Advent 1 - Sunday

From Sunday's lessons:  “About that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."   Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.  Matthew 24:36, 42

In the end, Christ will bring peace - peace in Jerusalem, peace in the world.  This is the message for us: to keep watch - each with our own work.  Prepare yourself to meet our Lord when he comes.  Spread the gospel message that Jesus is alive and that he is coming and that he offers us hope of a better world.  He offers us those things that the world cannot give us; fullness in our hearts, peace in our minds, joy in our souls.  He offers us forgiveness of our sins and eternal life.  He offers us stability when our world falls apart around us.

And this is the good news of the Gospel for Advent:  
Jesus came to us as a little baby.
Jesus came to us humble of heart to heal and to save.
Jesus still comes to us in Spirit and guides us and stays with us when we most need him.
And Jesus will come again in power and glory to claim us and take us home.