Advent: The Nearness We Notice — The Nearness of Hope

Devotional

Day 1: Lift your eyes toward God's coming light.

Advent is an intentional season to turn attention away from the small, despairing things on the ground and to face the light that is already dawning; Isaiah's vision invites an orientation toward God's promised future — a direction to walk in the light where swords become plowshares and nations stream to the Lord — not as a naïve map but as a steadying promise that shapes how one looks at the world. [12:53]

Isaiah 2:2-4 (NIV)
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.

Reflection: What is one specific thing you are staring at that breeds despair this week, and what is the single, practical first step you can take today to lift your eyes toward God’s promised future (for example: step outside at dusk, name one injustice you will pray about, or reach out to one neighbor with kindness)?

Day 2: Wake from spiritual slumber; Christ is nearer.

Paul’s call to “wake up” names spiritual numbness—cynicism, distraction, resignation—and urges an active turning: put on Christ and live as children of the dawn because salvation is nearer now than when first believed; waking up is not merely moral effort but participation in the Spirit’s shaping of desires and choices toward God’s dawning kingdom. [17:15]

Romans 13:11-12 (NIV)
And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

Reflection: Identify one habitual pattern that distracts you from noticing God (for example: late-night scrolling, numbing TV, or constant checking of news). Tonight, for one 20-minute period before bed, put that device away, sit in silence, read Romans 13:11–12 aloud, and write one sentence about one concrete way you will “put on Christ” tomorrow morning.

Day 3: Pay attention; live expectantly in ordinary life.

Jesus warns against wasting life trying to predict the future and instead calls for attentive, awake living in the midst of ordinary routines — eating, working, parenting — so that disciples are ready, expectant, and steady because the One who has come will come again, and his presence makes ordinary days places of watchfulness. [21:38]

Matthew 24:37-41 (NIV)
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.

Reflection: Choose one ordinary activity you will do today (a meal, commute, chore, or time with a child). During that activity, silently invite Christ’s presence with a short prayer (“Come, Lord Jesus”), notice one thing that points to God’s nearness, and record one sentence about what you noticed and how it changes how you will act this week.

Day 4: God sanctifies; faithful sustenance at Christ's coming.

The benediction reminds the community that the God of peace is at work to sanctify and keep whole spirit, soul, and body until the coming of Jesus; this is not self-reliant perfectionism but the assurance that the One who calls is faithful and will complete the work, giving courage to live in hope rather than fear. [52:28]

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 (NIV)
May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

Reflection: Name one area where you fear you will not be kept blameless (anger, addiction, impatience, worry). Today, tell one trusted person what you named and ask them to pray for you this week and to check in once with love and accountability about one small, specific step you will take toward holiness.

Day 5: Christ's continual presence empowers expectant, faithful living.

Jesus’s promise, “I am with you always,” anchors Advent hope: the same Jesus who will return in glory is present now in humility, and that nearness turns waiting into prayerful, attentive participation — a waiting that refuses to act before God acts and that recognizes even dark places can become sites of grace when Christ is noticed. [22:28]

Matthew 28:20 (NIV)
…and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

Reflection: Who is someone in a dark or difficult place right now (detained, isolated, grieving, sick)? Send them a brief message this week offering presence and encouragement that Jesus is with them, name one concrete way you will show up for them in the next seven days, and then do it.

Sermon Summary

A year ago, an editor invited readers to stare at one painting for ten minutes and discovered a simple truth: the longer you look, the more you see. Advent is that invitation for our souls. It slows us down long enough to notice what has been true all along—that God is near, active, and breaking in, even when the world feels dark. This season does not begin with denial; it begins with honesty about fear, fatigue, injustice, and grief. And right there, Scripture trains our attention: lift up your eyes, wake up, pay attention.

Isaiah speaks into a moment of national anxiety and hands us not a map but a direction: “Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.” It’s a counterscript to despair, a vision where swords become plowshares and nations learn war no more. Because Christ has come, the dawn has already begun; we walk toward the light before the full sunrise arrives. Hope starts where we are—small, local, concrete—and learns to notice what reflects God’s kingdom already at work.

Paul writes to a weary community and names our danger: spiritual slumber—numbness, distraction, resignation. He calls us to wake up, put on Christ, and live as people of the dawn. The nearness of the resurrected Christ is not theory; it is a present reality shaping our desires and choices. Beauty wakes us up. Justice wakes us up. Christ wakes us up.

Jesus then redirects our energy away from predicting the future toward practicing faithful attentiveness in ordinary life. No one knows the hour, but we can live ready: eating, working, parenting, praying—with expectancy, not anxiety. Waiting becomes active when it is prayerful, a disciplined refusal to act before God acts, and a steady trust that the One who came near is near now and will come again.

