View From the Manse 2.0 - December 2025

 

Someone recently made the comment that I look tired. That may be because of poor sleep in recent weeks. But in all likelihood, it is just that there are a number of hard, sad situations in the life of our church right now. It is a privilege to be your pastor and be present with you through these difficult seasons. Praying with Jesus for you all is a sweet calling. But this seems to be a common occurrence as we approach the end of the year and the season of Advent; more sadness, more darkness.

          Advent is the season in the liturgical calendar that begins the year. It is time between times. We approach the birth of Christ in a manger while anticipating the return of Christ (what we frequently refer to as his second coming). And it is in this season that the church lives its life. Fleming Rutledge writes, “Advent is the season that, when properly understood, does not flinch from the darkness that stalks us all in this world. Advent begins in the dark and moves toward the light—but the season should not move too quickly or too glibly, lest we fail to acknowledge the depth of the darkness.” As our Lord Jesus tells us, unless we see the light of God clearly, what we call light is actually darkness: “how great is that darkness!” (Matt. 6:23). Advent bids us take a fearless inventory of the darkness: the darkness without and the darkness within.”

          We know that Jesus is currently reigning at the Father’s right hand and we believe that, as sure as the Son of God has been raised from the dead, Jesus will one day return and raise all of us, the just and the unjust. But it is in the waiting that we feel the chilling bite of the curse and the encroaching sense of darkness. Pain plagues us. Death stalks us. And it is in the midst of this world that the church asks together, “Where is God? How long will this pain persist?”

          In the poem, O Emmanuel, Malcolm Guite writes, “Unfold for us the mystery of grace and make a womb of all this wounded world.” The God who made his light shine in the darkness is capable of birthing from our pain a beauty and glory beyond our comprehension. He can use the difficulties of living in a broken world to make us more and more like his Son.

          This Advent season we are going to use our 4 Sundays to look at the testimonies of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. We are going to be considering the audiences that they are writing to and the longings of mankind that they address. I want to invite you to read through each of the gospels the Sunday before we look at them together. I will write some questions for you to utilize as you read if you desire. So, Sunday, November 30, we will look at Matthew together. If you are able, find time to read to or listen to Matthew during the week before (November 24-29).

          My hope is that as we look at Jesus together, our hearts would warm towards his person and his ways. May we worship Jesus together this Advent season as we long for his return.

          Bryan Fitzgerald, Pastor (bryan@argylepresbyterian.org)

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