Active Waiting: Preparing the Way During Advent

Devotional

Day 1: Active waiting prepares the way for the Lord.

John the Baptist's call shows that waiting for Christ is not passive; it calls for repentance, courageous truth-telling, and visible fruit in daily life. Active waiting means preparing paths for the Lord by aligning actions with repentance and refusing to settle into complacency. The warning to those who rely on heritage alone challenges each person to bear fruit now, not later. [40:48]

Matthew 3:1-12 (ESV)
In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.'" Now John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father,' for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."

Reflection: In what specific habit or attitude have you become passive in waiting for Jesus' work, and what one concrete step toward repentance and visible fruit will you take this week?

Day 2: The promised Messiah ushers a spiritual, compassionate kingdom.

Isaiah's vision reminds the people that the coming ruler will be marked by the Spirit—wisdom, counsel, knowledge, and a delight in the fear of the Lord—bringing justice that favors the poor and meek. The expectation of a political rescue was reshaped into the reality of a spiritual kingdom that judges with righteousness and compassion. Waiting well means looking for God's restorative, righteous reign rather than a mere earthly fix. [34:25]

Isaiah 11:1-5 (ESV)
There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the knowledge and fear of the LORD. And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins.

Reflection: Where do you find yourself expecting God to act—through political or social change, or through spiritual renewal—and what one daily practice can you adopt to reorient your focus toward God’s compassionate kingdom this Advent?

Day 3: Waiting must include going and making disciples.

The Great Commission reframes waiting: believers do not sit idle for Christ’s return but go into the world to teach, baptize, and live out Jesus' teachings. Active waiting looks like mission—investing in others, especially the next generation, and embodying the kingdom wherever God has placed each person. The call to "make disciples" is both proclamation and patient, relational work. [15:28]

Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)
And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Reflection: Who is one person in your everyday circle—neighbor, co-worker, family member—whom you can intentionally invest in this month, and what concrete step will you take to begin making disciples with them?

Day 4: Give faithfully; your labor in the Lord matters.

Generosity is framed as worship and participation in God's story; giving time, resources, or talents fuels mission and brings true fulfillment rather than emptiness. The apostle's exhortation calls believers to steady, faithful labor in the Lord, trusting that these acts have eternal impact. When giving flows from gratitude, it strengthens community and furthers the gospel among the vulnerable. [01:00:57]

1 Corinthians 15:58 (ESV)
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Reflection: What one tangible change will you make in how you give—whether money, time, or talent—this month to demonstrate trust that your labor in the Lord is not in vain?

Day 5: Honoring Jesus includes costly, compassionate worship.

The woman who anointed Jesus models worship that risks reputation and possessions; where others saw waste, Jesus recognized devotion and prepared him for what was coming. Active waiting can look like sacrificial, compassionate acts that honor Christ and lift the marginalized into the center of God's story. Your humble, costly devotion becomes part of the gospel's living testimony. [46:24]

Matthew 26:6-13 (ESV)
Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, "Why this waste? For this could have been sold for much and given to the poor." But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. In pouring this ointment on my body she has done it to prepare me for burial. Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her."

Reflection: Is there a costly act of worship—time, money, reputation, or relationship—you’ve been withholding from Jesus, and what is one concrete way you will offer that costly compassion during this Advent?

Sermon Summary

This Advent I invited us to remember that waiting on Jesus is not a passive posture. Like getting ready to move houses, there’s a flurry of preparation: packing, planning, cleaning, and showing up. Our lives with Jesus work the same way. We’re waiting for his return, but in the meantime he has sent us on mission—to go, to teach, to live what he taught. Advent is not a pause button; it’s a season to align our hearts and our habits with the One we’re waiting for.

We looked at Israel’s story—a people with promises who often drifted into passive waiting. John the Baptist stepped onto the scene to wake them up. His call wasn’t for better slogans; it was for fruit that matched repentance. That’s the heart of Advent: not merely believing rightly (orthodoxy), but walking rightly (orthopraxy). Active waiting is a life that bears witness—naming injustices, advocating for the vulnerable, serving with compassion, and embodying the kingdom Jesus announced.

We also saw how Jesus dignifies those the world sidelines. The woman who anointed his feet was misunderstood by everyone in the room but treasured by Jesus. Her seemingly “wasteful” act became part of the gospel’s memory. When we draw near to Jesus in honest worship—especially from places of pain or shame—he sees us, receives us, and includes our story in his.

