Reality is suspended for Elizabeth when she is told she will give birth in her advanced years, and her husband is struck dumb. Zechariah gets his voice back when the child is born and named. At the appointed time Zechariah is released, and he gives praise to God and points the way to Christ. In our disbelief we try to voice our questions but perhaps we should remain silent and simply witness the growing presence of Christ around us.
We cannot get away from the concept of powerless in the child of Christ. The reality of coming to earth in this way turns the world on its head. To begin to experience mission in a similar powerless way is to begin to understand what it means to be yoked to Christ.
The birth of Jesus was seismic shift in our encounter with God. The whole approach of Gods engagement with humanity shifted direction from distant to near, from global to local, from carrying to carried. Mission in recent years has gone through a similar shift but we still have a long way to go.
Freely given, God gave Christ to us in absolute trust. A gift offered without any preconditions or expectations. In todays culture young people are often surprised when someone explains they are a volunteer, and when we do not expect something in return. To give ourselves freely with expectation, to be a gift to those you serve, takes us to the heart of incarnational mission.
Coming as a child to learn and grow, in weakness, without knowledge, where every moment is a fresh encounter. To approach our missional lives in a similar way enables us see each situation in a new light to learn from it, helping us see the creator within each encounter, and be led by God to a new place.
Gods presence became hyper-real it invaded time and space, it broke the boundaries of dualism as Christ was entrusted to humanity. Gods presence is no less real in the world today the kingdom has come and pervades all we are and do, our mission is part of this kingdom we are not bringing God to a dark, but God has already been birthed in our community.
Advent reminds us of the risk God took by entrusting Jesus to a people group, a place and a time. A time of upheaveal, of mixed group of people some of whom believed and some of whom didn’t but trusting that by Christ they might touch God. Our mission is also one of similar risks and that as WE go to be with people that we may learn, even through the upheaveal in our souls that going can cause, we can learn and the possibility to experience what it is to touch God.
As the wise men saw the star, it was their preparations and awareness that enabled them to see. In the mix of the stars the one they followed was brightest. Mission is the brightest star that lights up and enable worship and service, following the path of mission leads US to the Christ child.
A few years ago the children decided to hang stars in advent as a constant reminder of the direction we were heading in. Missional consistency isn’t just about regular contact or maintaining the relationship, it is about a consistency of movement and reflection. Stillness in the being and Stillness in the doing, so we can consistently try to keep step with what our father in heaven is doing, being open to see the Christ child whereever they may be in the stable or in the skatepark.
The focus of advent is to orient ourselves towards Christ, yet in mission it is too easy to orient towards the people, or the task or the time available. The critical link is the need to orient ourselves to see Christ in the people, the task or the time.