The First Sunday of Advent

Sunday's Scriptures

Isaiah 11: 1-4 Isaiah 43: 1-7 Matthew 24: 36-44

"Happy New Year!"
Advent is actually the beginning of the Church year. It marks the preparation for the Advent ('coming', 'arrival') of Jesus at His birth.

You'll also notice, when you read Matthew's passage, that it has a focus on anticipating the return of Christ at his "Second Advent."

Now there's a problem with this. It's that we get so caught up in the softness and sentimentality with which we've surrounded the 'First Coming' and all the trumpets and triumph which many have associated with the 'Second Coming' that we miss the meaning of the First Coming. We'll talk about that more on Sunday.

Another thing that often gets missed is the invitation to Come Home.

Coming Home doesn't just mean showing up for the holidays...it means being welcome when you get there. It means getting to that place of warmth and safety and acceptance that we've always looked for, always knew was there.

Some of us didn't have that in our families as we grew up. Some of us have been searching for our whole life for the place that would supply those needs . And we've looked in a lot of strange places hoping to find a "home."

Advent is an invitation to begin the journey toward the home that's been calling out to us all our lives, a call that has vibrated in our hearts and echoed in our dreams....the home that we always hoped was there but weren't sure we could risk believing really was.

Advent says: "It really is true....there's a home here. Come on in, the door's open, the table's set and you can even carve the turkey. We know you by name, we love you, we're glad you're here."

There's a sign outside the building where our church meets that says it pretty good.

"ADVENT-It's the Road Home for Christmas....Come Walk With Us"

Hope to see you Sunday.

Shalom,
Stephen

P.S. Ooooops.....if you came to the blog before now, you'll notice that I changed one of the scriptures. Old age must be tipping up on me. Thanks for your patience.