Recently Wesleyan Accent spoke with Rev. Omar Al-Rikabi, an occasional Wesleyan Accent contributor and author of The Advent Mission, a new Christmastime devotional from Seedbed Publishing. 

Wesleyan Accent:Why the Advent “mission”? Is this about missions? Global missionaries? Do I have to give money? Hey, is this a sneaky way for churches to take an extra offering?

Omar Al-Rikabi: I think it helps to look at the meaning of the two words “Advent” and “mission.”

The meaning of the word “mission” is “a sending to go perform a specific duty.” In the creation story, humanity was given a specific mission: to walk with God and tend to creation. But we know what happened: mission failure.

Because of this God had a new mission, a rescue mission, summed up in the mission statement of our faith, John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son.”

And the meaning of “advent” is “the arrival of a notable person or event.” So then, the Advent Mission is about preparing for and celebrating the the arrival of Jesus on that mission. But not just in the manger as a baby, but also his second arrival when he returns.

So yes, the arrival of Jesus’ mission should impact what we consider “missions,” which is ultimately sharing the good news of Jesus, and the book addresses that.

WA: Why are we talking about end times at Christmas? Is that like a zombie holiday movie mashup? When you mention the second coming of Christ, are you talking about Left Behind?

OAR: That’s the funny thing about the Christian Calendar: it begins at the ending, but once you see how it all fits, it makes sense. I describe it in the book like this:

Advent begins with the return of Jesus to the world in final victory, because of . . .
Christmas: the birth of Jesus into the world, which leads to . . .
Epiphany: the manifestation of Jesus to the world, which leads to . . .
Lent: Jesus’ journey to the cross for the world, which leads to . . .
Easter: the resurrection of Jesus in the world, which leads to . . .
Ascension: the enthronement of Jesus over the world, which leads to . . .
Pentecost: Jesus sending his Spirit into the world, which leads to . . .
Kingdomtide: proclaiming the good news of Jesus to the world, which leads to . . .
Advent: the return of Jesus to the world in final victory.

And as far as Left Behind, that’s something that I do address in a chapter called “Apocalyptic Anxiety.” Basically, as Wesleyans we don’t subscribe to “Left Behind” theology and all the fear it fires up. The larger goal of the book is to put together a better, and more hopeful, idea of the return of Jesus.

And to be clear, it’s not just about Jesus’ return. The last week of Advent makes the turn to the manger and gets us ready for Christmas, and so does the book. And what makes this Advent book unique is that it doesn’t end on December 25th. It goes all the way through the 12 Days of Christmas and ends on Epiphany, January 6th. I did this because I think we separate the two events, the two seasons. But that’s why the Church follows seasons and not days, because we need the time to prepare and embrace what Jesus is doing, and that takes time.

WA: What are some practical ways I can prepare for Advent besides taking advantage of Black Friday (or better yet Cyber Monday)?

OAR: Well obviously the first thing you can do is get the book! But in all seriousness, the goal of the book is to be a primer for Advent. So the first part of the book talks about what Advent is and what it isn’t, then makes a turn to how we participate through prayer, fasting, relationships, and acts of mercy and justice.

WA: Who is this book for? Grown ups? Families? Sunday morning discipleship groups? What are some of the most fruitful ways you envision it being used?

OAR: Yes and yes. Obviously we’re talking about Jesus coming back, and being born, to put an end to sin and sickness, so some of those sins and sicknesses are named in certain parts (i.e. pornography, slavery, etc.)

When I first wrote the material that eventually became this book, my context was campus ministry. And the thing about working with college students is they’re gone during most of Advent and Christmas. I imagined giving them something they could take with them to keep them connected in the season.

And when I got to the local church, I found that most folks don’t think about Advent the way I’ve described at all. And it’s hard to preach about it from the pulpit, because it takes more storytelling that you can do in a couple of sermons, especially if (as in my appointment) two of the Sundays of Advent are filled with children’s musicals and Christmas cantatas. Plus so many folks go out of town. None of these are bad things, but they do make it challenging to preach, teach, and prepare for what this season is really about. So I imagined what I could put in their hands that they can take with them that tells the story.