That’s why we come to the table as we are. Communion reminds us to keep our eyes on Jesus, the One who lifts us when we sink. And as we keep watch, we give—of time, attention, and resources—not to earn favor but to live his story. Generosity doesn’t empty us; it forms us and fuels the mission that changes lives: kids learning they’re loved by God, families supported in crisis, neighbors receiving practical help. This Advent, let’s wait actively—repenting, serving, giving, and fixing our gaze on Jesus until he returns.

Key Takeaways

1. Waiting is an active posture Our hope in Christ calls for obedient movement, not spiritual idling. Jesus sends us to embody his teaching in ordinary places—home, work, neighborhood—so that our waiting fuels witness. Practices like prayer, hospitality, and service keep our hearts awake and our hands ready. Passive waiting drifts; active waiting bears life. [37:20]
2. Repentance must bear visible fruit John the Baptist didn’t applaud religious labels; he looked for transformed lives. Real repentance reorders desires, habits, and relationships in the direction of Jesus’ kingdom. It presses beyond tradition-as-comfort into obedience-as-worship. Where there is new allegiance, new fruit grows. [40:48]
3. Jesus honors the overlooked and shamed The woman who anointed Jesus was misunderstood by many but celebrated by him. Genuine worship may look impractical to a calculating crowd, yet it is precious to God. Following Jesus means noticing who he notices and restoring dignity where the world withholds it. Mercy is the shape of true devotion. [46:24]
4. Keep your eyes on Jesus, always Attention is formation: whatever grips our gaze guides our steps. In storms of grief or seasons of celebration, fixing our eyes on Jesus steadies the soul and clarifies the next faithful action. And when we falter, he reaches for us—grace is the safety net of discipleship. [48:33]
5. Generosity forms us into Christ’s story Giving is not loss; it is participation in God’s renewing work. When we offer our resources, we join a story bigger than ourselves—meeting needs, shaping futures, and seeding hope. Generosity loosens the grip of self and trains our hearts for love. It’s worship in motion. [60:57]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[15:28] - Come As You Are; Kids Song Intro
[31:29] - Moving Houses and Active Waiting
[34:25] - Israel’s History and Hope
[37:20] - Tension in Longing for Return
[40:48] - John the Baptist’s Wake-Up Call
[44:04] - When Tradition Replaces Trust
[46:24] - Jesus Sees the Marginalized
[48:33] - Open Table: Communion Invitation
[60:57] - Giving as Worship and Formation
[64:14] - Gratitude, Announcements, Next Sunday
[68:13] - Benediction: The Lord Bless You

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading (ESV)
Matthew 3:1–11
In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’”
Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

Observation questions

Which words or images in Matthew 3:1–11 stand out most to you (e.g., “prepare the way,” “brood of vipers,” “bear fruit”)? Why do those images grab your attention?
What does John mean by “bear fruit in keeping with repentance”? What kinds of visible changes would count as fruit in someone’s life?
John warns against relying on heritage (“We have Abraham as our father”) and uses the image of the axe at the root. Who is John addressing with that warning, and what behavior is he criticizing?
The preacher compared waiting for Christ to getting ready to move: waiting involves active preparation, not idleness. How does that picture change the way you think about the season of waiting? [31:29]

Interpretation questions

How should “fruit” be defined in everyday life so that it lines up with repentance (for example, at home, work, or among friends)? Consider specific habits, speech, or decisions that would demonstrate this fruit. [40:48]
What does it mean theologically and practically to say “waiting is an active posture”? How does that idea interact with the command to “go and make disciples”? [31:29]
How does the story of the woman who anointed Jesus’ feet reshape the group’s understanding of who Jesus honors and what true worship looks like? What does this imply about how the church should treat people on the margins? [46:24]
In what ways does taking communion function to refocus attention on Jesus and sustain an active waiting posture? What does regular remembrance do to a community’s faith? [48:33]

