“THERE WILL BE SIGNS?”
Tomorrow, the Church celebrates the First Sunday of Advent. When I was a child, one of the signs I always looked forward to was my Advent calendar. Every year my parents gave my brothers and me a new Advent calendar. It was usually a beautiful picture that had a bunch of little numbered doors, one for each day of Advent. Each day we would open a little door on the calendar. Behind the door was a Bible verse, part of the Christmas story, or a churchy picture. One year there were chocolates. Each door we opened was a sign Christmas was getting closer. We were counting down the days. That’s what Advent was about.
I sometimes wish Advent was as simple and easy as opening a little door on the calendar, eating a piece of chocolate, and knowing that Christmas is one day closer. But it’s not. You and I both know the world is not that simple and life is not that easy.
On this first Sunday of Advent, the Church declares it to be the good news of Christ. “There will be signs,” Jesus said. More than ever our world needs to see the signs. Jesus says if we look, we’ll see the signs everywhere; in the sun, the moon, the stars; in the distress among earth’s nations; and in the roaring of the sea and its waves. I certainly have seen those signs a bit more clearly in my life. And, I’ve no doubt you’ve seen the signs too.
These and other signs are also words of hope and reassurance, but far too often they are heard as words of warning and threat. And when they are, the signs are used to predict a future of impending doom and loss. They become indicators that the world will end and you better shape up or God is going to get you. However, Jesus says that when we see these signs, we are to stand up, raise our heads, and know that help is on the way; our redemption, our healing, our Savior have drawn near. These are signs that Christ has come and he will come again. These signs reassure us that God has not abandoned us, that God notices us, that God cares, comes to, and participates in our life’s circumstances.
Jesus’ parable of the fig tree teaches us how to read the signs. So, what if we began to read and understand the signs in our Advent stories as sprouting leaves from the fig tree? What would we see? What would it mean? It would mean that the kingdom of God is near. It would mean we are entering a new season. We would see new life and new growth. We could open the doors of our life with new courage and confidence. We could look on the world with a new sense of compassion and hope. We would be strengthened to do the work God has given to us to do.
The Advent seasons of our lives can be long, difficult, and painful. But, we never face those seasons without the signs of hope and reassurance, signs that point to the One who is coming – Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. As we prepare to celebrate this time of hope and reassurance, consider accepting this invitation to attend Grace Lutheran Church this Advent season! Be part of this congregation that is filled with prayer, fun, laughter, and love for Jesus! Experience the presence of Jesus in the Holy Sacrament. All come at Jesus’ invitation – the young and old, the assured and the doubting, the wise and the foolish, and the in-between. All are welcome here! Come to the Feast!
Looking forward to seeing you this Sunday as we “celebrate God’s love together,”
Blessings and Peace,
The Reverend David O. Guss, Ph.D. - Pastor, Grace Lutheran Church
