Advent focu\u00adses on the direc\u00adtion and anti\u00adci\u00adpa\u00adti\u00adon of Christ\u00admas, the birth of Jesus Christ. His first coming brought sal\u00adva\u00adti\u00adon to us humans, but Advent is not only about the first coming, but also the second. Jesus will come again one day, but we don\u2019t know the exact time. It hap\u00adpens unex\u00adpec\u00adted\u00adly. While his first coming brings hope for all peo\u00adp\u00adle, his second coming brings sepa\u00adra\u00adti\u00adon. It sepa\u00adra\u00adtes tho\u00adse who belong to him from tho\u00adse who choo\u00adse to be against him. Sin\u00adce fol\u00adlo\u00adwers of Jesus Christ do not know when he will return, they are to be ever vigi\u00adlant. The\u00adr\u00ade\u00adfo\u00adre, the\u00adre is a con\u00adstant Advent time for them. They are to use this time to be vigi\u00adlant, but also to tell as many peo\u00adp\u00adle as pos\u00adsi\u00adble the good news of Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n
Christ\u00admas 1.0 as a start\u00ading point \tWhat is the mea\u00adning of Advent for you? What is your atti\u00adtu\u00adde towards the first and second coming of Jesus Christ? Advent focu\u00adses on the direc\u00adtion and anti\u00adci\u00adpa\u00adti\u00adon of Christ\u00admas, the birth of Jesus Christ. His first coming brought sal\u00adva\u00adti\u00adon to us humans, but Advent is not only about the first coming, but also the second. Jesus will come again one day, but we don\u2019t know the exact time. It\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","wpfc_preacher":[79],"wpfc_sermon_series":[81],"wpfc_sermon_topics":[],"wpfc_bible_book":[],"wpfc_service_type":[12],"class_list":{"0":"wpfc_preacher-cedric-bruegger","1":"wpfc_sermon_series-creatio","2":"wpfc-sermon-single","3":"post-6972","4":"wpfc_sermon","5":"type-wpfc_sermon","6":"status-publish","7":"hentry","10":"wpfc_service_type-gottesdienst"},"acf":[],"sermons_blog_filters_topics":"\t\t\t\t
\nToday, 27 Novem\u00adber, marks the start of the Advent sea\u00adson. On a total of four Sun\u00addays we are in joyful anti\u00adci\u00adpa\u00adti\u00adon of the birth of Jesus Christ. Advent is of Latin ori\u00adgin and means arri\u00adval. It is the arri\u00adval of Jesus Christ. It is the coming of God here on earth. It is the coming of the hea\u00adven\u00adly ans\u00adwer to the mise\u00adra\u00adble situa\u00adti\u00adon of us humans here on earth. It is the coming of the hope of this world. The four Sun\u00addays of Advent final\u00adly cul\u00admi\u00adna\u00adte in Christ\u00admas Eve, the bir\u00adth\u00adday of Jesus Christ. It does\u00adn\u2019t mat\u00adter whe\u00adther Jesus was actual\u00adly born on this day, it is more about the sym\u00adbo\u00adlism of this day. Christ\u00admas is the begin\u00adning of God\u2019s work of redemp\u00adti\u00adon in this world. The birth of Jesus Christ is only important becau\u00adse it is fol\u00adlo\u00adwed by Eas\u00adter. Through his death on the cross, Jesus con\u00adquers death. All who belie\u00adve in him and belie\u00adve that he is the Son of God will no lon\u00adger die but have eter\u00adnal life.
\nFor today\u2019s first Advent, the Evan\u00adge\u00adli\u00adcal Church in Ger\u00adma\u00adny gives, among other things, the bibli\u00adcal pas\u00adsa\u00adge that we usual\u00adly asso\u00adcia\u00adte with Palm Sun\u00adday. Jesus Christ rides into Jeru\u00adsa\u00adlem as King on the foal of a don\u00adkey (Matthew 21:1\u20139). Just as the Israe\u00adli\u00adtes at that time rejoi\u00adced at the arri\u00adval of Jesus Christ, so should we. Cha\u00adrac\u00adte\u00adristi\u00adcal\u00adly of his appearance, the Bible sta\u00adtes. \u00abRejoice aloud, you peo\u00adp\u00adle of Zion! Rejoice, you inha\u00adbi\u00adtants of Jeru\u00adsa\u00adlem! Behold, your King is coming to you. He is righ\u00adteous and vic\u00adto\u00adrious, yet he is hum\u00adble and rides on a don\u00adkey \u2013 yes, on the foal of a don\u00adkey, the young one of a don\u00adkey\u00bb (Zecha\u00adriah 9:9 NLB<\/span>).
