In the sermon for the Feast of Christ the King on Sunday November 24th, I made the statement that one cannot have an Adventure with Advent. More than being a play on words, I believe it is a spiritual truth when it comes to doing the challenging and very good work that we are called to do as followers of Jesus. The video clip above is from a group called Advent Conspiracy (http://adventconspiracy.org).
Since 2006 Advent Conspiracy has advocated for a counter cultural engagement with what has become known as “The Holiday Season”. Beginning (well) before Halloween, evidence of the commercialization of Christmas has been visible from every turn whether it be at Lowe’s, CVS, the Grocery Store, the radio or the television (The Hallmark Channel began their seemingly limitless run of Christmas Romances on November 15th!). This year, as in each year since its inception, the Advent Conspiracy is offering an alternative and authentic way for people and churches to return to the meaning of what the Advent, Christmas and Epiphany seasons mean for the Church as the Body of Christ in the world.
The emphases of Advent Conspiracy revolve around commitments to do four things:
- Worship Fully
- Spend Less
- Love All
- Give More
The spiritual benefits are intended to liberate us from the chaos that often comes with the holiday season. The full impact of Christmas economically worldwide is estimated to exceed 1 TRILLION DOLLARS! That’s 1,000,000,000,000 with 12 zeroes!
I am reminded of the saying “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”
If in worship we give ourselves fully to God by turning our will over that of the Divine purpose we are making a life.
If we spend less, we make more room of acts of mercy and generosity that help to give others the means of a living and ourselves a more Christ-like life.
If we love all, we approach the world, and those in it, the way God does. That is freedom, life and living for all.
If we give more we will find ourselves enriched in ways that the acquisition of more stuff will never make possible.
For Advent 2019 will you join with me, your brothers and sisters in Christ and congregations around the globe by becoming co-conspirators wtih God the Creator, God the Redeemer and God the Holy Spirit in reminding that this is the season to claim the truth of Emmanuel-God is with us!