One of the more interesting, and challenging, experiences in my years as a pastor was my call as associate pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Hastings, Nebraska; a call that included youth ministry.  All ministry has its interesting and challenging moments, but working with youth is especially so.  For one thing, you never really know what will be effective and what won’t.  Several times we had activities planned that I thought would be the greatest thing in the history of youth ministry, only to witness their going over like the proverbial lead balloon.  And vice versa, activities that I was almost embarrassed to bring to the youth and then end up watching them have a great time with it.  Ministry with youth keeps you on your toes.

One of the topics that is prevalent in youth ministry is dating and one’s view and attitude toward the opposite sex.  Prevalent because that’s what is on their minds most of the time.  Lesson plans discussing the parables of Jesus would somehow turn into a discussion about dating and the opposite sex.  Discussion about the sacrificial system in the Old Testament would turn into a discussion of dating and the opposite sex.  It’s a frequent topic in youth ministry.  And one of the things I was somewhat famously known for in the discussion—or, possibly, infamously depending on who you talked with—was this challenge.  “When you’re on a date,” I would say, “behave as if Jesus were right there beside you the whole time…because, in fact, He is!”  That usually resulted in nervous laughter and glances back and forth with their peers.  High school youth group was on Sunday nights, so the images and events of a recent date that weekend would be fresh in their minds.  Imagine how young people taking that seriously—the presence of Christ right there alongside them—would affect their behavior on a date.

Better yet, imagine how acting on that premise—the presence of Christ alongside us—might affect our behavior.  Would we really have said that if Christ were standing right there next to us?  Would we have done that if Christ were present in the room?  Well, the fact of the matter is…he is.  Jesus Christ is with us constantly, at all times.

Today is the 1^st Sunday in Advent, a season of preparation.  Advent is preparation for the celebration of Christmas, the season being counted down by the lighting each Sunday of candles.  And Advent is also a season of preparation for Christ’s return.  In that preparation, we are reminded that God first came down and dwelt among humanity through Christ’s birth—conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary—the specific event we celebrate at Christmas.  And God remained among his people through Christ’s life in Nazareth, his ministry in Galilee and his final days in Jerusalem.  The purpose of that first appearance was to teach and model for us the life of faith.  Even more, his purpose in his first appearance among humanity was to fulfill the covenant promise of victory over sin and death.  The purpose in Christ’s second appearance among humanity—the event for which we wait, his return—will be to restore the perfection of God’s creation and fulfill the work of the Kingdom.  At his second appearance, there will no longer be any temptation to sin, sin itself and all its terrible consequences will be eradicated, evil and its counterfeit to God’s perfect good will exist no more.  In the meantime, we continue to struggle with temptation and sin, the expression of evil in our lives and in our world.  Advent is a reminder that we live in the “in between time” of Christ’s two appearances among us.

However, we are not left with the absence of Christ in our lives.  Advent is also a reminder that in the “in between time” of Christ’s two physical appearances among us, we have the promised presence of Christ’s spirit with us.  It is the promise of Christ’s Great Commission to his church, to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).  It is the promise of the Upper Room, as Jesus met with his disciples to celebrate the Passover meal and to comfort and encourage them for the events of his betrayal, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension that were to come: Truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you, but if I go, I will send him to you (John 16:7).  It is the promise from Christ before his ascension into heaven, you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).  It is the promise in the teachings of Paul when he writes to the Colossians, To [the Lord’s people] God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27); and to the Galatians, I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20); and in our passage for today from 1 Corinthians, God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you (1 Corinthians 1:6).

Advent, therefore, is a reminder that we are not alone.  Jesus Christ was physically born in Bethlehem, walked among his people throughout Galilee, was crucified dead and buried, but was raised from the dead and ascended into heaven.  It is this same Jesus Christ who is to physically return, to walk among his people once again and restore the perfection of God’s creation and complete the work of his Kingdom.  And it is this same Jesus Christ who is present with us now through the work of his Spirit in us.  In other words, we are never alone.  Jesus Christ is with us always.  On our dates.  In our work and in our play.  Always Christ is present with us.

Now…is that good news?  Or bad news?  I suspect we all can think of moments where it is bad news…at least at first blush.  We all have moments of actions or words for which we are ashamed.  We all have moments of inaction, or failure to speak which we later regret.  I suspect there were moments during “Black Friday” for which the realization of Christ always with us brings a sense of shame.  At least I would hope there would be a sense of shame.  I would hope the realization of what we have made of the celebration of Christ’s birth would bring embarrassment and shame.  Unbelievable.  Yet even at that—at our moments of deepest shame and excruciating embarrassment, especially in the awareness of Christ there with us at such moments—there is good news…the equally constant presence of Christ’s grace.  Christ’s “unmerited favor” given to us, not because of what we do or say, but rather out of the fountain of God’s unconditional love for us.  Paul says, I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus (1 Cor 1:4).  That is good news even in our most embarrassing and shameful moments.

Yet there is more.  Paul points to even more good news through the promised presence of Christ with us.  We are the recipients, first of all, of spiritual gifts through Christ’s Spirit at work in us: Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed (1 Cor 1:7).  Spiritual gifts that go beyond our basic talents and abilities and are to be used for the edification of others.  Gifts of teaching, generosity, mercy, servanthood, etc., that get expressed in the life of the church every day.  There is also the good news of Christ’s presence in us that keeps us “firm to the end” (1 Cor 1:8a).  When circumstances threaten to derail our faith, it is the presence of Christ’s Spirit in us that gives us a peace that is beyond our understanding, a joy that rises above all situations and no circumstance can touch.  All because of Christ’s presence with us.  And, finally, there is the good news that we “will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor 1:8b).  When Christ does return again, and everyone will give an account for his/her life, those who are “in Christ” will be found blameless—not in their words or deeds, but rather because of what was done for them in Jesus Christ.

All this is possible—spiritual gifts for the proclamation of the gospel, standing firm through all the trials and difficulties of life, being found blameless despite the many things for which we are embarrassed or ashamed—because God came down and dwelt among us in Jesus Christ…and he has never left us…and never will.  That is the message of Advent.

Let’s take a moment to ponder the wonderful mystery of Christ in us.