11/29 Advent day 1

FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT- 11/29/15  ABRAHAM

Activity- Light the First Candle on the Advent Wreathe.

Read Matthew 1:1-2

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: ² Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers.

Thoughts: Jesus Christ has a genealogy (family) because he was not a made up character but an historical person who walked this earth and breathed our air.  The Gospels begin with a family tree of Jesus to remind us that he was truly a human being.  Matthew does not begin with Adam, but with Abraham, the father of faith and specifically calls Jesus “The Son of David” which is a kingly title. 
     Abraham’s nephew, Lot, was captured and he gathered a small group and attacked his nephew’s attackers and rescued them miraculously.  Similarly, David’s family was captured by raiders and he chased the raiders down and rescued his family. 
     Jesus, despite calls for him to do otherwise, did not claim kingship until the week before his death- and he claimed a kingdom not of this world.  He did not encourage armed rebellion or terrorism against the Romans.  Instead, Jesus encouraged trust in God even in the face of the cross and injustice.  The non-violence of Jesus stands in sharp contrast to the rebellion against the Romans in AD 70 which led to the destruction of the Temple.   Christmas is in some ways about family. Jesus’ family stuck together- Joseph, Mary, and him through it all. 

Prayer: Lord, thank you that you walked here among us. 

Sing: “What Child is this who laid to rest, on Mary’s lap is sleeping, whom angels greet with anthems sweet while shepherds watch are keeping?  This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing; haste, haste to bring him laude the babe, the child of Mary.” 
(P 145 Glory to God)