The Unexpected Guest
Scripture: “For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matthew 24.37, ESV)
MAIN POINT: Noah’s appearance in Jesus’ Advent discourse reminds us that Advent is not primarily about Christmas but about Christ’s return.
As we begin Advent, we light the first candle—the candle of Hope. But hope for what? The Christmas lights already glow in our neighborhoods. Store displays mark the countdown. We know exactly how many shopping days remain. But Jesus interrupts our comfortable preparations with an unexpected guest: Noah.
What does a man who built an ark have to do with Advent? Everything. When the disciples asked Jesus about the end of the age, He pointed them to Noah. Not to comfort them with a countdown calendar, but to awaken them to the reality of His return. Noah’s story is one of judgment and salvation—the flood that destroyed the unbelieving world and the ark that saved God’s people. This is Advent’s true message: Christ came once in humility at Bethlehem; He will come again in glory to judge and save.
Noah didn’t know the exact day the flood would come, but he knew it was coming. He prepared. He built. He warned others. So must we. Advent calls us to prepare not just for Christmas dinner but for Christ’s return.
Reflection: Advent awakens us each year to the urgent reality that Christ is coming again. How does viewing Advent through Noah’s story change your approach to this season? What does it mean to prepare for Christ’s return today?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, as we light the first candle of hope, awaken our hearts to Your promised return. Help us to watch and wait with faithful urgency, not knowing the day but trusting Your promise. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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