An Introduction to Advent

We are now into the Advent Season - that very special time of the year when, as followers of Jesus Christ, we take time - or, at least we should take time - to remember and to rejoice in the good news the angels announced to some shepherds many years ago: "Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord!" 


Yet, the world tries to drown-out that message today.  Even we as Christians can get so caught up in the hustle and the hurry of the Season that we forget the real reason for Christmas.  In spite of what the world would say, without Christ there is no Christmas.  As one old preacher used to say, "Take Christ out of Christmas and all you are left with is a mess." 


Speaking of Christmas, I need to share with you another story in the category of "you have to be kidding."  It was reported by Todd Starnes on the Fox News website.  You can read the article at: www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/11/25/parents-offended-by-nutcracker-christmas-tree.  As Starnes reports, the latest battleground in the fight over Christmas occurred at the Butler Elementary School in Belmont, MA.  There the PTA canceled a field trip to see "The Nutcracker" because there was a Christmas tree on the stage.  Starnes continues, "Television station WHDH did a stellar job reporting this act of lunacy.  They report that a group of parents were alarmed at the 'questionable content' of the popular ballet.  The questionable content had nothing to do with men in tights.  The parents got their tutus in a twist over 'O Tannenbaum.'  The PTA secretly canceled the field trip which got many of the parents to raise a ruckus; the PTA then reversed their decision to cancel the field trip.  Have you ever heard anything so ridiculous in your life?  Fears that the presence of a Christmas tree on a stage during a performance of one of the most popular Christmas ballets might cause someone to get bent out-of-shape.  I still enjoy a beautifully decorated Christmas tree - and, I am happy to say, my wife does a fantastic job of decorating our tree.  I still enjoy watching any of the versions of Charles Dickens' classic, "A Christmas Carol."  I enjoy saying "Merry Christmas" to people I meet.  I want them to know that Christmas happens because Jesus Christ came.  Friends, let's not be silent any longer.  Let's reclaim Christmas for what it is...a time for reflection and celebration because of the salvation Jesus came to give.


I have not spent a lot of time addressing the situation in Ferguson, MO.  But I read an article today that I want to share with you.  It is too long, so I will just share the website, but the article is worth the read.  It shows how biased our news media are and how, instead of reporting news, they often are the creators of news.  The article was written by Arnold Ahlert, who reports for the Patriot Post.  You can find it at: www.patriotpost.us/opinion/31342.  The article is titled, "Progressivism's Last Gasp." 


Everything that is happening in the world today has many Christians wondering just when Jesus might return.  Well, I came across an interesting article from the Express - a paper published in England.  You can find the article at: www.express.co.uk/news/weird/539587/End-of-World-Warning-natural-disasters-seven-years.  The article begins with this sentence: "The end of the world will happen in the next SEVEN YEARS with a cataclysm of natural disasters, according to a terrifying prophecy.  Floods, earthquakes and deadly plagues will finish all humanity and the civilized world as we know it."  Now, as I have stated on several occasions during these years of blog-writing, I do not espouse the setting of any dates for the return of Jesus Christ.  After all, Jesus said that "no man knows the day or the hour except my Father in heaven."  But, friends, just look at the world today.  We are seeing a convergence of things Jesus talked about in Matthew 24 such as has not been seen in such intensity before.  I have often remarked how awesome it would be if Jesus Christ came the second time at Christmas.  It certainly would be a Christmas we would all long remember - in fact, we would remember it for an eternity.  Those words of Isaac Watts' carol - "Joy to the world, the Lord is come" - would certainly take on a new meaning.  The shepherds were not expecting the song of the angels that first Christmas, but we should be listening for the sounding of the angelic trumpet this Christmas Season.  We just might hear that joyous melody.


I trust that as you enter into this Advent Season, that you will keep your focus in the proper direction - toward Jesus.  Remember: He is the reason for this season. 


P.S. Keep your eyes upon Israel.  The government of Prime Minister Netanyahu is in trouble.  From reports today from Jerusalem, he fired two members of his cabinet, basically for insubordination.  The coalition has dissolved, or at least appears to have dissolved.  Therefore new elections will be called for sometime as early as March.  Stay tuned...the political climate in Israel is always interesting; and this election could be very interesting.