by Dr. Don Kuehle, United Methodist, Retired
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by Dr. Don Kuehle, United Methodist, Retired
God created the seasons of the calendar year: spring, summer, fall, and winter. We move from one season to the next as the climate changes. Each season has its distinctive personality. The church established the seasons of the Christian year: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost, and Kingdomtide. Each season has its distinctive personality; each season is designed for Christians to celebrate God in a unique fashion. The symbols associated with each season help persons to experience the different aspects of God.
Advent means “Coming.” It is that season of the Christian year when we look forward to the coming of the Christ, Heavenly Royalty, the King of Kings. Charles Wesley wrote: “Come thou long-expected Jesus, born to set thy people free.” Advent begins on the Sunday closest to Nov. 30 and continues until Christmas Eve (Nov. 28 this year). There are always four sundays in the Season of Advent.
The color for Advent is purple, the sign of royalty. The symbols of Advent are seen in the Advent wreath: the circle represents God’s never-ending love for us; the greenery represents Christ, the giver of life; the candles represent Jesus, the Light-of-the-World.
Advent is a four-week period of time in which we are to prepare our hearts and lives for the coming of King Jesus!
For the first 300 years of Christianity, God’s people celebrated Easter as the main event of their faith! Every sunday was celebrated as a little Resurrection Day. Only after the Church was well-established, and socially acceptable did Christians have time to consider the other important happenings in the life of Jesus, his birth, his teachings, and his miracles.
In early centuries, the Romans held a special celebration honoring their many gods. This was a time of feasting and partying, a time for the giving of gifts, and for the promoting of peace and goodwill. Since many of the Christian community were slaves or commoners, this was the one time of the year when they, too, were free to celebrate. Christians chose this time to celebrate the birth of Christ. The church was more interested in the fact that Jesus had been born than the actual date of his birth; so the date of the Roman’s celebration, Dec. 25, was chosen. Christians adopted many of the Roman customs for celebrating; instead of honoring any of the Roman gods, however, the Christians honored Jesus Christ. Thus, the CHRIST-mas season was observed as the beginning of the Christian’s year.
If our home was selected to receive a visit from Denmark’s royal family, we would make sure our house was in tip-top shape, Spic & Span clean! We would offer our royal guests the best we could offer. We would be on our best behavior. Nothing would be too good for our special guests.
We have received the good news that, at Christmas, God-in-person is coming to spend some time with us! We have four weeks to get ready!
Four weeks to get our lives in tip-top shape, Spic & Span clean! During the Season of Advent, we look forward to entertaining Royalty, King Jesus himself! “The King shall come when morning dawns and light triumphant breaks; When beauty gilds the eastern sky, and life to joy awakes!”
Advent! Get ready! King Jesus is coming soon!