Advent Apologetics Day #1

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Advent Apologetics Day #1

In Advent, we’re reminded of how much we also need a Savior. We look back to those who longed for His coming and forward to His return even as we prepare to celebrate his His historic entrance into the world at Christmas time.

The word “Advent” comes from the Latin word “adventus,” which means “coming” or “visit.” In the season with this name, we keep in mind both “advents” of Christ, the first in Bethlehem and the second yet to come.

Christian Apologetics has gotten a bad name, and I believe it’s deserving. Angry red-faced men with loud voices speak cleverly crafted words to defend their stances while speaking little of the Savior and the hope of His Gospel.

B. B. Warfield, nicknamed “The Lion of Princeton,” defined apologetics as:

“The systematically organized vindication of Christianity in all its elements and details, against all opposition.” (Works, 9:5)

Much of modern apologetics remains rooted in this militaristic mind-set, tactics over tactfulness, hype over hope, and debate over discipleship. It might seem odd to throw Advent and Apologetics into the same arena, but for the next 24 days, I’ll operate under the following two assumptions;

“Apologetics is not about defending your faith.”

and

“Advent is about being hopeful amongst others.”

Advent Apologetics is about being inclined to hope and poised to demonstrate that hope amongst others. It’s about being a living sacrifice and our reasonable service of worship to God and others. (Romans 12:1)

Over the course of Advent, I hope to lead up the to linchpin text of Christian Apologetics, 1 Peter 3:15, by using some other obscure and often overlooked passages from the bible.

Today’s text is Jeremiah 1:9,10

“Then the Lord stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me,

“Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.

“See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms,

To pluck up and to break down,

To destroy and to overthrow,

To build and to plant.”

This passage speaks to the true connection of Apologetics and Advent. It starts with hope for Jeremiah and the people and ends with the same. It’s about deconstructing and restructuring unhopeful assumptions, residing in community, and reassuring those who need it most. It’s about accepting our calling to do God’s will amongst His people in His strength. It’s about advocating in the transformational frontiers. It’s about recognizing our struggles and the struggles of others as we live and move and have our being. It’s about alleviating fear which paralyzes hope and remembering God’s promises as we ADVENTure out.

I am a missionary in the Cloud Forest Region of Ecuador, and along with my wife, have been Adventing for the past 7 years by providing food to those in the region that need it most during the holiday season. We’d invite you to join us in this. Find out more.

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