Love each other and, agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, work together with one heart and mind and purpose. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself. Don’t just think about your own affairs, but be interested in others too, and in what they are doing. Your attitude should be the same as was shown us by Jesus, who, though he was God, did not demand and cling to his rights as God, but laid aside his mighty power and glory, taking the disguise of a slave and becoming like men. And he humbled himself even further, going so far as actually to die a criminal’s death on a cross. Yet it was because of this that God raised him up to the heights of heaven and gave him a name which is above every other name, that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:3, 5-11, Adapted

It is the third Sunday in Advent (Note 2). A time of waiting and looking forward with anticipation. Our focus this Advent season is Christ’s second coming. In His second coming, Jesus will appear less humble and arrive with the armies of heaven at His side. “Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems, and He has a name written that no one knows but Himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which He is called is The Word of God.” Revelation 19:11-13 ESV

When the Messiah first came He arrived in the most humble of circumstances. He modeled humility throughout His ministry in this world. Advent is a time to become more like Him, and humble ourselves, bow our knees and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Even so, come Lord Jesus.

Note 1: Humilitas, Latin; humility.

Note 2: Advent is a season of commemoration of Christ’s first coming and the anticipation of His second coming. Taken from the Latin adventus (coming, arrival, invasion), Advent proclaims the coming of Christ in two ways: it celebrates His long-awaited arrival as Messiah over 2,000 years ago, and it anticipates His imminent return as King of kings and Lord of lords. Christians often speak of Christ’s “first advent” and “second advent”; that is, His first and second comings to earth. His first advent was his birth in Bethlehem (the Incarnation) that we celebrate as Christmas. In 2024, Advent begins on December 1st and runs through Christmas Eve December 24th.