This Sunday marks the beginning of the Advent season, a time when many in the Christian faith start preparing for Christmas. - But what does Advent mean?

During the season of Advent, we try to remember what it must have been like to hope for the Messiah. Six hundred years before the birth of Christ, the prophet Zechariah wrote:

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you, righteous and having salvation is he…” (Zechariah 9:9 ESV).

These prophecies must have been like beams of light in a time when darkness and sorrow plagued Israel. After experiencing the complete blackout of the Carlsbad Caverns, I had a small taste of what hopelessness would feel like. Thankfully, Zechariah’s prophecy was made flesh in the form of Jesus Christ, the one who said:

“’I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’” (John 8:12).

As we begin our series and continue to move closer to Christmas, I wanted to take a second to remind us what Advent actually means. It’s the anglicized version of the Latin word adventus, which means “coming,” as in “the Lord is coming.” In examining the theme of Hope, we are reminded that we have been brought out of darkness and now live in the light and hope of Jesus Christ. And that’s something we can truly celebrate!

More Speaking of Life videos are on the Grace Communion International website.