Advent #1 Joseph is Called
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Advent History and Tradition
Advent History and Tradition
Today is the first of the 2019 Advent season. Advent lasts for four Sundays leading up to Christmas.
The new Christian year begins with the twelve-day celebration of Christmastide, which lasts from Christmas Eve until Epiphany on January 6.
This truly makes be believe that College Bowl Season is in fact from God Himself
Advent symbolizes the present situation of the church in these “last days”
17 “ ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
Acts
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2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.
The church, during Advent, looks back upon Christ’s coming in celebration while at the same time looking forward in eager anticipation to the coming of Christ’s kingdom when he returns for his people.
The church is in a similar situation to Israel at the end of the Old Testament: in exile, waiting and hoping in prayerful expectation for the coming of the Messiah.
As we, God’s people wait for the return of Christ in glory to consummate his eternal kingdom. The church is in a similar situation to Israel at the end of the Old Testament: in exile, waiting and hoping in prayerful expectation for the coming of the Messiah. Israel looked back to God’s past gracious actions on their behalf in leading them out of Egypt in the Exodus, and on this basis, they called for God once again to act for them. In the same way, the church, during Advent, looks back upon Christ’s coming in celebration while at the same time looking forward in eager anticipation to the coming of Christ’s kingdom when he returns for his people. In this light, the Advent hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” perfectly represents the church’s cry during the Advent season:
Israel looked back to God’s past gracious actions on their behalf in leading them out of Egypt in the Exodus, and on this basis, they called for God once again to act for them.
In the same way, the church, during Advent, looks back upon Christ’s coming in celebration while at the same time looking forward in eager anticipation to the coming of Christ’s kingdom when he returns for his people.
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appears.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
While Israel would have sung the song in expectation of Christ’s first coming, the church now sings the song in commemoration of that first coming and in expectation of the second coming in the future.
Advent Liturgy and Practice
Advent Liturgy and Practice
To balance the two elements of remembrance and anticipation, the first two Sundays in Advent (through December 16th) look forward to Christ’s second coming, and the last two Sundays (December 17th – 24th) look backward to remember Christ’s first coming.
Over the course of the four weeks, Scripture readings move from passages about Christ’s return in judgment to Old Testament passages about the expectation of the coming Messiah to New Testament passages about the announcements of Christ’s arrival by John the Baptist and the Angels.
The most common Advent candle tradition, however, involves four candles. A new candle is lit on each of the four Sundays before Christmas. The four candles traditionally represent hope, faith, joy, and peace.
Reflection on the violence and evil in the world cause us to cry out to God to make things right. Our exile in the present makes us look forward to our future Exodus. And our own sinfulness and need for grace lead us to pray for the Holy Spirit to renew his work in conforming us into the image of Christ.
Advent Wreath and Candles
Advent Wreath and Candles
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The Advent wreath first appeared in Germany in 1839. A Lutheran minister working at a mission for children created a wreath out of the wheel of a cart. He placed twenty small red candles and four large white candles inside the ring. The red candles were lit on weekdays and the four white candles were lit on Sundays.
Eventually, the Advent wreath was created out of evergreens, symbolizing everlasting life in the midst of winter and death. The circle reminds us of God’s unending love and the eternal life He makes possible.
Advent candles are often nestled in the evergreen wreath. Additional decorations, like holly and berries, are sometimes added. Their red color points ahead to Jesus’ sacrifice and death. Pinecones can symbolize the new life that Jesus brings through His resurrection.
The most common Advent candle tradition, however, involves four candles. A new candle is lit on each of the four Sundays before Christmas. The four candles traditionally represent hope, faith, joy, and peace.
The most common Advent candle tradition, however, involves four candles. A new candle is lit on each of the four Sundays before Christmas. Each candle represents something different, although traditions vary. The four candles traditionally represent hope, gaith, joy, and peace. Often, the first, second, and fourth candles are purple; the third candle is rose-colored. Sometimes all the candles are red; in other traditions, all four candles are blue or white. Occasionally, a fifth white candle is placed in the middle and is lit on Christmas Day to celebrate Jesus’ birth.
A fifth white candle is placed in the middle and is lit on Christmas Eve to celebrate Jesus’ birth.
Our Advent Plan
Our Advent Plan
While Advent is certainly a time of celebration and anticipation of Christ’s birth, it is more than that. It is only in the shadow of Advent that the miracle of Christmas can be fully understood and appreciated, and it is only in the light of Christmas that the Christian life makes any sense. It is between the fulfilled promise of Christ’s first coming and the yet-to-be-fulfilled promise of his second coming that Karl Barth penned these words: “Unfulfilled and fulfilled promise are related to each other, as are dawn and sunrise. Both promise and in fact the same promise. If anywhere at all, then it is precisely in the light of the coming of Christ that faith has become Advent faith, the expectation of future revelation. But faith knows for whom and for what it is waiting. It is fulfilled faith because it lays hold on the fulfilled promise.” The promise for Israel and the promise for the church is Jesus Christ; he has come, and he will come again. This is the essence of Advent.
