Advent 1: "A Lion and a Lamb"

We celebrated the beginning of Advent on December 3rd in the usual manner, by first lighting the Advent Candle, HOPE representing hope for the long journey to the birth of Jesus.The Senior Choir sang a celebrative anthem and the children heard a lesson about first responders and the need to be alert. We then turned to the morning lesson, the prophecy of Amos and the Gospel of Mark; each with their foreboding message. Hence the sermon title: "The Roar of the Lion, the Bleating of the Lamb." Inspiration for this sermon came from Rev. Dr. Walter Brueggemann's devotional book, "Gift and Task" and reflections from Christian Century. My sermon begins; "As we begin this Advent season, we have expectations that in 3 weeks Christmas will present itself as if it is a lamb, with all the gentleness this season conjures up “with holy infant so tender and mild” we will sing.  However, before we experience this tender mercy of new life in the form of the baby Jesus (the baby lamb), we witness Advent as a lion, roaring truthfulness, expressed in the divine prophecy of Amos."