Daily Advent Devotional
Phillips Theological Seminary is once again providing this Advent Devotional for you and congregations. We continue to be blessed by the response to the booklet and the way that it is used. Many have shared that you use the booklet to assist with sermon preparation, in church small groups and Sunday school classes, as a daily congregation-wide devotion, and for personal and family devotion time. We have organized the 2024 Advent Devotional a bit differently. Instead of a different writer every day, we have asked four writers to write on the theme for each week of Advent. We are so grateful for staff, scholars, and alumni that are willing to contribute to this devotional. The writers are: Week One, HOPE: Kurt Gwartney, Senior Director of Communications and Alum (‘99) Week Two, PEACE: Rev. Dr. Lisa W. Davison, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean, Johnny Eargle Cadieux Professor of Hebrew Bible Week Three, JOY: Rev. Dr. Andrea Clark Chambers, Pastor at Restoration Community Church and Alumni Board Member (‘10/’21) Week Four, LOVE: Rev. Dr. Warren Carter, LaDonna Kramer Meinders Professor of New Testament. The devotional is an important part of our goal to support and educate the whole church. We value your contribution to the life of the seminary and consider you a part of the Phillips community. We have hope in the unchanging, sacrificial love of God, love of each other, our congregations and the love that fosters equality and justice in the world through the birth of Jesus. We hope that as you read this booklet you are inspired to deepen your faith and your hope is renewed. We are grateful that you choose to join us in reflection and thoughtfulness by reading the Advent Devotional. In Gratitude, Malisa Pierce Assistant Vice President of Advancement Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Preaching and Praise
Luke 2:8-20
Angels and shepherds occupy center stage on this Christmas day. They provide interpretations of and model responses to Jesus’ birth.
The stage is not the emperor’s palace nor the Jerusalem temple. It is a “nothing-place,” fields “in the region” of Bethlehem (2:8). Shepherds were of low social status. They had no social prestige or power. They were suspected of being dishonest in letting ...
Giving Birth in a World Out of Joint
Luke 2:1-8
We often celebrate Jesus’ birth in very individualistic and spiritual terms. Jesus has come to forgive my sins or be my friend or help me when things get tough.
Interestingly, these are not the emphases of these verses. Here the focus is on visions of a different world.
Jesus’ birth occurs in the context of an imperially exploitative act (2:1-3). Emperor Augustus order...
Mary: From Puzzlement to Praise
Luke 1:39-56
What is God doing in the world, if anything? Has God given up on us? Does our human sinfulness thwart God’s power and purposes (Rom 3:1-3)? Being committed to the ways of Jesus can be perplexing. Mary is perplexed, yet reassured, by the angel to embrace the divine purposes. She identifies herself as God’s “slave” and aligns with God’s word (1:38).
The scene with Elizabeth...
Jesus’ Conception and Birth
Luke 1:26-45; 2:9-11
It’s Christmas week. Conception leads to birth. Angels are prominent.
Several contrasts mark the angel’s announcement to Mary about her pregnancy and the angel’s announcement to the shepherds about Jesus’ birth. While an angel and shepherds greet Jesus’ birth with joy (2:10), that emotion is missing from the conception story. Mary is perplexed not joyful (1:29, 34), submissive n...
Joy in Surviving
Psalm 16:9-11
Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure. For you do not give me up to Sheol, or let your faithful one see the Pit. You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:9-11 NRSV)
Many of us can probably attest to the pits and pitfalls in life that have tried to swallow us alive. Some pi...
Rejoice Together—Weep Together
Romans 12:15
Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. (Romans 12:15 NRSV)
Expressing joy has never been a problem for me. I like to dance. I love to laugh. I enjoy spending time with family and friends. If you invite me to the party, I can celebrate with the best of them. But crying is another story.
As a child, I would cry at the drop of a hat. Whether mad or sad, upset or co...
Dancing with Joy
Zephaniah 3:17-18a
The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing as on a day of festival. (Zephaniah 3:17-18a NRSV)
Have you ever watched people dance? I love watching a good half time show, line dance at a wedding, or dance routine at a concert. It doesn’t matter if it’s ballet,...
Joy Is…
Psalm 30:5
For his anger is but for a moment; his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning. (Psalm 30:5 NRSV)
As a child growing up in the Baptist church, I heard this scripture quoted all the time. It was a familiar refrain that rang out in times of trouble, hardship, and uncertainty. But it didn’t make sense to me.