\nAdvent heralds the end of the year for us. It is a fit\u00adting end to the calen\u00addar year. But it is quite dif\u00adfe\u00adrent with the so-cal\u00adled church year. The church year does not end with the Christ\u00admas sea\u00adson, but beg\u00adins with it. Today marks the begin\u00adning of the new church year. This chan\u00adges the per\u00adspec\u00adti\u00adve. The year beg\u00adins with Jesus Christ coming into this world. It beg\u00adins with God doing some\u00adthing for us. It is not at the end of the year that he comes into play, but it beg\u00adins with him. Wit\u00adhout the earth\u00adly birth of Jesus Christ, which actual\u00adly hap\u00adpen\u00aded, ever\u00ady\u00adthing else that comes is invalid.
\nJesus\u00bb second coming is more than Christ\u00admas 2.0
\nIn addi\u00adti\u00adon to the per\u00adi\u00adcope order for Ger\u00adma\u00adny, the\u00adre is also one for Switz\u00ader\u00adland. The Bible text from the Gos\u00adpels, which is sche\u00addu\u00adled for today\u2019s first Advent, points to a second aspect of Advent which we do not noti\u00adce at first glan\u00adce. It is the joyful expec\u00adta\u00adti\u00adon of the return of Jesus Christ at the end of time. Advent is the\u00adr\u00ade\u00adfo\u00adre about both. A loo\u00adking back and being thank\u00adful, but also a loo\u00adking for\u00adward to the second coming on this earth. \u00abWhen the Son of Man comes again, it will be as in the days of Noah. In the days befo\u00adre the Flood, peo\u00adp\u00adle cele\u00adbra\u00adted lavish feasts, orgi\u00ades and wed\u00addings until Noah got into his ark. They did not rea\u00adli\u00adse what was hap\u00adpe\u00adning until the flood came and washed them all away. It will be the same when the Son of Man comes. Two men will work tog\u00ade\u00adther in the field; one will be taken, the other left behind. Two women will grind flour in the mill; one will be taken along, the other left behind\u00bb (Matthew 24:37\u201341 NLB<\/span>). Admit\u00adted\u00adly, this text is any\u00adthing but what we ima\u00adgi\u00adne a joyful Christ\u00admas mes\u00adsa\u00adge to be.
\nThe second coming of Jesus Christ brings sepa\u00adra\u00adti\u00adon. It brings a sepa\u00adra\u00adti\u00adon of peo\u00adp\u00adle becau\u00adse of their decis\u00adi\u00adon on the first coming of him. It is exci\u00adting that Jesus hims\u00adelf brings Noah into play here. Noah was a man who lived at the begin\u00adning of human histo\u00adry. He distin\u00adgu\u00adis\u00adhed hims\u00adelf by being faithful to God in an envi\u00adron\u00adment that did not want to know any\u00adthing about God. They enjoy\u00aded their lives and did not was\u00adte a moment in wor\u00adship\u00adping God and giving him the glo\u00adry he deser\u00adved. Rather, they were preoc\u00adcu\u00adp\u00adied with them\u00adsel\u00adves. The\u00adr\u00ade\u00adfo\u00adre, God deci\u00added to des\u00adtroy the peo\u00adp\u00adle by means of a flood. But sin\u00adce Noah stood by God, God cho\u00adse him and his fami\u00adly to make a new start. So Noah built a ship and sur\u00advi\u00adved this flood with his fami\u00adly and various ani\u00admals. While we strugg\u00adle with this sto\u00adry, the exis\u00adtence of Noah and the truth of this sto\u00adry is bey\u00adond ques\u00adti\u00adon for Jesus. This refe\u00adrence to Noah shows the fun\u00adda\u00admen\u00adtal evil of man, name\u00adly that he does not want to ack\u00adnow\u00adledge God as God.
