The title for our Advent series comes from the Hans Christian Anderson short story. The story takes jabs at vanity and arrogance. It reveals how foolishly people can act when trying to seem wise and worthy. It took a little child to make known what everyone knew but wouldn't admit: "The emperor has no clothes." You can read a version here which ends with a doubling down on foolishness and pretense.

While our theme isn't Β the gullibility of people, it seems appropriate that, "God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,Β  so that no human being might boast in the presence of God" 1 Corinthians 1:27-29.Β 

One of the "things that are not" is clothing. There are a number of references to articles of clothing in the Bible, some spectacular and others very plain. But the clothing tells a story and that story points to the "foolishness of God" who chooses to clothe Himself in our flesh and be wrapped in swaddling clothes. He does this in order to redeem us from the foolishness of our sin.

Besides Wednesday Worship, this series includes an Advent devotion book which you can download here. You can also pick up a printed copy at church.

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