Advent is a tradition within the church calendar that takes the four Sundays before Christmas to reflect on the incarnation of Jesus. Last Sunday was actually the first Sunday of Advent even though I was finishing up with a sermon from our Gospel series.  

However, simply saying that you’re “observing advent” isn’t necessarily a good thing.  For example, these would be some unhelpful ways to think about this time of year:

1. Advent is when I put up my Christmas tree.
2. Advent is what happens after the Thanksgiving football games are done.
3. Advent is when kids sing Christmas carols.
4. Advent is when I make a list, buy presents for everyone, and then check the list twice.
5. Advent is just a word for the busiest, most exhausting month of the year.

None of these activities are bad in and of themselves. But they don’t get to the heart of why we take time as a church to remember the incarnation of Jesus. And even though no part of a “church calendar” is binding on a Christian it is still helpful to take time during the year to think deeply individually, as a family, and as a congregation about our core beliefs.

So what might be some helpful things to do this time of year?

1. Develop family traditions that focus on the birth of Jesus.
2. Remind yourself again of the reason that God came as a man into our world.
3. In the same way that Jesus didn’t seek to be served but served, look for service opportunities because of what you believe about the incarnation—not just because it’s “Christmas time.”
4. Because Jesus came to be “with us”, throw parties and enjoy being with your family, friends, and neighbors. The incarnation is one of the reasons Christians should throw the best parties. 
5. Be cognizant of your stress-level and anxieties. How does the peace that Jesus brought between you and God work itself out in the peacefulness you exhibit in December?
6. Worship. The incarnation should make you do what the Magi did, worship at the feet of Jesus. 

Just a few suggestions.

This Sunday

I’m looking forward to seeing you all this Sunday.  We’re diving into a 4 week Advent/Christmas series that I’ve titled Advent in Isaiah.  We’re going to cover the big Messiah passages of Isaiah as we look at God’s redemptive plan culminating in a carpenter and a teenage girl staring over a new Jewish infant in a manger.

It’s amazing when you stop to think about it.