‘Advent - an invitation’ by Kyle Henderson-Begg - 23 November 2025

What is special about the new season we’re about to enter? Kyle Henderson-Begg looks at the role that festivals play in people’s lives, providing inspiration - literally, breath in - to fuel our lives and day to day expressions of faith. They can show us God’s character and our purpose, as well as interrupting regular life to refresh and remind us that life ahead can be different, better than what we are used to. How can engaging with Advent in the approach to Christmas help you see life differently this year?

Transcript

Before we dive into today’s content, I want to mention something from my last talk here from June, I’m sure you all remember it well and have watched it many times… it’s on our website in case you’re interested.

I had some very helpful feedback and so I just wanted to clarify something.

The focus of my talk was from Matt 5 ‘the beatitudes’ and my main point was ‘You’re in’ are you mourning, are you persecuted, are you poor in spirit, are you downtrodden do you hunger for righteousness. ‘You are in’

And I just wanted to stress that the Kingdom of God is open to anyone, you’re already accepted.

But - it’s an invitation that we all need to respond to.

Does that make sense?

It’s an invitation.

I am not a universalist, and while I have rejected the idea of eternal conscious torment as the alternative to heaven, I still believe that we need to accept the invitation.

I believe that the Father is a pursuing Father, an inviting Father and it’s written on every page of the bible, old & new testament, threaded through the narrative…

Every night Eugine Peterson, used to say to his son

‘God loves you. He's on your side. He's coming after you. He's relentless.’

Frances Thompson wrote a poem in 1890 called the Hound of Heaven, describing this holy pursuit of the Father after us.

God is constantly inviting us into relationship, he’s constantly providing invitations, opportunities for connection.

And Advent, is another invitation, but one we allow to pass us by, particularly in our postmodern, ‘post Christian’ world view that is so prevalent in our modern charismatic churches – not this one though, right!?!

We get busy with the commercial side of Christmas.

And so today, I want to highlight the season of advent and extend to you the invitation to step into the story.

I adore Advent.

I love the Christmas carols - they always grab my heart and bring tears to my eyes, the story captures my heart.

The word Advent means coming or arrival.

Particularly of a king or an important person.

In short Avent is a season of watching, waiting. Expectant.

Echoing Israel’s longing for a rescuer, longing for the messiah (though of course they didn’t’ recognise him)

Now we wait in hope for his return. (maybe)

In the church, Advent is about:

Remembering Christ’s first coming in humility (Incarnation – Bethlehem).

Longing for Christ’s second coming in glory (New Creation).

The key themes of advent are

• Hope – God keeps His promises (Romans 15:13).

• Peace – Christ is our peace (Ephesians 2:14).

• Joy – Good news of great joy (Luke 2:10).

• Love – God so loved the world (John 3:16; 1 John 4:9–10).

Growing up in a small rural Anglican church in Devon, I was taught about the seasons & the cycles. They are very important farmers and those in a rural community. I was taught about the church Calendar.

Did you know we have a church calendar?

The church calendar takes us through the year and draws us into the story of God’s pursuit of us.

In the church calendar we have Festival time or ‘normal’ time

Some might say the church year is like breathing in and out.

Festivals are deep breaths in.

We slow down and reflect on What God has done, and therefore who he is.

And that’s really important – if we reflect on what he’s done, not who he is, we miss it!

Normal time is exhaling.

we live in light of those festivals.

we allow what we learnt to shape our interactions in the world.

We explore Discipleship, Mission, life in obedience & relationship with the Father, the son & Spirit.

But this isn’t our idea,

It was The Father’s – so we wouldn’t forget who he was and what he’d done.

And, boy do I need that!

How often do I forget what the Lord has done for me, and I just fall in to grumbling.

So the Lord Decreed that God’s people should observe festivals

Most of these are outlined in the book of Leviticus…

Leviticus 23 outlines all the festivals his people were to keep.

• Sabbath (Leviticus 23:3)

• Passover & Unleavened Bread (23:4–8)

• First fruits (23:9–14)

• Weeks / Pentecost (23:15–22)

• Trumpets (23:23–25)

• Day of Atonement (23:26–32)

• Tabernacles / Booths (23:33–44).

Let’s look some of these briefly;

Passover. – remembering rescue from slavery. (escaping Egypt)

reveals that God is; Faithful, rescuing, judging evil, passes over in mercy

Pentecost – remembering provision & covernant.

Before Jesus this was a harvest celebration of God’s provision (deut 16)

reveals that God is; giver of good gifts, provider, law-giver, covenant maker.

Feast of booths/tabernacles – Remembering God’s presence on the journey (wilderness)

Reveals that God is; present with his people, guiding, sustaining in the wilderness of life.

Day of atonement – remembering God’s mercy & holiness

Reveals God’s character.

