* The journey begins with a preview. The lessons for the First Sunday in Advent dovetail with the theme for the last week in the liturgical year when we celebrated Christ as King. We begin our Advent journey by remembering that the Son of Man, proclaimed to be King of Kings last week will, one day in the future, return in glory (Luke 21:25-36). He is the righteous Branch (Jeremiah 33:15) sprung up from Jesse’s root.
* On the Second Sunday of Advent our attentions turn to the ministry of John the Baptist (Luke 3:1-6), the forerunner to the Christ promised by the Old Testament prophets (Malachi 3:1-4). Though we meet John as an adult, we flash back to his father’s song of rejoicing (Luke 1:68-79), as we remember the circumstances of his birth. Notice, in the gospel reading, that John is not a child. He is an adult, preparing for the appearance of Jesus in his adulthood.
* On the Third Sunday of Advent, we flash back to Zephaniah’s descriptions of the coming Messiah, who will deal with Israel’s oppressors and turn their shame into praise and renown (Zephaniah 3:19). John’s powerful images of the coming Messiah’s winnowing fork and unquenchable fire (Luke 3:17) help us see previews of Zephaniah’s Messiah (3:17), yet to come. John the Baptist serves as a bridge between the promises of the Old Testament prophets (Zephaniah 3:14-20), and the New Testament ministry of the Christ (Luke 3:7-18). Thus far, Advent’s focus has not been upon the manger but rather upon the actions of the coming Christ and of John, his forerunner.
* By the Fourth Sunday of Advent, our hearts and our ears are ready for the promises made to the city of Bethlehem (Micah 5:2a-5a), for Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 1:46b-55), and for descriptions of the shared stories of pregnant Mary and pregnant Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-45).
