From Austin Seminary: "Advent Devotional" for December 22

"Advent ushers us into a season of anticipation, hope, and joy, as we await the day of the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the Messiah ... We intend this Advent Devotional booklet as a gift of the season for you, to signify our deep appreciation for all that you do for Austin Seminary. And we hope that you will share it with others, so that they may also partake in the blessings of Advent alongside us. Be assured that our hearts are joyful to overflowing as we celebrate together this season that anticipates what my dear friend John Rogers described in the title of his book, “The Birth of God.” May your heart overflow, as well."

G. Archer Frierson

Chair, Austin Seminary Board of Trustees

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Advent Devotional for December 22

• Luke 2:8-14

he association of sounds with Advent, intoned by heavenly messengers, is so natural that we easily join the choruses celebrating the birth of Baby Jesus. It comes as a surprise, though, that singularly among the Gospel writers, Mark has no birth narrative, no baby. Mark, who was not numbered among the twelve disciples, was said to have depended directly on the apostle Peter for the accounts of Jesus, recording exactly what he was told while shaping the composition according to his own design. A careful reading of his account reveals at its center the issue of the unfolding drama of the identity of Jesus. The midway point of his sixteen- chapter composition offers Jesus’s question, Who do others and who do you say that I am? All four gospels share the struggle faced by Mark: how do you begin and end a “gospel” when beginnings and endings—in terms of substantive content—collide. As Peter 1:19-21 puts it: “the origin of this content is from before the very foundation of the cosmos!”

Mark opens his gospel by connecting to the center of his composition, with the Son of God identity of Jesus and Jesus’s mission disclosed to him by the voice of the Heavenly Father at his baptism (Mk. 1:9-11). The sounds of Advent are the “angelic [= messenger] voice” of the one (John the Baptist), promised by prophetic disclosure and announced by Isaiah (40:3ff). The same is true for his gospel’s “ending” at an empty tomb: Advent’s new day dawning is announced finally by one who is simply called a new-created-one of God (= a neaniskos, Mk. 16:5): God’s new “but now” has broken in upon this world! The “Advent Angel Messenger” voices the heavenly, advent chorus: “You seek Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified; he has been raised from the dead, he is not here ... he goes before you into Galilee; there you will behold him!” Such an advent song! They flee the tomb, for they are traumatized, yet ecstatic, and they are afraid! Welcome to the impact of Advent beginnings in full exposure to the “but now” of God’s new day of advent re-creation hope. Let us join the chorus! Amen.

We seek to know you where you reside—at the very center of our being. Amen.

The Reverend Dr. John Alsup
The First Presbyterian Church, Shreveport
D. Thomason Professor Emeritus of New Testament Studies

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For the glory of God and to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary is a seminary in the Presbyterian-Reformed tradition whose mission is to educate and equip individuals for the ordained Christian ministry and other forms of Christian service and leadership; to employ its resources in the service of the church; to promote and engage in critical theological thought and research; and to be a winsome and exemplary community of God's people.

We hope that you are preparing the way for the Lord in your life as you read these meditations and prayers. And, we hope this Advent season is a meaningful one for you. Please know that Austin Seminary’s dedicated, diverse, and loving community of faith is not complete without you. Did you know?

   • Students in our masters-degree programs receive up to 85% need-based tuition aid.
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