O Come, O Come, Emmanuel - The Fourth Sunday in Advent

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.

O come, thou Wisdom from on high,
who orderest all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show,
and teach us in her ways to go.

“Emmanuel…Wisdom”

The dark days are over. Despite the gloomy and long dark nights we endure, a light is coming. The voice in the wilderness beckons, “Make straight the way of the Lord.” (John 1:23, KJV). As I write, I listen to “Deliver Us,” from the 1998 movie The Prince of Egypt. It reminds me that as we cry out “O Come, O come, Emmanuel” we are joining our voices with our forefathers bound by the satanic Pharaoh, the chains of sin, and the wages of death. I cannot help but think back to the Old Testament saints who waited for a light they never saw in this life. For many of us, these early evenings and dark hours are fresh reminders of the darkness in our own lives. Yet, we press on. As former Archbishop Foley Beach fondly reminds us, heed the words of Archabbot Boniface Wimmer: “Forward, always forward, everywhere forward!”

Moving ahead is difficult. Sometimes it seems as though we stumble in the darkness. The ground and territory of life seem unfamiliar. After all, my column is subtitled, “Journeying as a Stranger in a Strange Land,” because we are on a journey in this life. We must press forward, lest we be lost. Ironically, by taking a step forward blindly in the dark we demonstrate our faith in the One who promised us a Sabbath, a rest. We live in exile but yearn for home. We seek the Promised Land, yet are wandering in the desert. We be sinners yet saints. Here we are seeking the New Jerusalem’s descent while amidst creation’s groans for renewal.

This is the mindset the Christian needs in this life: journeying. Wandering – yet with purpose and a destination. Wayfinding is perhaps the better word for it. All along the Way we are carrying a cross on our backs because we are united to the King who redeemed and is sanctifying us. This sojourn is the motivation for us to join the cry with the saints in heaven, “Come now, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20, ESV). The Divine Wisdom from on high draws near. The Word who spake and it was made is not too far off and “is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ But the word is very near you.” (Deuteronomy 30:12-14, ESV).

O come, O come, great Lord of might,
who to thy tribes on Sinai’s height
in ancient times once gave the law
in cloud and majesty and awe.

“Lord of Might”

Yea, our Lord the Word who is very near us, comes to dwell within us. Our Lord who gave us the law has fulfilled the law and visits His people not merely in the temple of old but within the hearts, souls, and minds of His Church through the indwelling of the Holy Ghost. Advent draws near its liturgical conclusion, yet the promise of Advent merely draws nearer. Therefore, as we boldly enter out of the darkness of winter and into the manifestation of Christ’s light, we are called to bear witness to the One who loves His sheep. Advent is not a time of waiting and gathering splinters in the pews, but a time for bold and vibrant caroling that the Word of God who met us “on Sinai’s height” and “in ancient times once gave the law” has met us in human flesh. The fact that God has stepped out from “in cloud” on Sinai’s mount should provoke “majesty and awe.” On this side of the Incarnation and Pentecost, “’The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” (Romans 10:8–10, ESV). The time is ripe, O Church, to proclaim it from the rooftops because such good news should be shared with our neighbors. Have you not charitably given this season? It is not too late, begin today by sharing this Gospel with those within your household, your extended family, our next-door neighbor, and especially those church visitors whom we should gladly welcome as we near Christmas instead of shaming them for failing to attend services since Easter (or longer).

O come, thou Rod of Jesse, free
thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
from depths of hell thy people save,
and give them victory over the grave.

“Rod of Jesse”

The hour is short. It is far later in the day that many within the Church will acknowledge. The root of Jesse grows His Church, His Kingdom, into a mustard tree that will fill the earth, and the time is nearly ripe for the “rod of iron” to issue forth from the Son. (Psalm 2:9, ESV). Thanks be to God, He is gracious and between His Son’s first and second Advent, He opens up the victory “from Satan’s tyranny” to all those who draw near with faith. Yet many within the Church and especially in the pulpit stifle the good news that it is “from the depths of hell thy people save, and give them victory over the grave.” The sermon preached in too many churches is self-help for living the Precious Moments life when the cold reality is we live as slaves to sin and death infecting our bones and souls. We need a release from tyranny, not a DIY guide to living our best lives now. Our neighbors in the darkness of this fallen world do not need a cheery soul to merely wish them a “Merry Christmas,” they need to be told why a Christ-less Christmas is nothing to be merry about. Indeed, a Christ-less Christmas full of presents but omitting the true Gift from above is simply “always winter but never Christmas.” Advent is a preparation not only for our hearts and souls but also for us crying out as fellow voices in the wilderness. Yet our cry is a shout of acclamation, a yelling for joy. St. Paul tells us this Fourth Sunday in Advent, “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.” (Phillippians 4:4, KJV). Let us rejoice in the coming Rod of Jesse!

