[I was asked to speak at the final Advent service at my church a few weeks ago. This year the Advent series was more thematic with the objective of helping people face some of the difficult realities of life in light of the Christmas story. The question was, “How does the season of Advent confront things like our longing, our boredom, our fears, etc.?”
The topic I was given was, “How does Advent confront our loneliness?” I chose to explore how one aspect of the Christmas story – namely, Immanuel, “God with us” – comes face-to-face with the loneliness or separation we feel with God. The following is the first part of a summary of my teaching given on Sunday, December 19, 2010.]
PART 1: IMMANUEL… GOD WITH US
Tonight, we will reflect on how Advent confronts our loneliness. More specifically, how one aspect of the Christmas story – Immanuel, “God with us” – comes face-to-face with the source of loneliness, namely the isolation, distance and even absence we sometime perceive with God.
Let’s begin by taking a look at this child, the one who in our reading tonight is called, “Immanuel.” The arrival of Immanuel is only one part of a long journey. And this journey of Immanuel does not begin here [in the cradle]. It begins long before, for Immanuel has always existed.
One of Jesus’ disciples, John, referring to Jesus as “the Word” and puts it this way:
“In the beginning was the Word… and the Word became flesh…” (John 1:1, 14)
Paul points out that Jesus was “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation… by him all things were created… He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:15–17 NIV). The writer of Hebrews says that through Jesus “the universe was made” (Hebrews 1:2). The lesson in Kids Kove today summarizes this idea well: “Jesus was alive long before he was born.” So, Immanuel has always existed.
But, the Journey of Immanuel that we celebrate this season is Immanuel’s Incarnation. With this baby that we celebrate every Advent season, God actually Continue reading
Diligent Soul 