Advent: See the Christ Already Among Us

Devotional

Day 1: Stay awake: readiness for Christ's unexpected coming.

Jesus warns that the coming of the Son of Man will happen without notice, calling the community to sober attentiveness and faithful presence in the present moment. This is not an anxious hiding from the world but a disciplined practice of watching so that one can act with compassion and justice when opportunity comes. Be reminded that readiness shapes the future by the choices made today. [38:42]

Matthew 24:36-44 (NIV)
"But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."

Reflection: What is one specific habit you can intentionally practice this week to keep spiritually awake—so that your kindness, hospitality, or advocacy can be offered without delay when an unexpected need appears?

Day 2: Hope shines: nations seeking God's light together.

Isaiah imagines a future where people gather to learn the ways of the Lord, exchanging weapons for tools of life and walking in the light of the Lord. Advent’s hope is rooted in that promise: darkness is real, but a future of justice and shared peace is already being envisioned and invited into being. Let this hope shape how you speak, vote, give, and welcome others today. [20:12]

Isaiah 2:1-5 (NIV)
"This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem: In the last days the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.' The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD."

Reflection: Which one small, local action could you take this Advent that would visibly reflect hope for peace in your neighborhood (serving a neighbor, joining a community effort, or speaking on behalf of someone in need) and how will you begin it this week?

Day 3: Recognize God's kingdom already here among us.

Advent is not pretending Christ has not come but practicing seeing Christ already present in ordinary places and ordinary people; the kingdom of God lives in our midst when we notice. This awareness calls for immediate response—hospitality, mercy, and attention—instead of waiting for some distant arrival. Remove the “paper towel” of distraction and let the sacred be seen in the simple rhythms of daily life. [23:55]

Luke 17:20-21 (NIV)
"Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he replied, 'The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, "Here it is," or "There it is," because the kingdom of God is in your midst.'"

Reflection: When in the last week did you notice a small ordinary moment that could be read as the presence of God (a shared meal, a stranger’s kindness, a quiet breath)? How might you name that moment aloud or act differently because you recognize God there?

Day 4: Pray with trust, daily dependence, and forgiveness.

The Lord’s Prayer teaches dependence on God for daily needs, mutual forgiveness, and deliverance from evil—an Advent posture of humility and reliance rather than frantic self-sufficiency. Praying this way reshapes priorities: ask for daily bread, practice forgiving, and lean into communal intercession. Let these lines guide how you pray for yourself and for others during this season. [30:10]

Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV)
"This, then, is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.' For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."

Reflection: Name one concrete thing you will ask God for this week (not abstractly) and one person you will intentionally forgive or seek reconciliation with before Christmas; what is the first step you'll take toward each?

Day 5: Rejoice, release anxiety, receive God's guarding peace.

Paul’s encouragement to rejoice and to present every concern to God with thanksgiving calls Adventers away from frantic perfection and toward trust. When anxiety is released into prayer, God’s peace—beyond human understanding—stands guard over heart and mind, enabling gentleness toward others. Let joy and prayer be your default posture as you move through the season. [01:04:45]

Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV)
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Reflection: What is one anxious thought you will bring to God in prayer each morning this week, and what is one practical, loving action you will do that day to reflect the gentleness you claim in prayer?

Sermon Summary

Advent begins with a simple truth: God is already here. I welcomed everyone—whether in the sanctuary or online—into the sacred space they already inhabit, and we breathed together to settle our hearts. We named this season as a time when the lines between sacred and secular can blur, and we practiced noticing the sacred in the ordinary through a brief guided reflection. Lighting the first candle, we claimed hope not as wishful thinking but as a reality already present in the world, waiting to be received and reflected.

I read Isaiah’s vision and Jesus’ call in Matthew 24 to “stay awake.” That call isn’t about fear; it’s about attention. I told a story about my grandmother who would lovingly cover the baby Jesus in her nativity with a paper towel until midnight on Christmas Eve. As charming as that tradition was, it taught me something I had to unlearn: Advent isn’t about pretending Jesus isn’t here yet. It’s about waking up to his presence now—underneath our busyness, within our neighbors, and in the ordinary mercies of every day.

We laughed about tangled lights, burned cookies, and the dizzy pace that can swallow December, but we also named what’s at stake: the time between now and Christmas is sacred because Christ already fills it. The more limited the time feels, the more it invites savoring—attentiveness to what is holy right now. I leaned on a Back to the Future analogy: if tiny choices can rewrite a movie’s future, then small acts of hope, justice, and welcome can rewrite ours. Advent is the season where a slight shift in awareness changes how we live: less hurry, more presence; less anxiety, more courage; less curation, more compassion. So we take the paper towel off Jesus and look for him where he promised to be—in kindness offered, in justice pursued, in every welcome given. That is how hope takes flesh in us.