O come, thou Key of David, come,
and open wide our heavenly home;
make safe the way that leads on high,
and close the path to misery.

“Key of David”

Our rejoicing seems foolish to our neighbors, but we are rejoicing not in our physical health nor monetary wealth. No, we are called to ensure “your moderation be known unto all men.” (Phillippians 4:5, KJV). While the world engages in excess during Advent and prematurely proclaims a Christ-less Christmas, we are to be moderate in our lives but outlandish in proclaiming the coming Messiah. As the crooked feasts, we prepare for the King’s coming banquet. The world celebrates the end of the year – we proclaim the beginning of the Church year. The world revels and drinks in excess to hoped-for bonuses and gifts – we are called to remember the poor and care for the orphan and widow. Let our charity not be to overindulge in anything less than sacrificing ourselves for those whom the world forgets. May our bingeing be in rejoicing and giving thanks to the Lord who has opened wide the heavenly home to us and to sinners in the darkness. May we fast so we can feast. Let us get to the business of inviting those in the highways and hedges for our King shall return to a full dining hall!

Our invitation to those still under the slavery of this wicked age is a cry out for the “Key of David” to deliver us and set thy people free. What the sons of the earth need to hear from the Church’s lips is that only His death and victory is what brings “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Phillippians 4:7, KJV). The world and the worldly know that “peace on earth” is desperately needed, yet they pursue it through war and money. The Peace which we freely offer can never be purchased, save by the blood of the Lamb. The Peace we speak of is other-worldly, for it calms the nerves of even the most nerve-wracked neighbor and reminds us that He alone makes “safe the way that leads on high” that will firmly “close the path to misery” this world provides.

O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer
our spirits by thine advent here;
disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
and death’s dark shadows put to flight.

“Dayspring”

During the dark season of Advent, many of us Christians can become downcast. Our sins weigh us down. The disappointments of this life can ring harder. Death is a constant reminder due to the empty chair of a beloved soul who once sat there this time last Christmas. Or perhaps the chair is filled but the loved one who sits in it this year is not the same person as before due to disease or addiction. This is why we anchor our joy on the One who stepped into this world and we sing for the Dayspring and star of the East to “come and cheer our spirits by thine advent here.” The Peace of Jesus just like the joy of Christians is simply not of this world. The Peace and Joy which we desire must come from the heavenly realm. In fact, the Peace and Joy of Christ in the Christian is an other-worldly invasion. It is a taste of Advent fulfilled and Advent complete as heaven peeks from the curtain and God invades through the opening of every Christian heart and soul that believes.

Many of you desire to have joy and are struggling through this season. Keep struggling, and Church, look for those who struggle in your midst and struggle with them in charity. Be reminded dear Christian, that Advent is also a season telling us that He who will wipe away every tear from our eyes and “disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death’s dark shadows put to flight” is coming. Yes, thanks be to God Almighty the “The Lord is at hand.” (Phillippians 4:5, KJV). As our gracious Lord draws near, “do not be anxious about anything.” (Phillippians 4:6, ESV).

O come, Desire of nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind;
bid thou our sad divisions cease,
and be thyself our King of Peace.

“Desire of Nations”

We sing to the King of Peace to bind the nations together under the rule of the King of Kings. As we cry for the Desire of nations to come, let us lay aside our worries for a new year and our failings in the past year and instead “in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” (Phillippians 4:6, KJV). No matter how small or large, cast it bit by bit at the nailed feet of the One who bore our cross. God loves His children so much that His Son looks down forgivingly, all the while willingly in the flesh feeling the brutal pain and suffering within His own body the agonies of sinful mankind. It was necessary that He come to us – to be killed by us; it was required that He bear our flesh – suffer our sufferings in His own flesh; it is His Divine and loving way that He delivers us from Satan’s bondage in order to bind us together in Him. Because Christ Jesus patiently bore suffering in the body, He wears the crown of victory and we may boldly pray today’s collect: “O Lord, raise up (we pray thee) thy power and come among us, and with great might succour us; that whereas, through our sins and wickedness, we are sore let and hindered in running the race that is set before us, thy bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver us.”

Heal our sore bodies, and prepare us a new one, O Lord. Balm our tired feet in the race we are running. Speed our salvation and draw near to deliver us!