Preaching on Luke’s Gospel in Advent
AS THE NEW church year begins, the Gospel readings in the Revised Common Lectionary change from Mark to Luke. Given that many of our traditional Christmas readings are found in Luke chapters 1 and 2, discipline is needed during the Sundays of Advent, lest we jump ahead to the Christmas story and neglect the message of the Advent readings themselves. However, focusing on Luke’s story in Advent helps us to bear in mind the key themes of apocalyptic expectation and the need for repentance in as Christmas approaches.
In their very helpful overview of Jesus and the Gospels, Marsh and Moyise comment: “If Matthew produced a Gospel for the church, Luke produced a Gospel for the world”.1 However, danger lies in the assumption that Luke’s gospel is addressed to the world rather than to Israel. Again, the Advent readings will help us, for the passages present Christ as both the fulfilment of Israel’s hope and the one who brings salvation for the entire world.
* Full article available in printed copies.
Janet Unsworth
is a Methodist minister, a New Testament scholar, and Director of Studies at Edgehill College, Belfast.