"A gift from our community of faith to you. Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary is devoted to preparing outstanding leaders for Christ’s church. One of the ways we nurture leaders is by building a loving community of faith and extending God’s grace to others. In this season of anticipation, we extend God’s grace to you and invite you to explore this book of Advent devotions. Through this collection, please join us as we prepare to receive God’s greatest gift—the birth of Jesus Christ."
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Advent Devotional for December 20
• John 1:19-28
Television trial lawyer Perry Mason would pull the real story out of a witness with the climactic question, “Isn’t it true that …?” But in John 1, the chief witness is elusive, giving a kind of anti-testimony. Asked if he is Messiah, or Elijah, or prophet, John responds only with, “I am not,” and flashes an ID: “Photo not available—see Isaiah.” He affirms who he isn’t so as to affirm who Jesus is. His answer: There stands among us One whom we do not know, the Coming One whose worth eclipses all else. A short chorus by John Bell of the Iona Community sings it this way:
There is One among us whom we do not know: Host of highest heaven, present here below.
Who or what aren’t we? The self-appointed goal of No Mistakes, the self-anointed role of Responsible— these come all too easily. At one point I was worried about considering a call while working in a transition period—would my leaving create problems? My former boss told me, “You have responsibilities at the church, but you are not responsible for the church.” Yes, we are needed. A close friend and colleague describes our relationship to God: “We are deeply loved and desperately needed.” The love and the need both emanate from God, who was in the beginning before all things, without whom not one thing could have been made.
In My Fair Lady, Eliza Doolittle sings (comically but truthfully), “Without your pulling it, the tide comes in. Without your twirling it, the earth can spin. Without your pushing them, the clouds roll by.” Closer to earth—present here below—we all too often assume importance and impressiveness. Present here below, there is One among us who sets our hearts at liberty.
aybe, in this year’s episode of Advent, we will be able to hear the Coming One, the Host of highest heaven, ask us, “Isn’t it true that you don’t need to have every answer? Isn’t it true that you aren’t responsible for everything? Isn’t it true that you aren’t God?” And placing our hand on the Bible that contains John’s gospel, we may be able to answer, “We long to receive you, to believe in your name, to receive power to become children of God.”
Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit into every troubled breast. Let us all in thee inherit; let us find the promised rest. Take away the love of sinning; Alpha and Omega be. End of faith, as its beginning, set our hearts at liberty.
(Charles Wesley – “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”)
Eric Wall
Assistant Professor of Sacred Music and Dean of the Chapel
For the glory of God and to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary is a seminary in the Presbyterian-Reformed tradition whose mission is to educate and equip individuals for the ordained Christian ministry and other forms of Christian service and leadership; to employ its resources in the service of the church; to promote and engage in critical theological thought and research; and to be a winsome and exemplary community of God's people.
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