Between Two Advents; “Times of Refreshing”

Dec. 24

Read: Acts 3:17-26

Between Two Advents; “Times of Refreshing”

“Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Anointed One appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.” (v.19-21)

“Times of refreshing” come from the “presence of the Lord”. This is part of what the coming of Christ has brought and will bring to the sons and daughters of God… “times of refreshing”. This is why we celebrate the ways that we do at Christmas. We not only look backwards at the fact Jesus came in the past… we also look FORWARD to when he will come again. The term “advent” simply means the “arrival of a notable person, thing, or event.” Advent is an “arrival”, and we are living between two great arrivals! Christ has “blotted out our sin” - taken away that which robs us of life and hope. He did to stop there! As much as he has taken away sin, he is giving us “times of refreshing”. What exactly does this mean?

To be “refreshed” is to: “give new strength or energy to; reinvigorate.” Who couldn’t stand a little “refreshing”? What would it look like to be “reinvigorated”? imagine receiving fresh energy and strength? Energy and strength to love your family and friends anew. Energy to endure and work hard at your job. Energy to continue to learn, and grow, and tackle new things. Energy to carry out the “good works” that Christ has set aside for us to do. (cf. Eph. 2:10) We will spend a lot of money and time on vitamins, diets, gym memberships, sleep aids, and all other manner of tools designed to give us more vitality… more energy… more strength. Would we be willing to add to that list drawing near to Christ? Could that actually give me energy… would Christ truly “reinvigorate me”? We are all familiar with him “taking our sin” - which is no small thing at all - but what if Christ doesn’t stop there? What if there is more to living in this time where we look back to his coming to the cross and we look forward to his coming again to complete the restoration God is working out! This is the resurrection. This is the promise of OUR second coming as well! If Jesus can bring life to us when we are dead, how much more is he willing and able to bring life to us NOW… while we are still ALIVE? “Times of refreshing in the presence of the Lord.”.

This is not to say drawing near does not require energy… because it totally does. Drawing near calls for effort. It takes energy to gather together into the presence of the Lord. The promise / truth is not that it is effortless… but rather that it will yield a renewing of energy and effort. We will be refreshed when we come into the presence of the Lord, despite it having taken energy and effort to arrive there. (God is the one who gives that initial energy and effort, but it is still “spent” by us… “what I have I give to you…”) Those environments that claim to bring us into the presence of God that actually end up leaving us empty… well… maybe they are not truly bringing us into God’s presence! Those things you think are bringing you into God’s presence that are not “refreshing” you or “reinvigorating” you… are they actually bringing you closer to the Lord? My prayer is that this advent… this Christmas… this season of remembering the arrival and looking forward to the next coming… I pray that it is a time where you are not only reminded of the freedom you have received in Christ (your sins are “blotted out”) but also that you would be “reinvigorated”…”refreshed”. “Times of refreshing in the presence of the Lord”.

Verse 19 begins with a call to “turn away from” - this is what “repent” means: “to turn away from one thing and begin to move towards another”. May we turn away from things that take us out of the presence of the Lord and turn towards HIM and the things that draw us near. With each day we march one day closer to that time “God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago”… the time when there will be the “restoration of all things”. (v. 21) At Christmas, we get small snippets… brief snapshots… of what that final restoration will be like. I am praying that ALL OF YOU will experience that this evening and tomorrow. I am praying you experience it not because of food, or gifts, or lights, or friends and family necessarily… but more so because all of those things are good gifts that God uses to energize us and bring us near to him. He is present with us in unique ways. I know that for some of you - the season may not be all that exciting. Hear me out, Christ is near to you nonetheless and is offering you “times of refreshing” in his presence. This is what he came to deliver… this is what he will come again to finalize and complete. Merry Christmas Eve! I love you guys. - JDP