the tradition of advent Whether we are ready or not Christmas is upon us. The frenetic, exhausting pace and stress of this time of the year can rob us of the sacredness, beauty, and wonder of this wonderful season. The tradition of Advent can help reconnect us to God’s redemptive story in Scripture as we focus on the true meaning and significance of this holy season by creating space for God to speak into our lives. The term Advent refers to the “coming” or “arrival” of Jesus Christ. The Church universal has recognized the season of Advent since the 13th Century. The Advent season begins on the 4th Sunday before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve. Traditionally, Christians include an Advent wreath with five candles in a circle as part of the experience of Advent to symbolize the light of Jesus Christ has illuminated a dark world. During each Sunday observance an additional candle is lit. On Christmas Eve all five candles are lit to provide a fitting climax as we anticipate both the first arrival of Jesus and prepare and await his return. Advent is marked by a spirit of expectation, of preparation, of examination, of hope and longing.
A Guide to Advent We have provided this devotional guide as a resource to help you, your family, friends, or small group to live more fully into the Christmas season. Step One: On each Sunday of Advent, starting November 28 and ending on December 24, gather for a time of worship that might include scripture reading, singing carols and praying. We have included a devotional reading that follows the theme of our Christmas weekend teaching series: “In Search of Awe”. Place the four candles in a circle with the fifth one in the middle. Traditionally, there are three purple candles with one rose and a white candle in the middle but feel free to choose other colors. You can also use tea candles if that works better for you. You can also add greenery to enhance your wreath. Step Two: When you gather each week have someone light a candle. Each week you will relight the candle or candles from the previous week(s). Read the Scripture from the Sunday schedule and then the devotional reflection. We have included reflection questions that can be used in an individual or group setting. You may want to have a time for people to share their favorite Christmas stories or memories and then have a time to pray. Daily Readings: We have provided suggested readings from Scripture for Monday through Saturday for personal meditation and reflection. There is an Old Testament and New Testament passage for each day. You may want to read one in the morning and one in the evening. Read the passage slowly and allow the words to sink deeply into your heart and mind. As you read reflect on the following questions: (1) What do I learn about God? (2) What do I learn about myself? (3) How does this passage intersect with my life? Advent Prayer: “Almighty God, creator of heaven and earth, you came to us long ago as the ‘word made flesh’. Father, create in us a sense of wonder and awe this Advent season as we seek to worship you in ‘spirit and in truth’. We pray that our lives will be a daily act of worship by the power of your Holy Spirit. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
IN SEARCH OF AWE—Advent Devotional 2010 NOV
28
First Sunday of Advent Light First Candle
Read Luke 1:45-55
“What God has done for me will never be forgotten, the God whose very name is holy, set apart from all others. His mercy flows in wave after wave on those who are in awe before him.” Luke 1:48-50 We begin our advent season in search of awe. Awe is really something that is missing in our twenty-first century western world. And what do we do when something is missing in our world? Well, first we diminish it. We overinflate the meaning of our words…..like “amazing,” or “miraculous,” or “awesome”…..and apply them to sporting events or fashions or flavors. Then, we try to replace the things that are, by actual definition, beyond our normal everyday senses with things that are pedestrian. We infuse the commonplace with what should be divine. And in doing so we rob our souls of the possibility of mystery and wonder and being touched by heaven! It takes a lot to impress and “wow” us these days. We fly around the world in airplanes. We have instant access to information via the internet. We can escape to fun places like: Disney’s “Magic Kingdom”, Cedar Point, Mall of America and let’s not forget St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Country Fair! We now have the capability to create any virtual world we desire in order to fill our insatiable need for the next euphoric experience. We become addicted to pleasure and instant gratification. Consequently, our sense of awe is no longer in play. In reality we have very little knowledge and experience of what it means to fear or to be in awe of God. In the Biblical narrative awe is described and expressed as an overwhelming feeling and sense of wonder, reverence, respect, fear, dread and amazement toward a God who is beyond us…a God who is not like us…a God who is all powerful and all knowing and beyond our capacity to fully understand. We see this kind of awe and wonder in Mary as she ponders her encounter with the Angel Gabriel and was told she would give birth to the Messiah. Not only that, Mary receives the affirmation and blessing of her cousin Elizabeth who declares, “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the child you bear!” This illustrates the importance of having friends and a faith community that will remind us of the greatness of God. (Luke 1:43) Perhaps we can learn from this humble maid-servant that in order to be in awe of God we must become more mindful of his character: he is holy, he is just, he is mighty and he is full of mercy. But in order to experience his mercy we must also approach Almighty God with a deep sense of awe, wonder and humility. Mary states quite emphatically: “his mercy extends to those who fear him….” Or another way to express this is his mercy extends to those who are in “awe” of him. (Luke 1:40) So this Advent Season may we all take time to slow down and create space so God who is the “holy other” can amaze us— “wow” us so we can experience with Mary the wonder and awe of his presence. Lynn Buckles
