St. Mark’s Advent and Christmas Guide teaches that Advent is a time to remember that we live between the two major comings of Jesus in history, “that we must live by faith in Christ as we await his return,” and that “we are given to each other in the community of the church to encourage each other…”

Psalm 122 is one of this week’s Advent readings, and does a splendid job of displaying what it means to be a community that encourages one another.

It demonstrates the communal nature of worship: “I was glad when they said to me, Let us go to the house of the Lord,” and it is “our feet” that are standing within the gates of Jerusalem to participate in worship.

It describes Jerusalem, the worshipping community, as a body that is firmly bound together to give thanks to the Lord. It reminds us that we are under the Lord, who judges his city for their blessing, as the chief of the house of David.

It calls us, the city, the church, to pray for one another: to pray for peace and security amongst those who love the body.

Finally, it calls us to real, brotherly fellowship: “For my brothers and companion’s sake, I will say, ‘Peace be within you!’”, while at the same time exhorting us to seek each other’s good. And to do so for the glory of God!

So while our focus during Advent is the coming of the Lord, we aren’t to forget for whom he is coming: that brother or sister or child in front of you or behind you or to your side. Not only are we to pray for them, but to seek their peace and to love worshipping with them, because they, too, give thanks to the Lord!

In Genesis 1, God creates a three-tiered universe of the heavens, the land, and the waters below. The first three days he creates them, the next three days fills them, and then puts man in control of it all in Genesis 1:26: “…dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over… all the earth…” The three tiers show up all over the bible: it was seen in Psalm 8 in Pastor Joe’s sermon, and in my sermon in Revelation 12:12 and soon in 14:7.

This language of three-tiers of the universe is also in the second commandment, where God forbids us to bow down to an image of anything in “heaven above, or on the earth beneath, or in the waters under the earth” (Exodus 20:4). Stop for a second and take that in! God forbids us to bow down to images of anything! “Heaven, earth, and sea” means the whole universe!

In this holiday season, these are important words. Rather than worshipping things, or wealth, or beauty, or good times, or family, or coveting all that might go with those entities (like fake Coca-Cola Christmas scenes and all the emotions evoked by them), we are to worship the Trinity and give thanks for all that we’ve been given, and be content with that as well (1 Corinthians 4:7). We’re to be people of thanksgiving and joy, not envious or covetous of anything in the universe. We’re not to worship it or bow down to it, but rather “rejoicing in the Lord always…in everything by prayer…with thanksgiving letting our requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6–7). Or, as Paul said elsewhere, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Colossians 3:16). What a way to enjoy the universe God has blessed us with in Jesus!

It’s that time of year of waning light, and Christians get discouraged for multitudes of reasons: not enough sunlight, poor election results, wickedness accessible on all screens, idolatry of the general culture, rampant sexual immorality blasted in every medium, failing statesmen on all levels of government, holiday debt, kids just aren’t soaking in the discipline routines, conservatives are really Democrats in “go slower” hoodies, etc. We feel bleak, and that carries over into our estimation of Christ’s kingdom and the Great Commission: things look bleak (which is called “living by sight, not by faith.”).

So here’s a great quote to help you live by faith!

“It is often casually said that we live in post-Christian times. I believe that statement to be false. Theologically, the term ‘post-Christian’ makes no sense. Christ is the Alpha and the Omega, and all the letters in between. He carries constitutionally the freshness of morning dew. Christianity is of the dawn. If, at times, during given periods, we feel enshrouded by twilight, it is because another day is in the making.” — Erik Varden, “Towards Dawn”

Wow! Now that’s inspirational, because it is TRUE! If in the fullness of time all things were and are united in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:10), what are we doing moping? As Varden points out, Jesus always “is” in His reign and action and love and kingdom. We live in the “regeneration,” the new world order, where Christ sits on his glorious throne, and we are ruling with Him (Matthew 19:28).

But Jesus isn’t just sitting there! No, he’s moving the heavenly Jerusalem to imprint itself upon the earth. He is making all things new, each and every day.

Meditate on that this season, and rejoice that Jesus “is” the daily dawn!