“It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” If you haven’t already heard Andy Williams sing that song over a department store sound system or in a commercial, you will. And hearing it will probably prompt you to sing along or at least smile because everyone agrees that Christmas is a wonderful, joyous season.
Well, maybe not everyone.
If we’re being honest, sometimes our Christmas joy is tainted with frustration and depression. Why does this happen? What about Christmas creates such joy in one moment and despair in another?
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I believe it has something to do with the way we anticipate Christmas. Rather than reflecting in advance on its true meaning, we wait until Christmas overwhelms us with its sights and sounds, traditions and dinners, and the commotion and frenzy of trying to get everything done in time. And before we know it, Christmas’s meaning and joy vanish.
The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way. There is a way of experiencing Christmas that preserves its joy and enhances its true meaning. It’s called Advent, and it has everything to do with anticipating rather than being overwhelmed by Christmas. More than just another way to celebrate Christmas, Advent carries with it the idea of preparing for rather than responding to Christmas.
Advent comes from the Latin word adventus, meaning coming or arrival. When related to Christmas, Advent has to do with the coming of Jesus Christ into the world. The traditional way to celebrate Advent is to anticipate the coming of Christ by lighting a candle each of the four Sundays leading up to Christmas Day. I like this tradition, but I want to suggest a framework for Advent based on time — past, present, and future — and the way Jesus fits into each one.
Advent past
The birth of Jesus was a historical event, foretold by the prophets and announced to a group of shepherds by an army of angels. Jesus coming to earth is at the core of Advent because His birth was His first arrival.
The reason Jesus came is expressed in the most famous verse in the Bible: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). The Advent of Jesus in the past happened because God loves us so much. But Advent doesn’t stop with His first arrival.
Advent present
For those of us living in the present, Jesus’s arrival takes on a slightly different meaning. Jesus came so broken and sinful people could be reconciled to God. He rose from the dead and ascended to heaven, where He exists today — in real-time — willing and ready to enter the hearts and forgive the sins of those who invite Him into their lives.
Early in Jesus’s ministry, a paralyzed man was brought to Him for healing. This dramatic scene is beautifully and powerfully depicted in “The Chosen,” the multi-season series on the life of Jesus and His chosen followers. I have the privilege of working with Come and See, the nonprofit that makes it possible for “The Chosen” to be produced, translated, and distributed to the world. I have watched this particular scene many times, and it never fails to unleash a flood of emotions.
Those who lowered the paralyzed man through the roof believed Jesus could heal their friend. Because of their faith, Jesus did heal him — but not before He forgave the man of his sins. You see, the man’s body wasn’t the only thing that was paralyzed. His spirit was also paralyzed and broken. That was the issue that concerned Jesus the most. Physical healing is for this life only, but spiritual healing is for eternity.
Christmas is filled with many emotions — hope, peace, love and joy — but without forgiveness (the result of Christmas) we cannot fully experience the love of God (the reason for Christmas).
This is why Advent present is so meaningful and so powerful. As “Joy to the World” says, “Let every heart prepare Him room.” Jesus will arrive in every heart that makes room for Him.
Advent future
The Latin translation of Advent comes from the Greek word Parousia, used in the New Testament to refer to the second coming of Christ. Indeed, according to the same prophets who foretold the first arrival of Jesus, the King of Kings will arrive on earth a second time at some point in the future.
Advent past, Advent present, Advent future. Each of these arrivals of Jesus matters, and not just for now, but for eternity. With that in mind, let’s make every effort this Christmas to anticipate His first coming and prepare for the second coming of Jesus to the world.
Stan Jantz is the Global Ambassador for Come and See, a nonprofit that exists to reach a billion people with the authentic Jesus as portrayed in “The Chosen.” In addition to serving in leadership positions in the Christian publishing industry, Stan has written or co-written 75 books with more than 4 million copies sold. His latest title is Ten Essentials for New Christians.