Reflection Questions: 1. Do you agree or disagree that a sense of “awe” is missing in our 21st Century culture? Why or why not? 2. Set aside a few minutes to re-read Mary’s Song in Luke 1:46-55. What words does she use to describe God? What words would you use to describe God? 3. How would you characterize your desire and need to be in “awe” of God? What is competing with your heart that diminishes your affection and desire to worship Almighty God? Spend some time talking to God about this. Weekly Readings for November 29 - December 4 NOV
Psalm 89:1-18, Matthew 6:25-34
NOV
Psalm 46, Matthew 7:1-14
DEC
Psalm 119:153-160, Matthew 7:15-29
29 30 1
DEC
Isaiah 43:1-3, Matthew 13:1-23
2
DEC
Isaiah 44:6-23, Luke 8:22-25
3
DEC
Isaiah 7:13-14, Acts 2:42-47
4
DEC
5
Second Sunday of Advent Light Two CandleS Read Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38 This advent season let us not devalue the divine. Let’s begin in a stable, a dark, dank cave in the little town of Bethlehem. There in the quiet of the midnight we can see with the eyes of our hearts a picture of a baby wrapped in pieces of cloth and lying on the manger on a pile of straw. Nearby rest Mary and Joseph who had traveled to the city to be taxed. She was a young woman, a virgin from Nazareth who had been approached by the angel Gabriel and told that she would become pregnant by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit of God and that she would bear a son. This child would be the Messiah, the son of God. How amazing! How wondrous! How could such a thing be? What a unique young woman she must have been. What a life she must have lived before God, and with Him, to be deemed worthy to be the mother of the Christ child. And how could Mary accept it? She was engaged to be married to Joseph, who according to scripture was an honorable man. What an honor indeed to be chosen by God to serve as the earthly father of the son of the Most High? But each of them had said ”yes” to God, not just on this occasion but by the very conduct of their lives. Were they able to hear the songs of the angels who sang to the shepherds in the fields, announcing the birth of the Lord Jesus? Was there an echo across the heavens that no one could explain as the strains of “Peace on earth, good will to all mankind” resounded from the throne of God Himself into the hills and valleys around Bethlehem, perhaps even into the inns where there was no room for the baby born that night? What faith and submission resided in the hearts of Mary and Joseph that enabled them to receive the message of the angels and sing praises to God for the gift that would not only save the world but also disrupt their lives with rumors about where the baby really came from and what kind of woman his mother really was? As we search for awe perhaps some of us will find it there, in the willingness to bear not only the gift of being chosen but also the burdens that came along with it. How often do we stop to think about that when we see the manger scene pictured on various Christmas cards? Were their hearts completely peaceful or were they pondering and praying and continuing to ask their Father God for answers to what all of this would ultimately mean, not only for themselves but for the tiny baby who had just arrived? When the star shone overhead, were they aware of its presence as it marked and revealed the glory of God on earth? As the shepherds came to worship, were Mary and Joseph confused by their arrival? And when they melted away into the dawn were Mary and Joseph filled with questions, or with amazement? Or did they have a peace that passes understanding as they pondered it all? The coming of the Christ child is an event filled with mystery and awe. As we begin our search for awe, let us begin here. As we consider the meaning and purpose of His coming, let us not set aside the occasion of His birth as a separate or isolated event. It is the beginning of our salvation. The incarnation of God into human flesh is the beginning of redemption. The coming of the Lord for the first time is amazing not just for its meaning at Christmas, but for its meaning at Easter, and at His ascension, and at His return! Let us learn to elevate it to its true majesty. Our God is an awesome God! Sharon Wright
Reflection Questions: 1. What qualities beyond that of an ordinary, obedient young Jewish woman might Mary have possessed to draw the heart of God to her to become the mother of Jesus? 2. Joseph’s questions about whether to divorce Mary were answered by an angel. What things do you imagine that he might have continued to wrestle with during the time that they were awaiting the birth of the child? 3. The sacrifice of Jesus was not limited to His death on the cross to save us. What does the incarnation mean in terms of all that He gave up to come here and live in a body of flesh? 4. In what ways have you experienced Jesus as Immanuel-“God with us” lately? Weekly Readings for December 6-December 11
