Are You Ready?
Advent calls us to be ready for Christ, not ready for Christmas. Is there a difference? Consider the following story. 

It was Christmas Eve in 1945, when the S.S. Leopoldville began its journey across the English Channel with 5,000 troops aboard.
The crossing was perilous, for submarines were known to be in the area. The Leopoldville was crossing with unusually poor security; every available soldier wanted off for Christmas Eve and many were given leave to visit the bars, the bordellos, or the churches.  The ship embarked without the usual escort with four boats and air support. .Five miles into their voyage, the carrier was torpedoed by a German U-boat and began to take on water. The Belgian crew quickly deserted the ship in lifeboats without instructing the Americans, British and French on how to release the lifeboats from their stanchions. 

In a very real sense, the soldiers aboard the Leopoldville became victims of the Christmas celebration. They had trusted that their journey was thoroughly planned and their movement carefully guarded. As it was, the convoy commander had little knowledge of the Leopoldville's purpose in crossing and believed that it carried cargo and not a convoy of 5,000 men. No doubt the confidence that World War 2 was almost over led to carelessness that evening and the absence of supporting troops from their assigned posts. Who could imagine the disaster awaiting that very night?

As we Christians approach the festival of Christmas, we too may get caught up in the euphoria of the season and focus on the celebration of the season rather than on the victory that is ours in Christ Jesus. In that sense, it is possible to focus on Christmas and not on Christ. This season of Advent is a time when we ready ourselves for Christ, remembering that he will come again to judge the world. Christ wants us to be constant in our belief, trusting that our salvation is drawing near. At all times we will remember that while Christ has won salvation for us and purchased us from the power of sin and released us from the devil's grasp, he has not removed us from their influence. That is why our Scripture readings speak not only of the coming of Jesus as a child to Bethlehem, but also of Jesus returning to judge the world and to gather his own people into his eternal kingdom. Peter warns, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith."

The story of the Leopoldville ends in a bitter-sweet way. In the precious moments remaining, the ship did not radio, lest that give away the urgency and make themselves more vulnerable for attack. Instead it relied on signal lamps to relay their distress to the destroyer who escorted them. While 803 died, hundreds more were saved as they leapt to the safety of the H.M.S. Brilliant. Embarassed of this senseless tragedy, the allied commanders covered over the incident and later declared the 803 casualties as "Missing in Action" and finally "Killed in Action." 

Approach the Christmas season with joy. There is much to celebrate at Christmas. Let the real celebration not be about the arrival of a child, but the arrival of our salvation -for you and me personally-- in the life and work of Jesus Christ. And live to welcome Christ with joy and expectation, even as that day approaches. 

In Christ, 
Pastor Eric Zacharias