Key Takeaways

1. Advent waits for our awakening Advent is not a countdown to Christ’s arrival; it’s a wake-up call for ours. The invitation is to notice where God is already active—in conversations, interruptions, and small obediences—and to align our lives accordingly. When we awaken to presence, hope stops being a theory and becomes a way of moving through the day. Stay awake to what is already holy. [47:18]
2. Take the paper towel off My grandmother’s paper towel over the manger was a loving tradition but a revealing metaphor. We often “cover” Jesus with our timing, preferences, or perfectionism, and then wonder why we can’t find him. Advent asks us to uncover Christ in the ordinary, trusting he is already at work in the mess and the mundane. Remove what blocks your view and you’ll see him everywhere. [46:17]
3. Savor the sacred now The time between now and Christmas is not filler; it is sacrament. Hurry trains us to miss what matters and to confuse activity with faithfulness. Savoring is not laziness—it is disciplined attention to God’s nearness in the present moment. Let slowing become an act of worship. [51:10]
4. Attentiveness that rewrites the future Being “awake” is not passive watching; it’s responsive living. Small acts of justice, mercy, and courage tilt the world toward the kingdom in ways we may not fully see yet. Like a slight course correction that changes a whole journey, everyday faithfulness reshapes tomorrow’s landscape. Choose the next right, hopeful thing. [55:25]
5. Hope already exists; claim it We don’t manufacture hope; we join it. Advent trains our eyes to see what God has already sown—signs of peace, joy, and love waiting for our participation. Claiming hope means embodying it: words that heal, hands that help, choices that welcome. Let your life become a lantern for someone else’s night. [23:55]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:56] - Settle In and Breathe
[08:56] - Announcements Overview
[12:02] - Advent New Year and Humor
[19:50] - Opening Prayer and Isaiah Reading
[23:55] - Lighting the Candle of Hope
[28:55] - Pastoral Prayer and Lord’s Prayer
[30:43] - Children’s Moment: Jesus Already Here
[38:03] - Gospel Reading: Stay Awake
[46:17] - Grandma’s Nativity and Paper Towel
[47:18] - Advent: Waiting for Our Awakening
[51:10] - Resist Busyness; Savor the Sacred
[55:25] - Small Hopeful Acts Change Futures
[56:49] - God in Ordinary Kindness and Justice
[58:10] - Offering, Benediction, and Sending

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Matthew 24:36–44 (NIV) — 36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. 42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

Observation Questions

Read Matthew 24:36–44. What everyday details (eating, working in the field, grinding at the mill) stand out, and what do those images suggest about the kind of life for which Jesus calls people to “keep watch”?
The nativity-paper-towel story is used as an image of hiding Jesus until “the right time.” What does the act of covering the baby suggest about waiting versus noticing God already present? [46:17]
During the guided reflection, people were asked to picture an ordinary moment and imagine “particles of light” anointing it as sacred. What ordinary moment did you picture, and what changed for you when that moment was imagined as holy? [25:01]

Interpretation Questions

In its context, how does “keep watch” in Matthew 24:42–44 function more as a call to attentive presence than as an instruction driven by fear or panic? [52:36]
The image of removing a cover from the manger reframes Advent as awakening instead of postponement. What theological insight follows if Advent’s work is to discover Christ already at work rather than to wait for a first arrival? [47:18]
“Savor the sacred” is described as disciplined attention rather than passivity. How should that discipline change decisions about time, tasks, and priorities during the weeks before Christmas? [51:10]
The claim is made that small acts of hope, justice, and welcome can “rewrite” the future. Theologically, what does this say about human responsibility and the working of God’s kingdom in ordinary actions? [55:25]

