Inspired by the hymn, What Gift Can We Bring, and this question related to the mission of the church, I asked myself the question, how are we, as the body of Christ, still a gift to the world today? This inspired me to flip my focus in Advent this year. Rather than simply looking forward with expectation to the gift that God has given to us, I began to wonder how we as the church continue to make those gifts visible still today.
Drawing on the traditional themes of Advent (Peace, Hope, Joy, and Love) and the themes of Grace and Faith present in the season of Christmas, we will reflect this season on how we as the body of Christ continue to make these gifts known in our communities. On this first Sunday of Advent, we use the prophet Isaiah (see Isaiah 2:1-5) to help us reflect on the gift of God's peace.
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As we enter Advent this year, I was inspired by a question that was raised with me this past summer. As part of some listening sessions related to worship, the question was asked about more intentionally loving our neighbors in practical ways. What can we do to better live out the call to love God by loving our neighbors? What does that look like and how do we incorporate that into worship?
As I thought ahead to this season of the year, I considered the gift of Jesus to the world. During Advent we await the coming of that gift. We await God coming into the world in the person of Jesus. We look with expectation to the birth of the Child who will usher in God’s kingdom. We long for the return of Jesus that will ultimately release us from bondage.
And then I started singing a hymn that I have heard sung in some churches related to the offering, “What Gift Can We Bring.” This hymn recognizes the many gifts that make each day possible. It recognizes the gifts that God has given us -- the gift of life, the gift of Jesus, the gift of creation, the gift of tomorrow, the gift of God’s own love. But it is also about the gifts of others, about those in our communal past whose faith led to our congregations and made it possible for us to study and sing and pray together today.
This hymn starts with a question: What gift can we bring, what present, what token? In other words, what can we possibly offer to express our gratitude for all of these gifts?
As we enter this season where we celebrate the gift of Jesus to the world, what are the gifts that we bring? Or to think about it another way, how do we continue to share that gift with others? How do we continue to make the gift of Jesus present in a world in need of all that Jesus has shown us? The hymn helps us consider our “mission that bids us turn prayer into deed.”
On the first Sunday of Advent, we traditionally consider the gift of God’s peace. Looking to the book of Isaiah, the prophet tells us that “God will judge between the nations and settle disputes of mighty nations” (Isaiah 2:4, CEB).
And the response?
“...they will beat their swords into iron plows and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation; they will no longer learn how to make war” (Isaiah 2:4).
The result of walking “by the Lord’s light” (Isaiah 2:5, CEB) is that we will give up war. Our tools and resources will be directed to feeding people rather than killing people.
We read this passage here as we look forward in expectation because we believe that Jesus is the one to fulfill these words. Jesus is the light of God who has come into the world. Jesus is the one that teaches us the ways of God and shows us how to walk in God’s paths. Jesus is the gift from God that brings peace to the nations.
As Christians, we are meant to live as Jesus lived and to walk as Jesus walked. Through our baptism, we are joined to Jesus. We become part of his body here on earth. And so we must do our best to continue to offer his gift of peace to the world.
How are we as the body of Christ continuing to make God’s gift of peace known to the world?
How are we as the body of Christ continuing to work towards the fulfillment of the prophet's vision?
How are we as the body of Christ continuing to learn from Jesus and walk by His light?
How are we as the body of Christ continuing to be a gift to the world?
What gift can we bring, what present, what token?
As we enter into this season of expectation, as we look to God’s peace in this world, we are reminded that we are called to continue to present God’s gifts to the world around us. Jesus is the one promised to us and through Him, we are able to live in God’s love.
As we consider this gift we have been given, it is easy to become overwhelmed, to question what we could possibly do to repay this gift. That is where the hymn starts. What gift can we bring?
But that is not where it ends. As it is a gift we are not asked to repay it; we are asked to accept it. And as we live in God’s love for us, as we receive the gift of peace that is God’s to give, it is only natural to want to share that gift with others. After all, Jesus tells us that love of God and love of neighbor are intertwined.
As the body of Christ here on earth, we are called to live as Jesus lived and to walk as Jesus walked. We are called to continue to make God’s gift of peace present in this world, that all will lay down their weapons and turn their tools to production instead of destruction.
What gift can we bring, what present, what token?
Especially at this time of year when we are so focused on the gift that God has given us in Jesus, it seems only right that part of our focus should be on the gifts that we give to the world around us. To go back to the question I opened with, what can we do to better live out the call to love God by loving our neighbors?
One way we do this is by being a gift to our local communities. Do our communities see God’s gift of peace through us? If not, what would we need to do to make that gift visible to the rest of the world?
Maybe we start a drive to collect supplies for local organizations and shelters that provide persons in the community with stability and safety.
Maybe we push to raise money to forgive medical debt to afford others peace of mind.
Maybe we find the places where harm is being done in our communities and take steps to be visible agents of peace in those places, not as some form of self-promotion but simply as visible agents of God’s work in the world.
The gifts that we offer may look different in each community. While there may be similarities, each of our communities are facing different needs and struggles. The work of the church is to find those places where peace is needed and to do what we can to make God’s peace present in that place.
As we continue into this season of expectation, may we continue to make God’s gift known to the rest of the world.
As we continue into this season of expectation, may we continue to show the world what God’s peace looks like