"Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the
Lord" (Luke 2:11)
A gentleman named Lou Meier asked me one time about the Advent season in relation to a talk he would be
giving before a group of men. I told him what I thought would be helpful, and this kindly man nodded and seemed pleased about the information. He continued by discussing a feeling he had that the center of an Advent service
should be a baby, as we spoke further about the vulnerability of a human child in relation to the advent of Christ.
"Advent" is from a Latin word which means "the coming"
and it of course relates to the coming of our Lord Jesus, to rescue those in this world from sin
and death. It is reasonable that God would visit His creation, but it was the
expectation of many that He would visit us in judgment, not salvation. Few ever thought of the future Messiah, the Christ in the terms of becoming a helpless human child.
I responded to Lou that speaking of focusing on Jesus as a human baby at the Advent service would be a fine idea and suggested that he hold in his arms an actual child, perhaps his grandchild, during his talk. In
fact, it would be a great time for the parents to dedicate that baby to the
Lord during that very same service.
Exploring the nature of a human child, we mentioned how VULNERABLE they
are. A baby is more defenseless than just about any other creature on earth, and
a baby is precisely what our Lord became for us. We have recognized the vulnerability of our
Lord in death, but don't often consider that aspect of His birth. A baby can
control - nothing!
The little one can't walk, talk or do anything but receive from others. There
is no bowel or bladder control and no understanding of events that relate to
them. It is somewhat easy for us to accept the notion that if there is a God, at
some point the skies will split open and a booming voice will judge us for our
sins. Others might also "allow" Him to appear to us in a dream or in
some other manner - But He became for us - a baby!
It was, however, entirely consistent with God's intent from the very
beginning - actually from before the onset of time as we know it. In Isaiah
7:14, written hundreds of years before the birth of our Lord in human form,
God's intention was shown about the Messiah who was to come: "Behold,
the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Emmanuel (God
with us)." Christ became a vulnerable, human infant for you and for me. He who created all
things (John 1:3, 14) would become a part of His creation and show us how to
find God.
Have you ever wanted to go HOME? Have you ever wanted to go to someplace SPECIAL
and BE someone who is accepted by those around you? To find Jesus will make you just that
special and to receive Him is to find your true home. He came to show us the way
(He IS "the way"
- John 14:6) and to trust in Him is to discover the One we have needed all this
time.
Jesus Christ is my Hero (and Lou Meier's hero, too), but usually we think of a
"hero" as a grown up strong person who will deliver us from some type of
trouble. "Hero" in the last generation brought to mind for many the movie actor John Wayne, and
in this generation, probably some other movie "star." These are pretend people; movie actors who seem to
save the girl (or the world) from something or other, but it's really just about words written in a script.
But with our Jesus, it’s real; it's just as He said: He died on the cross that we might
live. He gave His life for you and me, and He gave up everything by becoming a
part of who and what we are in humanity. He became vulnerable for all of us,
"good" and "bad" alike.
He lived in eternity as the King of Glory. But as an infant, He was reduced
to not being able to put on sandals without assistance. He needed help with
His clothing and initially could not speak the language of the people He had
become a part of. His step-father Joseph (Jesus' true Father was and is
God the Father), became a carpenter, and since it was traditional for the son to emulate the
father, it is thought that Jesus spent years as a tradesman. He who created the world
and all that is in it, had to learn His trade a little at a time from His
earthly step-father.
And He expects we will join Him in the offer of God’s amazing vulnerability. He said,
"If anyone desires to come after
Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever
desires to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake
will save it" (Luke 9:23-24). We become His child
by no longer merely trusting in ourselves, but in placing our faith in Him who raises the dead.
People in humanity wear masks to conceal how vulnerable we all really are, but the reality is that we are all utterly helpless babies in the sight of God. Some accumulate much in life and others little,
but we all far too often merely clutch at what we have and are. We need HIM, not just the things we might acquire.
What if Jesus asked you to occupy a wheelchair? What would you do? On the day
after Lou Meier and I had that conversation, he lost his job through a lay-off. He
handled the loss with grace and dignity because he understands that our Lord
can bring us through. The "accidents" of life are designed to 1) increase our
faith (2 Corinthians 1:9), and 2) enable us to better comfort others in similar
need (2 Corinthians 1:4).
Jesus is the reason for the season. Amos Wells once said about Advent, "Tidings
of glory! All the sky aflame, all heaven humming one imperial Name! Radiant
glimpses of a Throne, a Crown, all splendor focused on one little town! Tidings
of joy, good tidings of great joy! The death of sorrow and the end of pain, the
bliss eternally to reign. News of Salvation! Jesus, Savior, Christ, bearer of
mercy ample…"
The season is celebrated but it isn’t merely about a season - it’s about a
Baby, a Man, the Man Christ Jesus, our God, who became vulnerable and died for you and
me. And He invites us to join Him in His vulnerability, and also in His life. It’s
Advent, it’s our Lord, it’s our need of Him. Receive Him. Trust in Him now
– and forever.
Lord, we receive You and trust in You now. Forgive us, dear
God, for our sins. Thank You for saving us. In Jesus Name. Amen.