Historically, African Americans and Africans in the...
Pause in Joy
Nehemiah 8:9-10
I wonder what would happen if we set aside a day—stopped for a moment —paused to take a few cleansing breaths today to rest in the joy of the Lord? What if we lingered for a while to enjoy the moment, to eat good food, to sip our favorite drink, to take some time to take care of each other?
What if that is the strength we need to get beyond this present moment? To be fulfilled, to be watered, to be nou...
Joy for All
Luke 2:10
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people.” (Luke 2:10 NRSV)
I don’t know about you but every time I see the words “fear not” in scripture, I immediately start to fear! Some suggest that it was the sudden appearance of an angel while going about their daily business that alarmed them; others believe that it was the glory of the Lord ...
Spiritual & Social Transformation
Luke 4:16b-19
Jesus stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of t...
Divine Peace for All
Isaiah 40:1-11
This passage from Isaiah is found among the chapters attributed to Isaiah of the Exile, who comforted the exiles living in Babylon (circa 587-538). When the Babylonians conquered Judah, they destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem and forcibly relocated part of the Israelite community (primarily leaders and power brokers). After losing both the land that God had promised to their ancestors (Abraham a...
Faithful Response
Jeremiah 33:1-16
Scholars typically date the book of Jeremiah to a time of great upheaval in the history of the people of Israel, usually during the waning days of the 7th century and up to (or even after) 586 BCE. Thus, Jeremiah can be understood as both a pre-exilic and an exilic prophet. The words attributed to him were first addressed to those living in Jerusalem before the Babylonian invasion and destructio...
Unprecedented Peace
Isaiah 11:1-10
This reading comes from an 8th century (BCE) prophet, Isaiah, whose mission was to the southern kingdom of Judah. The beginning of the 8th century BCE had been a time of prosperity for Judah, but everyone did not share this wealth. While the powerful were enjoying a life of luxury, most of the citizenry of Judah was struggling to survive. The ruling class imposed heavy tax burdens on them and re...
Steadfast Love
Joel 2:12-13 and 28-29
This passage contains the words of Joel with which most people in the pews are familiar: “Then afterward I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female slaves, in those days, I will pour out my spirit” (vv 28-29). The first chapter of Joel describes the...
Shalom: Peace with Justice
Psalm 146
“Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul!” (v1) In this prayer, we are reminded of the Divine’s actions that seek a world of “shalom.” The Holy “executes justice for the oppressed; gives food to the hungry. . . sets the prisoners free; opens the eyes of the blind. . . lifts up those who are bowed down; loves the righteous. . . watches over the strangers; and upholds the orphan and the...
God’s Desire: Wholeness
Isaiah 2:1-5
During the 8th century BCE, Judah enjoyed a time of economic prosperity, but the riches were not shared with everyone. Those in power, both political and religious, allowed the worship of other gods in Judah; some even encouraged this practice. Such behavior was a breach of the covenant that God had made with the descendants of Abraham and Sarah.
As the prophet Isaiah observed the peo...
Pause in Joy
Nehemiah 8:9-10
I wonder what would happen if we set aside a day—stopped for a moment —paused to take a few cleansing breaths today to rest in the joy of the Lord? What if we lingered for a while to enjoy the moment, to eat good food, to sip our favorite drink, to take some time to take care of each other?
What if that is the strength we need to get beyond this present moment? To be fulfilled, to be watered, to be...
God’s Shalom: Here & Now
Isaiah 61:1-11
For decades, the exiles in Babylon had dreamed about finally being allowed to return home to Jerusalem. Prophetic voices had promised them a glorious return, painting pictures of dry bones coming to life and a great highway leading them home. But when Cyrus of Persia issued the edict that freed them from exile, what they found in the city was anything but glorious. They had no land and ...
Hope and Resistance
Daniel 6:6-27 (Revisited)
Coming back to the story of Daniel, we see an image of resistance grounded in hope. Thrown into the lions’ den for his refusal to worship the king, Daniel embodies a trust in the Divine that transcends fear. His hope is an opposition to unjust power. He resists the demands of empire, trusting that God’s justice will be sustaining.
The Star Trek fan may recall, “Resistance is fu...
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