Sermon Tone Analysis

Looking Forward By Looking Backward

The Roman Emperor Constantine, after his conversion to Christianity, designated Dec. 25 as the day for an observance of the birth of Jesus Christ.

Several centuries later believers identified the four Sunday’s before Christmas as a season they called ‘Advent.’

‘Advent’ is a Latin word that simply means ‘to come.’

By setting aside these days prior to observing the birth of Christ, believers were to examine their hearts and lives and repent of sin, seek to order their lives around not just the first coming of Jesus, but His second coming.

We light candles on each Sunday of Advent representing the gradual dawning of the Light of the World, identified as the ‘bright morning star’ (Revelation 22:16).

Today’s candle reminds us of the many men and women in the Old Testament who looked for and longed for the arrival of God’s promised Messiah.

Listen as Jesus describes the role of a disciple as He is preparing them for His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension:

Though Jesus’ birth - His first arrival - had been written and spoken of centuries prior, no one knew the when.

You remember that after Jesus was born, wise men from the east came looking for the One born King of the Jews and the surprise their request created among the Jewish leadership!

Jewish scholars identified the place where the Messiah would be born, but those scholars had no clue that Jesus, the Messiah, had been born!

In much the same way, we can read prophecies of Jesus’ return, but no one knows the ‘when’ - vs 36 - except the Father alone.

Speculating is pointless.