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The day on which our Lord returns will be a “great and awesome day” (Mal. 4:5, First Lesson). For He will come in a cloud with great power and glory. To the wicked and the proud, it will be a Day of judgment that will “set them ablaze” (Mal. 4:1). The signs preceding this Day will bring them fear and fainting. But to those who believe, who fear the name of the Lord, this Day is one to look forward to and rejoice in: “. . . straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28, Gospel Lesson). Christ our Redeemer is coming; the Sun of Righteousness will bring healing in His wings. Let us, then, give attention to the words of the Lord, which do not pass away. Let us “through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures” (Rom. 15:4, Second Lesson) be strengthened in our hope by the Holy Spirit and watch diligently for Jesus’ coming. Then, by God’s grace, we shall escape all these things that will come to pass and stand before the Son of Man.
The Second Sunday of Advent is traditionally known as Populus Zion, which are the first Latin words of the Historic Introit assigned to this Sunday. Populus Zion means “People of Zion” (Populus Zion, ecce Dominus veniet ad salvandas gentes = “People of Zion, behold the Lord shall come to save the nations”). ![]()
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The new Church Year begins by focusing on the humble coming of our Lord. “Look, your King comes to you, humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Mt. 21:5; Gospel Lesson). Even as He was born in a lowly manger, so Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a beast of burden. For He bears the sin of the world. He is the Son of David riding to His enthronement on the cross, where He shows Himself to be “The Lord Our Righteousness” (Jer. 23:5–6; First Lesson). Our Lord still comes in great humility to deliver His righteousness to us in the Word and Sacraments. Before receiving Christ’s body and blood, we also sing, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matt. 21:9) And as we receive the Sacrament, we set our hearts on His return in glory, for “our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed” (Rom. 13:11; Second Lesson).
The First Sunday of Advent is traditionally known as Ad Te Levavi, which are the first Latin words of the Historic Introit assigned to this Sunday from Psalm 25. Ad Te Levavi means “to you, I have lifted up” (Ad te levavi animam meam Dominum = “to you, O Lord, I have lifted up my soul"). An Introit is a chanted or spoken psalm that traditionally followed the Confession and Absolution and preceded the Salutation (“The Lord be with you.”) that begins our Service of the Word (p. 7). Introit means “entrance,” and it was during this psalm that the pastor or priest and those involved in the service would “enter” the chancel and altar area. ![]()
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“The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night” (1 Thessalonians 5:1–11; Second Lesson). The arrival of the bridegroom will be sudden and unexpected. Therefore you are to be watchful and ready like the five wise virgins. “For you know neither the day nor the hour” when the Son of Man is to return. (Matthew 25:1–13, Gospel Lesson). The lamps are the Word of Christ. The oil in the lamps is the Holy Spirit, who works through the Word to create and sustain the flame of faith in Christ. The foolish are those who do not give proper attention to the working of the Holy Spirit in baptism, preaching, and the supper, and so their faith does not endure. The wise, however, are those who diligently attend to these gifts of the Spirit, and who therefore have an abundance of oil. The flame of faith endures to the end. By God’s grace they are received into the eternal wedding feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, the new heavens and the new earth created by the Lord for the joy of His people (Isaiah 65:17–25; First Lesson).
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“There, in the clouds of heaven, one like a son of man was coming.” (Dan. 7:13). The Lord Jesus will return in glory on the Last Day with all His holy angels. “All the nations will be gathered in his presence…He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.” (Matt. 25:31–33). Those on His left will be cast into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For they rejected Christ by failing to receive and support His brethren, that is, the preachers of the Gospel. But those on His right will inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world. For they received and supported His brethren and believed what they preached. We believe in the promise of Christ’s coming, even it is delayed because of His long-suffering mercy. Conducting ourselves in godliness, knowing that this fallen creation will soon pass away, we look forward to “new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.” (2 Peter 3:13).
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