November 30, 2025 Text: Romans 13:11-14
Dear Friends in Christ,
Ever since we got these royal blue paraments that adorn our altar, lectern, and pulpit they have been a favorite. We even used them for our Church Anniversary this past summer. There is just something that feels right about that color for this season of Advent. We are in preparation mood for Christmas. This royal blue color symbolizes hope and expectancy.
Throughout the years our midweek Advent worship services have had a theme that has been preached on. This year it is, “Every Heart Prepare: Seeing Christ in the Holiday Decorations.” We usually have not had a theme for our Sunday morning Advent services. Well, this year we are going to. The theme for our Sunday mornings and Christmas is going to be “Advent Blues.” The color is before us, so let’s get started . . .
“THE COLOR OF ADVENT”
Our text starts, “Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.” (v. 11-12)
“The day is at hand.” Darkness is passing away. Light is dawning. When do we see blue? During the day, right? Blue skies that reflect the sun and give us the light that we so enjoy. The light of the day is to reflect our spiritual walk. Paul states that at the beginning of our next verse, “Let us walk properly as in the daytime.” (v. 13a)
Unfortunately, we do not always walk under blue skies and sunshine. Sometimes we are “singing the blues” because of our behavior. Paul mentions a few in our text, orgies and getting drunk, sexual immorality and sensuality, quarreling and jealousy. Our sin is readily evident, and guilt traps us. Darkness finds us. Darkness surrounds us. We can be trapped in our dark thoughts and ways if we do not cast off these works of darkness. Our relationship with God our Creator has been damaged, but God heard the agonizing cry from the souls of His people. He responded. He sent His Son to articulate clearly to this troubled planet that God still loves His people and wants them to be one with Him. The Savior came for us.
Jesus the prophet came proclaiming the good news. Our shattered lives have been made whole again. Jesus preached a love that chased away the blues, that turned hope into reality. Jesus came to color our world with joy, to change the hues of sadness to shades of cheer.
Jesus was different from the other prophets. He was different from Elijah and Elisha, Isaiah and Jeremiah, as well as his cousin John the Baptist, really the last of the Old Testament prophets. Jesus was different because of how he spoke. The other prophets spoke for God, but Jesus spoke as God. That is why He chases “the blues” so successfully.
At a performance of Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg by the Danish Royal Opera, the soprano lost her voice. She was able to act the role, so she moved her lips while a substitute sang the part from offstage. Even if they had practiced, they could not have performed better. They sang as one. Likewise, the prophets of old were spokesman for God. As they opened their mouths, so the people heard the voice of God. They spoke as one. They prepared the world for the coming Savior.
Yet Jesus is more than they, for the singers memorized a libretto and score by Richard Wagner, but Jesus composed his own lyrics and tunes – those that could only come from God himself. Thus, Jesus came as a prophet singing a song of good news to people who had long sung “the blues.” He did so not as an actor, but as the author – the one Peter called “the author of life.” (Acts 3:15)
Paul says in our text we are to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh.” How does that happen? When Jesus colors your Advent season with love and forgiveness. Come, then, to the altar, see the blue, feel the light, and taste the body and blood of Christ given and shed for you.
In an age that can become bleak with sad news emanating from the world’s far corners, hear the good news. Jesus paints our world with hope instead of dread, with joy despite sorrow. Permit Him, through the Spirit, to occupy the pulpit of your life daily to preach the good news. May the Color of Advent shine on you.
Amen.