This Sunday - December 7th

2nd Sunday of Advent

Isaiah 11:1-10 ~ Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19 ~ Romans 15:4-13 ~ Matthew 3:1-12

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This Advent, our Old Testament readings all come from Isaiah.  In the first verse of this week’s reading, the writer references Jesse.  Jesse is the father of King David (1 Samuel 16:1-13).  To make a long story short, David becomes the idealized king that ancient Israel longs for (oh for the good old days).  But that line of kings is ended; Jesse’s linage is a stump.  Now Isaiah is saying there will be a new shoot in Jesse’s dead family tree: a new king.  And that king will usher in an era where all is as God intended  —the peaceable kingdom.  

It is because of this passage that both Matthew and Luke make a point of noting that Jesus is a descendant of David.  They’re saying Jesus is this promised king.  But more important than if Jesus has the correct genes is what Jesus does.  He has begun the era of the peaceable kingdom.

Advent is not simply pretending that Jesus hasn’t come yet so that we can celebrate his birth on Christmas.  We know Jesus is already with us, but we also watch for him to come again and finish what he began.  In the same way, we know that Jesus has begun his kingdom, but anybody can see that it’s not fully here yet.  No one is claiming that we live in the peaceable kingdom now.

We live in an “already but not yet” time.  That can be difficult because the values we live by (as embodied in Isaiah’s description of the peaceable kingdom) are often not the values shared by those around us.  Yet we continue to strive for them because in doing so we join with Jesus in bring the peaceable kingdom to reality.  

After reading the scriptures for this day, discuss the following questions with someone else:

1. How have you experienced the “already but not yet” nature of God’s Kingdom recently?

2. What gives you strength to live by the values you hold when the world around you is different?

3. What is one small way you can model the peaceable kingdom to someone else.  

Advent & Christmas Hymn Festival, Dec. 14

1. The choir from Grace Lutheran would like to invite you to join them at Our Savior Lutheran Church, 7910 E St Joe Hwy, for the Advent and Christmas Hymn Festival on Sunday, December 14 at 3 p.m. 

   Music for the congregation and choir will be led by the organ, hand bells, brass, timpani, strings and woodwinds. Our organist will be Kevin Hildebrand who is from Concordia theological Seminary in Fort Wayne.