SIGNS, SYMBOLS AND SIGNIFICANCE: A Closing and A Preparation

The Sunday before Thanksgiving is the culmination of the church year. Christ the King Sunday signifies that Christ is the King of all! He is King of the universe! King of my life, and hopefully yours! One of my favorite hymns is appropriate for this special day. It is also appropriate as we look toward next week, when Advent and the new church year begin!

            REJOICE, THE LORD IS KING – text by Charles Wesley

Rejoice, the Lord is King; Your Lord and King adore!

            Rejoice, give thanks and sing And triumph evermore.

            Lift up your heart; Lift up your voice!

            Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

The last verse of the hymn I see as the transition between seasons. The first week of Advent is about HOPE. The HOPE of the prophets who foretold that a Messiah would come. Our HOPE that He will come again, soon! We will light candles as symbols that remind us of this glorious HOPE!

            Rejoice in glorious hope! Our Lord, the Judge shall come

            And take his servants up To their eternal home.

            Lift up your heart; Lift up your voice!

            Rejoice, again I say rejoice!

This week, as we gather with family and friends around tables full of good food, we give thanks to Almighty God for His amazing gift, His Son, who came to save us from our sin and offer a way to eternal life with Him. We also give thanks for His constant abiding and provision in our lives.

One more favorite to share with you as you gather this week… (this song was also sung at our wedding)

            NOW THANK WE ALL OUR GOD – text by Martin Rinkart

            Now thank we all our God,

            With heart and hands and voices,

            Who wonderous things hath done,

            In whom the world rejoices;

            Who, from our mothers’ arms,

            Hath blessed us on our way

            With countless gifts of love,

            And still is our today.

            O, May this bounteous God

            Through all our life be near us,

            With ever joyful hearts

            And blessed peace to cheer us;

            And keep us in His grace,

            And guide us when perplexed,

            And free us from all ills

            In this world and the next.

And then a new church year begins! It is the season of ADVENT. Many Christians and churches misunderstand what Advent is all about and therefore lump it all together with Christmas. Advent and Christmas are intertwined but separate. The observance of Advent began about the 5^th century. Back then, it was a time set aside for fasting and spiritual preparation of baptisms that would occur on January 6^th, the Day of Epiphany. At that time, Advent lasted about the same length as Lent – 40 days. Advent was changed to a four-week season after it became connected with Jesus’ birth.

The term ‘Advent’ itself means “coming” or “arrival.” Because it precedes Christmas, “many have misunderstood Advent to be exclusively a time to get ready to celebrate the coming of a child in Bethlehem. In fact, the primary focus of Advent is on what is popularly called “the second coming”. Thus, Advent concerns the future of the Risen One, who will judge wickedness and prevail over every evil…it is the celebration of the promise that Christ will bring an end to all that is contrary to the ways of God…”[1]

A succinct definition of Advent, by Laurence Stookey states, “We start the Advent observances with the future: “The reign of God is coming. Prepare!” We end with the past: “Messiah will be born in Bethlehem. Rejoice!” There are anticipation and expectation in this season. As world events show us, the time of Christ’s return may be very near. Are we ready?

The four Sundays in Advent, then, are a journey in which both the past and the future are proclaimed. We must look to the past historically as well as theologically to understand the present and the future. The meaning is deep and rich and can feed us spiritually as we look earnestly for Messiah to come. Let us desire that Messiah be born anew in our hearts during this season and in the hearts of others too! Advent prepares us for Christ’s coming at Bethlehem AND at the end of time.

During this season, even as we decorate trees, shop for gifts, listen to beautiful holiday music, and revel in the sights and sounds of the season, let us watch and wait to see the glory of the Lord. May this be the primary focus of our celebrations.

Shalom! Maranatha!

Dawn S Gilmore, DWS

www.dawnsgilmore.com

Dr. Dawn S Gilmore https://dawnsgilmore.substack.com/

[1] Laurence Hull Stookey. Calendar: Christ’s Time for the Church.  Abingdon Press: Nashville. 1996.