\nIn addi\u00adti\u00adon to the refe\u00adrence to the times of Noah, the\u00adre is a second image that cha\u00adrac\u00adte\u00adri\u00adses the time of the return of Jesus Christ. It is about the effect of the sepa\u00adra\u00adti\u00adon and also the actions of peo\u00adp\u00adle on the fol\u00adlo\u00adwers of Jesus Christ. \u00abThe\u00adr\u00ade\u00adfo\u00adre, be rea\u00addy, for you do not know when your Lord will return. Rea\u00adli\u00adse this: a house\u00adhol\u00adder who knows when the thief is coming is vigi\u00adlant and will not allow his house to be bro\u00adken into. You must be rea\u00addy at all times. For the Son of Man will come when you least expect it\u00bb (Matthew 24:42\u201344 NLB<\/span>). Actual\u00adly, a thief is some\u00adthing nega\u00adti\u00adve. This is becau\u00adse he ste\u00adals some\u00adthing from you and abo\u00adve all becau\u00adse he comes as a sur\u00adpri\u00adse. The image of the thief fits the second coming of Jesus Christ becau\u00adse if you don\u2019t expect it, you will be sur\u00adpri\u00adsed. But sin\u00adce fol\u00adlo\u00adwers of Jesus Christ are firm\u00adly con\u00advin\u00adced of his second coming, they should be alert and rea\u00addy. Becau\u00adse if we knew a thief was coming, we would be on guard the who\u00adle time, not just a few hours. \u00abThink back to how you recei\u00adved and heard the mes\u00adsa\u00adge; hold fast to it and turn to me again! If you do not wake up, I will come upon you as unex\u00adpec\u00adted\u00adly and sud\u00adden\u00adly as a thief\u00bb (Reve\u00adla\u00adti\u00adon 3:3 NLB<\/span>). It is important to remem\u00adber the mes\u00adsa\u00adge again and again and hold fast to it. So Reve\u00adla\u00adti\u00adon 3:3 is an encou\u00adra\u00adge\u00adment and chall\u00adenge for followers.
\nThe per\u00adma\u00adnent Advent season
\nI come back to Noah again. When Jesus Christ comes to earth again, it will not only be as it was in Noah\u2019s time, but fol\u00adlo\u00adwers are to emu\u00adla\u00adte him as an exam\u00adp\u00adle. Noah, in fact, is a wort\u00adhwhile and fit\u00adting exam\u00adp\u00adle for our time as well in three ways. \u00abBy faith Noah built an ark to save his fami\u00adly from the flood. He obey\u00aded God who war\u00adned him of some\u00adthing that was not yet to be seen. His faith was the jud\u00adge\u00adment on the unbe\u00adlief of the rest of the world; but he beca\u00adme heir to the righ\u00adteous\u00adness that comes from faith\u00bb (Hebrews 11:7 NLB<\/span>). First, Noah obey\u00aded God. Noah built the ark at a time when it was not even rai\u00adning. The\u00adre was no indi\u00adca\u00adti\u00adon out\u00adside of God\u2019s pro\u00admi\u00adse that a huge flood would come and des\u00adtroy ever\u00ady\u00adthing. The\u00adr\u00ade\u00adfo\u00adre, ever\u00adyo\u00adne lived as usu\u00adal, got mar\u00adried and cele\u00adbra\u00adted feasts. But Noah belie\u00adved God and is the\u00adr\u00ade\u00adfo\u00adre cal\u00adled righ\u00adteous (Gene\u00adsis 6:9). This means that he was a per\u00adson who lived accor\u00adding to God\u2019s will. Second\u00adly, it is clear from God\u2019s dra\u00adstic jud\u00adge\u00adment towards peo\u00adp\u00adle out\u00adside Noah\u2019s fami\u00adly that ungod\u00adli\u00adne\u00adss can\u00adnot stand befo\u00adre Him. This dra\u00adma\u00adtic sepa\u00adra\u00adti\u00adon bet\u00adween Noah\u2019s fami\u00adly and the other peo\u00adp\u00adle will also hap\u00adpen one day in the future. Name\u00adly, when Jesus comes again, one will be saved in the field and the other will not. Third\u00adly, Noah drew atten\u00adti\u00adon to God in faith and tried to con\u00advin\u00adce them to return to God. So the Bible says the fol\u00adlo\u00adwing about God\u2019s decis\u00adi\u00adon at that time. \u00abNor did he spa\u00adre the for\u00admer world \u2013 except Noah and the seven mem\u00adbers of his fami\u00adly. Noah had war\u00adned the world of God\u2019s righ\u00adteous judgment. Then God des\u00adtroy\u00aded the world with a migh\u00adty flood, and all ungod\u00adly peo\u00adp\u00adle peri\u00ads\u00adhed in it\u00bb (2 Peter 2:5 NLB<\/span>). As fol\u00adlo\u00adwers of Jesus Christ, we are cal\u00adled to emu\u00adla\u00adte Noah. This means, first, to be obe\u00addient to God. Second\u00adly, to ack\u00adnow\u00adledge and inter\u00adna\u00adli\u00adse that out\u00adside of Jesus Christ the\u00adre is no pos\u00adsi\u00adbi\u00adli\u00adty of stan\u00adding befo\u00adre God. Third\u00adly, to warn the world of God\u2019s judgement.
