What's New?

First Sunday of Advent (Year A)

from Isaiah 2:1-5 and Romans 13:11-14

• Happy New Year! (Advent is the beginning of the Christian calendar, so the first Sunday of Advent is like the first day of the calendar year).

What do folks often do at New Years? Make resolutions... typically having to do with some kind of personal discipline. Perhaps you'll join in a personal discipline for Advent.

• On the one hand (OTOH), this Advent season is a first for us, (my first Advent here in Bville), and on the other hand (OTOH), here we go again, getting ready for Christmas. Just a few days ago we celebrated being thankful for what we had, just hours before unmatched shopping frenzy for things we don't need. (Black Friday 2013 included a shoplifter shot by a cop in IL, a shopper pepper-spraying a WM manager in NJ, a stabbing in VA over a parking space. On our way to 3.9% increase in holiday spending over last year.)

• What's new? OTOH Ecclesiastes 1:9 What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again, there is nothing new under the sun. And OTOH, “I am making all things new” (Jesus in Rev. 21:5, see also Isa 65:17 “I create new heavens and a new earth.”

• Advent, season of preparation for the coming of the Lord.
Time to remember the birth of Christ AND to look forward to the return of Christ.

• We celebrate the forward vision in Isaiah that God has a beautiful plan in place... 

...in the midst of the darkness LIGHT is coming, 

...in the midst of depression and desolation, there is HOPE for RENEWAL.

• Any crafters here? There's a certain pride to making something... Counted cross-stitch, woodwork, maybe you're a gardener or decorator.

Did you ever start a project and not finish it? I've got cross-stitches I started twenty years ago that remain unfinished...

Here's the thing, God finishes God's projects.

God finishes God's projects, and I daresay God delights in the process as well. 

And we are a part of God's project, and God delights in us.

There's a word for God's finished project and that's “shalom” – it has to do with the ideal, the complete, the perfect, the whole, and yes, peace, and that is what we hope for and anticipate especially in Advent. In fact right now our unlit Advent wreath is both a reminder of the unfinished work of the Lord and a way of watching the light come into the world. We'll light one in a few minutes, as we begin or rather take a next step in that journey.

• Of course as you prepare for a journey you gotta dress appropriately. I'm a runner, and I'm thankful that as I prepared for a Thanksgiving Day run I had my winter running clothes because it was 20 degrees out. You gotta dress appropriately, and our passage from Romans not only says It's time for the journey to begin – you know what time it is, the night is almost over, the day is near – it's time for the journey to begin, now get dressed properly. Dress yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ (LJC), don't be selfishly indulgent (hello, Black Friday), do live as light – live in such a way that you represent and resemble Christ, and so increase His visibility in the world.

• There's a sense about Advent that is like the season of Lent, in that preparation is a discipline of sorts. The way to “dress yourself with the LJC” is to plan time with Him, for study and devotion and prayer, to live in a way that others will see Him and will want to know more.

• One other thing about Advent, this season of increasing the light of Christ in the world while discarding the ways of darkness... it's easier to see in the dark if there's someone with you or near you who has a light. Some of you may be that light – you have been able to overcome darkness in your life... SHINE that light so that others may see. Walk with those of us who need to hear how Christ has been with you in overcoming temptation and adversity. Some of you may be the light, and others of you may NEED the light. That's why we're the body of Christ, and that's why it's great to worship God on your own but we NEED to prepare the way of the Lord together. It's easier to see in the dark if there's someone with you or near you with a light, and ultimately we have Christ with us. Let's help others to see.

• I have devotional calendars for everyone – enough for everyone as individuals, but I'd encourage you to do as family. Reading from the first day:

God is not asking for ALL of your time, but He is asking for 100 percent of the time you are able to give to Him. Don't rush through a Bible verse while you are eating breakfast and listening to the weather report. Don't wade through a devotional reading five minutes before you fall asleep from a frenzied day... Ten minutes of completely undivided attention and time will give you a better spiritual journey than thirty minutes of squeezed-in time...

Doing this will get you to Christmas prepared instead of surprised, ready for the Christ-child.

• LIGHT first candle, candle of hope

We light this candle as a symbol of Christ our Hope.
May the light sent from God shine in the darkness to show us the way of salvation.

• Pray thanks for salvation, strength for bearing light, increasing Christ light in the world

• Into Advent Communion liturgy (responses on UMH p. 13)

Isaiah 2:1-5 Common English Bible (CEB)

1 This is what Isaiah, Amoz’s son, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

2 In the days to come, the mountain of the Lord’s house will be the highest of the mountains. It will be lifted above the hills; peoples will stream to it.
3 Many nations will go and say, “Come, let’s go up to the Lord’s mountain, to the house of Jacob’s God so that he may teach us his ways and we may walk in God’s paths.”
Instruction will come from Zion; the Lord’s word from Jerusalem. 4 God will judge between the nations, and settle disputes of mighty nations. Then they will beat their swords into iron plows and their spears into pruning tools.
Nation will not take up sword against nation; they will no longer learn how to make war.

5 Come, house of Jacob, let’s walk by the Lord’s light.

Romans 13:11-14 Common English Bible (CEB)

11 As you do all this, you know what time it is. The hour has already come for you to wake up from your sleep. Now our salvation is nearer than when we first had faith. 12 The night is almost over, and the day is near. So let’s get rid of the actions that belong to the darkness and put on the weapons of light. 13 Let’s behave appropriately as people who live in the day, not in partying and getting drunk, not in sleeping around and obscene behavior, not in fighting and obsession. 14 Instead, dress yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ, and don’t plan to indulge your selfish desires. 

Benediction

1 Thess 3:12-13 - May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.