Advent season anticipates the coming of coming of Christ from different perspectives. It signifies the longing for the coming of the Messiah into history as the Savior, into our hearts and lives and the Lords and and it alerts for His second coming as the King.
In the letter to the Roman church, Paul says, "Hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into us" (Romas 5:5). The hope of the coming of Messiah is established in God’s love. God's love is given as a gift of no return that was evidenced in the coming of Christ. “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” (Romans 5:8).
Advent calls us for a love that must be experienced. We may hear about God's love from others or by reading about it. But a personal experience of that love built on the relationship with God is different. There is a vast difference between being religious and having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Tertullian (160AD), a writer and theologian who lived shortly after the Apostle Paul said, “A man becomes a Christian; he is not born one.” You cannot learn to swim on dry ground, but at some point you need to jump in to the water. That’s the difference between religion and Christianity. To become a Christian, a personal experience is required.
The Advent season reminds us that God's love must be expressed. Jesus said, "A new commandment I give to you that you love one another, even as I have loved you. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." ( John 13:34-35). It may not be easy to love everyone perhaps. But the coming of Christ is the revelation of the sacrificial love that goes beyond loving selectively, rather it is a love that goes beyond the immediate to the extent of loving our enemies. Even when we don't necessarily like what others do, we are to love them.
1 Corinthians 13 is the well known chapter used in weddings a lot where love becomes the focus of the ceremony. There, Paul says, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."
Robert Fulghum in his book 'True Love', tells the story of George who was a resident of a nursing home. The staff and patients at the nursing home all felt sorry for George. His family had left him at the home, and they rarely ever visited. He became depressed and withdrawn, refusing to talk to anyone. He spent his days in silence. After a while, everyone gave up on trying to change George, and so they left him alone. But Maggie, another resident at the nursing home decided not to give up on George. Maggie was a warm and vibrant person who loved to tell stories. Maggie visited George every day and told stories though George never acknowledged her presence. She would sit in his room and talk all the while piecing together a lovely quilt. Sadly, George passed away without a chance to see Maggie’s finished quilt. While going through his belongings, a member of the staff found an envelope from George, with instructions that it should be read after his death. Inside the envelope was a short note that read, “Tell Maggie I love her.” If only George could have expressed this to Maggie sooner, for the quilt Maggie had been working on was a gift for George. Neither person had ever shared their true feelings with the other, missing out on an opportunity to experience each other’s love. And so the quilt Maggie had intended to give as a gift while George was alive served as his burial shroud. The story of George and Maggie helps us to realize the sad result of a love that was never expressed. The results might have been much better if only they shared the love with each other.
In the world we see religions of all kinds seeking God and searching for answers to life. But only in Christianity do we find Someone who says He is the life, and was raised to life, and promises that abundant life to all who will believe. Christ’s sacrificial gift of love is already here. Some one wrote, "I asked Jesus, "How much do you love me?" and Jesus said "this much.." then He stretched out His arms just like He died on the cross.
In January 2014, Yahoo News had a story about a fourth grade boy, age 8, named Tyler Doohan. Tyler was staying in a trailer home with 8 other relatives in Penfield, New York, when a fire started from an electrical problem. On Monday morning, January 20th, around 4:45am, Tyler detected the fire and began waking his family and pulling them to safety. Six people were saved including two smaller children age 4 and 6. Tyler went back into the burning trailer home to help his grandfather and Uncle Steve who was disabled. Tyler did his best to rescue these two men and get them out, but sadly, all three of them were overcome and died. I tell this story for a reason, because it talks about the gift of sacrificial love. How many eight year olds would run back into a burning trailer home once they were out and safe? How did Tyler possibly think he could pull out two grown men? Love is an amazing virtue!!
"Look at how great a love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children. 16 This is how we have come to know love: He laid down His life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers." (1 John 3)
Very powerful message. God bless you abundantly.
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