Why Christians Start Advent by Talking About the End of the World

Every year, Advent shows up with candles, wreaths… and, strangely enough, apocalyptic readings. And if you’ve ever thought, “Wait—why are we talking about the end of the world when we’re gearing up for twinkle lights and baby Jesus?”—you’re in good company.

In this episode, I’m talking about why the church calendar always begins with the end. Why Jesus keeps bringing up apocalyptic moments. And why “apocalypse” doesn’t really mean destruction—it's about transformation.

I share a story about binge-watching House when my daughter Evelyn was a newborn (yes, really), and how a cliffhanger episode helped me understand what Advent is actually trying to teach us:

We don’t know every detail of what’s ahead, but we do know how the story ends—with God gathering all things in love.

And maybe that’s why Martin Luther could say, “If I knew the world was going to end tomorrow, I’d still plant my apple tree today.” Because faith in an apocalyptic God isn’t about fear—it’s about hope. It’s about trusting that God is already in the future, pulling us toward something good, something whole, something new.

As we step into Bethany’s Advent theme, The Beginning of Everything, I pray this episode helps you hear those apocalyptic texts not as doom, but as a promise:

Something new is beginning. Something hopeful. Something God-shaped.

Thanks for listening, and as always—stay in peace.

Sunday School Remix is a new Together 4 Good series re-examining familiar Bible stories to uncover what they really tell us about faith, humanity, and grace today.

📍 Listen & Subscribe:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/together-4-good-making-sense-of-life-and-faith/id1529196060 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0aFHcs9xjcRK54uXJzUBbH?si=VwBUEjyQQnieXyKHdkcfvA

🙏 Bethany Lutheran Church ELCA | Cherry Hills Village, CO https://linktr.ee/bethanydenver