As I was reflecting on what to write for this month, I realized that my post would be the one right before Christmas. No pressure, right? And I very much wanted to share something special and honestly with the number of pastors who usually write for the blog, and who are way more experienced on writing sermons for Advent, I felt intimidated. So here’s a devotional in the words of one of my favorite theologians. Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad!
The Coming of Jesus in Our Midst
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and open the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:20
When early Christianity spoke of the return of the Lord Jesus, they thought of a great day of judgment. Even though this thought may appear to us to be so unlike Christmas, it is original Christianity and to be taken extremely seriously. When we hear Jesus knocking, our conscience first of all pricks us: Are we rightly prepared? In our heart capable of becoming God’s dwelling place? Thus Advent becomes a time of self-examination. “Put the desires of your heart in order, O human beings!” (Valentin Thilo), as the old song sings. It is very remarkable that we face the thought that God is coming so calmly, whereas the world fell into trembling when Jesus Christ walked over the earth. That is why we find it so strange when we see the marks of God in the world so often together with the marks of human suffering, with the marks of the cross on Golgotha. We have become so accustomed to the idea that we no longer feel the shiver of fear that God’s coming should arouse in us. We are indifferent to the message, taking only the pleasant and agreeable out of it and forgetting the serious aspect, that the God of the world draws near to the people of our little earth and lays claim to us. The coming of God is truly not only glad tiding, but first of all frightening news for everyone who has a conscience.
Only when we have felt the terror of the matter, can we recognize the incomparable kindness. God comes into the very midst of evil and death, and judges the evil in us and in the world. And by judging us, God cleanses and sanctifies us, and comes to us with grace and love. God makes us happy as only children can be happy. God wants to always be with us, where we may be – in our sin, in our suffering and death. We are no longer alone; God is with us. We are no longer homeless; a bit of the eternal home itself has moved unto us. Therefore we adults can rejoice deeply within our hearts under the Christmas tree, perhaps much more than the children are able. We know that God’s goodness will once again draw near. We think of all of god’s goodness that came our way last year and sense something of this marvelous home. Jesus comes in judgment and grace: “Behold I stand at the door… Open wide the gates! (Ps. 24:7).
One day, at the last judgment, he will separate the sheep and the goats and will say to those on his right: “Come, you blessed… I was hungry and you fed me…” (Matt. 25:34). To the astonished question of when and where, he answered: “What you did to the least of these, you have done to me…” (Matt. 25:40). With that we are faced with the shocking reality: Jesus stands at the door and knocks, in complete reality. He asks you for help in the form of a beggar, in the form of a ruined human being in torn clothing. He confronts you in every person you meet. Christ walks on the earth as your neighbor as long as there are people. He walks on the earth as the one through whom God call you, speaks to you and makes demands. That is the greatest seriousness and the greatest blessedness of the Advent message. Christ stands at the door. He lives in the form of the person in our midst. Will you keep the door locked or open it to him?
Christ is still knocking. It is not yet Christmas. But it is also not the great final Advent, the final coming of Christ. Through all the Advents of our life that we celebrate goes the longing for the final Advent, where it says: “Behold, I make all things new” (Rev. 21:5). Advent is a time of waiting. Our whole life, however, is Advent – that is, a time of waiting for the ultimate, for the time when there will be new heaven and a new earth, when all people are brothers and sisters and one rejoices in the words of the angels: “On earth peace to those on whom God’s favor rests.” Learn to wait, because he has promised to come. “I stand at the door…” We however call to him: “Yes, come soon, Lord Jesus!” Amen.
Evelmyn – Thanks for this post. I love that we go through the rhythm of the church calendar with seasons of reflection, lament, and celebration. I too believe we try to beautify the entire first coming story because we are so uncomfortable with the radical idea of what it meant for God to send Jesus to born under mysterious circumstances in what was viewed as an insignificant city to a marginalized people. This same Jesus will rule and judge our treatment of the very ones Jesus lived among, the poor, the sick, and the oppressed. Thanks for this reminder that our days will be judged one day by our care of those who seem insignificant and have been forgotten.
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01.07.16 at 1:55 pm