Held together, these texts give us a threefold Advent posture: lift up your eyes, wake up, pay attention. Hope is not pretending everything is fine; it is turning toward God’s promised future and living awake to Christ’s nearness. That is why a brother named Raul could call his detention a gift—not because it was easy, but because Jesus was nearer than fear. This week, lift your eyes from what paralyzes you; wake up from numbness by practices that make you attentive; and pay attention to where Christ is already breaking in. He came. He is near. He will come again.

Key Takeaways

1. Advent is an attention experiment Advent retrains the eye of the heart. When we linger in God’s presence and in Scripture, what once looked flat or hopeless becomes textured with grace. Attention is not escapism; it is faith refusing to let darkness set the narrative. The longer we look to Christ, the more clearly we see God’s nearness. [07:30]
2. Hope is orientation toward God’s future Isaiah doesn’t hand us a plan; he points us toward a Person and a path—“walk in the light of the Lord.” Hope is not optimism; it is choosing a direction when we cannot control outcomes. Every small act aligned with God’s justice and peace leans our lives toward the coming dawn. [12:53]
3. Wake up; put on Christ now Slumber feels like scrolling, cynicism, and autopilot choices. Paul’s answer is not guilt but clothing: put on Christ, and let His life set your habits, desires, and public witness. Living as children of the dawn means we practice tomorrow’s world today. [18:56]
4. Wait with expectant, ordinary faithfulness Jesus relocates readiness from prediction to presence. In eating, working, and parenting, we stay awake to the God who is already at work. Prayerful waiting refuses panic and cultivates alert love in the middle of everyday life. [22:28]
5. Christ is nearer than our fear Real hope is not denial; it is discovery—finding Jesus present in the very place that threatens to undo us. Raul’s story shows that nearness: strength in confinement, joy in uncertainty, witness in the dark. The walls are real, but they are not final; Christ is. [27:26]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[06:01] - The 10-minute art experiment
[07:30] - Advent as attention experiment
[09:49] - Three lectionary texts
[11:02] - Isaiah’s counter-script of peace
[12:53] - Walking in the light’s direction
[17:15] - Waking from spiritual numbness
[18:56] - Put on Christ, children of dawn
[20:45] - Unknown hour, ordinary readiness
[24:30] - A threefold Advent posture
[25:30] - Raul’s detention and real hope
[28:18] - Three invitations to practice
[29:56] - He came, is near, will come
[39:09] - Communion invitation and instructions
[52:28] - Benediction and sending

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Isaiah 2:2-5 — 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 and 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. Romans 13:11-14 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. Matthew 24:36-44 “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. 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.

Observation Questions

Read Isaiah 2:2-5. What images or phrases in this passage would have felt most shocking or hopeful to people living in a time of violence and political fear? What draws your attention now?
Read Romans 13:11-14. What concrete behaviors does Paul contrast with “put on the Lord Jesus Christ”? Which of those contrasts feel most relevant to people today?
In Matthew 24:36-44, what ordinary activities does Jesus use to describe people’s lives (eating, working, parenting)? How does that shape your understanding of “being ready”?
The pastor used the New York Times art experiment to explain Advent: “The longer you look, the more you see.” What did that experiment illustrate about attention and how Advent works? [07:06]

Interpretation Questions

How does Isaiah’s call to “walk in the light of the Lord” function more as an orientation than a step‑by‑step plan? What does that imply for how a person navigates political or personal anxiety?
In Romans 13 Paul warns about “slumber” and urges people to “wake up” and “clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ.” What practical signs might indicate someone is living in spiritual slumber rather than waking up to Christ’s nearness? [17:15]
The sermon describes waiting in prayer as “a disciplined refusal to act before God acts” (Eugene Peterson). How does interpreting waiting this way change what it looks like for someone to “wait” during daily tasks like work or parenting? [23:02]
How does Raul’s experience—calling detention “a gift” because he sensed Christ’s nearness—help interpret the relationship between suffering and Advent hope? What does that say about hope that is not mere optimism? [25:30]

Application Questions

Lift up your eyes: name one thing you find yourself staring at in despair or fear (news cycle, finances, a relationship, etc.). This week, what is one concrete action you will take to redirect your attention toward God’s promised future? (For example: replace 10 minutes of doom-scrolling with a 10-minute Scripture reading or a walk where you notice one thing of beauty.) [28:18]
Wake up: identify one habit that feeds spiritual numbness in your life (mindless scrolling, constant background noise, avoiding confession, skipping Sabbath). Choose one spiritual practice from the sermon (solitude, prayer, Sabbath, Scripture, confession) and schedule a specific time this week to do it. When will you do it and for how long? [28:50]
Put on Christ: think of one recurring situation this week where you normally respond from “autopilot” (an irritating family interaction, a stressful email, a frustrating commute). What is one brief, tangible action you will take in that moment to “put on Christ” (a short prayer, pause and breathe, choose a loving response)? [18:56]
Pay attention to where Christ is breaking in: name one person in your neighborhood, workplace, or family who may be in a place of darkness or need. What is one concrete thing you will do this week to bring light to them? (Visit, send a note, offer a meal, pray with them, connect them to a resource.) [29:18]
When fear or anxiety rises, Raul found strength in noticing Christ’s nearness even behind walls. Write a short, simple sentence (a truth) you can say in those moments this week to remind yourself of Christ’s nearness. Practice saying it once when you get up and once before bed. What will your sentence be? [25:30]
Waiting in ordinary life: choose one ordinary task this week (eating a meal, doing dishes, driving, working) and decide how you will “wait with expectant, ordinary faithfulness” during it. Give a concrete example (e.g., say a one‑sentence prayer before the meal, name one thing you’re thankful for while driving, notice one person to pray for while washing dishes). When will you do this? [22:28]

