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On the Eve of Advent 2003

Well, I got to thinking about it. This past Sunday’s article in St Matthews’ bulletin was really good too. Again, this was written by Roger Salter, the rector at St Matthews in Birmingham. We’ve really enjoyed worshiping at St Matthews.

The Advent Mood Paul?s words to the Christians at Philippi sum up the attitude of expectation that characterizes the people of God throughout the ages and phases of divine revelation, prophetic and apostolic. Urged by the intense sense of deep spiritual need and personal dissatisfaction, and encouraged by the promises of a covenant God the believing folk who populate the pages of Holy Scripture look forward and upward to the fulfillment of a heaven sent hope ? the advent of a Saviour. The saints of the Old Testament era scanned the horizon of the future for the emergence of a Figure, or Figures, who will resolve the problems of sin, guilt and death and forge a harmonious relationship with God in idyllic circumstances for ever. The saints of the apostolic period bore witness to the arrival and achievement of the Redeemer and lived in anticipation of His return as deliverer and judge. Advent is the delightful season when we combine the two comings of the Lord Jesus Christ together as the matter for our meditation and ponder the remarkable ways of our God in the provision of salvation and the dispensation of justice.