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James 5:7–11 ⁷ Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. ⁸ You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. ⁹ Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! ¹⁰ Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. ¹¹ As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

We don’t like to wait for things. Our world today is used to having things almost instantly. You order something from Amazon and get upset if it doesn’t arrive the next day, or in two days at the most. If you go to the store and they are out of something, you are incredulous that they don’t have what you want. How does this compare to 50 years ago when you would order something through a catalog and wait for weeks or even months for it to arrive?

Patience is not a virtue everyone possesses. But it is one that we need. Whether it is waiting for family to arrive for the holidays, or waiting for the time when you can exchange and open presents, sometimes you just have to wait. Doing so patiently makes it easier on everyone.

The people of God had to wait for the Messiah to come the first time, they had to patient for first coming. And even though they did not all accept Him for who He was, Jesus came in city of His kingly ancestor, David, unceremoniously. But come He did. And He accomplished what He came to do: “He will save His people from their sins.” He opened His kingdom to include anyone who would believe in Him, they would all be “His people.”

The epistle reading for this Third Sunday in Advent point to His second coming. We have to be patient for His return. It is certain. It will happen. If we die first, we will be with the Lord. If we are here when it happens, our faith in Jesus will usher us into His presence for eternity. The one who came in relative obscurity the first time is coming again to take His people to be with Him forever.

So we are told to wait. Patiently. James used the examples of the prophets and Job to show us what waiting patiently looks like.

Our waiting should not be just sitting around doing nothing. We should be sharing the Good News of the one who came once and is coming again with our friends and neighbors and all who will listen. We need to introduce them to the Lord who is full of compassion and mercy.

Our patient waiting should also remember that our God has been patient with us. Peter wrote about that.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

There is still time for others to come to repentance and live through faith in Jesus. That is why, in our patient waiting, we need to share what we already know about Him with the world.

Today’s song for reflection is entitled “It’s About the Cross.” I first heard this song about 12 years ago. It was by a group called “Go Fish.” The following is from their website

Go Fish started in 1995 when Jamison Statema and a friend from church started an acappella group in Minnesota.  Their goal was to use music to follow Christ’s call to be “fishers of men”.  That has never changed!

From 1995-2000 they gained a regional following by touring locally while also releasing several successful independent projects.  

In 2000 they were signed to Inpop Records and went on to release Infectious and Parade.   Songs like You’re My Little Girl and Savior (which reached #1 on Christian radio) fueled sales while they significantly increased their following with their live show.  They traveled extensively opening for artists like the Newsboys, Rebecca St. James, FFH, Salvador, Ginny Owens, and several others.

In 2003 Go Fish released Splash, their first album for children.  The response was unlike anything they had ever seen and the decision was made to focus solely on making great music for kids that wouldn’t drive parents bonkers!

Since then, Go Fish has produced 8 children’s albums along with the Christmas album Christmas With A Capital “C” featuring the title track along with It’s About The Cross.  All of these projects have been produced by Statema and Darren Rust with Statema responsible for most of the songwriting duties.  

(https://www.gofishkidsmusic.com/about)

This song speaks of the true meaning and significance of Christmas.  I’ve printed the lyrics below and you can listen to it here:

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=825531144462568

It’s not just about the manger Where the baby lay
It’s not all about the angels Who sang for him that day
It’s not just about the shepherds Or the bright and shining star
It’s not all about the wisemen Who travelled from afar

It’s about the cross It’s about my sin
It’s about how Jesus came to be born once So that we could be born again
It’s about God’s love Nailed to a tree
It’s about every drop of blood that flowed from Him when it should have been me
It’s about the stone That was rolled away
So that you and I could have real life someday
It’s about the cross

I especially like the words of the bridge:  The beginning of the story (His birth) is wonderful and great, But it’s the ending (His crucifixion to pay for sin) that can save you and that’s why we celebrate.

Carry that thought with you today.

I’ve been pointing you to hymns this week to aid in your Advent preparations. Today I want you to consider a much newer song. My youngest daughter introduced me to this when she came home from college one year for Christmas, and I have loved it ever since. It is entitled “Born to Die” by Shane and Shane. Their website gives this information:

“Shane & Shane is the combination of solo artists Shane Barnard and Shane Everett. After meeting in college, Shane & Shane began writing songs and touring the country leading worship. Over 15 years later, they’re writing more music than ever, with no intention of slowing down. Their desire has always been to glorify the Lord instead of themselves and they do so by writing music that is biblically based, lyrically rich, and sonically engaging.”    (shaneandshane.com)

I love the Scriptural truth spoken through this song. Here is one video I used in worship services, and the Lyrics are below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtMXB9HZw-w

When the babe was born In a manger on the hay
God saw a veil torn He saw Good Friday
He was born to die

We came here today To celebrate His birth
But let us not forget Why Jesus came to earth
He was born to die

Did you ever hear the phrase “Just wait until your father gets home!” In my home growing up, that meant there was going to be a whooping – and usually one that was well deserved, I might add.

