A Thought for Advent. December 4th, 2023.

You better watch out, you better not cry,

better not pout, I'm telling you why:

Santa Claus is coming to town.

He's making a list, checking it twice;

Gonna find out who's naughty and nice

Santa Claus is coming to town.

He sees you when you're sleeping,

he knows when you're awake

He knows if you've been bad or good

So be good for goodness sake!

O! You better watch out!  You better not cry,

better not pout, I'm telling you why:

Santa Claus is coming to town

So, there you have it. December is sorted. SANTA CLAUS is what it’s all about. Take a walk through any shopping mall, and the message is clear – Santa Claus is not just coming – he’s well and truly here!

Is that it then, Is Santa Claus the great hope for which we all wait?

Perhaps we need a map to navigate our way through Advent. What is the hope we have?

Well, that little song has a lot going for it, doesn’t it? No doubt it will be played a lot during the month of December. We just need to make one slight alteration: it’s not Santa Claus, but Jesus Christ who’s coming to town.

That’s what Advent is all about.

In Advent we look forward to the coming of Jesus Christ. First as a baby at Bethlehem: the arrival of God into the world of mortals is an event of immense significance. But Advent challenges us to look further forwards as well. The coming of God into the world is only of academic interest unless it actually leads us somewhere. The real good news is that because of what Jesus has done for us, God offers to come and live inside us.

‘To all who believe in him, he gives the right to become the children of God.’ Good news indeed! The most important decision that any of us can make is to decide to become a child of God.

Lord Jesus Christ, I believe that you were born on earth, that you lived and died on the cross, and rose again to new life, and that you offer me the precious gift of eternal life. Come and live in my heart and make me the person who you want me to be. Amen

But there’s more. What does the angel say at the end of Jesus time on earth – on Ascension Day?

‘Men of Galilee, don’t stand there looking up into the sky. This same Jesus who you saw departing will return. Be ready for him.’

‘Jesus Christ is coming to town…’

There’s a serious side to this Advent message. It’s not about tinsel and turkey. Today’s gospel reminds us: Be ready; look for the signs; may the Lord find us waiting for His return.

"You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not shout, I'm telling you why – Jesus Christ is coming to town."

At the coming of Jesus there will be a judgement. It’s inevitable. But it’s not harsh or horrible of God to warn us of judgement. When you look around the world and see the terrible injustice that goes on in so many places, it’s only right that a God of love should be concerned to judge evil. The good news of Advent is that there is hope. In Christ, there is the promise of hope and redemption. However awful the world may seem to be at the moment; we have the promise of God:

‘Behold I make all things new.’ Fantastic though it may seem, there will come a day when swords will be beaten into ploughshares. God will wipe away all tears from our eyes. An end to suffering and violence, a reign of righteousness and peace.

Too good to be true? That’s the hope we profess.

Such is the God we believe in - the God who is more loving than the most loving mother, more caring than the most caring father.

That is what the gospel of the second coming is about: good news! The gift of God and His love for our world. We’re called to receive that gift of God for ourselves: God the King: a king who comes to save the world.

And the best way that we can prepare ourselves for that king, and this is the challenge of Advent for each of us, is to live as His people today – to seek to offer hope, peace, love, and joy. We are called to be God’s people in the world.

There is hope. We have a destination in sight. The Christian hope is that we shall be together with the Lord.

So enjoy December. Have fun. Celebrate all the good things of the season. But never lose sight of why we celebrate, and the Christian hope that we have:

“Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again!”