ANTICIPATION

 Isaiah 7:14 (NIV)

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

               This is the season of anticipation. This anticipation is increased by all of the holiday hype. But lurching just in the shadows of seasonal anticipation is impatience. We are told that we must buy now before the sales end. We want everything shipped next day. We don’t want to wait in lines or take the time to go to the store, so we buy on-line. It seems like we are being rushed to get through the season as quickly as possible.

               The people of Israel were promised that a redeemer from the line of David would come and rescue the people. They called him the Messiah, the Anointed One. They longed for his coming. They looked for his coming. But they also got impatient. On more than one occasion, they took matters into their own hands and tried to manufacture the fulfillment of God’s promise, but it never worked. It only increased their impatience. Ironically, when the Messiah finally arrived, the majority of people missed it. In their impatience, they created an image of the Messiah that blinded them to the real Messiah.

               As followers of Jesus, we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Messiah. But we are also called to live in anticipation of His return. The beginning of the story of Jesus’ ministry on earth took place in Bethlehem. But the end of the story is yet to come. When Jesus comes again, He will rescue His people from sin and death for all of eternity. But until that time, we must wait and anticipate His return.

               Jesus said that no one will know the time of His return. Instead, He told us to be ready at any time. We are to live in anticipation of the day when He will again break into His creation.

“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Matthew 24:36 (NIV)

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.”

Matthew 24:42 (NIV)

               The church has been waiting for over 2000 years for Jesus to return. Many have become impatient and have tried to calculate Jesus’ return, often with damaging effect. Early in my ministry I received an unsolicited copy of a book titled “88 Reasons Why Jesus will Return in 1988.” When Jesus did not return in 1988, the book was reissued as “89 Reasons Why Jesus will Return in 1989.” We can shake our heads and discount efforts like this, yet many people have been caught up in these theories and have made some bad decisions because of them.

               These failed efforts to calculate the return of Christ have served to fuel the fires of skepticism and scorn for the Gospel. The world mocks people who take the return of Christ seriously. They point to 2000 years of waiting and conclude that there is no substance to the promise. But they are wrong, very wrong. If we can learn anything from the history of the people of Israel, God’s timing is never humanity’s timing.

               Peter warned us long ago that the world would reject the reality of Jesus return. In his second letter, he lays out the scenario that we find ourselves in today.

2 Peter 3:3-10 (NIV)
First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 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.
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.

               Peter was clear that we could expect the world to become impatient and to turn against us. He reminds us that God’s timing is not our timing. God’s patience means increased opportunity for more people to come to faith in Him. He is not impatient to end the story of humanity. He is giving the world a chance to repent and turn toward Him.

               But Peter goes on to address those of us who are anticipating Christ’s return. In light of God’s patience and the reality that one day Jesus will return, how should we live our lives new?

2 Peter 3:11-13 (NIV)
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 its 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.

               Peter tells us to live lives of anticipation. We are be intentional about living holy and righteous lives in the present and to keep our eyes on the horizon. We are to live in eager expectation of Christ’s return and the new world that He will usher into existence at that time.

               The Advent season is indeed a time of anticipation. It is appropriate for us to look forward to celebrating the birth of Christ with our family and friends. But it should also fuel our anticipation of the day when Jesus will return in power and glory. The greatest gift we can give to Jesus is to faithfully serve Him until He comes.

Matthew 24:45-47 (NIV)
“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.”