The God Who Loves Us

Why do you think the Church has marked

the Advent season for the past 2,000 years?

Celebrate. Anticipate. Participate. Celebrating a truth about God—the

revelation of God in Christ whereby all of creation might be reconciled to God. That is a process in which we now participate, and the consummation of which we anticipate.

A Unique View of Human History

Between the Advents “Holy Living” thru Kingdom ethics, faithful stewardship

PresentPast

First Advent

Future

Second Advent

Participatory Participles

Past Future

First Advent Second Advent

anticipating

Present

Past Future

First Advent Second Advent

expecting

Present

Participatory Participles

Past Future

First Advent Second Advent

preparing

Present

Participatory Participles

Past Future

First Advent Second Advent

longing

Present

Participatory Participles

Past Future

First Advent Second Advent

yearning

Present

Participatory Participles

Past Future

First Advent Second Advent

leaning

Present

Participatory Participles

Past Future

First Advent Second Advent

hopingPresent

Participatory Participles

“Advent isn’t a holiday party. It doesn’t pressure us to

conjure up a hopeful face, ring bells, and dismiss the

foulest realities we face.” —Christena Cleveland

“Advent isn’t about our best world, it’s about our

worst world.”

Before there was light, there was only darkness.

The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was

hovering over the surface of the waters. Genesis 1:12

Nothing but darkness

Sin damaged God’s unspoiled creation.

Hunger

Apathy

Fear

Ferguson

Prejudice

Violence

Systemic injustice

Fatherlessness

Oppression of Indigenous People

Abuse and misuse of creation

ISIS

Political polarization

Human trafficking

Stigmatizing mental illness

Inequality of Ebola treatment

Self-righteous bigotry

But God chose to save this sin-darkened world.“But God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever

believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

“Jesus entered a world plagued not only by darkness of individual

pain and sin, but also by the darkness of systemic oppression.”

—Christena Cleveland

For the majority of the Hebrews then living in their “Promised Land,” the darkness of long-

standing oppression had all but extinguished any hope for

justice, for relief, or for liberation.

“It was into this ‘worst world’ that the Light-in-which-We-see-Light was born,

liberating the people from the terror of darkness.”

—Christena Cleveland

God so loved this world…Seeking justice

HealingGrace

Hope

Mercy

Giving worthEmpathetic

No strings attached

Identify with overlooked and ignored

Forgiving

Willing to be uncomfortable

Building bridges of hope

Sacrificial

Willing to suffer

God so loved this world…Ferguson

HungerApathy

Fear

Prejudice

ViolenceFatherlessness

Oppression of Indigenous People

Abuse and misuse of creation

Human trafficking

Stigmatizing mental illness

Inequality of Ebola treatment

Self-righteous bigotry

Systemic injustice

The light of true hope shines brightest in the midst of true darkness.

Participate: speak out for the voiceless, stand up for the powerless, seek justice and peace for all.

Wide-eyed Wonder Opening the Gift of the Gospel

HOP E