ADVENT SUNDAY
Jeremiah 33: 14-16. A prophesy regarding the inbreaking
of God into the world to fulfil the promises of God. A re-writing of 23:5-6 but
here the emphasis is not only on a new and righteous king but on a renewed
community which introduces a corporate aspect to the Advent hope.
1 Thessalonians 3: 9-13. A letter of delight and gratitude
for the new Christian community. They have some concerns and problems but
everything is generally going the right way. The “Advent” flavour comes from
the fact that everything is done in the light of the “Coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ with all his saints”. This is not posed as a threat to keep the troops
in line but is anticipated as the conclusion to the whole human story. Paul
uses two words that should characterise the Thessalonians – Love and holiness.
Love for each other and love for all. The love of God is inclusive. Holiness,
is the other watchword which denotes the “set apart” nature of the Christian
community. Holiness of course often implies a rigid code of life lived
according to a strict code of ethics, but in the two prayers, one here and the
other in 5;25 we learn that holiness is conferred by God alone, not attained by
living according to a specific code. It is God’s gift and God’s initiative,
like Jesus who came at Christmas and will come again.
Luke 21: 25-36. These discourses where Luke
describes Jesus talking about “the son of man coming on a cloud” give no
timetable for these events. “This generation” is used by Luke to describe
anyone who turns their backs on God or His prophets. God comes as judge, but
Christians can look up in hope rather than down in fear, because He comes to
deliver us and Luke is more concerned with preparing us to live in a constant
state of readiness for Jesus’ return.
The church
year starts on Advent Sunday, not January 1st.
It hasn’t always
been this way. Originally it started on Easter Sunday as it still does in the
East. Then in the fourth century after the date of Christmas had been established
preparation for Epiphany baptisms started on St. Martin’s day which is November
11th and that season was called Advent.
Later it was shortened
to the four-week period we have today starting on the Sunday closest to St.
Andrew’s day and I find it interesting to try and understand why we in the west
think it is so significant.
I guess is that
holds together both the beginning and the end of the Christian story and
therefore our own beginning and our own end.
The season
builds up not only to the first coming of God at Christmas in a stable in
Bethlehem, but also looks forward to the what we have become accustomed to
calling the “second coming” when Jesus
returns to judge the world and marks the reconfiguring of all things, even the
creation of the “new heaven and the new earth” prophesied in Revelation.
The breaking
in of God into the world was prophesied by Jeremiah today in our first reading
set for Advent Sunday. This prophesy is actually carried twice in Jeremiah. The
one we heard today is a re-writing of the same prophesy that appears earlier in
chapter 23 but with important changes.
The most
important change is that in the updated version the name “The Lord is our
righteousness” is given not to the new king, as it was in the original version
but to Jerusalem, which introduces a strong corporate element to our Advent
hope and emphasises the graciousness of God to His people.
Righteousness
is not so much a passive quality but an activity in which God put things right
and upholds those who are loyal to Him.
Both the
first and second coming are examples of God’s righteousness where God is
putting things right and is speaking through His church to a hurting and
waiting world.
We all know
I hope what happened at Christmas, the first coming and in our gospel reading
from Luke today we have Jesus Himself talking about his second coming. Second
coming is actually not a Biblical phrase at all – it is an English translation
of the Greek word “Parousia” which means “presence”, the presence of God. So in
talking like this Jesus is predicting his death certainly but also his certain
return – as certain as the fig trees which when they sprout leaves you know
that summer is near.
“The son of
man coming on a cloud” is an allusion to the Biblical prophesy in the book of
Daniel, from where Jesus takes His favourite way of referring to himself – the
son of man, coming with great power and glory.
But there is
no timetable given for when these cataclysmic events are to take place. Even
the phrase “this generation” can’t be used to imply any temporal application.
“This generation” is a phrase used by Luke to describe any people at any time
that turn their backs on God.
The most
important point from this gospel passage is that God will come as Judge but
Christians can look up in hope and not down in fear, because He is coming to
deliver us and this passage is most interested in preparing us to live in a
constant state of readiness for Jesus’ return.
And that
provides the perfect introduction to 1 Thessalonians – the earliest of Paul’s
letters, which thus pre-date everything else in the new testament including the
gospels. When we hear these words of Paul we are hearing the very first
Christian words we have recorded.
The letter
was a response to a report on the Thessalonians given to Paul by his helper
Timothy. It was basically encouraging though there were some problems –
including some who were agitated that Jesus hadn’t already returned while some
of their friends had died in the meantime – revealing a feeling as old as
Christendom – but is basically a letter of delight and gratitude in this
community.
The “Advent”
flavour comes from the fact that everything is done in the light of the “Coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints”. This is not posed as a threat to
keep the troops in line but is a fact anticipated as the conclusion to the
whole human story.
Paul uses
two words that should characterise the Thessalonians – Love and holiness. Love
for each other and love for all. So the love of God is inclusive and so looks
beyond the walls of the church whether physical or spiritual. Our concern is
rightly for each other – and how we conduct ourselves will influence how we are
seen – but we are also to be concerned about the physical and spiritual
well-being of those outside the church
amongst whom we are set.
Holiness, is
the other watchword which denotes the “set apart” nature of the Christian
community. Holiness of course often implies a rigid code of life lived
according to a strict code of ethics, but in the two prayers in Thessalonians,
one here and the other in 5;25 we learn that holiness is conferred by God alone,
not attained by living according to a specific code. It is God’s gift and God’s
initiative, like Jesus who came at Christmas and will come again.
Advent looks
forward to the end of the story and is meant to inspire us. The completion of
God’s will and purpose for the entire universe.
Jesus will
come in his glorious majesty at the end. So all our lives, as fraught and
ambiguous at every level will be swallowed up in victory – the life immortal.
Do you see
your life as a unity?
You are now
the same person who was born with your name many years ago and you are at the
same time the person who will liveforever in the kingdom of God. Your life has inexhaustible
meaning and purpose which is why in this mortal life we are asked to cast away
the works of darkness and put on the armour of light.
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