Scripture:
Isaiah 2:1-5
Matthew 24:36-44
This Sunday marked the first Sunday of Advent. This means that it also marked the first day of the year in our Christian calendar. With this first week of Advent, we begin looking ahead and preparing for what is to come. The word "Advent" comes from the Latin ad- (to) and venire (come), so it's literally meaning is "to come". Throughout this Advent season, I will be blogging every Monday-Friday. Mondays I will send out a sermon recap along with the audio of the sermon. Tuesdays-Fridays I will be reflecting on the four readings for the week.
So, what is it that is coming? What is it that we are preparing for? Well, we don't really know. We think we know. We think we are preparing for Christmas, for the coming of the Christ-child, for the light to come into the world..., but we don't really know what that all looks like this year. That is the nature of the "to come". It hasn't come yet, so we don't know.
We do have clues, though. Our scripture reading from Isaiah speaks of a coming time of peace.
So, what is it that is coming? What is it that we are preparing for? Well, we don't really know. We think we know. We think we are preparing for Christmas, for the coming of the Christ-child, for the light to come into the world..., but we don't really know what that all looks like this year. That is the nature of the "to come". It hasn't come yet, so we don't know.
We do have clues, though. Our scripture reading from Isaiah speaks of a coming time of peace.
He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
While we understand Isaiah to be pointing to the coming of Jesus, we also know that, although Jesus came, the world we live in does not look like Isaiah's vision. Is that because Isaiah was wrong or because Jesus failed? Perhaps not. Perhaps that vision was begun by Jesus and the way that we prepare for it is to live into it; to participate in the "to come".
How do we do that? How do we participate in the "to come"? Isaiah says to walk in the light of the Lord. Jesus tells us to be ready; to stay awake. Over the next few days, I will be reflecting on each of the scripture readings for the week and exploring what they tell us about how to be prepared and how to live into the "to come".
How do we do that? How do we participate in the "to come"? Isaiah says to walk in the light of the Lord. Jesus tells us to be ready; to stay awake. Over the next few days, I will be reflecting on each of the scripture readings for the week and exploring what they tell us about how to be prepared and how to live into the "to come".
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