{"id":767082,"date":"2013-12-01T23:46:21","date_gmt":"2013-12-02T04:46:21","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2026-06-23T13:13:04","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T17:13:04","slug":"bible-study-advent-1-a-2013","status":"publish","type":"bible_study","link":"https:\/\/staging.episcopalchurch.org\/es\/bible_study\/bible-study-advent-1-a-2013\/","title":{"rendered":"Bible Study: Advent 1 (A) &#8211; 2013"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Isaiah 2:1-5<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Isaiah in this passage paints with the colors of peace and pilgrimage a visionary portrait for the future of all peoples. All nations, he prophesies, will live in peace because they recognize Israel\u2019s God as the true God. This passage makes it clear that strife, hostility and fighting thwart God\u2019s plan for peace. The course of enmity and conflict leads to a way of living that is inauthentic in light of God\u2019s hope for humankind. When God\u2019s law finds a permanent home in the human heart, war and violence are renounced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The prophet recognizes that his people \u2013 and all people \u2013 are far from realizing this vision. The image of pilgrimage (vv. 2-3) subtly instills the truth that all humanity must struggle to overcome tendencies of violence, but that this journey will find peace at its end. The pilgrimage to Zion will be a long walk toward a change of heart that accepts the wisdom of God\u2019s vision. At the journey\u2019s end, the prophet foresees abundance regarding both temporal and spiritual needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite these divine promises \u2013 that walking in the way of the Lord will bring peace to all humanity \u2013 most of us are afraid to trust God completely in God\u2019s vision for peace. Rather, the quick resolution that comes with winning, defeating, besting, etc., often proves irresistible. Isaiah\u2019s prophecy we hear today summons us to hear God\u2019s vision for us again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>What are the obstacles, personal and societal, which impede us from walking \u201cin the light of the Lord\u201d toward the age of peace on earth?<\/li><li>What must you change about your own life in order to fully respond and live the vision for peace the prophet presents?<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Psalm 122<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Scholars suggest that this psalm was sung by pilgrims upon arrival in the holy city of Jerusalem. Thematically, it is closely linked with our previous text from Isaiah. Notice, for example, how verse five of this psalm speaks of the \u201cthrones of judgment,\u201d similar to Isaiah\u2019s proclamation of God as the arbitrator among the people (v. 4.) More significantly, the resounding hope for peace is again expressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This psalm reminds us of the proper orientation for, and culmination point of our lifelong pilgrimage \u2013 the peace that permeates every aspect of our lives. Not only will there be peace among nations, as Isaiah foretold, but also in the lives and hearts of every pilgrim who enters the city gates. Peace in the biblical sense meant not the absence of strife, but the fullness of life \u2013 right relationship, freedom from fear and the satisfaction of physical and spiritual needs. Jesus embraced this notion of peace and sought to bring it to all he encountered, as is evidenced by his healing miracles, exorcisms and preaching of God\u2019s peaceful reign. The final two verses of this psalm serve as a challenge to all who hear: Do we have hearts wide enough and hope strong enough to say to all of our fellow human beings \u201cpeace be within you,\u201d and \u201cI will seek your good\u201d?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Which word or phrase from this text resonates with you?<\/li><li>How does this text challenge you and\/or give you hope?<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Romans 13:11-14<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Paul\u2019s words in this passage present an interpretive challenge to modern readers. The apostle speaks in apocalyptic terms, anticipating the immediate return of Jesus and the total transformation of the world. The church (for the most part) no longer shares Paul\u2019s expectation of imminent apocalypse, so what are we to make of his exhortation?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Continuing our theme of pilgrimage, the traveler on the spiritual journey gradually grows in relationship with Jesus, ultimately experiencing a total metamorphosis. The disciple becomes Jesus through a transformation of will, desire and action. Notice that Paul calls the hearer to express this metamorphosis through a change in one\u2019s way of living \u2013 renewed integrity, authenticity (verse 13) and above all, peace. Paul, without saying so directly, is calling us to die to self (i.e., die to the self-centered but ultimately small desires that so often define us as we seek our own security and personal fulfillment). When we die to self, we are now free to assume the larger mind of Christ-consciousness \u2013 that way of seeing and living in the world that is characterized by compassion and love. This is the ultimate destination for the heart of every Christian wanderer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Spend some time in quiet prayer with Paul\u2019s teaching to \u201cput on the Lord Jesus Christ.\u201d How is the Spirit moving you to interpret that for your own life?<\/li><li>If Paul were writing to us today, how might he recast verse 13 for our times? What issues would he enumerate?<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Matthew 24:36-44<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This gospel text affirms that Jesus will indeed return, but that no one, not even Jesus himself, knows the day or hour. Such knowledge has been reserved to God alone. Some Christians, however, have interpreted the exhortation to \u201cbe ready\u201d to mean that one must be physically prepared for the events that will accompany the Second Coming. Others attempt to calculate when this event will occur. Interestingly, such predictions and calculations often attract widespread public attention and curiosity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While mainstream Christians usually don\u2019t get caught up in the hype and anxiety that surround apocalyptic predictions, such incidents, as well as today\u2019s gospel text, invite us to reflect on a few significant issues. Often, spiritually and emotionally, we distract ourselves from what is essential by focusing our attention and energy on that which is tangential and often beyond our control. But in the end these are pseudo concerns that draw us away from responding with maturity and wholeness to the Christian call for transformation of heart and mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>In what ways do you succumb to the temptation to excessively focus on peripheral issues over which you have little control?<\/li><li>How might you apply Jesus exhortation to \u201ckeep awake\u201d (verse 42) to your own life and circumstances?<\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Isaiah 2:1-5 Isaiah in this passage paints with the colors of peace and pilgrimage a visionary portrait for the future of all peoples. All nations, he prophesies, will live in peace because they recognize Israel\u2019s God as the true God. This passage makes it clear that strife, hostility and fighting thwart God\u2019s plan for peace&#8230;.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":201221,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_tec_requires_first_save":true,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"_tribe_blocks_recurrence_rules":"","_tribe_blocks_recurrence_description":"","_tribe_blocks_recurrence_exclusions":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","ep_exclude_from_search":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[10,23,52,3],"tags":[153],"class_list":["post-767082","bible_study","type-bible_study","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-advent","category-bible-studies","category-sermons-that-work","category-worship-and-prayer-menu","tag-advent-1a"],"acf":[],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":10,"label":"Advent"},{"value":23,"label":"Bible Studies"},{"value":52,"label":"Sermons That Work"},{"value":3,"label":"worship_and_prayer_menu"}],"post_tag":[{"value":153,"label":"Advent 1A"}]},"featured_image_src_large":false,"author_info":[],"comment_info":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.episcopalchurch.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bible_study\/767082","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.episcopalchurch.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bible_study"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.episcopalchurch.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/bible_study"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/staging.episcopalchurch.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bible_study\/767082\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":951604,"href":"https:\/\/staging.episcopalchurch.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bible_study\/767082\/revisions\/951604"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.episcopalchurch.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=767082"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.episcopalchurch.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=767082"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.episcopalchurch.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=767082"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}