Earlier this week, I attended a wonderful performance of Handel’s Messiah. The choir and orchestra were impressive, and the soloists performed impeccably. It was a marvelous night out with my wife and a few friends.
epSos (2009), Creative Commons
The quality of musicianship had packed the house. Every seat was filled, and parking had overflowed onto the grass. The lengthy standing ovation confirmed my suspicion that I was not the only one who enjoyed the show.
However, in my perception, the greatest marvel was not the performers but the audience.
Right in front of me sat an older couple. From a brief conversation before the concert began, I discovered that they attended a Unitarian church that had “no prescribed beliefs” (their own description). When I asked why they attended (what they liked about it), they said, “it’s very welcoming, and doesn’t require us to believe anything in particular.” They described how the church had conducted Christian, Jewish, and Hindu services, and how they were hoping to organize an Islamic service as well.
One row in front of this couple sat a woman who obviously loved both Jesus the Messiah and excellent music. She really got into the show.
During the “Hallelujah” Chorus, the audience stood reverently, according to tradition. Believers and unbelievers both listened attentively, appreciating the text and music being presented.
And while the choir belted “for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth,” the Unitarian couple snickered as they watched the evangelical woman dance and lift her hands in worship.
I saw similar scenarios playing out around the concert hall, and they led me to consider two dangerous responses I tend to have toward the advent season. These responses are the same common responses people have always had to the coming of the King of Israel.
1. Get swept up in hip (or respectable) Jesus culture
The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” (John 12:12-13, ESV)
Jesus, the great King of Israel, had arrived, and the crowds were ready. They brought their acclaim, and they whipped up a fervor of Jesus-talk and advent-happiness.
Why did the crowd have such fervor for Jesus?
The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. (John 12:17-18)
They went because it was cool. Jesus had done an amazing thing in raising Lazarus, and they wanted to check him out. Perhaps they thought they could fight Rome and be unstoppable (if Jesus could perpetually raise their fallen). Perhaps they wanted to be entertained. Perhaps they thought it was too good to be true.
Similarly, Jesus still experiences a certain popularity during the holidays each year. Sappy movies play on syndicated television stations, with their messages of sacrifice and good will toward humanity. People bake cookies shaped like angels and stars. Christmas carols play in department stores.
People attend candlelight services, Messiah performances, and Christmas pageants, all because it’s the cool thing to do this time of year.
I’m tempted to join them; dripping with sentimentality and culturally acceptable platitudes, I can be accepted and respected along with everyone else.
2. Get caught in jealous, manipulative self-protection
So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.” (John 12:19)
Some, seeing the hollow fervor of the crowds, kept themselves apart and refused to get swept into the celebration. They focused instead on their own situation, whining about the loss of their own place and nation (see also the Pharisees response to the raising of Lazarus in John 11:48).
These Pharisees were the ones who responded to the world’s fallenness by making more rules and getting more serious about their spirituality.
Similarly, many today see the materialism and emptiness of the advent season, and they withdraw and make more rules. No Christmas trees. No presents (give the money to charity instead). No parties. No spiking the egg nog.
I’m tempted to go this route myself. For years, I emotionally boycotted the holiday celebrations of my extended family. They didn’t focus on Jesus the way I thought they should, so I tried to win them by being a sourpuss. “Please don’t get me any presents.” “Let’s remember the reason for the season.”
Both responses are irresponsible to the humble King who rode in, bringing salvation and peace with him.
The first response says, “make me happy, but don’t expect me to change.”
The second response says, “make others unhappy, but don’t expect me to change.”
But the King came to bring change (John 12:14-15). Consider the passage John quotes. The one born in a manger, who came to Jerusalem humble and mounted on a donkey (Zech 9:9), takes his selfish, idolatrous people and fashions them into weapons of war (Zech 9:13). He saves the unlovely and makes them like jewels on his crown (Zech 9:16). He shows his goodness and beauty by making grain and new wine (egg nog?) abound (Zech 9:17). He does all this by laying down his life for his beloved people (John 12:31-33).
You’ll understand Jesus’ birth only if you see through it to his death.
His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. (John 12:16)
May your advent season be full of great joy as you get to know Christ better through his word.
