Powerpoint Pictures: Birthday cake; Christmas Tree; School Bell; Pregnant Lady; Party Poppers

What things do you look forward to?  What events do you get excited about – where you count down the days until they take place?

Your birthday.  Christmas.  End of school term.  For your new baby brother or sister to arrive.  A party or special event like watching a football match or play at the theatre.

Now Advent is a special time of the year that helps us to celebrate Jesus saving us by reminding us of His first coming to save His people by dying on the cross and also that He will come again to get rid of all sin, suffering, death and Satan and bring His people into a new creation.

But we are still waiting for Jesus to come again, so how do we wait?

We are to wait by being ready for His coming by trusting Jesus to save us and by following Him each day.

We are to wait by being patient knowing that because Jesus hasn’t returned there is still time for people to repent and trust in Him and be saved.

And we are also to be excited.

Jesus’ return is far more exciting than our birthday or Christmas or a party.

In fact it is so exciting that all of creation is waiting for it to happen.  The apostle Paul writes, “The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.” (Romans 8:19)

Creation is waiting with excitement for all of God’s people to be changed to be like Jesus, which is going to happen when He returns, and like the rest of creation we should be looking forward to that moment too.

Be excited!