Sermon Clips

But in that moment, Isaiah gives them a vision. It's not a prediction. It's a promise. It's a counterscript to the despair that many of them might have been feeling. He proclaims in 2 verse 4, saying, In the latter days, nations will stream to the mountain of the Lord. Swords will become plowshares. We will learn war no more. Friends, if you read this, you might feel like, That's impossible. Do you know what humans are like? That's just naive thinking. But that's exactly why it's given. It's not escapist poetry. It's an invitation to wake up to the God who is near and to the world that God is bringing in. [00:11:13] (51 seconds) #PlowsharesPromise

There's a day that is coming where weapons will be turned into tools for life. There's a day that's coming where nations will walk in God's light instead of mutual suspicion. And that God's peace will shape the earth, just like gravity shapes the world for us. For the original hearers, this vision was meant to steady their trembling hearts. For us, Advent says, the future has already begun in Christ. Because Jesus has come, the light has dawned, though the sunrise full, full sunrise is still on its way. We're living in that twilight. [00:12:05] (48 seconds) #DawnIsBreaking

So the call is not fear, but awakening. Wake up, put on Christ, live as children of the dawn. The Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky said, the world will be saved by beauty. The world will be saved by beauty. Beauty wakes us up. Justice wakes us up. Christ wakes us up. [00:18:50] (29 seconds) #WakeUpWithChrist

Jesus' followers who wake up to God's reality, who aren't just woke, but will act and live hopefully because they've awakened to Christ. They will live in tangible ways that others will recognize. Paul is reminding us, suffering, injustice, is not the final word. God's dawn is. God's dawn is breaking in. So don't live as if hope is lost, as if suffering and injustice have the final say. Don't live as if Christ is absent. Live awake to his reality. [00:20:02] (42 seconds) #HopeInAction

So you see, waiting can be active when our waiting is prayerful. That's Advent. Not anxious prediction but attentive and prayerful presence. Not fear of the future but wakefulness to Christ who is already near. And when we hold these three scriptures together, we begin to hear a single Advent invitation. Each text names a different angle of the same grace. [00:23:20] (33 seconds) #PrayerfulWaiting

See, hope, we lit the candle of hope this morning. It's not an emotional high, it's not a distraction or denial of what things are like right now. It's not pretending that everything is fine. Hope is attention to God's presence right where we are. Hope is a direction. It's an orientation towards God's promised future. Hope is readiness. Readiness to live awake to a world that has been lulled to sleep. [00:24:35] (32 seconds) #AwakeToHope

Hope is trusting that God is nearer than fear, is nearer than a news cycle, nearer than your exhaustion, nearer than your grief. Many of you have heard Ritu share about her friend in Boston named Raul Hernandez. A few weeks ago, Raul was suddenly detained because of his immigration status. He was taken from his wife and children and held in an undisclosed facility and given no clear sense of what would happen next. Everything seemed hopeless about that situation. Dark, unjust, unexpected, frightening. [00:25:07] (38 seconds) #TrustGodsNearer

Yet, throughout his detainment, Raul kept sharing the gospel with his fellow detainees. He seemed joyful, so joyful that one of his friends remarked, saying, he's almost too joyful, it's annoying. This week, Raul was released, was granted bond and released. And when he stepped out, he wrote a letter to his church family and his words reveal not naive optimism, but someone who is awake to the nearness of Christ in a place where most of us would find only darkness. [00:25:44] (40 seconds) #JoyThatTestifies

Friends, that's Advent hope. It's not the denial of darkness, it's not the pretending that everything is fine, it's not having a cheerful personality, but it's wakefulness that notices Christ is standing in the very place that would have destroyed your faith. Now, for sure, Raul was not immune to experiencing fear or stress or the deep grief of being separated from his family. That's real. But he discovered that Jesus was nearer than the fear. Jesus was nearer than uncertainty. Jesus was nearer than the injustice, nearer than the walls that surrounded him. [00:26:55] (46 seconds) #NearerThanFear

``And as we lit this first candle of Advent, the candle of hope this morning, we declare that darkness does not get the last word. Christ does. He came. He is near. And he will come again. [00:29:44] (16 seconds) #AdventHope

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