The Advent Season
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series IV
The Meaning Of Advent
Advent, a season of four Sundays, opens the church year. The season begins on the Sunday closest to St. Andrew's Day, November 30. The observance of Advent originated in France during the fourth century. The duration of the season varied from four to seven weeks until the Bishop of Rome in the sixth century set the season at four weeks. In ancient times Advent was strictly observed: every Christian was required to attend church service and fast daily.
The word, Advent, consists of two Latin words: ad - venire, "to come to." Advent's message is that God in Christ is coming to the world. This coming may be:
1. A past experience. God did come in Christ at Christmas. The prophets' promise was fulfilled in the Babe.
2. A present experience. God may come to you this Christmas in terms of rebirth, either for the first time, or a renewed birth in deeper dimensions of reality.
3. A future experience. Christ will return unpredictably at the end of the world. "He shall come again with glory to judge the quick and the dead."
The Message Of Advent
Since Advent promises the sure coming of the Lord, its message is "prepare." The Lord is coming whether the world is ready or not. For those unprepared, his coming means judgment. For those ready for his coming, it means salvation.
How does Advent suggest that we prepare?
1. Repentance - forsake the sins of the world for a godly way of life.
2. Prayer - pray for the coming of Christ, for he shall save.
3. Patience - his coming may be delayed. Watch and wait, for his coming may be sudden.
The Mood Of Advent
1. Expressed in color. The mood of Advent is expressed in the liturgical color, purple. It depicts a feeling of quiet dignity, royalty and repentance. Purple was the traditional color of a king's robe; the coming Christ is King of kings. Advent, like Lent, is a time for solemn and sober thought about one's sins, leading to repentance. It denotes a quiet time for watching, waiting and praying for Christ to come again, either personally or universally. An alternate color for Advent is blue, the color of hope.
2. Solemnity and sobriety. Advent is a time to become aware of one's sins. Traditionally, Advent is a penitential season, originally known as the "Winter Lent." This mood of sobriety is expressed not only in the liturgical color, purple, but in the music of Advent hymns like "O Come Emmanuel." During Advent choirs may omit processionals or have "silent processionals." Weddings in this season are discouraged. Christmas carols and decorations are often delayed until Christmas Eve.
3. Joy in hope. Advent stresses not so much fulfillment as anticipation of fulfillment:
the Lord is coming! Christians have great expectations of Christ's coming again. As a family looks forward to a son returning from a war and as a bride anticipates her wedding day, so a Christian looks forward with joy to Christ's coming. Yet, this is a different kind of joy - a joy of hope amid solemnity. It is the quiet joy of anticipation and not the joy of celebration of a past event. This type of joy is expressed in the Advent hymns: "Joy to the World, the Lord is come(ing)," and "O Come Emmanuel ... Rejoice, Rejoice, Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel."
The Observance Of Advent
Increasingly the church is beginning to observe Advent seriously as a vital and necessary time of preparation for a meaningful, spiritual Christmas. This observance is expressed in various ways:
1. Use of an Advent wreath in the church and homes.
2. Use of an Advent calendar for children in the home.
3. Discouragement of weddings and pre-Christmas parties.
4. Use of Advent hymns, prayers and anthems throughout Advent.
5. Silent processionals during Advent.
6. Special mid-week Advent services.
7. Use of Advent symbols: Messianic rose, Tau cross, etc.
8. Preparation of Chrismons for decorating the Christmas tree.
Preaching Goals For Advent
During the four weeks of Advent a preacher has much to preach about and many worthy reasons to preach. His objectives during the season may be:
1. To counteract the commercialism of Christmas through a strict and thorough observance of Advent.
2. To prepare the people for a meaningful Christmas through a strict and thorough observance of Advent.
3. To stimulate Bible reading in home and church.
4. To stir up renewed interest, faith and zeal for another church year which begins Advent Sunday; to call for a deeper, renewed commitment to Christ and the church.
