Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, Prayer for the First Sunday of Advent)

Have you ever experienced a door that swings both ways? Most of us are used to a door opening one way, either in or out. Encountering a door that swings both ways can be confusing or perhaps even painful. Just ask one of my sons who has a scar on his forehead from a door that was pushed open but when pushed to close kept on coming. Yet, such doors can serve a useful purpose, especially in situations where you have people continuously entering and exiting a room or building.

Advent is much like one of those swinging doors. It is a season in the life of the church that pivots back and forth between the past and the future. On the one hand, we remember the first advent of Christ. We celebrate at Christmas the Incarnation, that the second person of the Trinity took on human flesh, being born as an infant in a lowly estate. On the other hand, we anticipate and long for the second advent of Christ.

The prayer above sets forth both arcs of the pendulum swing. It speaks of Jesus ‘entrance into this mortal life. He didn’t only appear to be human (an early heresy called docetism). He had an actual human body. He inhabited an actual space and place. He was born and lived at a particular point in time in history. And this coming was with great humility, the model for Christians as set forth by the Apostle Paul in Philippians 2.

But the prayer also casts its gaze to the future. Just as Christians throughout the ages have confessed that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, they have also confessed their belief that he shall come again to judge the quick and the dead. And when he comes again, we will be raised with him and we will put aside mortality for the life immortal. What a glorious day that will be, a day that we should hope and long for. And so we join with the church through the ages in crying, Come, Lord Jesus, come!

But the first advent was over 2000 years ago and we have no idea how long until the second one. What do we do in the present? Navel gaze? Act as if nothing has changed due to the first coming? Live as if nothing grand awaits us? Certainly not! The first and second comings of Jesus, the past and the future, transform the way we live today.

We are called to cast away the works of darkness. We are called to enter into this ages-long struggle between the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of light. And though we enter the world as part of the former, by the grace of God through faith in Jesus, we have been transferred into the latter. This throwing aside means we must be deliberate in daily putting to death the remaining corruption of sin within us. But it also calls us to set our feet in opposition to all of the works of the world, the flesh, and the devil. And so we stand against economic oppression, sexual degradation, racial injustice, uncivil discourse, and all other works of darkness.

And in what manner do we enter this fray? We put on the armor of light. This means that we don’t engage with the same weapons or tactics that the darkness uses. That our weapons are truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, salvation, the word of God, prayer, faith, hope, love (cf. Ephesians 6; 1 Corinthians 13). That we respond to anger and malice with love and forgiveness. That we love our enemies and pray for them. This is the way of the king and of His kingdom.

And we do all of this in dependence on Him. This is a prayer of supplication. It asks God to give us grace. It acknowledges that the only way we will be able to cast away the works of darkness and put on the armor of light is if God gives us grace to do so. And we don’t do this only once in life or only during Advent season. We need to do it daily (and perhaps hourly or even more frequently).

Saints, our lives rest secure because of the great past redemptive works of God, such as the Incarnation. Our lives are headed towards a grand epic ending. In these days of our mortal lives, may we grow in our dependence upon our Savior, Jesus Christ. And as He gives us grace upon grace, may we be evermore clothed in the radiance of His light as we seek to cast away the darkness within and without. All for the glory of our coming King.