The earliest Christians lived with a profound sense the Lord could return any day. In the early years of the church after the apostles, this expectation resulted in a weekly cycle of worshiping on the Lord’s Day—Sunday. Life was oriented around this experience of the gathered assembly. The church also met at other times and in smaller groups throughout the week. This was the pattern in Jerusalem, of course. In Acts 2:46 we read the church there gathered regularly in the temple and in their homes. On one level this was necessary, given the church in Jerusalem became a very large church immediately on the day it was born. We see a similar thing in Corinth, however, and the church in Corinth was “only” 50–75 people or so.
In 1 Corinthians 14:23 Paul mentions the “whole church” assembling together and the possibility of an unbeliever entering into that assembly. This clearly refers to the gathered assembly on the Lord’s Day. However, indicating the times the whole church assembles together would only be necessary if there were times parts of the church assembled together. Just like the Jerusalem church, the Corinthians met together as one body in a space large enough for it—a wealthy person’s home—and they met in smaller groups throughout the week at the homes of ordinary members.
In addition to the weekly gathered assembly and the smaller assemblies in homes, the earliest Christians fasted twice a week. The first-century Didache instructs Christians to fast twice a week—but not when “the hypocrites” fasted, which was Mondays and Thursdays. Interestingly, these two days were the typical market days in Israel in the first century and Jesus condemned fasting in a manner so as to be seen as righteous. In his comparison between the Pharisee and the “sinner”, he said this:
The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: “God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.”
Luke 18:11-12 ESV
The Pharisees fasted twice a week. In Matthew 6:16 Jesus condemned fasting in order to be seen.
And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
Matthew 6:16 ESV
Jesus said when you fast, not if you fast. The issue was not whether you fasted or even if others knew you were fasting, but the reason for which you fast. Jesus said to not look gloomy like the hypocrites. That is, don’t draw attention to the fact that you are fasting by altering your outward appearance. He went on to say to anoint yourself and wash your face. In other words, go out of your way to appear as you would any other day—don’t go around moaning about being hungry and such, so as to draw attention to yourself.
It seems clear the hypocrites referred to in the Didache were the Pharisees, for they fasted twice a week, on market days when the public would be out and about and they could be seen for how they wanted to be seen: as holy and righteous and pious and devout. Instead, the Didache says to fast on Wednesdays and Fridays, when fewer people will be able to notice.
The entire point of this, of fasting twice a week, of worshiping in the gathered assembly of the whole church, of meeting from house to house, was to orient your life around Christ and his purposes. As the years grew longer, the expectation changed from “he could come at any minute” to “we might be here a while”. The idea was a sort of “are we there yet?” perspective. No? Well, we’d better settle in for a longer trip than we expected. The church began developing practices beyond the weekly practices. The annual church calendar began to develop.
By the second century we see an annual celebration of Easter—the resurrection of Jesus. There were a variety of practices, including disagreements on which day a church should celebrate it. Pentecost quickly became an annual celebration as well. Holy Week, the days right before Easter, took on greater importance. Eventually Lent became a fairly standard practice among the churches. Lent became a 40-day fast that takes place over 46 days, for one does not fast on Sundays since the Lord is present and he told his disciples they do not fast when the bridegroom is present (Mark 2:19). This 40-day fast was a preparation for the annual Easter celebration.
Sometime after this came Christmas. Over the years I’ve heard a few Protestants complain about observing Lent, claiming “it’s too Catholic”, but they happily observe Christmas. They’re usually silent when it’s pointed out that Lent is older than Christmas.
Eventually Advent came into being. Advent comes from the Latin word adventus, which means coming. As Christians began orienting their lives around Jesus in an annual way, Advent became a four-week preparation for Christmas. Initially Advent focused on the Lord’s second coming and so it was the end of the church calendar, with Christmas beginning a new liturgical year. It quickly became a focus on his first coming and so it now begins the liturgical year.
The truth is Advent is a longing for the Lord’s coming—all three comings. Eh? What’s that, you say? Bernard of Clairvaux explains.
We know that there are three comings of the Lord. The third lies between the other two. It is invisible, while the other two are visible. In the first coming he was seen on earth, dwelling among men; he himself testifies that they saw him and hated him. In the final coming all flesh will see the salvation of our God, and they will look on him whom they pierced. The intermediate coming is a hidden one; in it only the elect see the Lord within their own selves, and they are saved. In his first coming our Lord came in our flesh and in our weakness; in this middle coming he comes in spirit and in power; in the final coming he will be seen in glory and majesty.
St. Bernard of Clairvaux: Sermon 5
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Because this coming lies between the other two, it is like a road on which we travel from the first coming to the last. In the first, Christ was our redemption; in the last, he will appear as our life; in this middle coming, he is our rest and consolation.
Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas Sunday, which is the Sunday on or following Christmas Day. It is a time of longing for the Lord to come and rescue his people. He has come; this is why we celebrate Christmas. He has come to us, his presence mediated by the Spirit. And he will come again, to rescue us and to bring the fullness of our salvation. During the season of Advent we should feel this longing intensely. We desire the Lord to come and to rescue. We celebrate his first coming. We presently experience his “middle” coming. We long for his return.
To aid us in this time of longing the church has come up with the season of Advent. As with the whole church calendar, there is no explicit requirement that we observe and/or celebrate a specific holiday. This is similar to Hanukkah, the Feast of Dedication. It began in 164BC, a century and a half before Jesus was born. There is no command for the people of Israel to observe this holiday, yet Jesus himself was in Jerusalem during this feast (John 10:22), and used it as an opportunity to proclaim the good news to them.
This is the point of the various days on the church calendar: they point us to Christ. The purpose of the calendar is to aid us in orienting our lives around the Lord Jesus, to center ourselves on him and his purposes. This necessarily begins with our gathered assembly, the singular constitutive act of the church. As we worship weekly we experience the powerful presence of the Lord among us. This continues with meeting together in our homes as City Groups. There we continue to experience the Lord’s presence and the gift of one another given to the church. Throughout the year we observe and/or celebrate Advent and Christmas and Lent and Easter and Pentecost. These holy days help orient our minds around the Lord Jesus. They help us remember this is not the end, that we are not “there yet”. It’s coming! We know this because Christ has come and the Spirit has come. The fullness of our salvation—the return of the Lord Jesus—has not yet come. We are not there yet.
During Advent we light candles each Sunday to focus our attention on the meaning of his coming, with candles representing hope, faith, joy, and love, culminating with the lighting of the Christ candle on Christmas Sunday. Our Scripture readings reflect these themes as they point us to the one who has come, is now here, and will come again. Each day you and I observe or celebrate a holy day on the church calendar brings us one day closer to our final destination, and our destination is less a place and much more a person: the Lord Jesus himself. Come, Lord!
If you are looking for more resources to use at home during Advent, please see this list of devotionals compiled by the Gospel Coalition.