The anticipation, hope, and love of Advent unite us all.
By Matthew Sianidis, Hope Avenue Champion, Mooroolbark, Melbourne, Australia
If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, my experience of the Advent and Christmas seasons is different than your experience. I live in Australia and these worship seasons occur in summer. It’s hot, and the days are long. We gather around the pool or at the beach rather than the fireplace. Instead of chestnuts roasting on an open fire, there are barbeques. It’s a time of t-shirts and board shorts, not cozy sweaters. The expression “dreaming of a white Christmas” conjures images of the rolling surf, not falling snow.
One thing I am certain of, regardless of the climate differences, we all share in the anticipation, the waiting, the wonder and the joy of this season. As we contemplate this time of year, let’s consider how it manifests in the three Avenues.
The Faith Avenue – a season of humility
Advent is typically a season of gathering and preparation. How are we gathering and preparing ourselves to be disciples?
I probably learnt more about my faith, saw greater examples of Christ dwelling in people, and grew in the Spirit during the warm summer months than any other season — I participated in youth camps! Do you know what really helps to deepen your faith? Try explaining it to a teenager.
As I grew in faith, I was discipled by a congregation that shaped my thinking through an incarnational lens. But just as revelatory as the fact that God became human is the manner of this incarnation. It was humble through and through. It was not announced to the great kings and emperors of the world; it was announced to a bunch of shepherds on an ordinary hillside of Judea. Jesus was not born in a palace as would be befitting a king; he was born surrounded by farm animals. He was not held up “Lion King” style for the world to cheer and celebrate the King of kings. Instead, his family had to flee as refugees into the neighbouring land — an inversion of expectations.
At this time of year, humility can be such a strong symbol of our identity in Christ. How are we discipling and being discipled in this foundational element?
The Hope Avenue – a season of audacity
Hope is almost synonymous with the Advent and Christmas seasons. We might see more people than usual at church; attending a Christmas service is sometimes one of the few times people do attend church.
Perhaps this is an acknowledgement, however subconscious, that Jesus is in fact the hope of the world. That behind the cultural clutter of tinsel and toys, behind the rampant capitalism and consumerism there is a profound, life-changing announcement: God has come to Earth to live.
It is an audacious statement, and celebrating the Lord through praise and worship is an appropriate response. This means that when we gather, it is a place for all to gather in praise and worship. Moreover, the Incarnation is not a onetime event; while it did occur in a real body, it is not limited by space and time. Advent and Christmas point not just to a historical reality, but also future promise. It is that joyful, hopeful audacity we see in our celebrations, and it should inform our approach and saturate our worship gatherings in these seasons.
The Love Avenue – a season of generosity
In Advent and Christmas, love permeates our culture (think of the film Love, Actually). A profound way we can share the true love of God in these seasons is to engage our neighbours through our generosity. Our congregation can volunteer our time collectively in soup kitchens or street ministries. Donating gifts, resources, even blood, can be a profound statement of God’s goodness in a world longing for good news.
This season, let us lean into the calling to love the world as God has loved us.