Holy – sin must be dealt with

Merciful - He provides away for forgiveness

Why these festivals

o To remember God’s saving acts (deut 4:9)

 Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them

o To rehearse their identity as God’s people (Deuteronomy 7:6–9)

 For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.

o To rejoice in God together as community – we are not to be alone, and we need to remind each other

o To reveal his character to one-another!

And this is where it get’s exciting guys…

Jesus fulfils the Old testament festivals.

• Passover - Christ is our Passover lamb - He is the sacrifice we need, the blood that covers us. (1 Corinthians 5:7; John 1:29)

• First fruits – Christ is the first fruits of those who have ‘fallen asleep’ this is pointing to the resurrection of the dead.(1 Corinthians 15:20, 23).

o That’s our promise for the resurrection!!

• Day of atonement - Jesus as our great high pries and once-for-all sacrifice means that it is done – it is finished! Jesus as our great High Priest and once-for-all sacrifice (Hebrews 9:11–14, 24–28; 10:10–14)

• Tabernacles – the word became flesh and tabernacled among us!!!

“The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us” (John 1:14)

Woo. Boom! Mic Drop.

This is why we still need festivals.

To remember God’s mighty acts

To rehearse our identity as people of the risen Lord

To Rejoice, gathering in joy & worship

To reveal Jesus to the world.

And that is why advent; the start of the church calendar.

Perhaps a doorway to the church year.

We look back to the birth of Jesus and the fulfilment of the promise.

But we also look forward to his return and the renewal of all things.

(rev 21:1-5)

This is where we get lost.

We forget that he is coming back.

Or maybe, we’re not sure we believe that he is.

Maybe we’ve believed that this is going to be as good as it gets..

But the truth is the End of the bible. The end of the book of Revelation is the Spirit - that is the spirit of God - and the bride – that is us, the church -say ‘come’

His response?

I am coming, soon. (paraphrase)

And of course, we don’t know when, let’s not try to guess.

This is where advent is so important.

It’s not just a panicked parent’s countdown to Christmas.

It reminds us – yes he came.

But he is coming back.

And when he does – wow.

He will make all things new.

He will restore order

He will bring justice.

He will bring healing.

No more hunger, sickness, death…

I don’t know what it will look like, but it’s going to be a heck of a lot better than it is right now.

Advent as a Season That Shapes Us

Advent reminds us of what God has done

• God has come near in Jesus (Matthew 1:21–23).

• God has kept His promises (2 Corinthians 1:20).

Advent reveals who God is (His character)

• God is faithful – He keeps covenant love from generation to generation (Deuteronomy 7:9; Luke 1:72–75).

• God is compassionate – He enters our darkness (Isaiah 9:2; John 1:5).

• God is patient and merciful – He delays judgment so more may come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9, 15).

Advent trains us to wait well. You see, we are caught in the now and the not yet!

• Now: Christ has come and saved us (Colossians 1:13–14).

• Not yet: We await the full restoration of all things (Romans 8:18–25).

And it’s in this waiting that I want to linger…. To wait, if you will.

Because we’re not good at lingering. At waiting.

I often find myself grieving in advent.

That doesn’t line up with Peace, joy, hope & love does it?

I find myself resonating with Carols like ‘O come, O come Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel….’

A Carol of Lament – but again, what does that have to do with hope?

Well, everything.

We cannot lament if we do not believe that things should be different.

And as we look around the world

Our streets, our towns, our families….

Things should be different.

We should lament.

And advent is the right time to cry out against injustice and rattle the gates of heaven in prayer and say O Lord! When will you right these wrongs???

When will your Justice role like a river???

When will we see your healing???

When will we see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living

But in that hymn, that Carol the resounding call

Rejoice! Rejoice – Emmanuel – God with us, God incarnate, will come. He will rescue us.

Psalm 27 – still (in spite of what I see) Still I am confident of this, I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.’

Advent calls us to live differently in “ordinary time”

Because Christ has come and will come again, we:

• Wake up from spiritual sleep (Romans 13:11–12).

• Put off the works of darkness (Romans 13:12–13).

• Put on the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 13:14).

Application.

So, how do we enter in?

Firstly, we need to slow down…

Find a Rhythm that allows us to breathe in.

I really like advent candles.

We use one at home, and there is one for each family here if you would like one.

We light it at teatime and talk about Christmas.

The flame represents Jesus as the light of the world.

The candle allows a focus

Secondly, and with the slowing down,

We need to understand why Advent so we can enter in.

Then the invitation to relationship.

To those who are weary - remember, God has come near,

To those who are mourn -He is coming back. Hold on to hope

He loves you, He’s on your side, he’s coming after you, he’s relentless.

So, enter into the story.

Let’s pray.