Three Advents of Christ

The Three Advents of Christ

Advent 1 – A T Matthew 24:36-44

INI

Today marks the beginning of a new Church Year. And each season tells us a different story about the person, work, and ministry of Christ. Lent prepares us for the sufferings of Christ in Holy Week. The Easter season proclaims the joy of Christ’s resurrection. The Green season, which we just concluded last week, focuses on growth in faith given by the Holy Spirit. Now, as we enter into the season of Advent, we aren’t just getting ready for Christmas. In this season, we aren’t merely observing the events that led up to Jesus’ incarnation through the angel Gabriel’s annunciation to Mary. Rather, Advent directs us to the three comings of Christ. Not just the coming of Christ at His birth, but Advent prepares us for the Coming of God’s kingdom.

         Today’s Gospel lesson is far from being ‘Christmas-y’. But it does prepare us for the coming day when the Lord will come to judge the living and the dead. It warns us that the world will be going on just as normal – for both Christians and unbelievers. It’ll be just like a normal day – there will be eating and drinking, people getting married, men and women at work. It’ll seem status quo, that is, until it isn’t. Suddenly on the day of judgement, there will be a separation between believers and unbelievers. Some were watching and preparing for the kingdom of God, and others weren’t.

         Now, how do we recognize God’s kingdom? Well, the kingdom of God comes in two ways. First, it comes to us now, by grace. Then, on the Last Day, God’s kingdom will come with power and judgment. Now, those are two of three ‘comings’ that we observe during the season of Advent. The first advent was when Christ was born on Christmas Day. And of course, we celebrate this day. But truth is, it’s in the past. We don’t experience that day. Nor do we prepare for it. But what we do experience and prepare for are the other two advents of Christ.

         The second Advent of Christ is the one we experience now, when He hear His Word, and repent of our sins, and receive His means of grace. Through these means, we receive Christ. And then there’s the final Advent of Christ, when He visibly comes back to judge the living and the dead on the last day.

         Now, as we experience the second advent of Christ now, it’s good to remember what the catechism teaches about the coming of God’s kingdom in the second petition of the Lord’s prayer. When we pray ‘Thy Kingdom Come’, Luther explains that “God’s kingdom comes when our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word and lead godly lives here in time and there in eternity.”  In other words, God’s kingdom of grace as it’s experienced now isn’t perceived by the eyes, but by the ears. It’s not seen, it’s heard. As we live in this world, we live in this kingdom by faith, not by sight.

         And because of our faith we receive in God’s kingdom, we see what the world has to offer as just darkness. Everything the world values – eating, drinking, sensuality, quarrelling, jealousy – St Paul calls such things in our epistle the “works of darkness.” And since this day of salvation is nearer than when we first believed, let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light, walking as people of the day, and not in orgies, drunkenness, sexual immorality, and feeding the base passions for pleasure. Instead of gratifying our own desires, God’s Word tells us to do the opposite – to love. To forego love of self, and live sacrificially for others.

         If we were to deeply examine our lives, would that be how we’d characterize ourselves? Giving up the works of darkness and living in the light? Denying the gratification of our own desires that we might be freed to serve one another in true, self-sacrificial love?

         But this is the great joy of Advent – Jesus comes to love you. He’s come to love the one who hasn’t been given over to love, who hasn’t obeyed the Ten Commandments. He loves you not because you’ve deserved His love. He loves you because He’s gracious. And it’s in Christ’s love, mercy, and forgiveness that the kingdom of God is recognized.

         When we pray ‘thy kingdom come’ – is this the kingdom we envision? What would your perfect kingdom consist of? Power? Prestige? Honor? Comforts? Pleasures? Our perfect kingdoms are twisted by narcissism and self-love.

         And yet, the Lord calls us to a kingdom of mercy, love, humility. And how does that kingdom come? Jesus says that He is the Son of Man who brings this kingdom in judgment. However, Jesus also says that He is this same Son of Man who will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and will ultimately be delivered over to mockery, flogging, and death. Yet, He will be raised on the third day (Matt 20:18-19).

         Through His self-sacrificial love shown on the cross, Jesus took the curse of death and removal from God’s kingdom, onto Himself. He took this curse, and buried it. We treat our sins lightly, and think they can be dealt with lightly. But they must be paid for. The Son of Man even said it – He said He MUST suffer, MUST die, MUST come under the Father’s punishment – that is, if we are to be restored to God’s kingdom. We can only be restored through His innocent suffering and death.

         That’s why for those who reject or despise God’s kingdom of grace and mercy, His judgement comes suddenly. Our Lord gives a great example in the flood. When Noah was building his ark, the unrighteous were unprepared to meet that coming day. Why? Because they were too preoccupied with things of the world. That’s what Jesus said in the Gospel – “as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the son of Man (Mt 24:37-39).”

         The worldly things they held dear was swept away in an instant. They had no time to prepare. Or repent. It just overtook them. When this day will happen, when the Son of Man comes?  We don’t know. We don’t know the day nor the hour. So, we must be prepared against holding these worldly things so dear that they drive us away from God. Thus, we must beware to not let the things of this world, and the pleasures of today distract us from receiving God’s coming kingdom with great joy and anticipation.

         And as Christians with a true faith in the coming kingdom of God, we live in a hopeful expectation, longing for the return of Christ. Our prayer this Advent is “Come, Lord Jesus” as we joyfully await this day when the Lord will make Himself fully known to us. Yet, our Lords kingdom is even, here now in our midst. He comes with His angels and archangels and all the company of heaven. His kingdom isn’t detected visibly by the world, but it’s present wherever His Word is heard and believed. And that Word comes to you even now, as He speaks – “Take, eat, this is my body. Take, drink, this is my body, shed for you for the forgiveness of all your sins.” And through these means, God’s kingdom of grace comes to you now.

INI

Pastor Joshua Ralston