Fourth Sunday of Advent – December 21, 2024

While we have been focused on the angels’ instructions in the first two chapters of Luke, God has told us many times “Do not be afraid!” In the Gospel of John, we hear, “Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (Jn 14:27). God continues to instruct us not to fear in different ways, but we cannot hear the words because of our fear. Let God’s peace wash over you and hear these words even more loudly now.

This fourth and final week of Advent, we are called to explore what it looks like to choose love, when sometimes, it’s just really hard. We gather together in Christ’s love to glorify the one who is Love. Rejecting all forms of hate, protesting all prejudice, we choose love above all else. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. And because we are courageous in the love of God, in the love made complete in Jesus, we do not fear.

So many made-for-Hallmark holiday movies are about the same thing: being in love. Brian and I watched a movie called “The Holiday Sitter” last year (take this as more of a confession than a recommendation) and I realized mid-movie that we somehow associate Christmas with the warm fuzzies of romance. But Jesus came with a love that was much better than that. This last week of Advent, let’s try to set aside what we’ve learned about love from movies and consider a completely different kind.

Take a deep breath and consider this final Advent question this week: Who made you feel loved this year, and how did they do it?

I’m willing to guess the last time you felt loved, it didn’t have anything to do with movielike romance. The world has taught us wrongly about what love looks like in action. We’ve been taught that love lights candles and wears skimpy clothing. But I’m guessing your example was probably closer to something someone did that made you feel seen, known. Someone who loves well shows you that you are valued even when it costs them something to do it. It’s those things that we miss when we grieve the loss of a loved one.

My husband is really good at this… He sees the little daily things that I can’t do, and he tries to pick those things to do for me. He picks up Zak from school every single day. He tries to plan dinner when I don’t. These are things that cost him time and bother, and he does them anyway. I feel valued by his sacrifice for my time.

God planned the first Christmas at the very foundations of the world. God knew it would come at terrible cost, but there was a much bigger objective. God’s objective was to make sure you and I understood that we are seen, known, and wanted in the family of God. God made the first move to say, “I love you.” God saw what we needed, and did it even though it hurt. This is the very definition of love—valuing another so much that we are willing to cost ourselves something to communicate that value. “In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:10).

There is so much love in the Christmas story! From Mary and Joseph, who chose not to be afraid of how their lives were interrupted, but instead chose to embrace one another and their new path together. To the innkeeper, who chose not to be afraid of the strangers banging at the door, but instead to make room for them where there once was no room. To the shepherds, who chose not to be afraid of the unknown, but to set off in search of the good news that the angel had shared with them. 

God continues to tell us “Do not be afraid! Spread love to all whom you meet.” 

Loving God, let us be silent in gratitude for your unconditional love. We love because you first loved us. Love begins and ends with you. And as we celebrate the love of Advent, we anticipate the love-made-flesh in Jesus. This love is beyond imagination, beyond limits, and beyond the realm of fear and control. Christian love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Challenge our small understanding of love today as we fix our eyes on Jesus. Amen.