DEC
Psalm 121, Romans 8
DEC
Psalm 51, John 1:1-13
DEC
Jeremiah 29:10-14, John 1:14-18
DEC
Jeremiah 31:31-40, John 1:19-34
6 7 8 9
DEC
Daniel 9:4-19, John 3:16-21 10 DEC
Isaiah 40:1-11, John 3:22-36 11
NOV
12
Third Sunday of Advent Light Three Candles
Read: Luke 2:8-20
In Luke 2:8-20 we have an amazing story. God sends His angels to speak to some shepherds about the birth of His Son. I don’t know for sure if the angels really understood what they were announcing to the shepherds or not. They did know enough though, to realize this was no ordinary event in the history of mankind. They knew God was doing some awesome. And in the moment when the first angel was revealed to the shepherds and began to proclaim God’s intentions, they couldn’t help but praise God. Quite often Jesus spoke that some people were blind and some could see. In the middle of the night, some shepherds who were looking at a world shrouded in darkness, lit only by the light of the moon and stars, suddenly had a veil pulled back and they could then see what had been there all along. They were surrounded by a host of heavenly messengers who lived so completely in the presence of God they glowed with His glory. And not far away, there lay in amongst some animals the savior of the world. When they arrived at the stable to see for themselves, they too praised God as the angels did, for once they had been blind, but now they could see. A blind man seldom understands his blindness. Others tell him of the wondrous things they see, but he only knows his darkness. Until his blindness is taken away and his darkness is illuminated, he will never see what was there all along. Many live their whole lives in darkness, unable to see the awesome nature of God. Perhaps, during this season of celebration of God’s goodness towards us, you too will come to see that which has been there all along. John Pearson Reflection Questions 1. Read Luke 2:8-20. Try to view the shepherds through the eyes of the angels. What seems awesome to you? 2. Take a moment and try to view the scene in the stable from the eyes of the shepherds. What seems awesome to you? 3. Read Luke 1:26-38. With this scripture in mind, read Luke 2:8-20 again. Try to view this scene from Mary’s point of view. What seems awesome to you? Weekly Readings for December 13-December 18 DEC Isaiah 11:1-5, Matthew 5: 1-12
13
DEC Isaiah 11:6-10, James 4:4-10
14 DEC
Isaiah 9:1-7, Philippians 2:1-11
15 DEC
Isaiah 12, Philippians 2:12-18 16 DEC
Ezekiel 34:7-24, John 10:1-10 17 DEC
Ezekiel 36:22-28, John 10:11-18 18
DEC
19 Fourth Sunday of Advent Light Four Candles Read: Luke 2: 21-40 River, was in his room, window opened, looking skyward, talking. His mother heard him and wondered what he was up to. She entered the room quietly but was noticed by River before she could hear his conversation. When River and his mother made eye contact she asked what he was doing. A frustrated River said; “Mom, I’m talking to God but he’s not saying anything back.” This is cute not only because he is my grandson…but this is cute because he assumed that a conversation should be two persons; each hearing each other. We read scripture and find countless examples that God spoke to mankind. Hebrews 1: 1 reads: “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways…” I’m intrigued at the variety of ways that God used to speak to mankind: Imagine the words “Let there be light”…and voila there was light… Imagine the daily garden verbal-audible conversations between God and Adam… Imagine hearing God’s voice from a burning bush...Imagine having Balaam’s ass speaking your language and Imagine David, or Isaiah putting words to parchment and declaring that the words came to them from God through the leading of the Holy Spirit. As we enter into the advent season we continue to find God taking extreme measures to communicate to special people that the extraordinary was about the happen: • God used the prophecies written by David and Isaiah (his written word) to initiate the expectation of a Messiah. • God used the angel, Gabriel, to communicate to Elizabeth and Zachariah that Elizabeth would birth John, the predecessor of the Christ. • God used an angel to deliver the message to the shepherds after which an army of angels appeared to proclaim “Glory to God in the highest.” • God again used Gabriel to communicate to Mary that she would be the mother of the Christ child. • God through a dream communicated to Joseph not to divorce his wife and added that their child was conceived by the Holy Spirit was to be named Jesus • God by the Holy Spirit communicated to Simeon and Anna that they would live to see the Christ child. • Some time later God used a star to communicate to the three wise men the location of the new king. We are told that the notion of a Messiah coming to deliver Israel was at fever pitch for this generation. Simeon and Anna would have been no different from the general population. They were eager to see with their own eyes this special savior. As they received word from the Holy Spirit independently of the other that they would see the Messiah they had to be keenly aware of their ages. I find it interesting that they positioned themselves to be where they would be most likely to witness his arrival. They were in the temple day and night. We can’t be sure that they were necessarily looking for a newborn child but