Advent XIX (Something to Think About)

One of the ways for the church to focus on Advent as a season of waiting expectantly is to make it a season of withholding.  While making Advent a season of withholding is not likely to happen since the practice of Christmas is so entrenched in the month of December, there might be some value in considering what such a discipline might mean.  In some cases it would likely result in a major revolt within the church that would result in finding new worship leaders.  

What we all recognize is that we live in a culture of instant gratification.  We wait for very little and if we do wait, we do so begrudgingly.  Suppose for a moment that the church decided to wait and actually open the Christmas season on Christmas Eve.  Nativity scenes would remain in storage.  Christmas carols would stay in the hymnbook in favor of the Advent hymns.  Aside from the Advent Wreath, the church would be unadorned with greenery.  I know.  It sounds like Grinch and Scrooge would have to be put in charge.  The thought is that if the celebration of Christmas was actually something that happened at Christmas, the church would be filled with an expectancy beyond definition waiting for it.  

As it is, there is nothing for which we wait, we have the elements of Christmas worship now instead of later.  By the time Christmas actually shows up on the calendar, we are too worn out with Christmas to really celebrate it.  I will be the first to recognize that this practice of withholding is not going to happen.  Any attempts I made as a pastor and worship leader to push Christmas back during the Advent season were met with more than a little resistance.  Still, it is something to think about.