5. To think through the meaning of history in relation to the second coming of Christ.
6. To give an understanding and appreciation of the hope for Christian Old Testament prophecy.
7. To prepare people spiritually for the second coming of Christ that they might be in a constant state of preparedness for his coming.
8. To give a knowledge and appreciation for the ministry of John the Baptist as one who teaches the necessity of spiritual preparation for the coming of the Christ.
The Theology Of Advent
A preacher cannot preach according to the Advent season unless his theology is properly related both to the beginning and the ending of Christ, the incarnation and Parousia. Advent has significance only in relation to the two. If he cannot sincerely accept the theology of Advent, he will either be silent or insincere.
1. The coming of Christ is the culmination of an historical process coming down through the history of Isreal. This is the climax of the Heilsgeschichte, the plan of salvation. The Old Testament is a record of God's preparing the world for the coming of his Son. "In the fullness of time, God sent forth his Son ..." Since Advent is the Old Testament period of the church year, the emphasis is upon the preparatory work of God through prophets, priests, kings and acts of history for the coming of the Messiah.
2. The child born in a manger in Bethlehem was none other than the Son of God, the promised Messiah. Because "the word became flesh," Advent, as the time of preparation for the Messiah, makes sense. This holy child is "very God of very God." In him God invaded human history. He was the Christ-event, the Word-event. If this is not true, then there is no meaning or message to Advent.
3. Advent deals also with the second coming of Christ. If this has already occurred, as some believe, in the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost, then Advent has lost much of its message for today's people. If there is no second coming, the Advent passages dealing with watching, waiting, praying and preparing for the return of Christ have no preaching value.
4. A firm conviction in the coming again of Christ can mean much to our homiletical efforts. Because it is possible for him to be born again in our hearts at Christmas, it is urgent that we strictly observe Advent and be spiritually prepared for his advent.
5. A sincere acceptance of the second coming of Christ leads a preacher to discuss the meaning of history as culminating in Christ, the obliteration of evil, and the final victory of the forces of God.
Advent, a season of four Sundays, opens the church year. The season begins on the Sunday closest to St. Andrew's Day, November 30. The observance of Advent originated in France during the fourth century. The duration of the season varied from four to seven weeks until the Bishop of Rome in the sixth century set the season at four weeks. In ancient times Advent was strictly observed: every Christian was required to attend church service and fast daily.
The word, Advent, consists of two Latin words: ad - venire, "to come to." Advent's message is that God in Christ is coming to the world. This coming may be:
1. A past experience. God did come in Christ at Christmas. The prophets' promise was fulfilled in the Babe.
2. A present experience. God may come to you this Christmas in terms of rebirth, either for the first time, or a renewed birth in deeper dimensions of reality.
3. A future experience. Christ will return unpredictably at the end of the world. "He shall come again with glory to judge the quick and the dead."
The Message Of Advent
Since Advent promises the sure coming of the Lord, its message is "prepare." The Lord is coming whether the world is ready or not. For those unprepared, his coming means judgment. For those ready for his coming, it means salvation.
How does Advent suggest that we prepare?
1. Repentance - forsake the sins of the world for a godly way of life.
2. Prayer - pray for the coming of Christ, for he shall save.
3. Patience - his coming may be delayed. Watch and wait, for his coming may be sudden.
The Mood Of Advent
1. Expressed in color. The mood of Advent is expressed in the liturgical color, purple. It depicts a feeling of quiet dignity, royalty and repentance. Purple was the traditional color of a king's robe; the coming Christ is King of kings. Advent, like Lent, is a time for solemn and sober thought about one's sins, leading to repentance. It denotes a quiet time for watching, waiting and praying for Christ to come again, either personally or universally. An alternate color for Advent is blue, the color of hope.
