Advent 1 *
There is a “newness” today. The church has been decorated. We have a new color of altar paraments. And today we lit the first of our Advent Candles…
Why all the changes? Today marks the beginning of a new Advent Season. And Advent marks the beginning of a new church year. On this day we experience and celebrate the newness of both a new season and a new church year.
Although this happens every year about this time, today we’d like to pause and take a closer look at why we do what we do. We did this three years ago, and we may do it again three years from now, because such a periodic review is beneficial. We want to look at the big picture of what is being emphasized and celebrated every time we come together for worship, because there is a logical progression. And when we understand that, it makes our worship of Christ more meaningful and our devotion to Christ stronger.
In order to accomplish this, our meditation for today will also take on a new and different form as well (which has perhaps already become apparent). That being said, let’s take
A WALK THROUGH THE CHURCH YEAR
Let’s begin with the term “Church Year.” What is it, and how did this come to be? It wasn’t long after Jesus’ resurrection from the dead that believers began worshiping on Sunday. Every Sunday was Easter all over again, and gathering for worship on that day was in itself a source of comfort and encouragement.
As centuries passed a “Church Year” began to develop, with certain events in the life of Christ being observed and celebrated through “holy days” and seasons. These events were accompanied by a certain set series of Scripture readings, or “lections” (which were read from a “lectern”), all chosen to correspond with the particular Sunday.
This pattern was followed and these lessons were read from a “Common Lectionary” year after year. This designed repetition helped God’s people learn, remember and celebrate the basic truths of the Christian faith. We follow the same pattern today…
1. Advent
The Church Year begins with Advent, which is a Latin word for “coming” or “arrival.” During this four week period of Advent God’s people prepare themselves to meet their Lord.
Advent actually emphasizes three arrivals. Jesus came to us long ago in His birth as the newborn Babe of
The color of Advent used to be purple – the color of royalty; but more recently many churches have chosen the color blue. Blue is the color of hope, as well as the sky – the place from where Christ will come again.
Our readings are all from the Common Lectionary (page 166 in
the front of Christian Worship). This
passage is the Old Testament lesson
for the 4th Sunday in Advent. In this reading Isaiah looks forward to the
coming of the “Holy One of
2. Christmas
Christmas follows Advent. What has been looked forward to and prophesied has now arrived. Christ the Savior is born! Although we do not know the exact date, we celebrate the birth of Christ on December 25. The ancient church chose this early on as the birthday date for Jesus as an alternative for a secular Roman holiday. While Romans celebrated a festival dedicated to the sun, believers Christianized the day and celebrate the birth of the Son.
The twelve days of the Christmas Season take us up to the evening before Epiphany, the next great festival of the Church Year.
The color for the Christmas season is white, the color of perfection, holiness and purity.
Our reading is a portion of the well known and beloved Gospel lesson for Christmas Eve, Luke 2. It needs no introduction. We hear verses 1-7.
3. Epiphany
Epiphany comes from a Greek word meaning “appearing” or “revealing.” The emphasis is that Jesus Christ revealed Himself to the world as the Son of God and Savior. For this reason it is sometimes called “the Gentiles’ Christmas” and the traditional Gospel lesson for the day is the coming of the Gentile wise men from the East.
Like Christmas, Epiphany is a fixed date – twelve days after Christmas on January 6. The Epiphany Season extends from four to nine weeks, depending upon the date of Lent and Easter. The Epiphany Season ends on Transfiguration Sunday, an event that shortly preceded Jesus’ suffering and death, and provides a bridge into the next season, Lent.
White is the color of the Day of Epiphany and the week following, while green – the color of spiritual growth – is the color for the remaining weeks of the Epiphany Season.
Keeping with its theme, many of the lessons for Epiphany
emphasize how Jesus declared Himself to the world to be the almighty Son of God
through His miracles. Our reading is the Gospel
lesson for the 5th Sunday after Epiphany, Matthew 8:23-27.
