Advent Worship Guide -- Week 2: Peace and the Bethlehem Candle
This week, we continue our Advent series with the second theme of the season -- Peace. Before we dive into this week’s theme, here is a brief recap on what Advent is and why we celebrate. Advent is the season spanning the four weeks preceding Christmas in which churches all over the world become immersed in the stories, prophecies, songs, and poems that predicted the birth of Jesus, the Messiah. It is a time on reflecting on God’s faithfulness in fulfilling his promise to leave the heavenly realms, make his dwelling among us, and usher in a new era of redemption and restoration that is offered freely to all people. Advent is also a time to look forward in anticipation, waiting eagerly for God to continue to fulfill his promise to one day return and bring the fullness of hHs kingdom, where he will reign in justice and mercy on earth just like in heaven. Advent involves a sense of tension and longing, but remains a season of celebration. In this season, we recognize that God is present with us in the midst of our longing while at the same time working out his divine plan to one day bring not just humanity, but all of creation back into a right relationship with Him.
Last week, we explored the theme of HOPE -- which you can view or revisit HERE.
This week, we dive into the second theme of Advent -- Peace.
Give Shalom a Chance
Peace is a word that gets used frequently in modern culture. Often, the word relates to the ending of war or conflict. We see the “peace” sign embroidered on clothing. We hear musicians sing about it. Peace can also connote the idea of protest or pacifism -- the image of a hermit far removed from society. In some ways, peace can even conjure up the idea of apathy, remaining unmoved while everything else burns down.
Biblical peace, however, means something slightly different. One word in scripture most commonly translated as “peace” is the Hebrew word “Shalom.” Wrapped up in the definition of Shalom is certainly this idea of being free of conflict, war, or violence. However, Shalom reaches a bit farther. Shalom doesn’t just mean to cease war, but to actively engage in restoration, redemption, and healing. Shalom at is core is more closely defined as “wholeness,” or “completeness.” It is a picture of a wall with bricks laid perfectly, showing no cracks or crevices, or a marble statue revealing no flaws, creases, or blemishes of any sort.
Shalom doesn’t just mean to cease war, but to actively engage in restoration, redemption, and healing.
In scripture, the idea of shalom is first presented in Genesis when God, after finishing all of his work, declares it to be “very good.” God, before resting, looked at all he had made -- humans included -- and saw that his work of creation was fully and truly complete. God still gave humanity work in the garden -- naming the animals, tending to the plants and vines -- but the work was purposeful and life giving. The relationship between Adam and Eve as well as between humanity and God were perfect.
When sin entered the world, however, those relationships -- between humans and God, humans and work, humans and creation, humans and other humans -- all became fractured. Fortunately the story doesn’t end there, as since the fall of humanity, God has been at work to bring restoration to the whole of creation and guide humanity back into a place of right relationship -- back to Shalom!
During the season of Advent, we experience a bit of a divide. On the one hand, we grieve for the brokenness in the world that leads to conflict, violence, oppression, and injustice. However, we also celebrate knowing that God is with us! When we lean in and recognize his presence with us, we can catch a glimpse of that “wholeness.” When we allow ourselves to surrender to the reality that God’s presence is truly all we need, we can be still before him and allow all of our anxiety to melt away in the warmth of his love and grace.
Blessed are the Peacemakers
We are also charged with a pivotal task -- to BE peacemakers! Isaiah 2 tells of a time when God will “judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many people. 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.” In a world consumed by conflict, it is not enough to simply resort to nonviolence. Certainly as Christ followers, we should default away from attitudes and behaviors that harm others. HOWEVER -- WE are also responsible for ACTIVELY ushering in God’s kingdom of peace. In Christ, we see a model for how to live peacefully while still engaging the world, the lost, the broken. In Christ, we see life giving ways to resist systems of oppression and injustice. We are not called simply to passively avoid violence, but to actively pursue justice, mercy, grace, and peace (see what I did there!?).
Be Still
If inside, you feel anxiety, worry, conflict -- we invite you to be still, breath in, and experience God’s peace which he offers to you freely. We also encourage you to step into the world as an agent of God’s peace -- his radical, earth shattering, life transforming, world changing peace!
We invite you to continue in worship this week with a brand new Worship Guide featuring new Daily Scripture readings and action steps to help you through this Advent Season! You can download the guide HERE