It tell you: we Christians are something else.
I know I’ve said it. You know you’ve said it. Certainly, you’ve heard others say it.
Watch the news for an hour. Drive through the hood. Go downtown and hang out at the coffee shop near the club on a Saturday night. You’ll have that moment when you find yourself saying: Oh, they need Jesus!
And, that might be true…matter of fact, that is true. But, how can they have Jesus if the Church keeps Him buried under the quagmire and filth? They need Jesus, but can’t see Jesus because those who claim to love Jesus relegate Him to obscurity.
But, this is Advent! And, in this season of the Christian Life we endeavor to prepare for the Incarnate Word. This preparation is more than some perfunctory exercise to honor a suckling baby in a manger. Rather, the preparation we should make is one of getting into position to make Christ incarnate (real/tangible) in this world.
The gift of the Incarnation is found in that the King of Glory saw fit to come into the world, so that He could die for our redemption. We ought to be that kind of gift for each other.
The point of the Incarnation is that the Word, Who was, in the beginning, became flesh among us. It is that same Word that will become flesh at the appointed time when the Lord will come again in the flesh, and dwell among us.
With all the degradation and despair we see around us, truly they need Jesus. The people need Jesus, and Isaiah prophesies that in the last days the Church will become exceedingly visible and exalted above all other options. When this happens, the people will be reconciled to the body of Christ.
The people need Jesus. But, for them to have Jesus the Church must reveal Him to the people…
So, to that end…here’s today’s sermon: The Church Must Get Into Position
