Did you know the Advent season is almost as much about looking forward to Jesus’ second coming as it is looking back at his first? The scriptures associated with the first few weeks of Advent often call for believers to be prepared for Christ’s second coming, because “he will come again like a thief in the night.” The emphasis is not on fear, but on being ready.
For years I have been hearing news of Jesus’ imminent return. Usually, it’s tied to specific things in the news or astrological events (blood moons, planetary alignments, etc.) Despite Jesus saying explicitly that “no one knows the day or the hour,” still many insist on making predictions – usually with a healthy dose of fear mongering.
The early Christians also anticipated Christ’s second coming. They cried out, “Maranatha!” which means, “Come, Lord Jesus!” They didn’t fear his coming, but looked forward with hope to the time when God’s kingdom would be complete and his love would reign forever.
When Jesus came on the first Christmas, he came to a world filled with darkness, injustice and evil. That hasn’t changed. As Christmas approaches, we join our voices with the voices of Jesus’ first disciples, “Maranatha! Come, Lord
Jesus, Come!”