The story of Advent is the story of the coming of the Lord. It is the story of God becoming flesh in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. So, not surprisingly, I always enjoy preaching through Advent. But what makes the story of Advent so important?
Isn’t it obvious what makes Advent so important? Perhaps but let’s not assume so. The Advent story might be characterized by what Tolkien described as “a story of a larger kind.1” That’s because the coming of Jesus is the big story of God redeeming the world, making everything new through his incarnation and eventual crucifixion, resurrection, and exaltation. But as beautiful as this big story is, it’s also difficult.
The beautiful baby Jesus will die hanging on a Roman cross. Yes, God raise Jesus from death and exalts him as the Lord and Messiah, but the only way to this victory is by being born into a life of struggle and walking the road of suffering to the cross. There isn’t any resurrection and exaltation without the incarnation and crucifixion first.
If we will trust God enough to walk the road to Jerusalem with Jesus to his crucifixion, then we are assured that we’ll also walk the victorious road to Emmaus with Jesus in his resurrection.
I bring this up because I know that as festive as this time of year is, there are people who still struggle in life, and the holidays don’t make the struggles disappear. In fact, for some people, the holiday season makes the struggles even more difficult. But we must remember that we are loved, especially when we struggle. We must remember that God has not forgotten or become apathetic toward us. Instead, God has pursued us with such passionate love that he is willing to enter life with us and suffer death for us, making a new life from death.
This is why the story of Advent is good news. We need not fear the coming of the Lord because the Lord comes to us as incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, and exaltation. Advent is the arrival of salvation in Jesus Christ rather than condemnation. Advent means a new life sustained by love is possible. This possibility was realized on that road to Emmaus, where two disciples encountered the resurrected Jesus (Lk. 24). As they went along the road, the day eventually gave way to evening, and so this Jesus, who three days earlier was crucified and buried in a tomb, now sat at a table with them. At the table, their eyes were opened, and they recognized Jesus.
So during this season, amid struggle, I hope the Advent story offers encouragement. I know life can be difficult, and continuing to live by faith in God is sometimes difficult too. But I believe that if we will trust God enough to walk the road to Jerusalem with Jesus to his crucifixion, then we are assured that we’ll also walk the victorious road to Emmaus with Jesus in his resurrection. This is the hope, love, joy, and peace that the Advent story invites us to participate in, even when we stumble and struggle.
As we journey through the story of Advent once again, may we remember that we are loved by God!
Taken from a lecture by J.R. Tolkien, “On Fairy Stories,” 1939, the transcript is available at: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~esrabkin/wwnoft/tolkienonfairystories.html (last accessed on Tuesday, November 22, 2022).