he did,” replied the Director, “Maybe it’s time to find a new one.” And then Lewis Smedes writes, “Is there a hope when hope is taken away?” Is there a hope when the situation is hopeless? That question leads us to Christian hope, for the Bible, hope is no longer a passion for the possible. It becomes a passion for the promise.”
The hope of Advent is based on three promises. First, God is enough. Philippians 4:19 says, “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” God came to earth to live among us that we might know what He is truly like and to give us an example to follow. And while we were yet sinners, he died for us that we might know forgiveness and that which separates us from God might be removed. He rose from the dead that we might know we, who believe in Him, have the promise of eternal life. And he sent us the Holy Spirit to comfort us, strengthen us, guide us and be with us. And that means no matter what you’re facing, God and Jesus are enough. Pastor Norm Johnson tells the story of Bill who was gravely ill in the hospital. Norm was visiting him when the doctor came in and point blank said, “Bill, you're dead. There’s no hope. You’d better get your things in order.” Just that bluntly, no hope, no comfort, no, “How are you doing?” After answering a few questions, the doctor left. Norm and Bill just sat there in silence in shock over what they had heard. Then Norm turned to Bill and said, “Bill, don't you think now’s a good time to turn to Christ?” And there in the hospital room, Bill gave his life to Christ. The next day, Bill was moved to another hospital. A new doctor came in and said, “Bill, we’re not going to give up yet. We’re going to try a different medicine and a different therapy.” And from that moment on, Bill began to get better. He turned it all over to God and God healed him! And then he said, “When you have nothing left but God, then for the first time, you become aware that God is enough.”
Second, Advent promises the hope of forgiveness and new life in Christ. No matter what you’ve done or what you’ve said, because Jesus was born and then died on the cross, your sins are forgiven. And because of that, the opportunity for new life is given. Julian Silva tells the story of working in a Volunteer Corp’s Chaplain Office in Frankfurt, Germany where he met a German named, Carl Scholtz. During WW II, Carl served as a Nazi soldier but not believing in what he was doing, he tried to desert. He failed in his attempt, was captured and thrown into prison. Accused as a deserter, he was sentenced to die before a firing squad along with another man. When the day came, both were marched to the outskirts of town to be executed. But unbeknownst to Carl, the orders were for all the rifles to be turned to his colleague in the last minute, letting Carl live. When the rifles fired, Carl fell to the ground in shock. They picked him up and placed him back in prison. Months passed and when the war finally ended, he was set free. He didn't have any place to go so he wandered from one war torn village to another, sleeping in bombed out buildings and drinking more and more to numb the pain. His last hope was his mother but then he discovered that she was trapped in East Germany and then was shot trying to escape to the West. Upon hearing this news, he felt his last hope depart. He wandered to a nearby river with the intent to throw himself in to end his pain. As he was about to jump, he was stopped by singing which coming from a nearby wooden building. He heard:
‘When Jesus comes, the tempter’s power is broken
When Jesus comes, the tears are wiped away
He takes the gloom and fills the life with glory
For all is changed when Jesus comes to stay’
Hearing these words, he moved closer to the building and peered in the door wanting to hear more. He heard the story of God’s wondrous love for him and how His only son had died on the cross so that he could have life and have it abundantly. Then the missionary preacher said, ‘Christ says, Come to me all who are heavy laiden and I will give you rest.” And Carl came forward and knelt at the alter saying, ‘If there was anyone burdened, it was me. I am tired of this life I am living. And that night, he went to the altar and said, “Lord, if it’s true that you can change the worst sinner…change me. If it’s true you can give rest, give it to me. And if it’s true you can straighten out the most twisted life, straighten out mine.” And when Carl got up from that altar, he was a new person. Because Christ saved him, Carl became a preacher and brought countless others to Christ with his testimony of what Christ can do. And that same grace and forgiveness offered to Carl is available to you.
Third, Advent promises the hope of God’s love for us, given through the Christ and experienced through the Body of Christ this Christmas. Pastor Thomas Tewell tells the story of getting ready for their 11 p.m. Christmas Eve service. As the people were gathering, a man named Jim came in. Jim was a recovering alcoholic, sober just 6 months, but his disease had cost him his family, his job, just about everything. He went in to the sanctuary for the first Christmas Eve since his divorce, and who should sit in front of him but a happy, cheerful family of four -- dad, mom, two precious kids anticipating the joy of Christmas morning. It was more than Jim could take. He got up and walked out of the church. Thomas saw him in the foyer and said, "Jim, where are you going?" Jim replied, "I'm just going out for a Scotch." Thomas said, "Wait a minute! Is your A. A. sponsor available?" Jim said, "It's Christmas Eve. My sponsor is in Minnesota. There's nobody that can help me. I just came in for a word of hope, and I ended up sitting behind this family. If I had my life together, I'd be here with my wife and kids, too." Thomas said, "Wait right here." He didn't know exactly what he was going to do, but it was time to start the service. As he walked down to the front of the church, he prayed for a word of hope to give to Jim. He welcomed everyone and then said, "I have an announcement. If anyone here tonight is a friend of Bill Wilson -- and if you are, you know what I mean -- could you meet with me in the back of the church?" Bill Wilson is the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. And all over the sanctuary, men and women, got up and made their way to the back of the church; they understood the announcement. The pastor went back and put Jim in the hands of people who cared. Then, while he led a service proclaiming that God had become flesh in Jesus, the Word was being made real in the back of his church. Jim was experiencing the hope and love of Advent. Amen.
