The case can be made that no one neighbors anymore. Since no one neighbors, we’re generally shocked by the knock. Count the number of knocks you get on a monthly basis and I’ll bet it’s under 5. Once upon a time, the knock used to excite us; now it scares us. Why? Well, we don’t really expect it these days. No one just drops in—not without a call or text beforehand. We’ve become averse to the visit, especially the unexpected kind.
It’s a little concerning since we’re called to be “come and see” people. However, that posture is difficult to assume when we behave in “do-not-disturb” ways.
We’ve become backyard in our behaviors and yet as a people of faith, we follow a front door God who not only knocks but specializes in the surprise visit.
All of Advent (from the Latin word, adventus, meaning “coming”) is a setup for the unexpected. In fact, a cursory scan of the scriptures will show us that the entire birth narrative of Jesus is built on a series of knocks and the hands of those who either opened the door or didn’t answer. Through it, we learn how much it matters that we’re open and how much we miss when we’re closed.
Thus, as we make our way through Advent—these four weeks leading us to the birth of a Savior—I’m excited to announce our current sermon series, “Knock, Knock.” The knock-knock joke is a knee-jerk response, but as a people of faith, we grow to learn that other knocks are not always easy to answer. Join us as we sojourn through the gospels of Matthew and Luke so that you can not only know and become familiar with the God who knocks, but you might also be one who grows to expect the unexpected.
“Knock, knock!”
“Who’s there?”
You won’t believe it till you open it. See you online or in person!
With Advent Expectancy,
