Advent: A Season of Waiting
- Advent is when the Church leans into the reality of waiting.
- We remember two things:
- Jesus has come in His first coming.
- Jesus will come again in His second coming.
- Advent invites us to name our longings and look toward hope.
The Hymn: Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus
- Written by Charles Wesley in 1744.
- Inspired by the social brokenness of his day—poverty, injustice, and suffering.
- The hymn began as a prayer longing for Jesus to bring freedom, restoration, and peace.
- Themes in the hymn:
- Freedom from fear and sin
- Hope for rest
- Jesus as both child and eternal King
- Anticipation of His reign and return
Scripture: Haggai 2:6–7
- God’s people returned from exile to a city in ruins and a temple not yet restored.
- They were discouraged and questioning God’s presence.
- God responds with a promise:
- He will “shake the heavens and the earth.”
- He will “fill this house with glory.”
- This is a promise of divine restoration—God at work even when circumstances look bleak.
Our Longing Today
- We experience brokenness in the world and in our own lives.
- We long for healing, justice, peace, reconciliation, and clarity.
- The hymn connects our longings with the hope found in Jesus:
- He has come to deliver.
- He is with us now.
- He will come again to make all things new.
Advent teaches us to wait faithfully by…
1) Waiting in Hope
- Hope is trust in God’s faithfulness, not wishful thinking.
- It recognizes hardship while holding fast to God’s promises.
- God has always kept His promises—and always will.
2) Waiting in Anticipation
- Waiting is active, not passive.
- Advent forms us to pray honestly and expectantly.
- We live as though God’s promises are already unfolding.
3) Waiting in Joy
- Joy is deeper than happiness—rooted in who God is.
- It coexists with grief and longing.
- Joy anchors us as we remember Christ’s first coming and anticipate His return.
Conclusion
- Advent trains us to hold longing and hope together.
- Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus is both a hymn and a prayer we continue to pray.
- Our hope:
- Christ has come.
- Christ is with us.
- Christ will come again.