when directed by the same Spirit which gave them their initial promise they suddenly had an awareness that the time had come. Age is a beautiful thing in that it often allows persons to reflect on the sum of their entire life. What joy and awe it must have been for both Simeon and Anna to reflect on the promise of seeing the Messiah. Simeon was so moved that he stated, “Now, Lord, you are allowing your servant to leave in peace as you promised.” Continuing from our Hebrews passage referenced above it reads in verse 2, “but in these last days he has spoken to us by his SON.” The Gospel of John (1: 12) declares, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” This is the God/ man/child whom Simeon and Anna anticipated seeing before they died based on Luke’s rendering of the story. Be sure that He is speaking to each of us. This Holiday season I trust that you will sing Joy to the World with newfound insight. Reflect on God’s capacity to proclaim the wonder and awe of the Christ event to the world as you lift your voice to sing, “And Heaven and Nature Sing, And Heaven and Nature Sing and Heaven and Heaven and Nature Sing,” Joy to the World!!! Jim Kline
REFLECTION QUESTIONS 1. Which of the following ways has God spoken to you: through an angel, a dream, his Word, creation, though his Holy Spirit and/or through life circumstances? 2. What are some ways you can slow down this week so you can notice and pay attention to the presence of God? Weekly Readings for December 20-23
DEC
Zechariah 8:1-8, 1 Corinthians 1:1-16
DEC
Micah 5:1-5, Revelation 4
DEC
Psalm 131, Revelation 19:1-9
20 21
22
23
DEC
Psalm 147, Colossians 1:15-23
DEC
24 Christmas Eve-December 24 Light All Five Candles
Read Matthew 2:1-12
As a family, we’ve recently started a tradition of filling our Advent calendar with the Nativity story, and together we read the story of Jesus’ birth, little by little, each night. Maybe this should go without saying, but I love this story. I love the angel Gabriel coming to Mary to announce the coming of one whose kingdom will have no end. “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you . . . Do not be afraid.” I love that Elizabeth, barren in her old age, conceives a child because, “Nothing will be impossible with God.” I love that Joseph is described as a righteous man; righteous because he remains obedient to God’s revelation when he could have easily conformed to conventional expectations. And I love the appearance of an angel of the Lord to the shepherds. “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord!” But I’ve got to be honest. Around the 15th day of our calendar, we get to a part of the Christmas story that I just don’t like to read very much. It’s here that our family gets to the story of the magi. I’m not really sure why, but when I get to this part of the Nativity story, I get a little uncomfortable. Maybe it’s because of the confusion and mystery surrounding the identity of the magi. Maybe it’s because of the deception employed by Herod. Maybe it’s because I know that Herod is about to slay all the male children in Bethlehem, a fact that is especially hard to stomach when reading the story with our daughter who has just turned two, herself. Maybe it’s because Herod’s response to Jesus hits too close to home. Through a rising star, creation testifies to the fact that the Son of the Most High, the one who will hold the throne of His father David, who will reign over the house of Jacob, and whose kingdom will have no end, is born! And because of that fact, the magi diligently search for Jesus. Because of that fact, we are told, “After coming into the house they saw the Child . . . and they fell to the ground and worshipped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh” (Matt 2.11). On the other hand, a rising star testifies to the glorious birth of the Son of the Most High and we are told that Herod is troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. In Herod, we see a man who is fearful—Fearful for his throne, for his power, for his authority. Threatened by the possibility of losing his kingdom, a kingdom he had worked so hard to attain and for which he will do anything to maintain. In Herod, we see a man for whom Jesus was awful. So, aside from the mystery and brutality surrounding this part of the story, maybe I get uncomfortable in the middle of December because Herod just reminds me too much of me. Does he you? Maybe it’s because I sometimes find God’s presence inconvenient. Because I should be singing “Glory to the newborn king!” and instead I sit in fear of losing my kingdom to God’s kingdom. Do you? We celebrate and rejoice this season because Immanuel has come; because of the glorious birth of the Son of the Most High! This holiday season we are challenged to follow the example of the magi. We are challenged to sacrifice our earthly pursuits and to give glory to God. To literally fall on the ground and humbly worship the One who entered into this world to make the ultimate sacrifice for you and for me. Matt Burlew Reflection Questions: 1. What spiritual principles do you learn from the way the Magi seek the Christ-child and the way they respond once they find him? 2. King Herod was driven at all cost to protect his own kingdom and he saw Jesus as a threat. In what ways does Jesus confront you with your own blind ambition and tendency toward self-protection? 3. What are some of your greatest fears in following Jesus at all cost? 4. What are some of the “life-lessons” you hope to apply from this series: “In Search of Awe”.