Application questions

Identify one habit, desire, or relationship that needs to be reordered as an act of repentance. What is one concrete, measurable first step you will take this week to show “fruit in keeping with repentance”? (Be specific: time, place, action.) [40:48]
Choose one practical way this Advent to live out “active waiting” (e.g., a weekly hospitality meal, a short neighborhood outreach, a 10-minute nightly prayer routine). What will you do, when will you do it, and who will hold you accountable? [31:29]
Who in your life or neighborhood is overlooked or dismissed? Name one practical act this month you can do to restore dignity to that person (a visit, a practical gift, an invitation, advocacy). How will you follow through? [46:24]
When life’s storms or distractions pull your attention away from Jesus, what single short practice will you use to fix your eyes on him (scripture verse to read, worship song, breath prayer, short devotion)? Commit to doing it daily for the next seven days and say how you will track it. [48:33]
Identify one way to give this Advent (time, money, skill) that participates in the church’s mission (kids ministry, benevolence, outreach). Specify an amount or time commitment and a date when you will act. How might this giving form your heart for others? [01:00:57]
Name one person or group you are praying for who makes you say “not yet” about Christ’s return. What is one concrete step you can take in the next month to witness to them—invite, serve, or a faithful conversation—and when will you take it? [37:20]

Sermon Clips

see that woman wasmarginalized she was on the outskirts looked down upon maybe that's you here today maybe you feel like that woman it's like jesus i just want to be at your feet where you feel like everyonemaybe speaking against you or looking at you the wrong way or judging you you see your story is being told every time jesus's story is told because jesus sees you in that moment where all the disciples did was see what could have been jesus saw what was right in front of you [00:46:41] (40 seconds) #SeenAtJesusFeet

and i think well jesus i need you to come back and fix it but yet jesus's response tohis disciples almost 2 000 years ago was what go go into all the world go into all the world make disciples of nations teach what i taught you live it out so once again challenged especially in the midst of the christmas season where i remember that our savior was born and we celebrate we slow down and we focus on that that there is that danger to just sit back and wait but our waiting is not passive it isactive [00:38:19] (48 seconds) #ActiveWaitingMission

the season for giving right where christ gave himself to us and we in turn we give not so that we can receive anything in return ultimately that does end up happening but we give because we are following the example that he set in his storysee when it's all about taking we feel empty inside we feel lonely because it's all about us but we were designed and desire community which requires us to give [01:01:10] (35 seconds) #GiveLikeChrist

you see our true faithfulness is demonstrated through actions that bear fruit embodying both orthodoxy which is right belief and orthopraxy which is right practice we must have bothmuch like john the baptist not only was saying what he should be saying but he was always doing what god had asked him to do and that was to prepare the way for jesus [00:45:23] (26 seconds) #FaithThatActs

at the time when jesus came they were under rule of the romans and the romans were kind of cruel they were cruel and so they thought well the messiah is going to come when when they started figuring out well maybe jesus really is the messiah i am now fast forwarding about 700 years when jesus showed up they were confused because he wasn't leading them in a revolt against the romans he started talking about the kingdom of god and demonstrating in a way that they weren't expectingbecause jesus came to bring a spiritual kingdom not a physical one [00:36:48] (35 seconds) #KingdomNotRevolt

when you give whether it's your time whether it's your offering your tithe you're making an eternal difference in someone's life much like those children that were up here earlier today you support ct kids through your ties and your offerings where children get to come and learn about jesus and how much he loves themand that child you saw here today 20 years from now who knows where they'll be who knows how many people they will have told that story to of jesus christ who saved them amen that's what we give to [01:02:45] (39 seconds) #SupportKidsFaith

our theme this advent is a wandering journey because that's kind of what our faith is like it is a journey it's not as though when i accepted christ that's it we're done we're good to go that's not it it just began at that point and then i begin this journey together with jesus and today we're talking aboutwaiting waiting for christ's return [00:33:59] (26 seconds) #WanderingFaithJourney

they had been liberated many many years previous out of egypt they had been in slavery for 400 years god liberated them from egypt and then they were on this journeyand they finally found their promised land a place that they could call home where nobody would rule over them again everything's great but if you read the rest of the story you notice that they didn't always do the best job of waiting for their messiah [00:34:49] (29 seconds) #PromisedLandStruggles

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Active Waiting: Preparing the Way During Advent

Devotional

Day 1: Active waiting prepares the way for the Lord.

Day 2: The promised Messiah ushers a spiritual, compassionate kingdom.

Day 3: Waiting must include going and making disciples.

Day 4: Give faithfully; your labor in the Lord matters.

Day 5: Honoring Jesus includes costly, compassionate worship.

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Active Waiting: Preparing the Way During Advent

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