Amos was a prophet whose ministry took place around the year 760 B.C. (about 120-150 years after David’s death). The kingdom has been divided between Northern Israel and Southern Judah. Amos is a shepherd and fig farmer that lived in Southern Judah but right on the border of Northern Israel. The king of Northern Israel is Jeroboam II. He has generated wealth and has allowed idolatry and injustice. The book of Amos is a collection of sermons, poems, and visions of Amos over the years that were compiled later for the sake of God’s people. During his time, the northern kingdom of Israel was thriving economically with lively trade and commerce; there was a growing upper class that was totally indifferent to the plight of the poor; God’s covenant people were engaging in cultic practices, increasing their wealth by preying on the poor with debt by subjecting them to slavery; they denied the poor and helpless any justice in the law courts and cheated them in the marketplace; and their lives were characterized by consumption, debauchery, and immorality. This was what Amos was called to address.

The books of 1 and 2 Samuel follow the biography of David, Israel’s greatest king. A king who began his life as an obscure shepherd boy, but became a warrior who brought rival nations to their knees. A king described as “a man after God’s own heart.” But also a king whose personal sins devastated not only his own family, but the nation. In triumph and in tragedy, this king points forward to a greater king to come.

Jesus is King. Standing as a central theme of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus’ kingly authority has profound implications for our lives today - changing the way we view the world, interact with others, and respond to blessings and hardships. Matthew has various emphasis - including Jesus’ messianic titles, fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, teaching on the kingdom of heaven, and present and future role as judge - these all relate to Christ's kingship over all of creation.

Advent is an in-between time of year. It is not just between Thanksgiving and Christmas, though that is when it occurs. Advent is all about what was and what is to be, about what has already happened and what has yet to occur. It's a time of anticipation, of expectancy. To live the Christian journey with expectancy at a most basic level is to be a resident of two worlds. We live fully in the here and now, with all the joys and sorrows, victories and setbacks of incarnate life. We love, laugh, get tired, make mistakes, hurt, rejoice, and grieve in the journey through this wonderful creation and re creation given us by God. And we live with anticipation in the life to come, having entered into the near end of the eternal journey through the waters of baptism and belief, faith, and practice. We are in between the coming of Christ and his coming again, living the "now" with hopeful expectancy that empowers us and sustains us.

As the Church of Jesus, we are a community gathered together by God to take part in His mission in the world. The book of Acts tells us the story of the early days of our community and gives us some incredible images and instruction on who we are, how we talk, and what we do.

James: Becoming A Distinctive Community