How many of you have started today with an advent calendar?

As a child, my favourite advent calendar wasn’t a chocolate one. We had a rather tatty cardboard calendar of a stable scene. Each day there was a wee paper animal with a number on a tab that you slid into place. A pair of cows, some chickens, a cat with a basket of kittens.

I thought it was very special. Though it pales in comparison to some of the advent calendars of today. A quick search online showed me that Fortnam and Masons will even charge you for one costing £175!

Advent calendars were brought about by German Lutherans to be used as aids to daily devotionals in the advent period. The small images they showed that linked to the story of the Nativity are a far cry from all sorts of sweets and consumables that people enjoy in the run up to Christmas today.

The original advent calendars were about prayer and reflection on what Christ’s coming into the world continues to mean for all of humanity.

 There are reflections of this theme in the reading today from Luke’s gospel. When you first hear this reading, it all sounds rather frightening and grim. Perhaps that’s to be expected? It is after all a piece of apocalyptic writing.

Yet in Biblical terms the word apocalypse means revelation. The final book in the Bible, translated literally from Greek, could be called the Apocalypse rather than Revelation. So, it is worth having another look at this reading, it’s not as grim as it might first appear.

It starts: 25 ‘There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. 26 People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” – we’re reminded of how powerless our great nations truly are when compared to God’s creation. For all our hubris, for the money we spend on weapons and warfare we are very small indeed.

The reading continues: 27 Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in a cloud” with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.’In response to our fear, we see Christ. An incredible image of Christ coming in a cloud with all the power and glory of God on full display. Then we are to “stand up” and “raise” our “heads” to look at our redemption.

When Moses goes up to the top of the mountains to speak with God he cannot look at God. God says to him “no-one shall see me and live”. Yet here we are all being told to look towards our redemption. Every single one of us are given this invitation by Jesus. There is no restriction of nationhood, there is no restriction of race, sexuality, gender identity, age or state of health. Christ’s second coming referred to in the reading is for everyone.

It's an incredibly hopeful passage. The parable of the fig tree talks about the sprouting leaves as a sign of summer. For people in ancient times the Summer was the days of plenty when food was abundant, and the risk of death reduced. Jesus’s parable is reassuring us that the coming of the Son of Man is like the spring arriving.

Then he gives the ultimate promise. “Heaven and Earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away”. All the things we see around us are finite and temporary, but the word of Jesus, the word of God is truly eternal and unending. 

There is no promise more secure than this.

In other words, Christ was born in Bethlehem for the salvation of all humankind. Christ will come again for the redemption of all humankind.

This season of advent is an opportunity, a reminder to all of us that God’s promises are always fulfilled. That no matter the despair we might feel when we look at the destruction we have wrought in the world, there is always hope. No matter the depths and darkness of winter, spring will come again.

This advent look again at the reading from Luke. Look again at your advent calendar and think on what it means that Christ came into the world for you.And look up. Raise your heads and look towards Christ’s coming in glory.

Amen.

Rev. Iain Grant
Assistant Curate, Sheringham St Peter