Readings for the First Sunday in Advent November 28-December 4, 2010

Advent 1—BEHOLD! YOUR KING IS COMING TO YOU!

On the first Sunday in Advent, the prophet Isaiah foretells the life of the  Church in the latter days. Many people from every tribe and nation will hear the call of the Gospel and will flow into the Lord’s house to be clothed in the righteousness of Christ. The strife and warfare of sin will be done away with and transformed by Christ’s mercy as His people walk in the light of His forgiveness. Today’s epistle teaches us that the Word of God wakes us up from the slumber of unbelief and preoccupation with the cares of this world. That’s why we preach the Word, study the Word, memorize the Word, and meditate upon the Word. Without God's Word in our ears, on our lips, and in our hearts we will slumber away our hope for salvation and we will not be prepared for our Lord's coming. Therefore “let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light” which comes through God's Word, and let us “make no provision for the flesh.” He who receives God's Word receives Christ and is clothed in Him. He is our comfort and strength in the new
life of faith. The Church Year begins today with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. “Hosanna to the Son of David!” is the theme of our Advent prayers. “Hosanna” means, “Lord, save us now!” It is the cry of a
helpless people who long for deliverance from this valley of sorrow. Christians can’t wait for their Lord's return. We look forward to deliverance from the struggle with our own sin. We want to be freed from the Curse of the Fall which has a tight grip on the creation and which brings with it all kinds of suffering. But most of all, we can’t wait to be in the eternal presence of our King, the Son of David, and the Lord over our sin, death, and the devil’s power. Freedom and deliverance come from the Lord Jesus. He is the object of our worship and the source of our Advent Joy. “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

Readings for the First Sunday in Advent

Day Bible Stories for the Family and Daily Prayer ReadingsSunday: Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem—Matthew 21:1-11; Is. 8:9-9:7; 1 Peter 4:1-19

Monday: Laban Pursues Jacob—Genesis 31:22-42; Is. 9:8-10:11; 1 Peter 5:1-14

Tuesday: Laban’s Covenant with Jacob—Genesis 31:43-55; Is. 10:12-27a, 33-34; 2 Peter 1:1-21

Wednesday: High Time to Awake Out of Sleep—Romans 13:8-14; Is. 11:1-12:6; 2 Peter 2:1-22

Thursday: Esau Comes to Meet Jacob—Genesis 32:1-21; Is. 14:1-23; 2 Peter 3:1-18

Friday: Jacob Wrestles with God—Genesis 32:22-32; Is. 24:1-13; 1 John 1:1-2:14

Saturday: Look ahead to Sunday’s readings (Populus Zion) Malachi 4:1–6; Romans 15:4–13; Luke 21:25–36

SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT

The Lord Comes on the Last Day

The day on which our Lord returns will be a “great and awesome day” (Malachi 4:5). For He will come in a cloud with great power and glory. To the wicked and the proud, it will be a Day of judgment that will “set them ablaze” (Malachi 4:1). The signs preceding this Day will bring them fear and fainting. But to those who believe, who fear the name of the Lord, this Day is one to look forward to and rejoice in: “. . . straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28). Christ our Redeemer is coming; the Sun of Righteousness will bring healing in His wings. Let us, then, give attention to the words of the Lord, which do not pass away. Let us “through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures” (Romans 15:4) be strengthened in our hope by the Holy Spirit and watch diligently for Jesus’ coming. Then, by God’s grace, we shall escape all these things that will come to pass and stand before the Son of Man.