Living in hopeful anticipation

21:25 ‘There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26 People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.’

29 He told them this parable: ‘Look at the fig-tree and all the trees. 30 When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. 31 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.

32 ‘Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

34 ‘Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. 35 For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.’

Luke 21:25–36 (NIVUK)

Advent begins with the theme of anticipation—not just for Christmas, but for the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises. In a world filled with anxiety and uncertainty, Christ calls us to live in hopeful anticipation as we watch for His redemption.

God keeps His promises, so trust Him

14 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will fulfil the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah.”

Jeremiah 33:14 (NIVUK)

Jeremiah speaks to a people in exile from their homeland, assuring them that God will fulfill the promise of a righteous Branch from David’s line.

All the people want is to return home. God is gracious enough to offer that to them, but this promise is far bigger and wider than that. God’s promise is not about giving us comfort and security. This is a promise of complete restoration, true justice, and a deep peace.

The season of Advent is a reminder that God keeps His promises, both in the coming of Christ at Bethlehem and in the promise of His return. He has delivered on the first. If He stays true to form, He will deliver on the second.

All this leads me to wonder: What does God promise us? Do we want what God promises?

All the Israelites wanted was to be back home, but in comes Jeremiah talking about a righteous Branch from the line of David. “What are you on about, Jerry? Can we go home or not?”

Like those Israelites, we might just want to be safe and comfortable in familiar surroundings too. We don’t want our way of life, our homes, or our place of worship to be threatened. We are comfortable with where and how we live—all we want is for that to stay true. Does God promise this, or something else entirely?

God’s promise of a righteous branch from David’s line does not guarantee these things. If anything, Jesus says that everything we know and trust is going to be thrown into complete chaos and destroyed when He returns. That’s because this world is not our home—as His created beings, we belong to God and in His kingdom.

God promises us so much more than familiarity. He promises that, no matter what happens, our eternal future is safe in Him. No matter how much you’ve had to endure in life—physical struggles, challenging relationships, difficult situations—our Lord promises complete and utter peace in Him. We have the peace of that knowledge now, but we will receive it in full when all things are made new.

God keeps His promises, so trust Him.

Redemption is near, so be confident

25 ‘There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26 People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.’

Luke 21:25–28 (NIVUK)

Jesus’ words about cosmic signs and distress can feel unsettling, but His message is one of hope: “Your redemption is drawing near.”

Jesus contrasts fear with confident anticipation. For believers, the signs of upheaval are not the end—they point to the coming of God’s kingdom in fullness. With all the terror and fear that will surround us when Christ comes again, we can stand confidently with heads held high, knowing that we’re not about to cop some serious heat from our heavenly Father at all. On that day, we will be finally redeemed.

Instead of succumbing to fear, we are called to “stand up” with hope. How can we live in confidence when we’re surrounded by so much fear and uncertainty?

We are not called to retreat from the world and hide away from its troubles, as tempting as that is. We are called to approach each day head-on with complete confidence that God is at work to redeem us.

When we have a long-term view in mind—the view of our eternal salvation in Jesus—it becomes so much easier to face the tough things in life.

We know that God promises to redeem us. We know that He has already begun that work by sending us Jesus the first time. We know, based on the evidence and on who He is, that God keeps His promises.

Redemption is near, so be confident.

We are waiting, so pray for strength

In today’s epistle reading, Paul prays for the Thessalonians to be blameless and holy as they await Christ’s return. Similarly, the psalmist asks for guidance and forgiveness, trusting in God’s faithful love.

We all know how excruciating it can be to have to sit and wait with nothing to do. Time seems to slow down and we can even get frustrated. Waiting for Christ to come again is not like that at all because He calls us to get busy while we wait.

In the Christian life, waiting is not passive but active. Our waiting is marked by faith, love, and holiness. We are called to get busy while we wait, but not to get distracted. Don’t get busy with the wrong things.

34 ‘Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap.

Luke 21:34 (NIVUK)

Jesus warns against being weighed down by distractions or worries. Instead, we are to stay alert and ready for His return.

So, how can we stay focused on God’s kingdom and avoid being led off-course? How can we keep our eyes set on eternity rather than on the worries of today?

Apart from the odd occasion when God radically intervenes in our lives and yanks us back on-track, He gives us some other tools to help us.  

We can’t come to God or know Him by our own effort or strength—He does this work in us through the means of grace: Word and Sacrament. As we spend time in the Word, in prayer, in worship, and in acts of love for each other, the Spirit gets to work on our hearts.

As Paul encouraged the Thessalonians to be blameless and holy as they wait for Jesus to return, we strive to do the same, but only with the help of the Holy Spirit. He is the one who calls us, gathers us, enlightens us, and makes us holy. As we wait for Christ to come, pray that He would do this work in you and through you. In the age of the Church, we might be in a waiting pattern, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of work to get on with.

We are waiting, so pray for strength.

Conclusion

Advent is a season of hopeful anticipation, rooted in the promises of God. Jeremiah reminds us of God’s faithfulness, Luke calls us to watch for redemption, and Paul and the psalmist encourage us to live faithfully in the waiting.

God keeps His promises, so trust Him.

Redemption is near, so be confident.

We are waiting, so pray for strength.

May God guide us in His truth, strengthen our hearts, and fill us with the hope of His coming kingdom. In the name of Christ. Amen.