Prepare for the holiday season today by buying The Advent Mission today here.

“Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.” – Proverbs 11:14

Seek godly counsel; it will provide safety. The wisdom of others can keep you from falling.

We live in a world set in time and space and we are often limited in our discernment and perspective. We perceive a need and want it handled right away. The Lord’s timing is often not our own. Jesus sees and knows our needs. He knows far more than we do about how best to care for the world he created. He asks us to keep our eyes on him, bringing him our needs, and asking him to fulfill his purpose—in and for us, others, and the world—as we wait for him.

“For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” —Colossians 1:16-17

If you have ever been lost, you know the feeling – one minute you are fine and the next you realize you have no idea where you are or how to get back. The Bible uses the metaphor of being lost to help us to understand what it is like to be far from God.

If you are a follower of Christ, you already have a story of being found. What parts of you are still lost?  What parts of your heart and mind are still walking in circles trying to find their way home?

The good news is that we have a Shepherd who is searching right now. Are you ready to let him place you on his shoulders and carry you home?

Consider Luke 15:1-10:

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus.  But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?

And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. 

“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

The first thing we are tempted to do when we get lost is panic which leads to frantic thoughts and actions. Do any parts of your life feel frantic to you right now? Name them and ask God to bring his rest into those areas.

On this day, two groups of people have surrounded Jesus, sinners and Pharisees – rule keepers and rule breakers. Which group do you most identify with? Has it always been this way?

Jesus didn’t have a microphone to hold or clip to his lapel. So, the people had to gather close in order to hear him. Take a moment today to move a little closer to Jesus. Maybe you’ve been sitting close enough to barely hear but you’re now ready to move in closer. What fears do you have about sitting close? What about it sounds inviting?

The Pharisees were confused by Jesus. He claimed to be sent from God and yet spent time with “sinners”. What confuses you about Jesus?

Think about a time when you were lost. Maybe you were driving in a new city, walking in the woods or learning a new task.  What thoughts did you have? What emotions did you experience?  Is there any part of you that feels lost now?

What did the shepherd risk in order to find the lost sheep?   What does this tell you about the shepherd? How would you like to respond to him?

How would you describe the shepherd’s response to finding the lost sheep? Is this the response you were expecting? Imagine being the sheep high up on the shepherd’s shoulders. How does it feel to be a part of the celebration?

The featured image is entitled “The Lost Drachma” by James Tissot.

The cable was dead, but the tree was alive. So, the stronger thing was the thing that kept growing. The live tree had overtaken the immovable steel.

What challenges are you facing today? What circumstances cause you to question God’s goodness, power, and presence? Take time to bring these to God. Lay them at his feet. Become aware of his presence. Let God minister to you. Let his nearness encourage your heart. Allow his Spirit and Word to speak to your need. Receive his correction and guidance. Commit yourself to his care as you rise to begin this day. Return to him as often as needed to be refreshed and renewed throughout the day.

God is always at work in our lives – loving, teaching, guiding, and correcting. The Parable of the Sower uses the metaphor of seed and soil to help us understand why we aren’t always able to hear God’s voice or put what God shows us into practice.

Forming a close relationship with Jesus is a two way street – he initiates by scattering the seed and then waits for us to respond. Is the soil of your soul ready to receive him?

Spend some time in this text:

“That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying: ‘A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop – a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. He who has ears, let him hear.

Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.'” – Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Spend a few moments in silence.  Take a few deep breaths and feel your body begin to relax. When you feel your mind becoming quiet, offer a simple prayer to God, thanking him for his presence and inviting him to speak to you.

Ponder

A parable is a story with a deeper meaning. Jesus used a lot of parables as he taught those who followed him. What does this tell you about Jesus?

Do you like to garden or work in your yard? How does the story about a farmer relate to you? If Jesus was going to write a parable specifically for you, what might he use as the premise?

Farmers put in long days of hard work. However, even all of their effort doesn’t actually make their crops grow. What does this teach us about rest? Furthermore, sometimes we can’t see immediate results from our efforts: talk to God about a time when you felt like your efforts to accomplish something were eaten up by the birds. What did you feel about that experience? How do you feel about it now?

