The Gift of Presence
This advent we want to celebrate the gift of “presence” as opposed to the gift of “presents”. More than a physical gift; the gift of someone’s presence in our lives, or in a difficult situation, or significant celebration, or event is often far more meaningful. We want to unpack more deeply the gift of God’s presence coming in the person of Jesus and what that looked like in his ministry. We are going to look at God’s coming among us, what it meant for broken and hurting people, and how we are called to be God’s presence in the way we live individually and as a church. These aspects will mostly be drawn from the Gospel of John.
John Chapter 1 – God’s presence with us
In the beginning was the Word. God has always “been” and Jesus the Word was with the Father in the beginning. The Word was the light of men and this light was promised to come into the world (Isaiah 9:1-7). The Light of the world, the Word himself became flesh and “moved into the neighborhood” – he made his home, his “presence” with us. God has graced humanity with his presence; a move that started with him descending on the tabernacle, moving into the holy of holies in the temple, and now coming literally in flesh and blood.
John Chapter 4 – God’s presence to the marginalised
Jesus deliberately goes out of his way to visit a Samaritan village much to the disgust of his disciples. Why was his presence so significant and what message was Jesus signaling in doing this? But it gets even more interesting when Jesus engages in conversation with a woman at a well, and more than that, a woman with a reputation as a family wrecker and of poor morals and judgement. Not the person the Son of God should be meeting with. Yet Jesus presence and conversation tell us some very important things about God. God seeks out and values and loves the social outcast and people of disrepute. He values women in a society when they were second class, especially a woman like this. He identifies her deep need for love and identity and offers her hope and living water in him.
John Chapter 11 – When God’s presence feels absent
Jesus knows that Lazarus is sick and dying, yet he deliberately withholds his presence from these dear friends who so desperately want him to be there to heal and to comfort and restore. Jesus knows they need him and want him, and he loves them, yet he withholds his presence? Why? Can you imagine if you are Martha and Mary how disappointed you would be that Jesus didn’t come in your greatest hour of need when he could have? Sometimes in our lives when we are most desperate for God’s presence in our greatest need, it feels like he is absent or not there. What is that like?
John Chapter 13 – The presence of service
Jesus washes his disciple’s feet – the ultimate act of “presence” and service and humility by the creator God to his beloved dust. Having washed people’s feet on different occasions, it is an interaction that requires you to be very personal and very “present” to the other. If done properly (unlike a quick splash of water), it takes time, is very intimate, puts the washer in a position of service and “lower than” the other. Jesus in this act is being “present” to his disciples in a more intimate and significant way than he ever has before.
John Chapter 14:15-21; Matthew 28; Acts 2 – We are God’s presence in the world
Jesus promised before he died that he would send the Holy Spirit so that we would not be left as orphans without his “presence” in the world. After Jesus resurrection he sent the promised Holy Spirit as recorded in Acts. God’s presence has not only left the temple and appeared in the person of Jesus, but now is present in every follower of Jesus in the form of the Holy Spirit. Tongues of fire came down and filled them all – we are now the “gift of God’s presence” in the world.
This Advent, how will you receive God’s presence and how will you “be” God’s presence?