As far as Advent is concerned, we are just beyond its middle. Maybe to say we are in the stream of Advent just above the rapids would be a good enough description. Christmas Day has always been out there ahead of us and now it seems to be rapidly pulling us toward that moment of the shepherds, the angels, the innkeeper, and, of course, that world changing birth in Bethlehem. The more we have allowed ourselves to soak in the silent and slow moving waters of Advent, the more we will experience when we gather with the church to celebrate the Christ event.
His coming is what our life and the life of the church is all about. His coming at Bethlehem started a revolution. Some more scholarly than I have called it an invasion which is certainly a good word to use about that moment when God in Christ became flesh and dwelt among us. From that moment everything changed. Any hope the evil one held for victory started fading and by the time of the cross, it was more than certain that a victory for the Kingdom of God was secure. While all this is true, it is also true that the One who has come is coming again.
When He comes again, we will not look for Him in some obscure village for our vision will be overpowered with the majesty and glory of heaven breaking fully into our midst. On that day in history, evil will not only know its defeat, but will know what it is to be vanquished so completely as to be seen no more. There is more to the celebration which is coming than we can possibly imagine. As the old gospel songs says, "What a day of rejoicing that will be!"
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