The parable describes a path in the middle of the field. A path is a trail packed down hard over time. Where are the hard places in your heart? How did they get there? If you are ready, spend some time today releasing those places into the Spirit’s care.

Is there something you’ve heard about God or how he works that seems too good to be true? Talk to him about those things and ask him to soften your heart to believe.

What is it about the gospel or the kingdom that you struggle to understand? What do you do with your questions or confusion? 

Quiet

Offer your thoughts and questions to God and ask him to speak to you.

Pray

Offer a prayer in words to God. Thank God for his presence.

But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you.” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” – John 8:1-11

Do you remember a time of feeling absolutely free? Maybe as a child on a swing or on the first day of summer? How did it feel?

This poor woman in the scripture passage is not free. She is being held captive by the religious leaders, and she is trapped in sin. Using your imagination, fill in the details of this woman’s story. What life choices and circumstances led to her decision to be a part of an adulterous relationship? How did she get caught? What was her night in jail like? How do you feel about this woman?

As our text suggests, “But Jesus” is a powerful phrase. How have these words affected your life – times when you were trapped or suffocating, but Jesus…? What impossible thing has God done in your life? Do you have a “but Jesus…” story?

As it turns out, Jesus was the only truly free person present that day. The crowd was made to see that they were sinners too. How might this event have changed the men who had been so quick to punish?

Jesus offers the woman forgiveness and encourages her to leave her life of sin. What sinful parts of your life would you like to leave behind? How might your life be different?

Receiving God’s forgiveness makes us free. Have you found it easy or hard to receive forgiveness?

What stands in your way of believing you are forgiven?

What do you think the rest of this woman’s life was like? How would freedom from sinful habits and patterns change your own life? How would you use your freedom to help others experience healing and wholeness?

How would a greater experience of freedom allow you to enter into Sabbath rest more freely?

Leave this quiet time trusting that you have been set free.

Note from the Editor: the accompanying featured image is “Liberty Garden,” painted in 1972 by Walter Darby Bannard, Fair Use.

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners…” – Isaiah 61:1

“Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’ Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, ‘Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.'” – Luke 4:14-21

Once you have found a comfortable place, spend a few moments in silence.  Take a few deep breaths and feel your body begin to relax. When you feel your mind becoming quiet, offer a simple prayer to God, thanking him for his presence and inviting him to speak to you.

Jesus celebrated the Sabbath by going to the synagogue. Do you celebrate the Sabbath? Do you find it restful? Is there something you need to add or remove to make this day more restful?

The poor, the prisoner, the blind, the oppressed – one writer summarized this list as describing “those who have been traumatized by the stuff of life.” How have you been traumatized by the stuff of life? What affect does this have on you today?

We normally think of poor people as those who have no money, but there are other ways in which we can be poor. Some of us are emotionally poor. Some of us are poor spiritually. Others are poor in healthy relationships. In what ways are you poor? What would it look like to be rich in that area?

Has it ever felt like you have been held prisoner by something? How did you get free? In what area of life do you struggle to be free? Ask God to “proclaim freedom” to that part of your life. People who are oppressed struggle to share the freedom of those around them. In what ways are you helping others who are oppressed?

Jesus declared that this prophetic passage from the Old Testament book of Isaiah was being fulfilled. Do you sense these things being fulfilled in your life? Where are you experiencing freedom?

Where are you looking for freedom?

There are seven “Woe to you” statements in Matthew 23: Jesus was warning the teachers of the law and the Pharisees not to focus on outward things.

Of ten trees we had removed from our property, we knew that one was damaged. An arborist saw the spot where it had been hit by lightning. We hadn’t seen it.

Other than that one spot, the tree looked healthy. When it was cut down, we realized how unhealthy it really was on the inside.

The tree was empty in the center.

It looked okay on the outside, but it took all of its energy to produce what we saw externally.

It had nothing inside, and one storm could have taken it down.

If you spend all of your energy and resources on what people see externally, don’t be surprised if a storm takes you out.

Jesus described hypocrisy when he said, “everything they do is done for people to see” (Matthew 23:5a).

He encouraged us to work on what was inside, and then what is on the outside will be good as well.