Posted on 12/08/2005 6:40:01 PM PST by sionnsar
From the Rev. John Leal of Providence REC in Texas comes a good Advent sermon, Signs of Life. The Rev. Leal talks about the signs of Advent and of our "blessed hope":
Advent teaches us a lot about anticipation and preparation. It teaches us to constantly look for signs. We have the symbols here of the signs that it is the second Sunday in Advent. We see the second candle lit to remind us that Christ's coming in the Cresh at the feast is the nativity is drawing nigh. The signs that we know, and are known by God, are evident in this time of the Church year when we find ourselves considering, not just the end, but our mortality as well. The Advent Collect shows us that "now in the time of this mortal life," we must be ready to "rise to the life immortal". These signs are guides to us of our need for "Great humility" as our Lord showed to us by virtue of is Incarnation, coming in the flesh. Coming as a man, coming to model for us in his birth, life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension and as we anticipate His return.Rev. Leal goes on to develop this further, and I thought this portion was simply beautiful:
The signs of His coming or better said the way in which we know God "and hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life" is through all Holy Scriptures as our collect shows us. The Holy Scriptures prepare us for the coming of Christ in humility and in judgment. We await the fullness of God's revelation in Jesus Christ, who comes at the fullness of time, when all things are in readiness, He is the hope of our salvation, for in him all things are fulfilled. His coming in time means also his coming at the end of time, his final coming of which the gospel speaks. In this we learn the true nature of our hope for salvation. The fulfillment of all things in Christ means the destruction of all our worldly aims, ambitions and hopes: "men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth," His coming means a judgment, ever present and ultimate, upon those who cling to the passing things of this world rather than to the Lord, whose "words shall not pass away." Christian hope is an other worldly hope, and so we must accept God's final judgment in order that "by patience and comfort of his holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life."
Blessed is he who labors more and more to wean his heart from all things which we behold in Heaven and earth, and makes his rest and stay only on the Word of God, which abideth for ever. In that Word is "the God of hope," "the God of patience and consolation; "therefore will we not fear, though the earth be moved; and though the hills be carried into the midst of the sea." "The Lord of Hosts is with us: the God of Jacob is our refuge." (Psalm 46:2, 11.)This sermon would well be worth your time to read or listen to on the audio link.
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams.
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