let the light banish darkness

he shall bring salvation to israel

A sermon for the First Sunday of Advent, from the third chapter Daniel's scroll


Today begins Advent. Before you got here today did you know that? Are you ready for Advent???

Of course, we’re not ready…

For one thing, it’s too warm outside. It’s too green to really get you in the spirit of Advent. 

But the real reason we’re not ready for Advent is, there’s just plain too much to do. 

We just got through Thanksgiving and Black-Friday, didn’t we? And now, it’s going to take every second we have to be ready for Christmas! We don’t have time for Advent, it doesn’t fit!

No, we’re not ready for it, are we?

And that’s how it was for Shadrach, Mesach and Abednego, too. You know…

They had done what Jeremiah told exiles to do. Remember? Settle in. 

They did that! They got jobs. Took out mortgages. Got married. Had kids.

And, by all accounts, they had done pretty well for themselves! 

They landed governmental jobs; jobs with pensions and benefits. They even climbed the ladder to positions of middle-management. 

*Not too bad for a few out-of-towners…

But, while they were busy making a life for themselves and their families; something happened they could never have been ready for. 

*Something happened that made the promises Jeremiah proclaimed seem null and void…

Their pagan king, Nebuchadnezzar built an effigy. And worse than that, he legislated that whenever the anthem was played, everyone had bow down to it…

And Shadrach, Meshach and Abedngo, good Jews that they are; know they can’t obey the king’s decree. That would be idolatry, breaking the first commandment! So, they just try to quietly go about their business. And whenever the anthem is played, they make themselves scarce…

But, some jealous toadies saw an opportunity to get a little higher on the ladder themselves. But instead of climbing it, they figure they’ll just knock out a few of the rungs above them. 

So they tattle on the three…

And just like that; Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego find themselves staring down their fate. Find themselves at a moment they could never have been ready for.

They had tried to make the best of a bad situation, but eventually it all caught up with them… 

Advent means, “arrival.”

And that’s what this season is about, an arrival. An arrival that changes everything.

For example, while the rest of the world is singing songs of chestnuts roasted over an open fire, we’re singing about an uncontrollable fire and three martyrs!

As out of sync carol, as ever there was.

But there’s a reason for this; and it’s that Advent changes everything.

And we’re just never ready for everything to chance. We’re never ready for Advent!

Advent comes like an uncontrollable fire. Like a decree that provokes a crisis. Like a song that’s just a little out of tune with the rest. 

Advent always comes when we’re not ready. When we’re not expecting it…

And over the years, I’ve come to learn, that’s how it’s supposed to work! 

We’re not supposed to be ready for Advent!

*And you’re thinking, “Good. I wasn’t!”

So, you find yourself rushing from one thing to the next.

You who are decidedly not ready for Advent, or Christmas for that matter.

You who don’t even have the time to get ready.

You who all isn’t calm and all isn’t bright. 

You feel like, if life hasn’t thrown in the incinerator, than the grinder. Get ready.

Get ready, because you are actually because God arrives!

And the Good News, the less ready you are, the more prepared you are for Advent!

You are! With everything you have to do. With the knots life has you tied up in! You are ready for Advent with all that it brings!

The fiery furnace isn’t about three boys who were ready to stand up for their faith, beloved. It’s about The One with an appearance like a God who comes amidst those flames. 

And that; that is what Advent is about too!

Advent isn’t about getting ready. It’s about The One who comes to us when we’re not ready!

Advent is about an arrival. Or rather, the arrival.

The arrival of The One who comes to us when the life we’ve been building goes up in flames. 

And about now, we all know what that’s like. Don’t we?

So get ready.

Get ready, and when everything this season throws at you has you all tied up. When you can’t keep up with all the demands of this season and you find yourself tossed in the proverbial burn bin; get ready. Lift up your head, even. Because your salvation will be at hand! 

Closer than the deadlines, even!

Jesus, Emmanuel. God with us. The One with an appearance like a god comes to you amidst those flames. When the promise seems null and void.

And here’s the deal, he will come not just to keep you company. He will come with everything he has to offer! He will make salvation itself manifest for you!

When Jesus meets you amidst the flames; like the three, he will break the chains the bind you! Whatever they may be. 

When Jesus meets you amidst the flames; like the three, he will give you his life that is stronger than the flames, stronger than death even!

When Jesus meets you amidst the flames; like the three, he will give you his time even! 

And these days, that’s especially what we need. Isn’t it?

In exchange for the flames; Jesus will give you all that belongs to him! His freedom! His life! And all of eternity, too!

The fourth person in the fire, the one with an appearance like a god. 

You know who that is, don’t you? It’s Jesus! Jesus.

Jesus showing up on the first week of Advent. Before Christmas! Before we even get a chance to celebrate his birth! 

See, you can’t get ready for Jesus; he won’t allow it!

Its was as the people languished in their exile, that the hope for not a king, but Gods own advent was born. When the prophecies of Jesus birth were declared.

But before we had a chance for any of that, Jesus was already out and about! On the loose! Giving his life! His freedom! And best of all, his time!

That’s Advent, folks! Here it is, for you!

For us, time is like a line. But for Jesus it’s like your hymnal. He can open it up to any page he wants. And when he comes and gives you his eternal life, he will give you that, eternity itself! 

And when that happens, you will see your life, all of history even, spread out before you. 

That’s why looking back on Christmases past, they always seem more full, more magical. Because you look back on them. You see them though hindsight, with a glimpse of eternity. 

And that, that’s what Advent is about, beloved.

It’s not about making yourself ready; because who could ever be ready for this? In fact, Advent is about a promise so good, we could never be ready for it!

Advent is about The One who comes to us when we’re not ready. When we’ve run out of time. When it all goes up in flames. 

And that’s a promise we could use about now; couldn’t we? Because we’re ready for that. And here’s the deal, when that confession is made you’re paradoxically more ready than you could ever be! You have everything you need for Advent. 

When you know you’re not ready! When you don’t have the time! When you’re all tied up! When life gets away from you; then you are ready for the arrival of The One who shows up in the flames giving his freedom, his life and his time! 

Folks, you are ready for Advent. You have all you need. Look up. Your salvation is at hand. And you’re ready for it, aren’t you. You’re ready…