- Come, Thou long-expected Jesus,
The hymn begins with longing. Like most hymns, this one offers longing and fulfillment. It’s fascinating how older hymns imitate the pattern of the psalms. “Here is my longing, and here is how that longing will be fulfilled.”
For centuries, Jesus was expected. And the way you keep expectations alive is by talking about it, singing about it, surrounding your life around this hope. This is how the Church operated before Jesus.
Born to set Thy people free,
The entire purpose of the incarnation was to liberate us from sin’s captivity; to unshackle us from our bondage to the first Adam. Messiah’s fundamental role was to unburden his people…from what?
From our fears and sins release us,
Messiah doesn’t come generically; he comes specifically to release us from two things: a) sins: the dominion of the flesh in our lives. Theologically, no one slept as well before Jesus as you do after Jesus. The OT saint said: “Tomorrow is just another day to offer sacrifices.” “Tomorrow is another day to long.” Imagine what it meant to sleep before Messiah? Always longing, never seeing. Think about that.
But Jesus also came to release us from our fears: from the sense that everyone is out to get you, from the religious fear that our God is waiting to crush us and send us the east wind of his wrath. Advent says, “No, our fears are given over to him.” Jesus carries our concerns and cares.
Continue reading “Some general notes on Advent’s Classic, “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus””