This year we are going to be looking a the birth of Christ from 4 different perspectives.
This year we are going to be looking a the birth of Christ from 4 different perspectives.
This week we are looking at this event from the place of Joseph and the Angels
Advent Readings
Advent Readings
Advent readings are themed Scripture readings for each Sunday of Advent. The four weeks of Advent are broken down into the themes:
The next weeks we are looking at this event from
Hope (or promise)Preparation (waiting or prophecy)Joy (peace)Love (adoration)One of the beautiful things about the Advent readings above is that they offer churches the opportunity to include both young and old into their services, and the same can be true of private family devotions around the Advent wreath as well. By this point, you’ve probably realized that there is no set criteria for who should read the Advent readings in church. In some denominations, the lead pastor or worship leader may read the Advent reading, as a way of leading the congregation in worship. Read samples of readings to use at our article "What are Advent Readings & Why Are They Important?
Shepard's
Wise men
Mary
And finally on Christmas Eve here at church we will look at all 4.
Our Scripture for this week is from . This is the first book of the New Testament.
For nearly 400 years God had been SILENT to his people. There were no prophets, there was no direct “word of the Lord.” He was still on the throne and still in control but he was SILENT.
In the first 17 verses of this first book in 400 years. Recorded is a history of relationships beginning with Abraham and ending with the birth of Jesus… The Christ. The one that would one day enter as a King into Jerusalem.
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Joesph
Let’s Pray
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Let’s take a look at Joseph
Who was he...
How did the Angels use him in laying out the plans of God.
Joseph was a betrothed bridegroom. He lived in a time of arranged marriage.
His parents would have arranged and paid the tribute to Mary’s father. He was promised to this young girl name Mary. She was probably not much older than 14 at the time.
18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.
So you say…”pregnant by the Holy Spirit.” Right… We know how this works and that’s not it.
19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
We know that Joseph thought a great deal of Mary, he even loved her.
He did not want to expose her…it could have met her death by stoning. So instead of going forward his intent was to quietly dismiss her.
But you say that the verse says “divorce” here. Not the same sense as we have of “divorce” today. The implication of the word is to
to grant acquittal, set free, release, pardon
And to do it quietly. Nothing good awaits a pregnant women without a husband in the 1st century. But this quiet dismissal at least gave her a chance.
We know that Joseph was “faithful to the law.” But this seemed to be a different situation. The Holy Spirit was working on him, leading and guiding through a difficult time.
Question #1
Can you be faithful to the law. The spirit as well as the letter of law and be faithful to God?
That was the question facing Joseph...
So...
20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
He considered…He thought about it…He may have agonized over the issue…He may for lost sleep over the issue.
God sent and Angel.
Question #2
Does God actually send Angels to speak to us, speak to us in words?
This Angel appeared in a dream, addressed him very specifically… There was no doubt the Angel was speaking directly to him.
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The words Joseph heard would have been shocking, would have been out of God’s and the law’s character… Or would they.
The Angel, as a messenger of God, as a mouthpiece of God. Said some things that would have left Joseph confused.
“...do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.”
What…Who…How…Why…Really God?
God had be silent for 400 years, now he was speaking through an Angel and talking about this Holy Spirit.
Joseph may have said… I am just a carpenter, I don’t understand all these things, I have lived a lawful and God-fearing life and now you have dumped on me all matter of stuff that I don’t even understand. I’ve heard the Spirit can come, but on me?
Question #3
Does God ever pick the unsuspecting, the one living on the edge of society, does he use the least of these to bring the biggest of messages?
The redeemer, the promised one, the fulfillment of the Law, the “Yes” to all our questions, came as baby conceived by the Holy Spirit.
Why? Why?
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
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From the Prophet Isaiah
14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible Immanuel
The name symbolized the fact that God would demonstrate his presence with his people in this deliverance.
Joseph, the obedient, law-abiding man
24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.
Let me review the three questions I asked you today.
Question #1
Can you be faithful to the law. The spirit as well as the letter of law and be faithful to God?
Question #2
Does God actually send Angels to speak to us, speak to us in words?
Question #3
Does God ever pick the unsuspecting, the one living on the edge of society, does he use the least of these to bring the biggest of messages?
The answer to all of these questions is “Yes,” “Yes,” and “Yes”
With God the answer is always “Yes” He can, “Yes” He does, and “Yes,” why not.
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As we prepare for this time of communion, I’d like you to take just a couple of minutes to focus your attention on Christ, on His sacrifice, as we think about the Christ we see in a manger and remember we crucified him, so he could rise again for the dead in victory over death. That we would NOT ever have to die eternally but spend our eternity in Heaven in Christ prescience.