Advent Devotion for December 1, 2019 from Apostles By-the-Sea - Episode 1

Week 1: Waiting for Christ’s Return

 

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Readings: Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44

 

Reflection on this week’s readings:

The first Sunday of Advent sets the tone for the season by looking forward to the second coming of Jesus Christ. That expectation begins in the Old Testament and Psalm readings which show that the Messiah comes in peace-making judgment. This dual purpose is depicted most beautifully in Isaiah 2 where the Lord comes in judgment, yet also ushers in a time of peace:

“He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples;

and 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 anymore”. (Isaiah 2:4)

God is not the only one who is actively working in this time between the first and second advent. The New Testament and Gospel readings call Christians to be actively watching and waiting for Christ’s return, while also evaluating their lives on the basis of Christ’s first coming. We are reminded to “stay awake” (Matt 24:42-44) and also called to “cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light” (Rom 13:12). This call is expressed in the collect for the week.

 

Collect for the First Week of Advent:

Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.