Week 1 - The Advent Hope – God’s answer to our disappointment.

Reading: Isaiah 64: 1-9.

1 Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you! 2 As when fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make your name known to your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you! 3 For when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came down, and the mountains trembled before you. 4 Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. 5 You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways. But when we continued to sin against them, you were angry.  How then can we be saved? 6 All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. 7 No one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us and have given us over to our sins. 8 Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. 9 Do not be angry beyond measure, Lord; do not remember our sins forever. Oh, look on us, we pray, for we are all your people.

One of the main themes of the season of Advent is Hope. Isaiah writes of a deep longing for God to act decisively and intervene. His people are in exile and long to be home. We long for this pandemic to end so that our lives can return to their familiar pattern and contacts be restored. 

In Jesus we experience the fulfilment of God’s promises and so we look forward to the reminder of that as we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Saviour at Christmas. We also look forward to the return of Christ in glory but this hope seems an awfully long time coming. Many feel disappointed that it hasn’t happened yet!

We can all identify with the words of the prophet from our bible reading today:

“O that you would rend the heavens and come down….”

There are many times in our lives when we experience disappointment and we can easily fall into depression when we feel let down by others, or things just haven’t turned out as we expected. This year there has been so much disappointment for all of us because of the pandemic. Planned holidays, family celebrations, things we have looked forward to for a long time have all had to be abandoned. Jobs have been put on hold or lost altogether. Finances have been stretched and relationships been strained, some to breaking point and the fear of death has stalked us all. It is easy to feel that God has abandoned us and we have been denied some of the things that have sustained us most in the past, such as gathering for worship and sharing in Holy Communion.

One of the saddest verses in the Bible is in Luke’s gospel on that first Easter day when the two disciples were walking home to Emmaus disconsolate because of the death of Jesus, “but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.” (Luke 24;21)

So often “we had hoped….” and had our hopes dashed just as these disciples had. Jesus instead of being a triumphant king was crucified, dead and buried. Their hopes totally destroyed. Yet something amazing happens on that sad walk home to transform them. 

A stranger draws alongside them and listens to their story, their account of all that had gone on in Jerusalem over the last few days. He listens to their despair and grief. This stranger then reveals truths from scripture which open the door of understanding for them, helping them to see things from a completely different perspective. Finally this stranger is persuaded to stay and have supper with them and in the breaking and blessing of the bread light finally dawns for them. This is Jesus their risen Lord who has walked with them, listened to them, taught them by making God’s plans known to them and finally making himself known to them. Disappointment transformed to joy!!

This is the work of Emmanuel – God with us. He promised to be with us always and His quiet, often unseen presence changes our perspective and restores our hope. More than that it gives us the message of salvation to share. Those two disciples raced back to Jerusalem with the Good News – Jesus is alive – we have seen Him. And they had a Bible study to share too from the Master himself!

If you are struggling with disappointment today then take time this week to pour out your heart to Jesus. He is always listening. Then take time to wait on Him for his encouragement and perspective. Trust him that you will receive his comfort and know that he can transform your situation or at least your understanding of your situation and restore your hope.

Let me end this reflection with probably my favourite bible verse from St Paul’s letter to the Romans

And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us. Romans 5:5.

Week 2 - The Advent Comfort

Reading: Isaiah 40: 1-11 Comfort for God’s people

1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.3 A voice of one calling: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.4 Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, he rugged places a plain.5 And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’ 6 A voice says, ‘Cry out.’ And I said, ‘What shall I cry?’ ‘All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.7 The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass.8 The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures for ever.’9 You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, ‘Here is your God!’10 See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.11 He tends his flock like a shepherd: he gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.

The Church of England has chosen as its Advent and Christmas theme this year “Comfort and Joy” so it seems appropriate that we look at these two topics based on the Isaiah readings for the next two weeks.

The opening words have a really positive ring for us at this time of pandemic don’t they?

“Comfort, comfort my people” says your God.

During Israel’s period in exile the prophet brings a message of hope to comfort God’s people. God speaks words of tenderness through the prophet telling them that the time of their hard labour is over and their sin has been paid for. Their exile in Babylon is seen as the consequence of them turning their back on God, neglecting the covenant relationship with Him and worshipping others gods. That time is coming to an end. But God knows that their journey back to Jerusalem i.e. their journey back into relationship with Him, will not be easy. There will be major earthworks to be undertaken, hills lowered, valleys raised up to enable a highway to be built that will bring them home. There is much to be put right. They are reminded too that they are fragile, like grass, easily trampled on and broken. This in sharp contrast to the word of God which stands forever. But the good news is that God has a rescue plan, He is on the move and He has the power to accomplish this restoration. In verse 11 we have this wonderful picture of God as the good shepherd taking care of His flock.

So there is good news for all of us as we can see in Jesus, the one sent by God to restore our relationship with Him by taking all our sins himself on the Cross removing the barriers between us and God.

So this passage from Isaiah works on several different levels. The message is still to bring comfort to us today whatever our situation. With a vaccine in sight it feels like a timely message!

So what does it mean to be comforted? In the Bayeux Tapestry which depicts the Norman invasion of England in 1066, King Harold is shown comforting his troops by prodding them in the back with his spear. Many babies have a piece of cloth as a ‘comforter’ that they carry with them everywhere giving them reassurance and helping them to fall asleep. I always remember listening to “Listen with Mother” on the radio as a child and it always began with the words “Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin” before the story was read. In each case comfort requires movement. We cannot stay where we are to be made comfortable!

Before we can be comforted we need to recognise that we are uncomfortable. This may be experienced as restlessness, anxiety, sadness or physical or emotional pain. However we experience it we are in some way unhappy. This may be through our own fault or simply through circumstances beyond our control. If the mess that we are in is our responsibility then we need to reflect on what needs to be done to rectify the situation. We have to be willing to move. There may be relationships to be restored, people to be forgiven, seeking God’s forgiveness and asking for His help. The good news is that God is already ahead of us and His forgiveness is freely available in Jesus.

Then we can quietly listen for God’s tender words of comfort to us personally and let them restore our souls as we begin our journey home to full and loving relationship with God. “It is enough, the end is in sight.” On that journey home we become the bearer of good tidings “Here is our God” the one who “tends his flock like a shepherd: he gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.”

St Paul says this in 2 Corinthians 1: 3-7.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

Week 3 - The Advent Joy

Reading: Isaiah 61: 1- 4, 8 – end The year of the Lord’s favour

1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendour. 4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.

8 ‘For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing. In my faithfulness I will reward my people and make an everlasting covenant with them. 9 Their descendants will be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the Lord has blessed.’ 10 I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. 11 For as the soil makes the young plant come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.

Let me begin by being an Anglican anorak!

The Third Sunday in Advent is often known as “Gaudete Sunday” the word Gaudete being Latin for Joy and that is taken from the opening words of the set New Testament reading from 1 Thessalonians 5: 16 “Rejoice always”. It also has a lighter tone in the penitential season of Advent when High Church Anglican clergy would wear their rose coloured robes and the pink candle on the Advent wreath would be lit. Enough said! The theme of this reflection is JOY.

Let’s turn to the passage from Isaiah 61 which moves us from the prophetic messages of hope and comfort given by the Prophet during the time of Israel’s exile in Babylon that we looked at over the last two weeks, on to looking forward to what the time after exile may look like. With a vaccine now being rolled out we may be tempted to think about what the “new” normal post-covid may look like. What needs to be different and what we want to retain. The words of Isaiah 61 are also the words that Jesus reads in the synagogue in Nazareth at the beginning of his ministry which we see in Luke 4:16-21, often called Jesus’ manifesto.

16 Jesus went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: 18 ‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour’. 20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, ‘Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’

It is stirring stuff and I wonder if you can feel the sense of joy and excitement as you read those words. A new move of God is coming changing the world for ever. Isn’t that what we long for when we pray for revival? Is that our hope and prayer for post-Brexit and post-pandemic.

There are five promises that are made that the “Anointed one” will accomplish.

Good news for the oppressed Binding up the broken-hearted

Liberty for the captives

Release for prisoners

Proclaiming the year of the Lord’s favour.

This is what the post-exile people are looking forward to and although they do return to Jerusalem and the city and Temple are rebuilt and some semblance of “normal” life is resumed, it is not until the coming of Christ –the Anointed one- that the prophecy finds its true fulfilment. And even that is an on-going process until Jesus returns in glory.

The whole picture offered us is one of restoration and God’s justice (including judgement). But of more than that. It includes comfort for all who mourn and the introduction of God’s righteousness in all walks of life. A renewal of our covenant relationship with God and an acknowledgement of His reign and sovereignty over all the nations. God will set things right causing righteousness and praise to spring up before all nations (verse 11).

Then we see the joy that all this brings (verse 10).

10 I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. Does that remind you of words from the Magnificat, Mary’s hymn she says when the Angel Gabriel tells her she is to bear the Messiah and that is confirmed by her cousin Elizabeth.

“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.”

The joy is both the Lord’s and ours (Mary) because in Christ we all share in that anointing from Pentecost onwards. For me and for many others our lives have never been the same from when we were filled with the Holy Spirit. Not only did we experience the deep joy bubbling up from within for ourselves but our world values were turned upside down and our priorities drastically altered and this continues to be so. This is all the Lord’s doing and of course we can choose to co-operate or not.

Perhaps the pandemic will give us the opportunity to look at our lives and our practices and see what needs changing to be realigned to God’s justice and values. Climate change, new trade deals, extinction rebellion, Black Lives Matter, Safeguarding in the church, integrity in public life, an end to fake news and leaders who speak the truth, sound business practices, elimination of hunger and so much more. If we are to share in the Creator’s joy we must learn to respect His values and be faithful stewards of all we have been given.

So I pray that we can all be challenged afresh by this reading and continue to work out our salvation not just with fear and trembling but with joyful anticipation that the Kingdom of God is here and still on its way. The best is yet to be!  Amen.

The Advent Blessing:

Christ the Sun of Righteousness shine upon you,

scatter the darkness from before your path,

and make you ready to meet him when he comes in glory;

and the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit

be with you now and always.

Amen.