We are filled with hope, as we wait for the glorious return of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

(Titus 2:13)

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord.

(Psalm 27:14)

“Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that when he comes and knocks, they may immediately open the door for him. Happy are the servants whom their lord finds on the alert when he arrives. I assure you that he will take off his outer clothes, make them sit down to dinner, and come and wait on them. And if he should come just after midnight or in the very early morning, and find them still on the alert, their happiness is assured.” 

(Luke 12:36-38)

The victor’s crown of righteousness is now waiting for me, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on the day that he comes, and not only to me but also to all who eagerly wait for His appearing.

(2 Timothy 4:8)

Praise the Lord! We made it to the last month of 2024. Take a moment to just exalt and praise God for His faithfulness, kindness and preservation, for His tender mercies that have been new every single day throughout this year. I know that our God who has brought us this far is more than able to sustain us to the end of this year. Glory to Him!

I believe that we are making the most of the seasons of our lives, even as God brings us into a deeper knowledge and understanding of Him in each season. It is my prayer that we will all enter into the rest that comes from faith, fully assured that God is with us, He is in control of all things, and will come through for us. 

So what is the Holy Spirit saying to us this December? As the year draws to a close, He calls our attention to the ultimate focus of our lives as pilgrims on this earth. While we celebrate the First coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we are reminded of the promise of His return (Second coming), and the need to live with the end of time in mind. Thus, our theme for this month is JESUS, We Are Waiting. 

In Christian theology, this season is known as “The Advent”. (Advent is from the Latin word “Adventus” which is translated from the Greek term “Parousia”, that means “coming or arriving” in English). It is the period of preparation and waiting for the birth of Jesus (the First Advent) and the second coming of Christ (the Second Advent). There's a key distinction between Christ's two Advents: in His first advent He came in humility as a baby, in the likeness of sinful flesh and for our sins (Rom 8:3). In His second advent He is coming, not in the humility of veiled glory, but in manifest glory (Isa 63:1-6; 2 Thess 1:6-10; Rev 19:11-16). So, the theological theme of the season is expectation and preparation for the coming of Christ. It should therefore be a time of personal reflection and self examination while we wait for Him. Are you preparing?

Christians all around the world commemorate the birth of Jesus this month during Christmas. For the rest of the world, it is merely another public holiday. This reality is very unfortunate because the indifference and ignorance about His first coming implies an unreadiness for His second coming. Even more troubling is the fact that most Christians seem to have forgotten that Jesus is coming back again, and are being carried away with festivity. It is not an announcement we hear quite often, but it does not change the fact that Jesus is coming back, and He is coming for a ready and spotless bride—the Church (Rev 19:7; Eph 5:25-27). In John 14:1-3, Jesus spoke of going to prepare a place for His followers and promised to return for them so they could reign with Him. He also illustrated the certainty of His return using parables (Luke 19:11-27; Math 25:1-30). 

While it is unknown what day or hour that Jesus will return, it is very certain beyond any doubt that He will—we are clearly living in the latter days of the end times. Yes, it may seem that He is delaying, but we must remember the words of Apostle Peter in 2 Peter 3:9; God wants all men saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. We who are saved are to live our lives ready because the Master will return when He is least expected. Unlike the foolish virgins, we want to be ready when the Bridegroom comes. In the words of 1 John 3:2-3, the one who anticipates His return will purify themselves, living rapturable.

Though life will go on as usual (Luke 17:26-30), we must not lose sight of eternal priorities. Heb 11:10 and 2 Corinth 5:1 speak of looking forward to a city whose builder is God. The patriarchs of faith lived as pilgrims (transient travelers) in tents despite their earthly wealth. They were not keen on earthly possessions but on their final destination, constantly reminding themselves by how they lived that their time on earth was only temporary. They lived with eternity in view. And this is how we should live, with the glorious anticipation that Christ is coming back, making sure we do whatever it takes to stay rapturable.

The crown of righteousness is a crown that is promised to Christians who love and anticipate the Second Coming of Christ (2 Timothy 4:8). It is my prayer that we will live out the rest of our lives in anticipation of His glorious return. Like Paul, may we be able to declare that we fought the good fight, finished our race, and kept the faith. May we not just run this race, but run it well. Grace is sufficient for us all, and everyone of us will make Heaven on that day in Jesus name.

In the JESUS, We Are Waiting series, our Sunday services will cover topics including: Jesus, we are waiting; [Listening for] the Advent call; This same Jesus; Looking for a city; They that wait; Joy to the world; Jesus only, Jesus ever. 

I wish you a glorious Christmas celebration. God bless you.