Hello and Happy New Year! I’m back for the season of Advent, sharing a brief overview and my thoughts about each week’s Lectionary readings. Thanks for taking a few moments to read here. I hope my thoughts are a blessing to you during this sweet season. First, the readings.

Gospel: Mark 13:24-37

With the start of Advent, we are in a new Gospel. Year A was all about Matthew; this year (Year B) is mostly Mark. I think if Mark had been written as a 2000-era PowerPoint it would have lots of bulleted lists: this Gospel is a “just-the-facts-ma’am” approach to narration. As such, we can count on Mark to only tell us the most important things. There isn’t much narrative, as in Luke or Matthew, or theology, as in John.

The events of this reading take place during the week before Passover. Jesus has made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The tension between the Jewish leadership and Jesus is reaching a boiling point. He had just finished describing the destruction of the Jerusalem temple while he was standing in it, and had crossed over to the Mount of Olives (with a good view of the Temple) for private talks with some of the disciples. Today’s readings are given just to Peter, James, John and Andrew. Mark 13:4: [Peter, James, John and Andrew asked Jesus], “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?” Jesus describes some of the signs and then today’s reading begins.

The language Jesus uses would have sounded familiar to the disciples; it is similar to the apocalyptic language in the Old Testament book of Daniel. Familiar, but certainly not comforting. Jesus’ words convey urgency, diligence, preparation. His first set of instructions are to be ready for his return, not to be so involved in the thing you are doing to be unable to see what is happening around you, and to be rooted in what is true so you be able to see false teaching.

Jesus could have stopped there! That’s a lot, I think, and must have been unsettling for the disciples to hear. But Jesus gives reassurance in the next portion of the reading: this will not be easy but I will be there with you.

And then He wants us to understand two things that seem opposite: there WILL be signs, but no one knows exactly when. I think there’s a two-sided urgency to Jesus’ words here. No slacking off–He could be back at any time and He only waits in order that more people will be saved. But look for signs–God is gracious and will give them. This is a call to understand the Word of God but to live intentionally in the world today.

First Reading: Isaiah 64:1-9

This reading is from the last chapters of Isaiah. The people of Israel just want God to come; they know they have sinned and don’t deserve Him. But they are downtrodden and lost, and they are looking for God. They want Him to come in a mighty way, so that all of Israel and all of the world will know that Israel’s God is Lord of the universe. But more than anything, they look for Him.

And I think that’s why this reading is part of the readings today. We look. We watch. We know we don’t deserve God, and yet we hope.

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:3-9

This is the sweet greeting from Paul to his congregation in Corinth. Back when I was writing prayers for my daughter’s senior class, this was the benediction of the May 1 prayer. (A Bible that’s been marked up is really handy!) Paul loved these people, and even though he had some stern things to say to them later in the letter, he wanted them to know right up front where they stood with him.

Paul knew they lived in a time of waiting (v. 7), and that waiting is tough. He encourages them by telling them what God has already given them, and reminding them of what they are waiting for. Do you see this? We have it, too. God has already given us EVERY gift of speech and all knowledge and testimony of Jesus. He’s given us the gift of Jesus which sustains us. And we have the knowledge above all else that God is faithful.

Watching and waiting and being prepared. The theme of Advent!

Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19

This Psalm reinforces the theme for today: we watch and we wait. Come quickly, Lord!

Commentary

As my family winds up Thanksgiving weekend, we’ve bought our Christmas tree and we have decorations and boxes strewn from one end of the house to the other. The college kids are deep into preparation for finals. I have “We Need a Little Christmas” stuck in my head and I already feel a little behind and need more time.

On the other hand, I desperately, desperately want to leave 2020 in the rearview mirror. I can’t be the only one.

Friends, rest with me in the comfort of the readings this week. You aren’t behind, and neither am I. We are right where we need to be, readying our hearts for Jesus. Learning to look for his coming. Understanding the signs that will let us know the time is near.

And rejoice in celebrating a New Year! As Christians, we start our calendar a little earlier than January. November 29 will be our New Year’s Day, and we get a fresh start a few weeks early.

Every Advent is a little “Second Coming” in the same way that every Sunday we celebrate a little Resurrection. We can lean into the anticipation and breathe a little easier, understanding that Jesus will, indeed, come back again in glory. Christmas will wait, and we’ll get twelve full days of it soon enough. For this week, it’s enough to know Jesus is on the way.

I hope you have a great week! I’ll do my best to be back next week with another Advent reading.

The sweet little church above is in Whitesburg, Georgia. I photographed it one day as I returned from shooting a cross-country meet.