Pastor Sullivan's Blog

In the Name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. I once received an “Ask The Pastor” question that dealt with the choice of Scripture on this day. It went something like this, “Dear Pastor, why is the gospel lesson for the first Sunday in Advent Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, which takes place at the beginning of holy week? Wouldn’t it be more appropriate to begin Advent with the story of Zachariah and Elizabeth or something else that happened before Christ’s birth?” That’s a good question. If Advent were merely a “pre-Christmas” season then it would make sense to hear about the angel Gabriel appearing to Zachariah in the temple, the birth of his son John, or even Gabriel’s announcing to Mary that the she would conceive the Son of God in her womb by the power of the Holy Ghost. But Advent isn’t a pre-Christmas season. There’s no doubt that it prepares us to celebrate the Nativity of Christ on the twenty-fifth but the focus of this season is much bro...

In the Name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Jesus, the Son of David, rides into the holy city of Jerusalem on a colt, the foal of a donkey. When David was at the end of his life, he put Solomon on his own mule and had him ride to the Gihon, a spring outside of Jerusalem where the son of David was proclaimed king. Christ told His disciples to fetch this colt so that He could enter the city as its king. And the crowds of people present in Bethphage seem to get that. The great multitude went before and after Him, giving Him a king’s welcome. They “ spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ” They greet their new David and praise Him with the words of Psalm 118,  “ Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest! ” On that glorious day, Jerusalem received Jesus as her king. Yet the people imagined that this Son of David would be a worldl...

In the Name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. The world is closer to Christmas than the Church is right now. The world has its Christmas trees up, its decorations hung, and its shopping going on. There’s nothing wrong with any of those things. But the world only has those things. The world’s version of Christmas, which is simply a gaudy imitation of the real Christmas, is in full swing, racing toward the 25 th for the giving and receiving of gifts. Once the Thanksgiving turkey is put away, the world starts in on its version of Christmas immediately. Not so the church. The tree may be up but we are not yet celebrating the nativity of our Lord in the flesh. First comes Advent and Advent is its own animal. While the world is in the midst of its Christmas season already, Advent calls Christians to prepare their hearts for Christ’s second coming, for that’s what ‘advent’ means, “coming” or “arrival.” How do we prepare our hearts for Christ’s Second Advent? B...

In the Name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Jesus enters Jerusalem the way does today to teach us what kind of King He is. On Friday morning He would tell Pilate, “ My kingdom is not of this world ” (John 18:36). On Sunday He demonstrated that difference. He begins His journey by sending two of His disciples, which two we’re not told, into the city of Bethphage. Jesus tells them that immediately upon entering the village they will find a donkey and her colt tethered. They are to bring the colt and her mother to Jesus. If anyone says anything about it, they are to answer simply, “ The Lord has need of them. ” This is a strange errand. Jesus had entered Jerusalem many times during His earthly ministry and never asked for two beasts of burden before. But this day is different. This is the day the prophet Zechariah foretold. “ Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salv...

Grace and peace be unto you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. 1)         “ Behold, your king is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey. ” You might ask why the season of Advent, and the beginning of a new church year for that matter, begins with such a text. It does seem curious that the season before our celebration of Christ’s birth starts with the account of Jesus’ arrival into the Jerusalem the week of His suffering and death. This text makes perfect sense on Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter, since the events in the Gospel lesson happened on the actual Sunday before Christ’s suffering and death. But three weeks before Christmas? At the beginning of a new church year? On the first Sunday in the season of Advent? But in that one word lies the answer. The season which we enter today is called Advent, meaning “coming” or “arrival.” It is not so much a season of preparation for Chris...

Order of Holy Communion - Pg. 15 Hymn # 68 The Advent of Our King Hymn # 57 O Bride of Christ, Rejoice Hymn # 613 Jerusalem the Golden   Introit To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in You; Let me not be ashamed; Let not my enemies triumph over me. Let no one who waits on You be ashamed. (Psalm 25:1-3a) Show me Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths. For You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, For I wait for You. Redeem Israel, O God, Out of all their troubles. (Psalm 25:4, 5b, 21-22) Readings Jeremiah 33:14-18 Romans 13:11-14 Matthew 21:1-9 Collect for the First Sunday in Advent Stir up, we beseech Thee, Thy power, O Lord, and come, that by Thy protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins and saved by Thy mighty deliverance; Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Collect for Beg...