We Are an Advent People - November 30, 2008

First Sunday of Advent
Year B
November 30, 2008
We are an advent people
Isaiah 64: 1-9
Mark 13: 24:37

The little changes in life are always easy –

We are prepared to change our clocks, know when its time to change our clocks, change the oil in the car

We can even change our minds fairly easily

But it is difficult to know when to change your heart

Advent is time to change your heart and turn it toward the things of God

Advent a time of watching, waiting, working

Advent always starts out backward – with the bad news

But this backward looking is done to prove a point

Advent is not about little baby’s, warm fuzzy moments, and the comfort of families. That is Christmas

Story of a grandfather and his grandson
A grandfather was visiting his daughter’s family. After resting one day, he came downstairs to see his young grandson crying. When he saw him, the young boy immediately started asking his grandfather to come and get him out of the crib. As the grandfather started walking toward the crib – the mother came in and said no- the boy was on punishment and he had to stay in there. But the grandfather saw his grandson’ suffering and he had already said he would do something about it. But he did not want to dismiss the mother’s intention. So instead of taking the boy out of the crib, he climbed into the crib with him.


God comes to us in the midst of our suffering in the life of a baby son.

Advent is a time to get present to the pain, the suffering, the punishment, the pen, life

We look at Life as we live it today

This is to Get present to the reason the world truly needs a change – This is not a campaign slogan

Isaiah a surprising message – Lord will you rend the heavens

The Israelites are asking for a miracle

I have the greatest respect for the Hebrew faith. Because it encourages us to willing to challenge God, to question God

To sometimes even Blame God for everything

So that we can depend on God for everything

We should wait on God in every situation


This has been a strange weekend – the first Sunday of advent is always the Sunday after thanksgiving.

This year I feel like I never really got to enjoy the fall decorations, before realized its time to put out the Christmas decorations.

Things changed literally in the course of one day – literally one night

Ironically in my sermon prep yesterday – talked about not complaining to the congregation about having such a hard weekend. Supposedly not for them to know

This holiday was even stranger than usual because of Bob Hinz’s death. Comforting the family, talking with the family, preparing for the funeral – all in the midst of everything else that needed to be done for the weekend

Death can be an intrusion on life, that reality can be an intrusion in our laid out plans, celebration is always in the face of mourning.

Point Jesus was making to us in Mark – God’s presence in our lives is an intrusion – but that is okay.
Beginning are always endings in disguise, new life is always the other side of death.

Don’t know when the moment will come that will change your life forever – be prepared for that encounter with God. Whether the change is good or bad is all about your perspective.

Be prepared for changes
Don’t need to hold onto the way thing are – hope is always in the things that are to come.

Chapter 13 is about learning the accept the future

In Mark there is no birth narrative

Not Mark’s concern

Matthew concerned about relationships with his people, Mark concerned about the salvations of their souls. Tough words for tough times

This section not a parable or story of life – but apocalyptic. A foretelling of the end times

The people he were talking to, only understood the present, no manyana, no tomorrow – waiting for the day of the lord

Another big word – eschatological - just a fancy word for things to come in our faith.

Kathleen Norris is an author who talks about faith.

Her story…..
I have come to regard the word as life-affirming in ways far more subtle than any dictionary definition could convey. What I mean is this an acquaintance of mine a brilliant young scholar, was stricken with cancer, and over the course of several years came close to dying three times, but after extensive treatment, both radiation and chemotherapy, came to a welcome remission. Her prognosis was uncertain at bet, but she was able to teach and write. “I’d never want to go back,” she told her department head, an older woman, “because now I know what each morning means and I am so grateful just to be alive. When the other woman said to her, We’ve been through o much together for the last few years,” the younger woman nodded and smiled, Yes, she said emphatically, Yes, and hasn’t it been a blessing!”

Things to come


Take Christmas from the bible only take away 4 chapters – hear those chapters over and over again.

Take our advent – waiting, watching, working, trusting God, hoping for change, welcoming the coming generation, the promise of a savior who cares – you eliminate the whole rest of the bible.

Advent is like being led to the very edge of a cliff – looking over and realizing that you are in danger of falling, the consequences of falling will be great – only the grace of God that keeps you stable.
This advent may you clearly see the grace that keeps you from falling. Advent is the time to change your heart. Amen.