ADVENT SUNDAY 30 12 2025
FIRST READING: Isaiah 11.1-10
NEW TESTAMENT READING: Romans 13.11-end
GOSPEL Matthew 24.36–44
Today is a very special Sunday, four Sundays before Advent we begin the season of Advent. The word “Advent” is derived from the Latin word adventus, meaning “coming,” which is a translation of the Greek word parousia.
The one who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!’ (Revln 22.20), This is the last prayer of the Bible and it became the first prayer of the church.
Why are we anticipating the second coming of Jesus Christ?
‘They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’’ (Acts 1.11)
On the ascension day when Jesus was taken up to heaven the angels announced, ‘They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’’ (Acts 1.11). Besides the during his ministry, Jesus himself at several times announced about his return. The church stands on this foundation that Jesus is going to come again to judge the world.
How will it be on that day?
Jesus gave some idea how it will be when he is going to come again, ‘and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in clouds” with great power and glory’.
(Mark 13.25,26). Our Lord Jesus also said, ‘Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in clouds” with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven’. (Mark 13.26,27).
St. Paul while writing to the churches about the second coming explained the scene, ‘For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord for ever’ (1 Thessalonians 4.16,17).
When is this going to happen?
Lord Jesus also said the timing of his return, no one knows, even he does not know. It will be moment defined by God the father. ‘But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.’ (Mark 13.32).
Why has this not happened yet?
Peter addresses people in the church who were dismissive of the belief in the second coming of Jesus and therefore he wrote, ‘‘First of all you must understand this, that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and indulging their own lusts and saying, ‘Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since our ancestors died, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation!’’’ (2 Peter 3.3,4). Peter in his epistle clarifies that,
‘The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.’ (2 Peter 3.9).
What will happen to those who are redeemed by Jesus Christ?
There are two glorious promises in the New Testament about the state of the redeemed people of God. St. Paul writes, ‘When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory’. (Colossians 3.4).
John tells us in his epistles that when Jesus is revealed the faithful will be like him. ‘Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is.’ (1 John 3.2).
So what should we do?
As people who believe in Jesus we are called to keep alert the way we are living.
‘Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come.’ (Mark 13.33).
Jesus our Lord invites his disciples to be ready and be awaiting to meet him when he comes again, ’You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.’ Luke 12.40