Q: What is the "Advent season"? We've moved and are in a new church, and they've made several announcements recently about what they'll be doing during Advent season, but I'm not clear what they mean. - Mrs. T.M.
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A: The word "advent" means "arrival," and it refers to the arrival of Jesus Christ into the world. The "Advent season" usually starts four weeks before Christmas and concludes with the celebration of Christ's birth.
Some churches emphasize the Advent season more than others, but all Christians look forward to Christ's birth during this season of the year. And why not, since the coming of Jesus Christ into the world is at the center of our faith? Even people who aren't religious divide their calendar into two parts - the centuries before Christ's birth ("B.C.") and the centuries afterward ("A.D.," or "after the Lord").
Remember: Christmas is more than the birthday of a great man. The Bible tells us that Christmas marks the entrance into the world of the divine Son of God, sent from heaven to save us from our sins. Jesus Christ was God in human flesh - fully man, but also fully God. The Bible says, "In Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form" (Colossians 2:9).
Take time between now and Christmas to reflect on this great truth. Read passages from the Old Testament that predicted His coming (often in startling detail); read too the opening chapters of Matthew and Luke that tell of the events surrounding His birth. Then thank God every day for the greatest gift we could ever receive: the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ.
Affectionately known as the “World’s Preacher” for more than 60 years, the Rev. Billy Graham is one of the most influential and respected spiritual leaders of the 20th century. He has been a friend and spiritual advisor to ten American presidents and has preached the Gospel to more people in live audiences than anyone else in history — nearly 215 million people in more than 185 countries and territories — through various meetings. Hundreds of millions more have been reached through television, video, film, and webcasts. Send your queries to "My Answer," c/o Billy Graham, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, N.C., 28201; call 1-(877) 2-GRAHAM, or visit the Web site for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association: www.billygraham.org.
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It would be nice if all Christians would come back to celebrating the Liturgical Calendar, which the Orthodox and Catholics have celebrate for 2000 years. Some Protestants of the Reformation still celebrate some of the Liturgical season, but newer Protestant Denominations continue to throw out the old and try to reinvent something new. The problem is, the old is much better than anything new. You can't better traditions that came from the earliest Christians and especially traditions that came from the Apostles.
It is far greater to celebrate more than just Christmas and Easter, when you can celebrate Pentecost, Epiphany, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, the Ascension of Christ to Heaven, His dedication in the Temple, etc.
By using the Liturgical Calendar, we are called to celebrate all the major times in the life of Christ which is a really good thing.
A link to this article has been posted on the website GoodNewsNow.com.