First Week of Advent: Reading Backwards

 Jesus the Christ,

the son of David,

the son of Abraham. (Matthew 1:1)

Chances are most of us did not read the whole of religious literature and philosophy and then decided that Jesus was our best option. Most likely, in ways we can’t altogether explain, Christ found us. Maybe it happened within the gathered community during the singing of a hymn, or maybe we “went forward,” or “looked up,” or were baptized. However it happened, the living Christ laid claim to us. And, as the Apostle likes to say, we find ourselves “in Christ.”

The first words of the New Testament remind us that Christ’s coming has to do with David and God’s Promise that his “kingdom shall be established forever” (2Sam 7:16); and, it has to do with Abraham through whom “all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gn 12:3). To “learn of Christ” (Eph 4:20), we need to learn something of the hope of David and faith of Abraham. Otherwise, we end up with a Christ of our own making. That’s why the Hebrew Bible—the Bible of Jesus and the Apostles, is our Bible too.

Readings for the First Week of Advent: Hope.

Monday:       Genesis 1:1-5        &  John 1:1-5

Tuesday:       Genesis 1:26-27   &  Colossians 1:15-17

Wednesday: Genesis 3:15         &  Romans 16:20

Thursday:     Genesis 9:12-16   &  Romans 8:18-25

Friday:           Genesis 12:1-3     &  Matthew 1:1, Romans 4:18

Saturday:      Jeremiah 17:13-14 &Romans 15:12-13