Advent: The Hope of His Arrival
What Is Advent?
Advent is a four-week season in the Church calendar dedicated to anticipating the arrival, or “advent,” of Jesus of Nazareth, the long awaited Messiah and King. Christians from many backgrounds celebrate this time with reflections on hope, peace, love, and joy. And while their practices may look different, all focus on the hope-filled arrival of Jesus.
What Does Advent Mean?
Advent means “arrival” and signifies the start of an event or the arrival of a person. In Christian communities around the world, Advent refers to a four-week season of remembering and celebrating the arrival of Jesus on Earth. It’s a time to reflect on the unexpected nature of Jesus’ humble birth and join in the anticipation of when he will come again to reunite Heaven and Earth once and for all.
Why Is Advent Important?
Advent can be a simple and fun tradition of counting down to Christmas. But for others—particularly those who believe Jesus to be the incarnation of God and the long-awaited Messiah—Advent is a shared experience of meditation and prayer that celebrates the arrival of Jesus.
How Is Advent Typically Celebrated?
In some traditions, followers of Jesus devote the first two weeks of Advent to remembering Jesus’ promise to return and renew Heaven and Earth. Then, during the last two weeks of Advent, these communities focus on the birth of Jesus.
In other traditions, people reflect on the concepts of hope, peace, love, and joy—one for each week leading up to Christmas. People may light Advent candles, prepare unique wreaths, hold special
church services, or read specific Scriptures each day to reflect on the arrival of Jesus on Earth.
What Parts of the Bible Inform Our Understanding of Advent?
From the first story to the last, the Bible is full of narratives, poetry, prophecy, biographies, and personal letters that inform our understanding of Advent. When the Bible talks about humans waiting for the promised anointed King who would deliver them, it can help us connect with their anticipation (Amos 9:11-13). When we read about people choosing joy and hope in God’s promises despite their circumstances, the meaning of Advent can take on a deeper meaning (Isaiah 9:6-7, Isaiah 11:1-5; Luke 1:26-2:20). And when the New Testament talks about a second advent, the return of Jesus, we can join in that time of waiting, shared by Christians throughout history.
Advent Reflections Reading Plan on the Bible App
BibleProject designed Advent Reflections to inspire individuals, small groups, and families to celebrate the arrival of Jesus. This four-week plan incorporates animated videos, short summaries,
and reflective questions to help you explore the biblical meaning of hope, peace, love, and joy. Follow the link below or type/paste it into your browser. It is hot linked if you’re working from a digital version of this article.
https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/22462
Source: The Bible Project (https://bibleproject.com/guides/advent/#what-is-advent)
Sunday, December 3rd is the first week of Advent. For the next four weeks we will discuss the two “arrivals” of Jesus—his first coming, when he was born, and his second coming . We will reflect on the four themes of hope, peace, joy, and love. This week we will discuss the hopeful expectation of those who welcomed him at his first appearing and the hopeful expectation we have of when he comes again.
I’ll say more in my lesson.
Joey
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