Application Questions

Identify one “paper towel” in your life right now—a habit, worry, perfectionism, or timetable—that keeps you from seeing Christ in ordinary places. What will you remove or change this week so you can notice Christ more clearly? [47:18]
Pick one ordinary daily moment you enjoy (a cup of coffee, a commute, a bedtime routine). Plan a 5–10 minute practice this week to treat it as sacred (simple breath, a short prayer of thanks, naming God’s presence). When exactly will you do it? [25:01]
Choose one specific small act of hope, welcome, or justice you will do in the next seven days (call a lonely neighbor, bring a meal, sign up with a local drive, invite someone to church). What will you do, when will you do it, and how will you report back to the group? [55:25]
When the season tempts you to hurry (packing tasks, untangling lights, burned cookies), name one concrete boundary you will set this Advent to protect sacred time (a no-device hour, one evening off from planning, delegating a task). What is that boundary? [50:40]
Who in your life needs a lantern this season—a word of encouragement, a practical help, a ride to worship? Choose one person and plan one concrete, compassionate step to take for them this week. What will you offer and when? [23:55]
Decide on one simple accountability practice the group can use to “stay awake” between now and Christmas (weekly check-in, shared prayer text, partner meetings). What will the practice be, who will pair with whom, and when will you begin? [52:36]

Sermon Clips

Last week was awesome. Last week was so, so good. It was so much fun, and it was so great to worship with our African brothers and sisters. I loved it. And it was no accident, it was no accident, that we chose that day, because it was Christ the King Sunday. Christ the King Sunday is the last Sunday of the church year, and we wanted to make sure that although we come from different backgrounds, although we come from different sides of the world, Christ the King is what we can agree on. It was awesome. I loved worshiping together. [00:39:29] (54 seconds) #UnitedInChrist

So today we start a brand new church year with the first Sunday of Advent. But it's always been a tough sell to me. It's always been a tough sell to me. We just finished saying, Christ is King. And now we're supposed to enter a world kind of, sort of, almost as if Jesus isn't born yet. And it doesn't always make sense to me. [00:40:43] (27 seconds) #AdventReframed

I want to tell you a story about my grandmother. She was one of the best people I have ever known. All four foot nine or ten of her. She was tiny, but she was mighty. She was mighty. One of the strongest people I've ever known. And she was absolutely hilarious. She knew how to tease you. And we, in turn, learned how to tease her. And around this time of year, Grandma would decorate for Christmas. There's another thing you should know about my grandmother. She was highly superstitious. Highly superstitious. For real superstitious. [00:41:26] (45 seconds) #MightyGrandma

Everything had to be just right. Everything had to be just right. The tree had to be perfect. The tinsel, remember tinsel if you saw a Christmas tree from the 1970s? You remember tinsel. And the tinsel had to hang a certain way. There could be no more than six strands on a branch of tinsel. Because that's just an outrage. And it had to hang in a certain way that it would reflect the light. I'm serious about this. Everything had to be perfect. And then out would come the nativity scene. And this was a fancy nativity scene. I don't know where it came from. But it was beautiful. [00:42:34] (40 seconds) #PerfectIsntRequired

And it was porcelain. Mary hovered over Jesus and she was stunning. And Joseph had a staff in his right hand that presumably he used for walking his wife through the long journey that they had to take. The animals were lifelike and they were perfect. The shepherds were actually clean. The angel sat above the wooden manger and had a sash that it was holding that said glory or hallelujah or something like that. And then, of course, Jesus. And Jesus had a far-off look as though he was pondering the mysteries of the universe at one day old. [00:43:14] (44 seconds) #BeyondPorcelain

He also had a crown of glory above his head as he laid in the makeshift crib. The round halo rested on or over his head. And again, it was a gorgeous piece of art. And so she would put everyone out. And my brother being, my brother and I being the troublemakers of the family, we would put a He-Man figure or two in there, undoubtedly. Like, hey, Trapjaw wanted to come and see the baby Jesus. You know, it's just, why did I say Trapjaw? I should have said like Battle Cat or something. [00:43:59] (35 seconds) #SacredAndPlayful

And then, after the nativity was out, she would walk over to the kitchen and grab a paper towel. Now, this was before the days of Selecticize. I don't know how we lived. And so it was a huge paper towel that she would take and almost ceremoniously bring it over to the nativity and cover the Jesus statue with the paper towel. Now, we knew what was happening every single year. But every single year, we would say, Grandma, what are you doing? [00:44:34] (39 seconds) #PaperTowelTradition

Or I sometimes, who had the flair for the dramatic, I would play the part of Jesus. And I would say, Grandma, what are you doing? Uncover me, right? What are you doing? And she would say, very seriously and very sternly, year after year, she would say, Well, he hasn't been born yet. And sure enough, we would gather at Grandma's house on Christmas Eve every year and we would celebrate. It was a huge, Italian, wonderful Christmas with shrimp and lobster and spaghetti and food all night long and presents and playing cards. I'm telling you, those Christmases were the best. [00:45:13] (47 seconds) #PlayfulNativity

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