Living in the Power of Advent
On Christmas day (or Christmas Eve in some observances) we light the Christ Candle. The Christ Candle is the only white candle and it can be lit with the purple and pink candles or alone instead of the other candles. White represents the absolute purity of Christ, in the center of our hope, preparation, joy, and love. One verse and chorus of the song says,
1 Hark, the herald angels sing.
Jesus, the light of the world.
Glory to the new-born King.
Jesus, the light of the world.Refrain:
We’ll walk in the light, beautiful light.
Come where the dewdrops of mercy shine bright.
Oh, shine all around us by day and by night.
Jesus, the light of the world.Verses by Charles Wesley, refrain by George D. Elderkin. See all lyrics here.
The way we abide in the power of the Advent is to walk in the light of Jesus. No bells. No whistles. No ecstatic experiences of our own making. But an agreement in our hearts that Jesus is Christ the Lord… to us… in our lives… daily. He was made for us righteousness — not in “the process” but in the Advent. (Whew, I felt that!) He was made for us sanctification — not in his 33 years on earth as a reward, but in His Advent. Read 1 Corinthians 1:30-31 (ESV).
And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
Living in the power of Advent means releasing the weights we tether to our faith as conditions of righteousness (see a tether ball here). We tether conditions and mindsets and bad teaching to our faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Then we wonder why we vacillate and beat ourselves up for our inconsistency. We are hindered by the weights (see Hebrews 12:1). Let’s loose our holds on the weights, Beloved, and embrace the power of truth in Jesus Christ.
The power of life in an Advent truth is that the coming of Jesus, while for our salvation, happened without us. Jesus did not need us to save us. Nothing in our salvation depends on us, but our choice to accept Jesus and walk in the light of His way. Reread this…and meditate… and let’s all be renewed in our minds every day. Truth is truth regardless of our support. Our hope, preparation, joy, and love then, are not to work towards some expected end. The “end” of our hope, joy, and love greets us in the manger at Advent.
The King is here with us and ever lives to keep serving on our behalf. He intercedes for us in the present. We accept His finished work on our behalf. Then we live with Him, walk with Him, talk with Him, learn His way, and disciple others.
Like the shepherds, we show up to our post at night and move quickly on the word of angels. Like the wise men, we use our blessed intelligence and follow the star to find Jesus. Like Mary, we submit to God changing our lives forever — we learn the power of one yes. Like Joseph, we submit to the holy visitation that calms our fears about what the culture may frown upon… and we go with God. Like the animals, we may realize that God’s choice of us means watching another birth something holy and beautiful for the Lord.
Unlike the innkeeper, we make room for Jesus. Whatever the manger represents in our lives — the overflow, the storage, the garage of our lives — we let Jesus be born there. It may be a dirty birth, so to say, but the life we live in Christ will be radiant.
Each day we may find ourselves in the shoes of one of these characters in our journey to live in the power of Advent. That is okay because our understanding is enriched with each experience we soberly consider in the context of Jesus’ birth. Thank you for your company on this path to learn more about the Advent of Jesus, our Lord, and Christ. Let’s live and speak our faith in a living and all-sufficient Savior. Love you all dearly.
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The Bereans' Commentary with Shaunta D. Scroggins, Ed.D. 
Glory to the Lord God who was, Is & shall be! Love you Prophet😘