2. Solemnity and sobriety. Advent is a time to become aware of one's sins. Traditionally, Advent is a penitential season, originally known as the "Winter Lent." This mood of sobriety is expressed not only in the liturgical color, purple, but in the music of Advent hymns like "O Come Emmanuel." During Advent choirs may omit processionals or have "silent processionals." Weddings in this season are discouraged. Christmas carols and decorations are often delayed until Christmas Eve.
3. Joy in hope. Advent stresses not so much fulfillment as anticipation of fulfillment:
the Lord is coming! Christians have great expectations of Christ's coming again. As a family looks forward to a son returning from a war and as a bride anticipates her wedding day, so a Christian looks forward with joy to Christ's coming. Yet, this is a different kind of joy - a joy of hope amid solemnity. It is the quiet joy of anticipation and not the joy of celebration of a past event. This type of joy is expressed in the Advent hymns: "Joy to the World, the Lord is come(ing)," and "O Come Emmanuel ... Rejoice, Rejoice, Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel."
The Observance Of Advent
Increasingly the church is beginning to observe Advent seriously as a vital and necessary time of preparation for a meaningful, spiritual Christmas. This observance is expressed in various ways:
1. Use of an Advent wreath in the church and homes.
2. Use of an Advent calendar for children in the home.
3. Discouragement of weddings and pre-Christmas parties.
4. Use of Advent hymns, prayers and anthems throughout Advent.
5. Silent processionals during Advent.
6. Special mid-week Advent services.
7. Use of Advent symbols: Messianic rose, Tau cross, etc.
8. Preparation of Chrismons for decorating the Christmas tree.
Preaching Goals For Advent
During the four weeks of Advent a preacher has much to preach about and many worthy reasons to preach. His objectives during the season may be:
1. To counteract the commercialism of Christmas through a strict and thorough observance of Advent.
2. To prepare the people for a meaningful Christmas through a strict and thorough observance of Advent.
3. To stimulate Bible reading in home and church.
4. To stir up renewed interest, faith and zeal for another church year which begins Advent Sunday; to call for a deeper, renewed commitment to Christ and the church.
5. To think through the meaning of history in relation to the second coming of Christ.
6. To give an understanding and appreciation of the hope for Christian Old Testament prophecy.
7. To prepare people spiritually for the second coming of Christ that they might be in a constant state of preparedness for his coming.
8. To give a knowledge and appreciation for the ministry of John the Baptist as one who teaches the necessity of spiritual preparation for the coming of the Christ.
The Theology Of Advent
A preacher cannot preach according to the Advent season unless his theology is properly related both to the beginning and the ending of Christ, the incarnation and Parousia. Advent has significance only in relation to the two. If he cannot sincerely accept the theology of Advent, he will either be silent or insincere.
1. The coming of Christ is the culmination of an historical process coming down through the history of Isreal. This is the climax of the Heilsgeschichte, the plan of salvation. The Old Testament is a record of God's preparing the world for the coming of his Son. "In the fullness of time, God sent forth his Son ..." Since Advent is the Old Testament period of the church year, the emphasis is upon the preparatory work of God through prophets, priests, kings and acts of history for the coming of the Messiah.
2. The child born in a manger in Bethlehem was none other than the Son of God, the promised Messiah. Because "the word became flesh," Advent, as the time of preparation for the Messiah, makes sense. This holy child is "very God of very God." In him God invaded human history. He was the Christ-event, the Word-event. If this is not true, then there is no meaning or message to Advent.
3. Advent deals also with the second coming of Christ. If this has already occurred, as some believe, in the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost, then Advent has lost much of its message for today's people. If there is no second coming, the Advent passages dealing with watching, waiting, praying and preparing for the return of Christ have no preaching value.
4. A firm conviction in the coming again of Christ can mean much to our homiletical efforts. Because it is possible for him to be born again in our hearts at Christmas, it is urgent that we strictly observe Advent and be spiritually prepared for his advent.
5. A sincere acceptance of the second coming of Christ leads a preacher to discuss the meaning of history as culminating in Christ, the obliteration of evil, and the final victory of the forces of God.
