Yesterday was the first Sunday of Advent. What does that mean? For some of us, we may be familiar with Advent, but we aren’t sure what it is really about. For others, we may have no idea. Advent is the first season of the church year, and while we talk about it (more tomorrow), today we talk about the church year. What are the seasons? How do they work? What are they about? Why should we even care? I think you’ll find looking more in-depth at the seasons of the church year to be a rewarding spiritual exercise!

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Good morning! It’s a pleasure to be with you on this Monday morning. I’m excited to continue our journey after a weekend spent delving into God’s Word and contemplating matters of faith. Last week, as we concluded our exploration of Old Testament prophecies related to Jesus, we touched upon just a handful of them. We examined five prophecies, acknowledging that there are countless more awaiting our exploration. Our plan was to commence our study of an Old Testament book today, possibly starting with Jelani. However, I’d like to take a brief pause before diving into that and instead dedicate the next day or two to discussing Advent, both in a broad sense and within the context of the church year.

Today, I’ll provide some insights into what the Christian year entails. For those accustomed to more traditional, formal, or liturgical church settings, the elements of the Christian year may be familiar. However, for those in more contemporary or less liturgical churches, these concepts might sound unfamiliar unless you’ve had exposure to liturgical practices.

Yesterday marked the first Sunday of Advent—a season encompassing the four Sundays leading up to Christmas, focusing on preparing our hearts for the coming of Christ. Advent carries a dual focus. While it involves preparation for the celebration of Christ’s birth at Christmas, the Gospel lessons for Advent often point to the return of Christ, emphasizing waiting and preparation for His second coming. Tomorrow, I’ll delve deeper into Advent itself, but today, I want to shed light on the Christian year and its overall structure.

The Christian year commences with Advent, signifying the preparation for both the birth of Christ in Bethlehem and His second coming as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, who will judge all. The color associated with Advent is purple, symbolizing kingship. If you were to enter St. Matthew’s sanctuary, purple would dominate the visual theme as a representation of the birth of the King.

Following Advent, we enter the Christmas season, marked by the color white, symbolizing the birth of the King. The period following Christmas, including Epiphany, where we celebrate the visit of the wise men and their worship of Christ, was once referred to as ordinary time. However, these Sundays are now designated as white, continuing the celebration of the birth of the King.

This festive season then transitions into Lent, commencing on Ash Wednesday. If Advent represents the preparation for the birth or return of Christ, Lent is a season of remembrance and preparation for Easter. Lent, depicted in the color purple, is specifically focused on the suffering of Christ, His sacrifice, and is a time for fasting and prayer as we reflect on all that He did for us.

To recap the sequence: Advent (purple), Christmas (white), Sundays after Christmas leading into Lent (white), Lent (purple), Easter (white), Sundays after Easter leading to Pentecost (white), and Pentecost (red). The color red is associated with Pentecost, celebrating the coming of the Holy Spirit.

From Pentecost until the beginning of Advent, we enter a period known as ordinary time, labeled as Sundays after Pentecost. The majority of the church year falls within this ordinary time. This seemingly unremarkable period reminds us that, like in ordinary life, our faith is often lived out in the routine and regularity. It teaches us to find Jesus not only in the extraordinary but also in the ordinary.

This structure of the Christian year beautifully mirrors the life of Christ: Advent symbolizes birth, Lent signifies suffering and resurrection, and ordinary time represents His lived-out existence, guiding us in following Him and experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit.

In essence, the Christian year provides a holistic view of the Christian life—preparation, suffering, resurrection, and daily living. Recognizing that worship is not for our reception but an active participation, grounded in the life, death, resurrection, and obedience to Jesus Christ, we appreciate the true beauty of worship.

For those in churches that observe the Christian year, such as Methodists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Catholics, and Lutherans, pay attention to the symbols, colors, and themes during Advent. Embrace these elements as meaningful aspects of your worship. If your church does not follow the Christian year, consider exploring its richness to potentially incorporate its principles into your personal spiritual journey. I hope this discussion on the Christian year provides valuable insights as we embark on this time together. Thank you for joining us today, and I wish you a wonderful day ahead. Looking forward to our continued exploration, and see you tomorrow!