Advent Bible Studies - How are you preparing for Christmas?
Advent is the church season leading up to Christmas when we remember the birth and coming of Jesus into the world. The theological term for this is the incarnation and it holds a very important place in theological thinking about the triune God, especially for the Eastern Orthodox Church. In our Australian culture, however, Christmas is a big deal for other reasons. It marks the end of the working year, the beginning of the summer holiday period and is marketed as the time to indulge in giving extravagant gifts to each other, especially to children. Given this cultural bias, it is helpful for us to pause and think how we are preparing for the coming of Jesus.
These four Bible studies, based on this year’s lectionary readings (Year A), will challenge your thinking and perhaps unsettle you as you grapple with the hopes and values of the biblical writers. You’re invited to walk a different path through this season, one that will challenge you to ponder how you are preparing for the coming of Jesus into your community and your life. You’ll need a Bible, some friends to journey with and an openness to what God might reveal about his purposes for you and your community.
Each study is split into two roughly equal parts, the first part focusing on the OT text from Isaiah and the second part on the Gospel text from Matthew.
Isaiah was an eighth century prophet who lived in Jerusalem. The beginning of his ministry was marked by relative prosperity and security in Judah although the shadow of Assyrian expansion grew steadily longer. Isaiah combines prophecies of stark judgment with promises of future hope and peace. His book is sometimes called the ‘Fifth Gospel’ as it contains language and metaphors that resonate with the four Gospel accounts in the NT.
Matthew presents Jesus as the great teacher (think of the Sermon on the Mount) and the Messiah of Jewish hope (with numerous references to fulfilled OT prophecy). While Matthew reveals the gentle and compassionate side of Jesus’ ministry, he also highlights the impending judgment of those who reject Jesus.
Questions are provided to initiate and guide your discussion. The studies are designed to take approximately one hour but don’t feel anxious if you don’t get to every question. Overall you will need to allow 90 minutes so there is time for some sharing of your stories, for prayer and for encouraging one another.
