Old Testament: Isa 64:1-9
Epistle: 1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Gospel: Mark 11:1-10
Advent Begins
Today is the first Sunday of Advent and the first Sunday of the new church year. Advent is a time for us to prepare for the coming of the promised Messiah, and along with Lent has been considered a time of solemn anticipation and repentance. Unfortunately the consumerism that defines the secular observance of the Christmas season has contributed to the decline of Advent even in the Christian church, as all the myriad activities that now define the Christmas season increasingly remove our focus from the spiritual to the material. But let us not overlook Advent! We should not be too quick to get to Christmas, but instead we should allow the Word to guide our preparations; we should allow the Son of God to have His rightful place in the midst of our busyness. Our King is coming, righteous and having salvation (Zech. 9:9). Let us welcome Him with hearts prepared with the blessings of Word and Sacrament, for the coming Saviour will break in on our world and gather His people together for eternity (Old Testament). During this Advent season let us look to the protection of the Lord who rescues us from our sins and saves us by His might deliverance (Collect).