We are not good at waiting. In 21st Century America, we want all of it, and we want it now. And thanks to smart phones and credit cards, we have come to expect instant gratification more than ever. Some things are worth waiting for, however. The birth of our Savior is one of those things. Israel waited for centuries. We only have to wait during the short season of Advent. But even that goes against our nature these days. Even many churches ignore Advent all together, choosing instead to focus early on Christmas. Advent also looks ahead to Christ’s return, and thus involves waiting in a two-fold sense, not merely a historical one, which means our waiting today is every bit as real as the waiting of the people of Israel. And our waiting is not a passive waiting, but rather an active, obedient waiting. That active obedience calls for vigilance in prayer and “faith working through love” (Galatians 5:6).
If all you knew of American society was based on department stores, you would likely assume that Christmas is a day or two after thanksgiving. That is what happens when Christmas is merely a break from work, with time spent with family opening gifts. That is also what happens when waiting has no intrinsic value. Both assumptions are false, which is why we need the season of Advent, now more than ever.
Advent is a season of both waiting and penitence (similar to Lent). We need the spiritual discipline of waiting in order to fully appreciate and experience the fulfillment of longing. Waiting also develops patience (a fruit of the Spirit). Having a season of penitence gives us time to become more aware of, and own, our sins. Awareness of sins should lead to remorse, confession, and an awareness of forgiveness. How much greater is the experience of that forgiveness after one has become fully aware of the depth of one’s rebellion against God. And experiencing that great forgiveness leads to gratitude and joy, which are key elements of worship, and perfectly suited to celebrating Christmas.
Advent is uniquely well-suited as a time for churches to experiment with liturgy. This is true for several reasons. First, many churches do have some existing Advent liturgy already, which commonly involves lighting a candle each week on an Advent wreath, accompanied with an Old Testament reading looking towards the Messiah’s arrival. It isn’t a huge leap to add a congregational reading of one of the great creeds, weekly communion, and some traditional hymns (yes, there are advent hymns). Also, the rationale for Advent, and its benefits as laid out above, are pretty easy to understand, even for those of a more low-church bent. Lastly, Advent is only four weeks long, so it doesn’t require a long-term commitment on the part of a congregation experimenting with liturgy.
Once a congregation has experienced living a portion of the cycle of Jesus’ life (which is the Christian calendar), then it raises the question, why not experience the rest of the cycle, instead of just celebrating His birth and resurrection? The Christian calendar thus provides an organizing principle for a congregation’s worship, and it all starts at Advent.
