First Thoughts - Advent 1B - Nov. 27, 2005 Sermon Resources

Here's hoping I can stay ahead of the curve with lectionary blogging this Advent season! Thanks for joining me on the journey, as we take a look at the Lectionary Texts each week. Here are a collection of thoughts and resources as I begin to think about Advent 1B.

Check out Liturgies Online for a suggested liturgy. As I read through the children's lesson in this liturgy, I was reminded that some people in my congregation refer to Maine as the "get ready" state. It seems that people are always saying, "Are you ready for winter?" or "Are you ready for spring?" I suppose this might be true in many areas of the country. It seems like we spend so much time getting ready for the next season that we forget to enjoy the current one. At the same time, the message of Advent is to "get ready" for the certain coming of Christ.

You may also wish to check out "The Voice Bible Study" for First Corinthians 1:1-2:5. You may wish to use this passage as a benediction--or perhaps coming out of your Thanksgiving Service. Paul gives thanks for the believers, but then directs our attention to the day of our Lord, and then concludes the passage with thanks for God's faithfulness. Certainly, 2000 years later, there may be some in our midst who struggle with doubt regarding the return of Christ--but this passage reminds us that Christ is returning, that He is faithful, and that we should be prepared.

I was fascinated to find a sermon manuscript from Dr. Russell Metcalfe for this text, preached 9 years ago. Pastor Metcalfe was the pastor at the Wollaston Church of the Nazarene when I was attending Eastern Nazarene College. In addition to providing a full liturgy for the day, you can read his thoughts about being prepared for the return of Christ.

There is a challenge to the preacher to exercise caution when preaching this text. Far too often, people within our pews have been manipulated by well meaning pastors who were preaching on a second coming text. "What if Jesus returned while you were in that movie theater? Do you want Jesus to find you doing such-and-such? You must be ready." While the text does call us to be prepared and to keep watch, I think it is important that we phrase this in the positive instead of in the negative.

If we are truly about the business of the Kingdom, then God's grace will preserve us blameless unto everlasting life. While we must be faithful, the message of the Epistle lesson is that it is God who keeps us strong, God who enriches us, and God who keeps us blameless. It is because of God's faithfulness that we have hope of eternity with Him, not because of our ability to keep a moral code.

The First Sunday of Advent also doubles as "Second Coming" Sunday, so we will be incorporating several musical selections along those lines in our worship service. Our open worship set will be a set that we've been teaching over the last few weeks: Celebrate Jesus, Soon and Very Soon, and What a Day that Will Be. I will probably also consider the incorporation of It Will Be Worth it All, as well as a hymn which gives thanks for God's faithfulness.

It has been our practice to serve communion at our Service of Thanksgiving (on the night before Thanksgiving), and then to not serve it throughout Advent until our Christmas Candlelight service. This helps us to understand the anticipation, preparation, and waiting associated with the Advent season.

Grace and Peace,

PastorJon