First Lutheran Church
November 29, 2020 + Advent 1B
“The Great O Antiphons”
Mark 13:24-37
(Jesus said:) 24“In those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. 27Then 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.
28“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 30Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 31Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
32“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. 34It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. 35Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, 36or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. 37And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”
“The Great O Antiphons”
Pastor Greg Ronning
Today we begin the season of Advent, a season designed to help prepare us for Christmas, for the coming of Christ, for the reign of God’s Kingdom. Advent is a season of hope, a season that shapes our hope, a season that gives us hope. In – with – and through – the spiritual disciplines of Advent, we are blessed with “eyes that see,” and “ears that hear,” the coming of Christ in the past, in the future, and even now.
Today’s sermon flows from the seventh century liturgical prayers known as “The Great O Antiphons,” the prayers that gave birth to the traditional Advent hymn, "O come, O come Emmanuel.” The context of this traditional prayer and hymn is that of a people in captivity. The text looks back and remembers the nation of Judah and the Babylonian Captivity. A time when God's people had lost everything and had been carried off in chains to live in a foreign land. A time when God’s people found themselves in a deep winter of despair longing for the light of spring and a time of rebirth. Each verse begins with the exclamation “O,” emphasizing the deep longing in our hearts, the great desire for freedom, for light to shine in the darkness, and the awe filled anticipation of God’s advent into our world.
Today we reflect on the “The Great O Antiphons,” we pray as we sing each verse of the hymn, and we open up our souls in the deep outcry - “O,” because we too are desperately beseeching Christ to break into our world. We too are looking for God’s advent - in the midst of pandemic, economic struggles, and social unrest. We too are seeking - freedom in a time of captivity, light in a time of darkness, and life in the midst of death. So it is that we join the saints of God in all times and places, in this time and in this place, in the timeless prayer of every place, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”
O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here, until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel, shall come to you, O Israel.
“O Come, O Wisdom from on High”
In a world filled with an overload of information, in a world filled with great knowledge, - we don’t always make the best decisions. Too often we react in fear, too often we act from pride, too often we are anything but wise. As individuals, as communities, as nations, as the world; we pray for wisdom on high.
O come, O Wisdom from on high, embracing all things far and nigh:
in strength and beauty come and stay; teach us your will and guide our way.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel.
“O Come, O Come, O Lord of Might”
In ancient days God led the faithful with a great cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night as they wandered in search of a promised land. Along the way God gave the people the gift of the law to keep and order good life. At Christmas the law is fulfilled in the life and teachings of Christ. Each day and each night we pray for guidance as we begin our advent journey.
O come, O come, O Lord of might, as to your tribes on Sinai's height
in ancient times you gave the law in cloud, and majesty, and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel.
“O Come, O Branch of Jesse, free”
A prophecy from Isaiah, "The royal line of David is like a tree that has been cut down; but just as new branches sprout from a stump, so a new king will arise from among David's descendants." (Isaiah 11:1). The lineage, along with the hopes and dreams of Jesse, seemed dead. Yet “the stump of Jesse” was anything but dead. In the fullness of time a new branch appeared, and a lovely flower bloomed. As we prepare for Christ, we are reminded that God comes to us in unexpected ways. Perhaps God is once again present for us, present with the gift of new life in our broken, forgotten, and hopeless places? We pray for courage to look for life in the midst of death.
O come, O Branch of Jesse, free your own from Satan's tyranny;
from depths of hell your people save, and give them vict'ry o'er the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel.
“O Come, O Key of David, Come”
Have you ever been locked out? Have you lost your keys? The one who holds the keys to life and love comes to us at Christmas. God's advent into "our life" opens the door to "our life." God opens the door of forgiveness that sets us free from sin. God opens the door of peace that gives us a new way to live and a reason to live. The one who comes to us at Christmas holds the key. May God grant us the courage to open new doors and embrace new possibilities.
O come, O Key of David, come, and open wide our heav'nly home;
make safe the way that leads on high, and close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel.
“O Come, O Dayspring, Come and Cheer”
In this season the days get shorter and the nights get longer. And before Christmas arrives on December 25th, we must first endure the longest night of the year on December 21st. So it is that in Advent we find ourselves living in increasing darkness. Just as the sun is nature's source of light and life, so is Christ the source of our life. Christ is the rising sun who brings, warmth and light to a fallen world of darkness. We pray that in our season of darkness we might be drawn to the light of God.
O come, O Dayspring, come and cheer; O Sun of justice, now draw near.
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death's dark shadow put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel.
“O Come, O King of Nations, Come”
Another Christmas will soon be here and still the world finds itself in great conflict. O how we long for a king or a queen that might be different, a sovereign committed to justice for everyone, a ruler that might lead us in the ways of peace. We pray for the coming of God’s commonwealth, “thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
O come, O King of nations, come, O Cornerstone that binds in one:
refresh the hearts that long for you; restore the broken, make us new.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel.
“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”
“In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” … And in the fullness of time .. “the word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory,” …. “full of grace and truth.” And Mary named him Emmanuel, which means, “God with us.”
O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel.
Today we begin the season of Advent, a season designed to help prepare us for Christmas, for the coming of Christ, for the reign of God’s Kingdom. Advent is a season of hope, a season that shapes our hope, a season that gives us hope. In – with – and through – the spiritual disciplines of Advent, we are blessed with “eyes that see,” and “ears that hear,” the coming of Christ in the past, in the future, and even now.
Once again from the prophet Isaiah, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness - on them light has shined.” (Isaiah 9)
Amen.