Today, the second Sunday in Advent, was a day of thought and inspiration for me as myself and as a preacher. At the end of the service we took Holy Communion. I was assisting at communion so I was sitting close to the advent crown with two candles alight.
Looking at the two lighted candles I thought back to last week when I was the one to light the first candle for Advent. The two small flames were there and I thought to myself, "I lit that candle, the one that has burned down the furthest. That means I am personally involved in the ceremonial remembrance of what God did all those years ago. That was the time when God came to earth as his own Son, Jesus. He came to transform us. He came to transform me.
The Old Testament reading was Isaiah 11:1-10. It spoke of a transformation. This branch from the stock of Jesse and there would come the spirit of the Lord. This spirit would have wisdom and understanding, counsel and power, knowledge and fear of the Lord who will not judge by outward appearance or decide a case on hearsay. He will with justice judge the poor and defend the humble. His verdict will strike the ruthless and his sword will slay the wicked. The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the kid, the calf and the young lion will feed together, and the cow and the bear will be friends. The passage continues in the same way and speaks poetically of a mighty transformation. It means the coming of Jesus will be revolutionary, a thing that will overturn values accepted for many centuries.
John the Baptist was the subject of the New Testament reading. He too preached about transformation when he told the people how close the Kingdom of Heaven was with the advent of Jesus. He spoke of the axe, ready to cut down the tree and the wood thrown into the fire. Now that was really a transformation. He told them his baptism was to make people change - another transformation. But he prophesied that Jesus would be one who baptised with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
Recently I have been suffering from depression and have started both medication and a course in which I look at the various aspects of depression and anxiety as applied to me. Between these two interventions I have changed radically. All fear has gone and positive thinking is here. I now feel as I felt years ago. It has led to me rethinking the gospel and how it relates to me. I now think positively about what God has done for me and for humanity. Being able to think so clearly paints a picture so colourful and bright that the hope of Advent shines strongly in my mind. I am, for once, looking forward to Christmas this year. Christmas has been, for me, a time I hate when people make their lives worse by over-indulging and over-spending. It sets them up for the New Year with regrets at what they have eaten and drunk and debts that now have to be paid. The whole season is one where the shops and stores tempt the population to spend too much money on things that will not enhance their lives at all.
The message of Advent is one that relies entirely on the true values of God, our Father. Using these values we can all make an amazing difference to the lives of others as well as ourselves. At the end of our service to others (and therefore to God) we can look back and say, "In the name of God I have helped to make a difference." We are exhorted to go out and change, not just ourselves, but all around us.
Thanks be to God