\nThe time of the return of Jesus Christ is unknown. But we do know the fol\u00adlo\u00adwing, which Jesus hims\u00adelf says: \u00abThe mes\u00adsa\u00adge of the king\u00addom of God will be pre\u00ada\u00adched in the who\u00adle world so that all nati\u00adons will hear it, and only then will the end come\u00bb (Matthew 24:14 NLB<\/span>). As soon as all peo\u00adp\u00adle have heard about the king\u00addom of God, Jesus will come again. And the king\u00addom of God includes all who have a firm hope in him. They are not only citi\u00adzens of this king\u00addom, but child\u00adren of God. \u00abBut to all who recei\u00adved him and belie\u00adved in his name, he gave the right to beco\u00adme child\u00adren of God\u00bb (John 1:12 NLB<\/span>). But the ten\u00adsi\u00adon as a belie\u00adver remains. For the king\u00addom of God is inde\u00aded now alre\u00ada\u00addy visi\u00adble in this world, but unfort\u00adu\u00adna\u00adte\u00adly not yet com\u00adple\u00adte. For even peo\u00adp\u00adle who have let Jesus Christ into their hearts expe\u00adri\u00adence dif\u00adfi\u00adcul\u00adties. The\u00adr\u00ade\u00adfo\u00adre, the ques\u00adti\u00adon ari\u00adses, would it not be bet\u00adter if all fol\u00adlo\u00adwers imme\u00addia\u00adte\u00adly dis\u00adap\u00adpeared into hea\u00adven? Why does this not hap\u00adpen auto\u00adma\u00adti\u00adcal\u00adly? What sen\u00adse does it make to stay on this earth? The mea\u00adning is deep\u00adly roo\u00adted in the essence of belon\u00adging to God\u2019s peo\u00adp\u00adle and thus to the pro\u00admi\u00adse made to the pro\u00adge\u00adni\u00adtor of the Israe\u00adli\u00adtes, to Abra\u00adham. \u00abI will bless you and you shall be known throug\u00adhout the world. I will make you a bles\u00adsing to others\u00bb (Gene\u00adsis 12:2 NLB<\/span>). Fol\u00adlo\u00adwers of Jesus Christ also stand in this pro\u00admi\u00adse and this is on the one hand a pro\u00admi\u00adse but also a com\u00admis\u00adsi\u00adon. The com\u00admis\u00adsi\u00adon is expres\u00adsed again by Jesus Christ at the end of his time of minis\u00adtry here on earth. \u00abJesus came and said to his disci\u00adples: \u00abAll aut\u00adho\u00adri\u00adty in hea\u00adven and on earth has been given to me. The\u00adr\u00ade\u00adfo\u00adre go to all nati\u00adons and make disci\u00adples of them. Bap\u00adti\u00adse them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spi\u00adrit, and teach them to keep all the com\u00admandments that I have given you. And I assu\u00adre you: I am with you always, to the end of the age\u00bb \u00bb (Matthew 28:18\u201320 NLB<\/span>). This is a four\u00adfold com\u00admis\u00adsi\u00adon, go, make disci\u00adples, bap\u00adti\u00adse and teach. This call to pur\u00adsue this goal goes out to all fol\u00adlo\u00adwers of Jesus Christ. The\u00adre are then four levels whe\u00adre this is to hap\u00adpen. 1. fami\u00adly &<\/span> fri\u00adends; 2. your work\u00adplace, school, vil\u00adla\u00adge, club; 3. your coun\u00adtry. May\u00adbe in a dif\u00adfe\u00adrent lan\u00adguage, with dif\u00adfe\u00adrent cus\u00adtoms, but still very much the same and abo\u00adve all you can move the\u00adre wit\u00adhout a hurd\u00adle; 4. abroad among a for\u00adeign cul\u00adtu\u00adre, with a for\u00adeign lan\u00adguage. This requi\u00adres a gre\u00adat effort of trans\u00adla\u00adti\u00adon on the part of tho\u00adse who want to share the Good News the\u00adre. When we hear the com\u00admis\u00adsi\u00adon of Jesus Christ, we often think of field 4: for\u00adeign count\u00adries. But field 1 and 2 is the mis\u00adsi\u00adon of every fol\u00adlower of Jesus Christ. Some have the task to go to field 3 and few are cal\u00adled to go abroad. But no one can talk hims\u00adelf out of the fact that he does not have a clear mis\u00adsi\u00adon and that God has to show this in more detail. It is about tel\u00adling the peo\u00adp\u00adle the angels\u00bb mes\u00adsa\u00adge of Christ\u00admas: \u00abThe angel reassu\u00adred them. \u00abDo not be afraid,\u00bb he said. \u00abI bring good news for all peo\u00adp\u00adle!