1 Thessalonians 2:19: What is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?
Advent celebrates the coming of the Son of God in flesh two millennia ago. But this season is not merely a celebration of a past event, however. It is a pedagogy that trains us to hope eagerly for His future coming.
But every week’s worship service is part of the same pedagogy of hope.
We hail Jesus’ arrival in the Sanctus, we believe we hear Him speak to us in His Word, and we welcome His presence at this table. Every week’s worship service is an Advent that trains us in expectation of a future Advent.
Paul says that his hope, his joy, his crown of rejoicing is not merely the coming of Jesus. What he hopes for is “ you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ.” He rejoices because he expects the Thessalonians to join him in the presence of Christ when Jesus comes.
Jesus is here with us now at this table in the Spirit as He was with His disciples at the Last Supper in the flesh. We feast on Christ; we feast with Christ. But our hope, our joy, our crown is a future, eternal feast, where we will be present together in the presence of Jesus.
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