Churches' Christmas message: Waiting for Christmas

Christians celebrate the lighting of a Christmas tree in Manger Square, outside the Church of the Nativity in the West Bank town of Bethlehem. Photo / AP

The four weeks immediately preceding Christmas Day have for centuries been celebrated as Advent - a time of waiting in eager anticipation as we look forward to the day when we celebrate the birth of a baby: Jesus Christ, the Son of God, born into the world as one of us.

Still, for most of us, waiting is not much fun. You only need to see the strain on the faces waiting in lines in the shops before Christmas to know this is not an activity that is warmly embraced.

But perhaps for children, the waiting, the anticipation, is a big part of the joy of the season. The knowing that one day soon there will be a present with their name on it under that tree.

For generations, even before Jesus was born, there were always a number of Jewish people who waited every day for the arrival of an anticipated deliverer called the Messiah.

One such eager waiter was Simeon. Even though he was well on in years, God had promised him that he wouldn't die until he saw the promised Messiah with his own eyes.

He was there in the temple the day Mary and Joseph took their wee baby son to be dedicated to God. As Mary and Joseph were coming out of the temple with their baby, Simeon took Jesus in his arms, and he knew that this child was the one he had been eagerly waiting for.

We are not told how he knew, but he knew, and he burst into song.

"Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel." Luke 2:29-32

That day there was another "waiter" in the temple. Her name was Anna and she was an elderly widow. Sadly, her husband had died after only seven years of marriage.

"She came along just as Simeon was talking to Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem." Luke 2:36-38

Like Simeon, she was a waiter and a person of hope. She too was part of the fellowship of those who wait. Her eager anticipation made her waiting bearable. It infused her difficult days with hope and meaning. She lived to see her lifelong anticipation realised.

Traditionally, Advent is a time not only to think about Christ's arrival as a human baby born in Bethlehem, but also a season to contemplate his future return, a coming day his followers look forward to with hope.

Christians believe the baby who was born in Bethlehem more than 2000 years ago was far more than just a cute little baby. We believe Jesus was the Son of God who, out of love, had stepped out of eternity and into human history by becoming human just like us.

Jesus came preaching about a coming Kingdom of God - a rule of righteousness, justice, love and peace. His miracles were signs pointing towards that coming Kingdom.

Every time he healed a sick person it was a sign that one day there would be no more sickness. When he fed the hungry it was a sign pointing forward to the day when there would be no more poverty or hunger.

Jesus constantly treated women with respect and dignity — a sign pointing forward to a day when all people would be treated with dignity and respect and there would be no more oppression or discrimination.

When Jesus raised dead people to life it was sign that one day death would be defeated. When Jesus stilled the storm it was a sign that one day there would be no more earthquakes, tsunamis or other disasters. God would make all things new.

Jesus was killed by being nailed to a cross, and it seemed as though the idea of the coming Kingdom was finished. But three days later he rose from the dead and walked out of his tomb. He appeared to his followers over a 40-day period and then ascended into heaven. He promised that he would return and make all things new.

Christians long for Jesus to return, and the peace, kindness, and goodness that he embodies.

Around all of us we see violence and murder, hunger and homelessness, brokenness and despair. In the past few weeks, New Zealand has been appalled at the death of young British backpacker Grace Millane, who had recently arrived in the country. The gap between rich and poor gets bigger and bigger. There is strife and tension between nations and people live with uncertainty.

How do we survive the waiting? We remind ourselves that we are in a time of Advent, a time of anticipation. Just as the birth of Christ on earth has surely happened in history, his return as the bringer of peace will certainly occur. The pain of our waiting and wanting and not yet having is eased by our hopeful anticipation.

We need him. We want to be with him. We love him. We eagerly await his future arrival. This time not as a baby, but as a ruler bringing peace and healing to our weary world. But in the meantime we wait.

One of the vestiges of the season of Advent today is the practice of using an advent calendar. Each day, a window is opened that sparks anticipation … suspense… for the arrival of Jesus' birthday.

The current varieties usually have a small toy or a chocolate behind each window. From December 1 the countdown is on, each day as a window is opened we are reminded that something great is coming.

The opening of each Advent Calendar window gives an opportunity to be reminded of a joyful day to come. A little part of Christmas Day's joy is imparted to the days preceding it. Each window creates a thrill of hope.

For Christians, this is not merely a countdown to another piece of chocolate, or another toy or gift. It is a countdown to the day that God humbled himself and entered human history as a helpless baby. It is also a reminder to look forward in anticipation to Jesus return to this earth.

Believers in the future coming of Christ should likewise see each day as an opportunity to impart some of the hope and joy of that day to come into the here and now. We can all give hope and light by revealing a little each day of what the future community of Christ is about.

The following prayer, attributed to St Francis, is very appropriate at this time of advent.

Lord, make me a channel of thy peace,
that where there is hatred, I may bring love;
that where there is wrong,
I may bring the spirit of forgiveness;
that where there is discord, I may bring harmony;
that where there is error, I may bring truth;
that where there is doubt, I may bring faith;
that where there is despair, I may bring hope;
that where there are shadows, I may bring light;
that where there is sadness, I may bring joy.

Please do come and join us at any of the Auckland churches near you this season. You will certainly be very welcome as we celebrate all that Christmas means.

Authorised by the following:

Pastor Paul Allen-Baines, Auckland District Chairman, Congregational Union
Rt Rev Ross Bay, Anglican Bishop of Auckland
Pastor Tak Bhana, Senior Pastor, Church Unlimited
Pastor Paul de Jong, Senior Pastor, LIFE
Pastor Jonathan Dove, Senior Pastor, Greenlane Christian Centre
Most Rev Patrick Dunn, Catholic Bishop of Auckland
Majors Ian & Liz Gainsford, Divisional Leaders, The Salvation Army
Mr David Goold, on behalf of the Christian Community Churches of NZ (serving the Open Brethren)
Pastor Ken Harrison, Senior Pastor, Harvest Christian Church , Papakura AOGNZ
Pastor Dr Brian Hughes, Senior Pastor, Calvary Chapel
Rev Dr Stuart Lange, Interim National Director, NZ Christian Network
Rev Kok Soon Lee, Auckland Chinese Churches Association
Rev Andrew Marshall, National Director, Alliance Churches of New Zealand
Very Rev Anne Mills, Dean, Auckland Cathedral of the Holy Trinity
Pastor Bruce Monk, International Overseer for Acts Churches & Equippers
Pastor Sam Monk, Senior Pastor, Equippers Church & Acts National Leader
Pastor Peter Mortlock, Senior Pastor, City Impact Church
Pastor Lloyd Rankin, National Director, Vineyard Churches
Pastor Boyd Ratnaraja, National Leader, Elim Churches
Pastor Dean Rush, Senior Leader, C3 Church Auckland
Pastor Jim Shaw, New Life Churches Executive team
Rev Paul Talluri, on behalf of the Church of the Nazarene
Pastor Allan Taylor, Northern Baptist Association
Pastor Ben Timothy, President, North New Zealand Conference, Seventh-day Adventist Church
Rev Wayne Toleafoa, Moderator, Northern Presbytery, Presbyterian Church
Rev Dr Richard Waugh, National Superintendent, Wesleyan Methodist Church
Rev Marilyn Welch, Auckland Manukau Northland Superintendent, Methodist Church