\u00bb \u00bb (Luke 2:10 NLB<\/span>). It is about pro\u00admi\u00adsing peo\u00adp\u00adle life in full\u00adness, as Jesus Christ said: \u00abBut I have come to give them life in all its full\u00adness\u00bb (John 10:10b NLB<\/span>). Howe\u00adver, serious\u00adness should not be negle\u00adc\u00adted in this. \u00abFor God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoe\u00adver belie\u00adves in him should not peri\u00adsh but have eter\u00adnal life. God did not send his Son into the world to con\u00addemn it, but to save it through his Son. Whoe\u00adver belie\u00adves in him is not con\u00addem\u00adned. But whoe\u00adver does not belie\u00adve in him is alre\u00ada\u00addy con\u00addem\u00adned becau\u00adse he has not belie\u00adved in the name of the only Son of God\u00bb (John 3:16\u201318 NLB<\/span>).
\nFinal\u00adly, I would like to return to the so-cal\u00adled Gre\u00adat Com\u00admis\u00adsi\u00adon. Imme\u00addia\u00adte\u00adly befo\u00adre, the fol\u00adlo\u00adwing is writ\u00adten of the disci\u00adples of Jesus Christ: \u00abThen the ele\u00adven disci\u00adples went into Gali\u00adlee to the moun\u00adtain that Jesus had named for them. When they saw him, they wor\u00adshi\u00adp\u00aded him \u2013 but some still doub\u00adted\u00bb (Matthew 28:16\u201317 NLB<\/span>). The\u00adse ele\u00adven disci\u00adples here are the same ones to whom the com\u00admis\u00adsi\u00adon is given in the fol\u00adlo\u00adwing ver\u00adses. They are the same ones who then set out into the who\u00adle world. They are the same ones who prac\u00adti\u00adcal\u00adly all wit\u00adhout excep\u00adti\u00adon gave their lives for this mes\u00adsa\u00adge. They are the ele\u00adven disci\u00adples who, through the mes\u00adsa\u00adge of hope, were to give the start\u00ading signal to turn the who\u00adle earth upsi\u00adde down. They are the ele\u00adven disci\u00adples who saw Jesus and wor\u00adship\u00adped him. They are ele\u00adven disci\u00adples, some of whom doub\u00adted. But God\u2019s king\u00addom is not what we would ima\u00adgi\u00adne it to be, becau\u00adse God uses even the weak. Jesus Christ\u2019s com\u00admis\u00adsi\u00adon to pro\u00adcla\u00adim this good news of hope goes to all tho\u00adse who doubt and to tho\u00adse who have a firm confidence.
\nPos\u00adsi\u00adble ques\u00adti\u00adons for the small group
\nRead Bible text: Matthew 24:37\u201344; Matthew 28:16\u201320<\/p>\n
\n\tDo you belie\u00adve that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and came to recon\u00adci\u00adle the world to God? Are you rea\u00addy for the second coming of Jesus Christ? What does this idea trig\u00adger in you?
\n\tIs Noah a role model for you? What new things can you learn from him?
\n\tDo you reco\u00adg\u00adni\u00adse the importance of the com\u00admand in Matthew 28:18\u201320? What excu\u00adses do you often suc\u00adcumb to when it comes to ful\u00adfil\u00adling it? In which field would it be your turn to pro\u00adcla\u00adim the good news of Jesus Christ? How could you do this?
\n\tDo you know doubts in your dai\u00adly life of faith? What influence do they have on whe\u00adther and how you tell about Jesus Christ?<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"