 Another phrase I heard sometimes growing up was, “Your father would like to have a word with you!” Depending on how and when it was said, that had different meanings. It might mean I was in trouble, but not always.

Think about that phrase: Your Father would like to have a Word with you. And think of it in terms of Your heavenly Father would like to have a Word with you. This season of Advent is a good time to consider how the Father had a Word with you.

We have the Word of the Father that has been revealed to us, written down and preserved in what we often call “The Bible.” (Which, by the way, simply means “The Book.) This is God’s Word, Him telling us about Himself, about our sin, about His love and what that led Him to do for us. If you want to hear God speaking to you, listen to His Word.

Part of that Word is His Law, which would be like hearing that phrase “Your Father would like to have a Word with you” in harsh tones. And that is well deserved. When we look at the law of our God, how He has told us to live, we have not done it. It condemns us for our disobedience.

But there is better news. We also hear in the most loving manner possible, “Your Father would like to have a Word with you.” That is the Gospel, the Good News, the Word made Flesh. Jesus came to make sure we could be reconciled to God in spite of our disobedience. He paid the penalty for all sin and gives that payment to everyone who will believe in Him. We have the written Word and that Word made flesh with us in our lives.

At Christmas, which we are preparing to celebrate God made sure to have HIS loving Word with us.

John 1:1–2, 14  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning  … The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

You probably know that “Immanuel” means “God with us.”  In Jesus, God – the Word – is truly with us. Your Father would like to have HIS Word with you.

Let’s spend one more day reflecting on this passage.

2 PETER 3:10-14  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.  Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed it coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with His promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.  So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless, and at peace with him.

Peter speaks of the return of Christ, the day of the Lord, as being something that will take us by surprise. Jesus is coming again. It will be the last day, but Jesus said, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matthew 24:36). We cannot know when it will happen, but it is certain. In 1789, Benjamin Franklin wrote a letter to a man named Marshall LeRoy. You may never have heard of Marshall LeRoy, but I would guess you are familiar with the words Mr. Franklin wrote to him in that letter: IN THIS WORLD NOTHING CAN BE SAID TO BE CERTAIN, EXCEPT DEATH AND TAXES. While this is often quoted as a truism, the Bible tells us this is not so. Taxes are certain; death is not. Our Lord could return before you die. Most people dismiss thoughts of His return being any time soon, but Peter makes the point that it will come unexpectedly, like a thief. He is coming back. The second coming of Christ is more certain than death. And the scene described in the passage above is not at all pleasant. A tremendous fire that will destroy the earth, melting the elements, until nothing is left. This is the stuff of which fire and brimstone sermons are made. This is meant to instill fear in the hearts of men. Why? So that you will latch on to the only One able to save you. It is designed to lead you to cling to Jesus Christ in faith as your Lord and Savior.

 A traveler in Switzerland discovered a beautiful secluded estate on the shores of a tranquil lake. Knocking at the garden gate, he was met by an elderly caretaker, who cordially asked him to come in. The custodian seemed glad to see another person and eagerly showed him around the garden. As he viewed the beautiful garden, the tourist asked, “How long have you served here?” “A very long time,” came the reply. “And does your master spend very much time here?”  “No, he has been here only four times in all these years.” “When was he here last?” “Over ten years ago. I am almost always alone. It is very seldom that anyone–even a stranger–stops by.” The traveler noticed that the garden was in perfect order, with the plants flourishing and the beds clean of debris. He said, “It looks as though you were expecting your master to come sometime this week.” “No sir,” exclaimed the old man. “I have fixed the garden as though he were coming today!”

That state of preparedness, constantly ready and on the alert, is a description of how the Christian should live. We are always prepared for the return of our Lord in faith, faith that leads us to live godly lives. Yet this readiness is not one of worry or anxiety. It is a joyful wait, knowing that whether we die first or Christ returns first, we will be with Him. We are prepared!