It's the time of year when most of us are starting to get stressed about all things Christmas--the baking, the buying, the bustle. Step back in time 1,000 years and you'd find Christians had different things on their minds: things like death, heaven, and hell. For them, Advent isn't just about remembering the first time Jesus came to earth. Advent is looking forward to the day when Jesus comes again to rescue His people and destroy His enemies once and for all.

Over the next four Sundays of Advent-- we won't be looking directly at the usual Christmas themes of hope, peace, joy, and love. We won't be meditating on death and the afterlife either. Instead, we're going to turn our eyes to Christ Jesus-- the One who came to earth and will come again. We'll turn to Scripture to see again who He is and why He is the greatest gift the world or any one of us could possibly receive.