While Christmas is about the incarnation, it cannot be separated from our hope and His promise of His return. Christmas, and therefore our hope, isn’t just in the fact that He came, but that He is coming! Part of Christmas then is praising God that He has come and looking to and longing for His return.
Christmas is the celebration of the love of the Father toward His fallen creation. God is gracious and loving toward those who've sinned against Him; He sent the perfect sacrifice for our sins, Jesus. Our hope & confidence is that through Christ we are saved.
The result of a longing fulfilled is great joy! We have longed and waited for a Savior. We have prepared our hearts for Him. Now, we anticipate the joy of His coming. As we find all our longings fulfilled in Christ, we are overcome with overflowing joy, and we can’t help but share this joy with others!
Important things take preparation. We would be wise to not rush through the Christmas season. The coming of our Savior is significant and worthy of our time. This week of advent we focus on peace. We can find peace knowing that God is faithful to His promises.
Advent is a traditional Christmas word meaning “to come”. Christians have used this season to pause, reflect, and prepare for the celebration of the coming of Jesus and anticipate His imminent return when He will once and for all make all things right.