Welcome to our 2021 Advent Journey! This year we are making our way toward Christmas by exploring the four Advent themes of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love, but with a twist. This first week is not just about Hope but Hope(ful) Preparation, but before you jump in to today’s reflection, just take a moment, breathe slowly, and pray the following prayer as truthfully and earnestly as you can.
God of Hope,
We acknowledge that the Scriptures written in the former days,
were written for our instruction and so that we might have hope.
Fill us this day with all joy and peace in believing them,
that we might overflow with hope by the power of your Holy Spirit.
Amen
Daily Scripture: Luke 3:7-9
Find the above scripture in your bible and read slowly – you might want to read it out loud. You can also find it here.
Reflection
Todays reading is not an easy one, it is full of violent and dangerous imagery such as vipers, wrath, axes, being cut down, and fire. Dont avoid these difficulties but use the following questions and quotes to try and work through them.
- How can John speak of the coming salvation one minute and then in the very next moment, warn the people of ‘the coming wrath’?
- How can the people escape the wrath that is coming? Have a read of Luke 13:1-9 for a similar passage that might help shed some light on it
- What did John warn the people not to trust in (v.8)? What might he warn us not to trust in?
- Was John right about the imminent judgment to come?
Advent Quotes
‘Everyone who gets saved is saved through judgment. All who flee to Christ and confess that he is Lord and that God raised him from the dead (Rom. 10:9) do so because they realize their need for a Savior. They realise their need for a Savior because they have become convinced that God is holy, that they are sinful, and that God will judge. In a sense, they feel the force of God’s condemning justice. They sense the weight of the wrath that
remains upon them (John 3:36), and they recognize that Jesus is their only hope’.
| James M. Hamilton
The biblical doctrine of God’s wrath is rooted in the doctrine of God as the good, wise and loving creator, who hates – yes, hates, and hates implacably – anything that spoils, defaces, distorts or damages his beautiful creation, and in particular anything that does that to his image-bearing creatures. If God does not hate racial prejudice, he is neither good nor loving. If God is not wrathful at child abuse, he is neither good nor loving. If God is not utterly determined to root out from his creation, in an act of proper wrath and judgment, the arrogance that allows people to exploit, bomb, bully and enslave one another, he is neither loving, nor good, nor wise.
| N.T Wright
Advent Poem: John the Baptist
John the baptist,
John Bulldozer,
John the wrecking ball:
levelling mountains, laying roads,
shouting out his call:
No time left!
The Saviour comes!
Get ready, one and all!
Prepare the way,
Make straight the path,
and fill the valleys in;
knock down the mountains of your doubts,
make smooth the soil of sin,
the Lord is coming, shout it out!
His glory will be seen!
John the baptist,
wild and hairy,
eats what he can find.
Not one to tiptoe round the truth,
He says what’s on his mind:
No time left!
The Kingdom comes!
Now don’t get left behind!
| Amy Scott Robinson
Advent Song: Lion of Judah
Closing Benediction
Be people of hope.
Let hope live in your heart and share the hope of Christ with all you meet.
Share hope by noticing someone else’s humanity.
Share hope by listening to someone’s story.
Share hope by praying for our world.
In this Advent season, we need to see, feel, and share hope.
As you go out into the wonder of God’s creations, share hope with those you meet.
Amen.
| Liturgy Link
Zoom Reflections each Mon, Wed, and Fri mornings at 7:00-7:20am
Click here to join: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84743926286
As always, we would love to hear your thoughts and reflections and so please do leave a comment in the section at the bottom of this page. Much love to you all on this Advent journey!