In this series on the Lectionary readings for the Second Sunday of Advent, we have been following the life and ministry of John the Baptist and the message God was proclaiming through John: a huge roadwork project. What is that project? God wants us to repent, so that he might bring righteousness on the world. Continue reading “How to bring righteousness to the world [Second Sunday of Advent, part 5]”
Monthly Archives: December 2018
God’s road construction project [Second Sunday of Advent, Part 4]
Road construction, as we said in part 1 of this series on the Lectionary readings for the Second Sunday of Advent, is usually a nuisance. Today we learn that God wants to do a major road construction project. Will it be a nuisance? Do we need it? Let’s move to the third reading, Luke 3:1-6,Continue reading “God’s road construction project [Second Sunday of Advent, Part 4]”
A New Testament Psalm [Second Sunday of Advent, part 3]
Normally, our second reading from the Lectionary is from the collection of Psalms in the Old Testament. But for this second Sunday of Advent, the Lectionary takes us to the New Testament, to Luke 1:68-79, and guess what we find there? A Psalm! A New Testament Psalm. And one that I think you’ll find isContinue reading “A New Testament Psalm [Second Sunday of Advent, part 3]”
God wants to set you on fire [Second Sunday of Advent, part 2]
People are waiting for God to return. He is coming, and he tells us it could be surprising. He doesn’t mean “surprising” in the sense of us not knowing the timing of his return. We learned in part 1 of this series on the Lectionary readings for the second Sunday of Advent that God’s arrivalContinue reading “God wants to set you on fire [Second Sunday of Advent, part 2]”
God’s surprising arrival [Second Sunday of Advent, part 1]
How many of you love road construction? I mean how many of you get excited when you’re driving and the traffic slows to a stop, and you look at your phone and it tells you there is roadwork ahead? We recently had roadwork outside Faith Church as they were working on curbs for a newContinue reading “God’s surprising arrival [Second Sunday of Advent, part 1]”
How TO wait during hard times [First Sunday of Advent, part 5]
In this series of posts on the Scripture readings for the First Sunday of Advent 2019, we’ve been learning how to wait during hard times. In the previous post about the fourth reading, Luke 21:25-36, we heard from Jesus how NOT to wait. Now we continue in that passage, and Jesus teaches the proper wayContinue reading “How TO wait during hard times [First Sunday of Advent, part 5]”
How NOT to wait during hard times [First Sunday of Advent, part 4]
We have been studying the concept of waiting during dark times in this series of posts on the Lectionary passages for the First Sunday of Advent. In part 3, we introduced the fourth reading, Luke 21:25-36, where Jesus prophesies his second coming. Christians throughout the ages have been waiting for his return. That waiting canContinue reading “How NOT to wait during hard times [First Sunday of Advent, part 4]”
Being faithful in the waiting [First Sunday of Advent, part 3]
Thus far the readings for the First Sunday of Advent have begun with a prophecy from 600 BC that God would send a new king to Israel, and that the people needed to get ready for that king by practicing repentance. We looked at Luke 1, which describes Jesus as the fulfillment of that prophecy. Continue reading “Being faithful in the waiting [First Sunday of Advent, part 3]”
The surprising value of repentance [First Sunday of Advent, part 2]
I don’t like to be in the wrong. It feels terrible. When my wife points out something I did wrong, inwardly I immediately start thinking of ways to respond to justify my actions. Sound familiar? Today we learn about the right way to handle it when we are confronted about being wrong. In part 1Continue reading “The surprising value of repentance [First Sunday of Advent, part 2]”
There is hope in dark times! [First Sunday of Advent, part 1]
For Advent 2018, Faith Church will be following the readings in the Revised Common Lectionary. Each Sunday we’ll look at how the four readings tie together thematically, all supporting the goals of the season of Advent. Thus we are pausing our series on Deuteronomy. We’ll return to that after the New Year 2019. Why doesContinue reading “There is hope in dark times! [First Sunday of Advent, part 1]”
Engaging Scripture 