Advent: The Cost

Dear Worshippers,

We have now come to my favorite time in the church year, with possibly the exception of Easter. Advent is a time preceding Christmas when we anticipate the arrival of the Lord Jesus, both the remembrance of His first and the expectation of His second. This sense of anticipation is seen in the face of children as they wait to open those gifts under the tree.

As I spoke with Pastor Miller about his focus through this coming season he mentioned he will be focusing on Christ’s Second Advent. Then He asked if we could do something special on December 21, the last Sunday before Christmas. He would like to have all the children come up front and have Pastor Etris randomly ask them wait they are anticipating about Christmas. I am sure this will be a precious time as we hear their perspectives on “arrival”. The thing we probably will not hear is a sensitivity to the cost of those things which they are anticipating.

How often do we approach this season with a similar sense of expectation which is void of a deep sense of the sacrifice of our Lord to come? Our family tries to gather around our Advent wreath at home each night and read Scripture, sing and pray that we would be mindful of every aspect of our Lord’s coming in the flesh. One part of that is the cost to Him.

I do not know what the traditions or habits are for each of your families, but I want to offer you a resource I discovered recently. Below you will find a link that will take you to a pdf file from what I believe to be a trustworthy source. It examines through Scripture, a brief reading and a couple of questions the cost of this season, from the perspectives of many of the characters. I hope you will find it a useful tool as you prepare your hearts once again to worship the Christ this Christmas.

The Cost: Christmas Devotional

Though I have not read every word on every page, I recommend this resource to you and your families as a tool to aid you in your worship through this Advent season. I pray for you that your encounter with the Christ through this will heighten your anticipation of the coming of our Lord. Whether you use this tool or some other one, be sure to take some time during this busy season to stop and celebrate the One who has come in the flesh.

Merry Christmas to you! [I love being one of the first people to send that greeting every year.]

In Christ,

Pastor Scott