Advent

Advent means coming or arrival.

The focus of the Advent season is the coming of Christ:
* His 1st Advent: Remembering and celebration of the birth of Jesus.
* His 2nd Advent: Anticipating the return of Christ the King.

Remembering and Celebrating His 1st Coming:

I believe this is vitally important for us today because unless you are blind, deaf and/or dead; you cant help but see that this world has taken Christmas hostage and has enslaved all of us into a materialistic celebration.

How has Christmas turned into a such a mess?
* Could it be because we have forgotten its roots.
* where are its roots? Where did it come from.

In our Christian calendar Christmas begins with Advent.

* Advent is a time of preparation, the celebration of Jesus birth.
* What makes this time different from all of the secular preparations for Christmas is that there is encouragement to study and pray in anticipation of Christs birth.

Isaiah told us how the messiah would come and why he was coming.

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Isaiah 9: 1-7 Isaiah prophesied that the Savior would COME to those in distress, in darkness, living in the land of the shadow of death, those shackled by yokes, those burdened, those oppressed. 

As we enter into this advent season, we will be looking closely at many of the people who this child has come to:
* Like Mary, will you yield yourself as a vessel to bring the savior to others?
* Like the Wisemen, will you follow hard after him until you find him?
* Like the InnKeeper, will your life be too full to invite him in?

Rev. 3:20Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

You see, he is still coming to us.

Wont you let Him Come in?