‘Advent’ means ‘coming’ or ‘arrival’. . . The early Christians developed the ‘church’s year’ as a way of telling, learning and reliving the story of Jesus, which stands at the heart of our faith. As they did so, they came to understand that it wasn’t simply a matter of going round and round the same sequence and never getting anywhere. Think of a bicycle wheel; it goes round and round, but it is moving forwards, not standing still….We are not simply going round and round the same topics and never getting anywhere. We are signing on as part of God’s larger project, God’s forward purposes, his plans for the whole creation to be renewed, so that (as the prophets said) the earth will be full of the knowledge and glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. In Jesus, God brought heaven and earth together; in his second coming, that joining together will be complete. That is the Advent hope.
Wright, T. (2016). Advent for Everyone: A Journey through Matthew (pp. ix–xi). London: SPCK.
Series: Waiting for God Knows What
Topic: Advent — “Waiting with Hope”
SCRIPTURE
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Luke 1:35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.
SCRIPTURE QUESTIONS
At the times when Isaiah and Luke were written, God’s people were suffering from political oppression and they needed hope. Read Isaiah 8:13-14, and talk about how God is a sanctuary to some and a stumbling stone to others.
Read Luke 1:5-38 to get a fuller picture of this New Testament setting. Discuss the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth. How does their story prepare us (and them) for the angel’s announcement in verse 35?
ACCOUNTABILITY
In both accounts (Isaiah and Luke), God’s people had strayed from God’s best for them. Are there any decisions we as individuals or families have made which have not proven to be God’s best for us? What might be a personal decision you could make at this, the beginning of 2020 Advent, which could be a defining moment for yourself or your family?
TRANSFORMATION
With all the uncertainty in our world, are you able to live daily in the “hope” of Jesus’ return? What aspect of our 2020 world (things like politics or a fear of illness) is keeping you from fully experiencing that hope? What element can you give to God today to release you to live in His hope?
