Emerging Conservative

My pal, Pastor Jim wrote an incrediable letter for the Advent Season (the period of time we as Christians prepare our hearts for Christmas). He was kind enough to let me share. Enjoy!

Beloved,

Once again we are coming into the Christmas season—Advent is what it is called according to the Church calendar—the beginning of a new Church year. A time of expectation. We are reminded that God came in the likeness of sinful flesh—the child of the manger was the Eternal Father in human form, Emmanuel—God with us. This Child was destined for the cross, to offer Himself as a sacrifice for our sin and not just our sin but the sin of the world.

We are also reminded of the promise that God will come again—this time as the Judge of all the earth and all that is in it. The Gospels remind us over and over to be alert, to keep awake and to be watchful and productive as He will return unexpectedly—as a ‘thief in the night’.

We are called to live holy lives—representative of the One who called us out of darkness into His glorious light. Last week’s lesson was the exhortation from Matthew 25 to remember to feed the hungry and give drink to the thirsty, to visit those who are sick and in prison—that when we did it to the least of these we did it unto Him. The sheep and the goats were separated by what they did or did not do.

Let us remember this Christmas season to do good to those who have need—especially to those who are members of the household of faith. Give to the poor, consider the needy, care for the widows and orphans. Remember to entertain strangers—who knows we may be ministering to Christ Himself.

The world is running after material things—in a society which has so much we are told we need even more, more things, spend more, charge more—buy now and pay later. The world measures love by what they get from others. The Church measures love by how much we give to others.

A headline from the other day speaks of the follies of greed–“A Wal-Mart worker was killed Friday after an “out of control” throng of shoppers eager for post-Thanksgiving bargains broke down the doors at a suburban store and knocked him to the ground, police said.” I wonder how many believers were in that crowd, how many believers were caught up in that moment of greed all in the name of ‘christmas’?

Advent is more than a church decorated with poinsettias and wreaths and a change of altar cloths. It is a time for us to examine ourselves and see if we are in the faith or not, a time to reflect on our readiness for the coming anew of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ not as a sweet little baby held in the arms of an adoring mother but as the King of kings and the Lord of lords seeking a Bride, with lamps full of oil and properly trimmed, adorned without spot or wrinkle for Her Beloved.

Peace, Pastor Jim

Advent 2008