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First Sunday in Advent (Dec 2nd)



Today marks the First Advent. So if you have a wreath or circlet, light the first purple or gold or blue candle. 

Song: 
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O Come Emmanuel 🎵

Readings: 
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Acts 1:9-11
Revelation 1:7 
Matthew 24:31-40 
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Closing Prayer
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“He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20)
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In honor of the Adventus, the Paraousia, His Coming, we shall read from the Second Coming passages:

“After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:9-11)

“Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.” (Revelation 1:7) 

“But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.” (Matthew 24:29-31)

Behold the glorious return of our Lord Jesus Christ! We the Bride should shout with joy! Gloria, Hallelujah! Hosanna to the King of Kings and Lord Most High. When you read the appointed passages, spend some time mediating on them and picturing the day when our Lord returns! 

There are some themes to notice in these three passages. All three contain something in common, clouds. In Acts Christ ascends into a cloud and the angels let the apostles know that in same way their Lord depart ot shall be as He returns. Then in Revelation and the Gospel of Matthew, The Son of God comes on the clouds of heaven. This tells us that our Great God and Savior shall come through the atmosphere and stratosphere.   

Where the passages differ is that when Jesus ascended, only His disciples, the Eleven (including Peter), the Women, Mary, Joanna and Mary Magdalene where there, with possibly others. The point is at the Ascension only twenty to hundred or more saw it, but when Christ descends on the clouds pd heaven, all eyes will see Him (Revelation 1:7), and they will mourn and wail. But why? The answer is found in Revelation, chapter six, “Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; and they *said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the [n]presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” (Revelation 6:15-17). While we the Bride of Christ who have Jesus’ blood covering to shield us from His wrath are gathered (Matthew 24:31), the wicked will wail and mourn for they did not believe and so know judgement and wrath are their portion (John 3:18).

While we get ready to celebrate Christ’s First Coming, and God’s mercy on the cross, we are reminded that when Jesus returns only those who place faith in Him as Son of God and Lord shall be saved whole everyone who does not shall be struck by His rod of iron and the sword of His mouth. As believers we can appreciate more the Birth of Christ and that He came first to offer His love and salvation, because of the expectant return when He shall judge the living and the dead.  Our hearts are thankful that Christ desires all be saved (1 Timothy 2:4 + John 14:6) and that He loved us when we were enemies of God (Romans 5:10), but the Second Coming should spur us to share God’s Grace (Phillipians 3:9) in the Gospel so that each person at least gets the chance to believe and be gathered rather than be the ones wailing and crying for the rocks to collapse on top of them. 

Be thankful for our loving Savior and His salvation! For we will not tremble at His Coming, but see the passionate fire and love in His eyes. The nations will tremble, we will triumph with in Christ our Savior, Amen. 


Happy First Sunday in Advent! 


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