Second Week of Advent

Dec 7 - 13

Isaiah, 1 John, Jude, Revelation

“Everyone who commits sin also commits lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness.” (1 Jn. 3:4) St. John does not mince words in describing sin. There is no neutral ground or gray area between lawlessness and righteousness. One is either of the darkness or of the light, of the devil or of Christ. In Isaiah’s Israel, it is certainly a time of darkness. False prophets abound. Corruption and abuse run rampant. God is not ignorant of this; he will act to save his people.

And what will this look like? For those who insist upon living in the darkness, it will be swift, impartial, and complete, consuming not only the peoples of the earth, but the earth itself. For them, the promised Messiah brings devastating, inescapable judgment.

 But the people walking in darkness have seen a great light. For those who are repentant of their sin, the promised Messiah brings salvation. The veil of sin that has been cast over all the peoples of the earth will be removed. The Leviathan who drags the world into the lawlessness will be destroyed. The great feast will begin.

 Advent is a great time to recognize where we stand as his people - between the announcement of the promise of our salvation and its complete fulfillment. During this time, false prophets and antichrists continue to swindle souls. The battle between darkness and light rages on, but not for long. Our God has already acted. The death and resurrection of the promised one has numbered its days and set us squarely within the Light of the World. John reminds us of who we are: “See the kind of love the Father has given us that we should be called children of God.” (1 Jn. 3:4) We have been made is own, and there is no doubt about which side we are on.

So, in anticipation of that great feast, we move onward, contending against sin, loving one another, testing the Spirits, and rejoicing already in the salvation that is to come.

Third Week of Advent

Dec 14 - 20

Isaiah, Revelation

The third Sunday of Advent is known as Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete means “rejoice.” In a brief turn from the somber and penitential character of the other Sundays of the season, the focus here is on rejoicing in the coming Savior.

Still, in this week’s readings, God has plenty to warn his people about. He has had enough of their idolatry and complacency. All those who despise him, including those in Israel, will be destroyed. The seals will be opened, and terrible judgment will come upon the earth.

Where is the joy in all of this? For true believers, his divine judgment will make all as it should be. The valleys will be lifted up and the mountains made low. For the penitent, there is double comfort in the forgiveness earned by Christ. A stunning picture of what this will look like is revealed to John: a new heavens and a new earth, filled with believers from every people, alive forever, feasting and worshiping the Lamb. And on this side of heaven, we are connected to it. We feast with the saints at the communion rail. Our prayers ascend to heaven in real time.

So, our rejoicing this week should be anything but routine. In his grace, our Lord has told us what he will do, and he has given us a glimpse of how the story ends. We need not follow the worthless idols of this world that will be ground into the dust they are. We need not fear the calamity of this world, the judgment to come, or death itself. The Lamb reigns over all of it, and it is only a matter of time before he reveals what he has made new. Therefore, even in these dark days, we can repeat the Advent cry with great joy: Come, Lord Jesus!