4. Lent
Lent is a 40 day period of time (not including Sundays) when believers reflect on the seriousness of their sin and the high cost of our redemption. It is a time for personal introspection and repentance. Lent begins with Ash Wednesday and takes us to the Saturday before Easter.
The final week of Lent is known as Holy Week. We follow Jesus’ triumphant ride into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, spend time with Him on Maundy Thursday (rejoicing in the Lord’s Supper He gave us), and then sadly look upon His crucified body on Good Friday.
The colors of Lent are violet – for repentance – and black (Good Friday, some churches also Ash Wednesday), for mourning.
Our Scripture lesson is the Epistle lesson for Good Friday.
Referring to Him as our Great High Priest, the writer to the Hebrews
reminds us that Jesus’ work on our behalf far surpassed what any earthly High
Priest could do… Hebrews 7:26, 27.
5. Easter
“He is risen, He is risen indeed. Alleluia!” That’s the way we greet each other on Easter morning. On Easter we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection from the grave in triumph over sin and death – and through Him, our triumph over the same. Easter is the earliest of all Christian festivals and is first mentioned by name in 130 A.D. Because the resurrection of Jesus Christ is so basic and central to the Christian faith, the church moved its day of worship to Sunday.
The Season of Easter lasts 50 days from Easter Sunday to Pentecost.
White is the color for Easter’s joyous celebration, although gold is sometimes the color for Easter Day and the following week.
Our reading is the Old
Testament lesson for Easter Day. It
is the Easter proclamation of ancient Job, and the basis for the beloved hymn
we sing that day: “I Know that My Redeemer Lives!”
We hear Job 19:23-27.
6. Ascension
40 days after Easter we celebrate the ascension of our Lord to heaven, where He now reigns in glory. We are reminded and promised that far from a heavenly retirement, Jesus now oversees and directs all affairs in the interest of His church and His children. And as the angels told the disciples, we look forward to seeing Him come again in the very way He left us – visibly and for every eye to behold.
Once Ascension was among the most important festivals of the church, but sadly it has declined; and churches which hold special Ascension Day Services (including us) will not see the same turnout as Christmas or Easter.
White is the liturgical color for Ascension Day.
Our reading is the second lesson for Ascension Day. It is a portion of the historical account of Ascension recorded for us in Acts chapter 1. We hear verses 6-11.
7. Pentecost
The final festival of the Church Year is Pentecost Sunday, sometimes referred to as the birthday of the Christian Church. It takes place 50 days after Easter. Pentecost is unique from the other festivals and seasons in that it revolves around the work of God the Holy Spirit. On the Day of Pentecost, accompanied by the rush of a mighty wind and what appeared to be tongues of fire resting on their heads, the Holy Spirit equipped the disciples to speak in other languages – and the New Testament Christian Church was born.
The liturgical color for Pentecost is red, the color of fire and fervor.
Our reading is a portion of Acts 2, the historic account of Pentecost, and the second lesson for the Day of Pentecost. We’ll hear verses 1-4.
The Non-Festival Half
The Day of Pentecost closes the “Festival Half” of the Church Year. We have followed Jesus from anticipation to birth to suffering to death to resurrection to ascension and finally, His sending of the promised Holy Spirit. Now begins the “Non-Festival” half of the Church Year: a period of 22 to 27 Sundays which we simply refer to as the “Sundays after Pentecost.” The first Sunday after Pentecost is designated as Trinity Sunday.
The Scripture readings for these Sundays tend to focus on Jesus’ teaching and the Spirit’s work among us. Consequently, the main color for the Pentecost Season is green – the color of life and growth. As a “subset” of the Pentecost season, the final four Sundays of the Church Year are called the season of “End Times.” The color for Reformation and Last Judgment Sunday is red; white for Saints Triumphant and Christ the King Sunday.
Our final reading conveys the need for Christians to keep
going and growing; to keep the Gospel message central to their lives. We hear the Epistle lesson for the 22nd
Sunday after Pentecost, Ephesians 6:10-17.
It is our prayer that
this brief review of the Church Year will prepare us to receive anew all the blessings
that God has given us through His Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ.