The Promise: Our Father and Redeemer (Isaiah 63:16-17; 64:1-8)

First Sunday in Advent, Sunday, November 29, 2020

Readings for this week:

First Lesson and Sermon Text: Isaiah 63:16-17; 64:1-8:  Throughout history, God has promised to come in grace to rescue those who are ready and to come in judgment on those who could not be bothered with him.

Psalm 63:  This Psalm of David expresses a deep longing for God and for his temple.  In this intimate prayer, we address God as a loved one, not as a stranger, and with an eagerness to be near him.

Second Lesson:  1 Corinthians 1:3-9:  Since Jesus is most surely coming, how shall we watch and how shall we prepare, so that his coming to us will be in grace and not in judgment?

Verse of the Day: Revelation 22:20:  Alleluia.  The one who testifies about these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”  Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! Alleluia.

Gospel:  Mark 13:32-37:  To prepare for Christ’s coming, we do well to turn our eyes away from the glitter and the clutter of the world and focus them on our need for his coming.

Sermon:  Isaiah 63:16-17; 64:1-8: 

How long does it take to keep a promise?  God can make a promise and he can keep it even if the making and the keeping of the promise are lifetimes apart. 

In the Old Testament, believers looked forward to the one that had been promised all the way back to Adam and Eve.

In the New Testament times, we now look back on how God sent his only-begotten Son to be the Savior of the world.

Advent reminds us that we live in a time between the fulfillments of these great promises of God.

How long will it be until our Savior returns and takes us to be with him?  Only God knows.  But he will come. And by his grace he has made us ready and will keep us ready.  He has promised it.

Pastor Nathan Kassulke