WHAT IS GAINED BY
CELEBRATING ADVENT?
As a
worship leader, I find myself planning around a variation of annual events and
calendars, e.g. the Christian year and calendar, the school year, American and
patriotic holidays, and denominational events such as mission emphases. Keeping
in mind these events and times often make worship planning a challenge. If one
calendar is to supersede another, surely the church year should be the one
employed. I am often shocked at how much we allow cultural conventions to creep
into our worship practices. Recently, a prominent pastor’s church advertised a
well-known cable news political commentator’s appearance during their weekly
worship gathering. While this example is extreme, it is more common than we
might realize that cultural norms are realized as equal to proclaiming the full
counsel of God.
I was not
raised in a tradition that utilized the church year except that we celebrated
Christmas and Easter, and I would even venture to guess that we did not do so
in the historical manner. It is not wrong, in and of itself, to avoid the
liturgical Christian calendar; nonetheless, abiding by the church calendar
ensures that we tell the full counsel of God. While God is not bound by space
and time, he chooses to use time and space to communicate to us while we are
bound by them. In the church year, there are two primary cycles: 1) the cycle
of light (beginning with Lent) and 2) the cycle of life (beginning with
Advent). Without digging into details of the various aspects of the church
calendar, I would like to focus solely on Advent, which begins on either the fourth
Sunday prior to Christmas or the Sunday closest to November 30. American
society usually desires to move straight from Thanksgiving (and American
holiday, not an overarching Christian celebration) to Christmas. I enjoy
Christmas and the pageantry and festivities that come along with it, although
we usually celebrate it improperly by giving Christmas a day (December 25) when
in the church calendar, it is twelve days and continues through January 5. As a
worship leader, however, my frustration though lies in the avoidance of Advent.
By avoiding this wonderful celebration, there is much that we miss. I would
like to discuss then what we gain by celebrating Advent. It is likely not what
most people think it is; it is different from Christmas and contains a
different focus. A former professor of mine wrote an article which suggested
moving the celebration of Advent to November so that church congregations would
not be upset with the lack of Christmas elements almost immediately following
Thanksgiving. It is a feasible and good suggestion that warrants the benefits
of celebrating Advent. What are those benefits? To answer this question, I
would like to discuss what we gain by celebrating Advent.
Advent Represents Expectation
Advent
is an English version of the Latin word which means “coming.”[1]
The Latin adventus, furthermore, is
“the translation of the Greek word, parousia,
commonly used to refer to the Second Coming of Christ.”[2]
The key here is expectation. Advent is a season of expectation. As God’s
people, we should live our lives in expectation. The most apparent expectation
is that of Christ’s return. Additionally, we are to also expect God to move in
powerful ways and change our lives as well as the lives of those around us.
Advent is focused more on Christ’s return than it is his birth, although there
are certainly elements of remembering his birth after Israel had waited long
for the coming Messiah. Advent represents expectation. If we forego Advent, we
miss out on a vital aspect of our faith. We are an expectant people. Christ
will one day soon return. How foolish of us to neglect such a truth.
Advent Represents Patience
Tied to the concept of expectation
and waiting, Advent also represents patience. As we wait on Christ’s Second
Coming, we are called to exercise the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22), part of
which is patience, i.e. all believers possess patience, but we must exercise
it. Waiting and expectation requires patience. God often calls us to serve him
but to also wait on his timing, something far easier said than done. While we
may want to leap immediately to the celebration of Christ’s birth as soon as
December arrives, there are other aspects of the gospel story we must
acknowledge; this requires patience. Advent then represents the patience the
bride of Christ is to continuously exhibit.
Advent Represents New
Beginnings
When Christ came into the world as
God in human flesh, a new covenant was soon to begin. Advent begins the
Christian calendar and represents new beginnings, not only in relation to the
birth of Christ but also in relation to his continued work in our lives now as
we await his return. We are made new creations in Christ Jesus (2 Cor 5:17). Christ’s
incarnation for the purpose of dying as the atoning sacrifice for the sin of
humankind is certainly a vital aspect of our faith, but so also is the
expectation of new beginnings. Without expectation, our response to atonement
might seem insufficient. Advent represents new beginnings and specifically new
beginnings in Christ. His mercies are new every morning (Lam 3:22-23). We then
are continuously being made new in the new covenant and expect it so be so. By
bypassing Advent, we might miss this vital aspect of our faith. Advent
represents new beginnings.
Advent Represents the
Commonality of God’s People throughout History Waiting on the Savior
God’s people throughout history are
part of one family, a chosen and holy nation. Even in the church age, we are
connected with Israel of old who waited long on the coming Messiah; we are
connected because we too wait for him in the context of his return. Advent
connects us to the faithful who have gone before us as well as those brothers
and sisters around the world who share our faith today. Israel waited; Israel
expected; we wait; we expect. Advent then represents this commonality, which is
vital among many commonalities of God’s people throughout history. We await the
coming of our Savior just as God’s people did hundreds of centuries ago. As
God’s people globally celebrate Advent, a unity of expectation is achieved.
We Miss Marvelous Blessings
by Forgoing Advent
Even in my free Baptist church
setting, I am intentional about employing liturgical elements. We are not
strictly bound by a lectionary, but I will often employ it along with other
elements to intentionally proclaim the full story of God. Therefore, we do not
bypass Advent. While we might not approach Advent by strictly utilizing the
church calendar, Advent is present in our worship services. I enjoy utilizing
liturgy in a free church setting. It can be done well if the worship leader is
creative in his or her approach. By foregoing Advent, we miss marvelous
blessings and an incredible proclamation of the gospel story. Even if Advent is
not exercised during the month of December[3]
but is moved or is even adapted so that themes of waiting and expectation are
present, local churches have done a grand favor by intentionally telling the
full counsel of God. We are a people in waiting; we are a people in
expectation; we await the Advent of our Lord and tell his story till he
returns.
