Advent - Pt 4

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7 ESV). Today, as we light the third candle, we remember the joy of waiting, because we know how the story ends! Biblical prophecy provides some of the greatest encouragement and hope available. Just as the Old Testament is saturated with prophecies concerning Christ's first advent, so both testaments are filled with references to the second coming of Christ. One scholar has estimated that there are 1,845 references to Christ's second coming in the Old Testament, where 17 books give it prominence. In the 260 chapters of the New Testament, there are 318 references to the second advent of Christ, an amazing 1 out of every 30 verses. Twenty-three of the 27 New Testament books refer to this great event. For every prophecy in the Bible concerning Christ's first advent, there are 8 which look forward to His second! And this is the foundation of our hope! Hope is the peculiar feature of the Gospel. The gospel approaches human nature, not with logic or lifeless definitions, but with personal love and inspiring promises. It is steeped with tenderness and cheer. It conquers all of the challenges of life and lifts the pale of our humanity. It is exactly adapted to the necessities of human nature, present and to come. Unlike human systems of philosophy, it satisfies the heart while stimulating the intellect. It calms the human spirit, which can find no rest in this world of anxiety and care. This is why we wait expectantly, patiently. We know Jesus is coming again. Charles Spurgeon said, "Apart from the second advent of our Lord, the world is more likely to sink into a pandemonium than to rise into a millennium." During the American Civil War, General William T. Sherman drove his troops on his decisive march to the sea. In a fort on Kennesaw Mountain, he left behind a small contingent of men to guard the rations. General John Bell Hood of the Confederate Army attacked the fort, and a fierce battle followed. One-third of Sherman's men were killed or wounded and J. M. Corse, the general in command, was severely injured. Just as he was about to hoist the white flag and surrender, a message came through the signal corps set up on a chain of mountains. General Sherman was within fifteen miles of the fort and sent the message: "Hold fast. We are coming." Those few words so encouraged the defenders that they held on and kept the fort from falling into the hands of their attackers. The fact that our Savior is coming again gives us hope. It encourages us to continue fighting the good fight of faith. It assures us of victory. Be joyful in your waiting. The best is yet to come!