Season 5 | Episode 78: The Necessity of Advent: Can The Weary World Still Rejoice?
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In this episode on the Necessity of Advent, Alissa Molina hosts and is joined by Kayla Craig, Lindsy Wallace and Patty Taylor to discuss Advent as the season quickly approaches. They bring tired and weary hearts, minds, and bodies to flesh out:

•  Awe as it relates to the Word becoming Flesh
• * The reminder that God is near us even if sometimes he feels far*
• * The reminder of the tenderness of God that is near the broken*
• * The vulnerability of God becoming human*
• * The danger in commodifying Jesus*
• * Thinking about how we can be intentional in our preparation for the birth of Jesus *
• * Exploring Advent as the time of Now and Not Yet*
• * Preparing for advent in asking: where has God been faithful this year, where have I lamented this year, where are we practicing joyful hope.*

Recommended Reading and Resources

• John 1:14  "And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us,and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth."
• Sharifa Stevens on Twitter (https://twitter.com/sharifawrites)) 
• Kat Armas on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/kat_armas/))
• https://www.christianity.com/christian-life/christmas/what-is-advent.html)

Quotes

• "We think Jesus came in flesh to teach us to about divinity but in reality, Jesus came to teach us how to be man." -- Richard Rohr
• "God didn’t just tell us to love our neighbors, he became one." -- Kat Armas
• “Advent symbolizes the present situation of the church in these “last days” (Acts 2:17), Hebrews 1:2)), as God’s people wait for the return of Christ in glory to consummate his eternal kingdom. The church is in a similar situation to Israel at the end of the Old Testament: in exile, waiting and hoping in prayerful expectation for the coming of the Messiah. Israel looked back to God’s past gracious actions on their behalf in leading them out of Egypt in the Exodus, and on this basis, they called for God once again to act for them. In the same way, the church, during Advent, looks back upon Christ’s coming in celebration while at the same time looking forward in eager anticipation to the coming of Christ’s kingdom when he returns for his people.”

News, Notes, and Links:

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