As we start A.D.V.E.N.T. this Sunday, what does the A stand for? A is for Advent, or anticipation, or await, or arise. A is for almost there, or arriving, or about to happen. A is for alertness, or awareness, or assurance, or attention.
Read Isaiah 2:1-5 & Matthew 24:36-44.
How do those readings make you feel – anxious, apathetic, angry? Assured or afraid or annoyed? It may seem strange to begin the season of Advent, the church new year, with grown-up Jesus talking about his second coming instead of six pound eleven ounces sweet baby Jesus. It may seem strange to begin Advent looking past Bethlehem; to begin Advent by looking toward the future instead of the past.
But as the Rev. Dr. John Burgess reminds us, we are living between the times – between Christ’s first and second coming. We are living between the times: “Advent reminds us of God’s promises to Israel of Immanuel…Advent also calls us to anticipate the day on which this Immanuel will return as King of kings and Lord of Lords.”
As we consider the anticipation of Advent, consider what we pray every week in the Lord’s Prayer: “Thy will be done, Thy kingdom come.” What does it mean for God’s kingdom to come? Does that align with Jesus’ second coming – with judgment day?
Rev. Burgess goes on to describe the two usual ways of seeing judgment day: 1) as a moment of rapture (like the Left Behind series) where some are taken away and some are left behind; 2) as a moment at each individual’s death where we will have to stand before God and account for our lives.
Maybe there is a third way of hearing Jesus’ words about the end times: that each day is a day of judgment, that we should always be examining ourselves each day – are we following Christ? As we continue our day-to-day work, have we been distracted from our hope, from our calling? Or are we being taught in the ways of the Lord, are we walking in his path?
As we look toward the manger, we must see it through lens of hope – hope that our work and discipleship today matters, but that we are not on our own. We must look with hope to the future, that our Judge is also the one who took our judgment on the cross.
So let us anticipate the advent of Advent – for tomorrow might be the day that we all catch a glimpse of God’s kingdom.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Kate
