What is this time of preparation about?

This week marks the beginning of Advent, when we begin our journey towards Christmas. Advent is a time of preparation, and we usually think this is about preparing for the coming of Christ at Christmas. And it is. But there is more. Advent is a time of preparing for and celebrating the coming of Christ in history (Christmas) mystery (now) and in majesty (when God’s will be finally done on earth as in heaven).

That is why we have the gospel reading from Matthew (24:36-44). It invites us to look forward to when the reign of Christ is fully established, and all God is working for comes to be. It also reminds us that in our worship and in our lives, we are the means by which Christ is present in mystery in this world today. Biblical scholar Bill Loader[1] suggests that it is unhelpful to read this passage as “an exhortation not to misbehave in case you get 'caught with your pants down', as they say, when Jesus comes.” Instead he says “It is about developing an awareness of what the God of the future is saying and doing in the present, to take a God perspective on the issues of the day and the future and to let that happen at all levels of our reality, from our personal lives to our international community.”

Traditionally in Advent we focus our preparation on the themes of hope, peace, joy and love. This first Sunday in Advent is a time to ask ourselves where we see God at work bringing hope into our world and our community. After the last three years, and with all that is happening in our world today with war, inflation, climate change, and Covid
 still swirling around, we need this hope more than ever. In hope, this Sunday we are invited into active watching, to join in that work of hope building.

I am not preaching this Sunday so there will no sermon notes.

[1] http://wwwstaff.murdoch.edu.au/~loader/MtAdvent1.htm

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