Second Sunday of Advent - Year C

Welcome Statement

Good Morning Church,

As you already know today is the Second Sunday of Advent. Last week I’m sure Mike talked to you all about the Hope we have in Jesus Christ. This week we are going to find out what it means to have Peace because of him. Christ was incarnated over 2000 years ago not only to save the world, but to spread a Gospel, a Good News. This Good News is prophesized many times in the Old Testament, even in books of the Minor Prophets. Today’s reading takes us back to the book of Malachi, where he prophesizes about a great messenger.

Old Testament Reading - Book Malachi 3:1-4

Malachi 3:1–4 NRSV

See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

God is Sending a Messenger

The Book of Malachi takes place about 100 years after the release of the Israelites from Babylonian captivity, the temple has been rebuilt, and this message finds itself directed to the israelites now living in Israel. Their hopes were prophetic in that they we waiting for the Messiah in a New Jerusalem. Unfortunately that didn’t happen. These people were as unfaithful to God as Israelites were in generations passed. They were corrupt and laid back in their worship, and their idolatry was taking over. This book breaks down into a group of disputes, with God accusing Israel of something, the Israelites responding in disagreement with hard hearts, and then God finally responds and answers their counterpoints. Chapter 3 here is about the 4th Dispute which is apart of a 2nd set of disputes in the book. Before this chapter, the people of Israel are asking that they have been neglected by God, and God responds by saying I Will bring a messenger.

This prophecy of a messenger, subsequently is a call to Christ Jesus, the incarnation of God that we find ourselves preparing our own hearts for this Advent season.

The interesting point here is that God is basically saying “you’ll get what you’re asking for”, in a funny kind of way. As this messenger will be a refiner’s fire, a call to Pentecost, and a call to people finding their branches pruned back of their most problematic parts of their lives. It can come off a little ominous as if God is saying “you’ll get yours”, but really, he is providing Hope, that there will be a Savior, and a New Jerusalem one day. We find this affirmed in Luke 3:1-6

New Testament Reading - Luke 3:1-6

Luke 3:1–6 NRSV

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ”

Prepare the Way of the Lord

This prophecy in Luke is about John the Baptist being anointed to carry forth the Good News, that a Man greater than Him is coming, that will baptize not with water, but with Spirit. The prince of peace is coming, and will bring forth a spirit of peace in our hearts. He is the way, the truth, and the light, that will pierce all darkness in our hearts, and remind us of what really matters. This is a promise that all things will be reconciled to Him, whether we fight against it or not, he’s clearly declaring victory in this passage. The crooked paths in our life will start to find themselves pointing towards a Heavenly Kingdom. This is a promise we carry forth from our ancestors, and down to our Children. During the Advent season we find ourselves in this time of in-between, between a fiery year of noise and disagreement, and between the incarnation of the Blessed Hope we hold onto so dearly. So what do we do? We take the words of John the Baptist to Heart. We really do need to believe that Christ has Baptized us in Spirit when we became believers. We need to reclaim what many call the Christmas Spirit this season. Reject what the world offers! So many of us want to say this Christmas is different. There are people missing from years past who have gone tosee their Heavenly Father, the Joy of Christmas Season seems to be out of reach for many of us do to various ailments. This is why we are called in this time of in-between, to reach out to God, to hold onto him so much more dearly than ever before. Holiday times are hard, trying to embody something that isn’t natural for us. John the Baptist is known for his fiery speeches, his chastising of the religious elite who have destroyed and crushed the Spirit of those around him. His words can be grating to the Ear, and during a week of when we are trying to achieve Peace, how could John the Baptist Help? He helps by giving us a dose of reality, that things are not okay as they are right now. That God does indeed see the injustice in our lives, the pain, the misgivings, the broken relationships in our families, the lost friendships, the world that seems to constantly be at War, and is promising he has responded with a resounding NO to the things that are wrong today. That he will come again, and provide a response to all of our suffering. This is a promise, that he will fix it all. It seems too good to be true, but that is what we carry with us in our hearts, an absolute promise that Justice will reign, Eden WILL be restored, and that the New Heaven and Earth will be created after the great upheaval of all worldly and broken things. We are meant to be wounded healers to those around us. John the Baptist as strange as he was, prepared the way for the Lord. We too are called to prepare the way for the Lord this season through our thanksgiving, our prayers, our songs, our charity towards others. That is Christmas. A celebration of everything that is Holy, Just and Right. As Paul says in Philippians Philippians 4:5-8

Philippians 4:5–8 NRSV

Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Closing Statement

That is Christmas Peace, holding onto our values that have carried us this long, despite a world that increasingly rejects the piece of Jesus Christ. We do not do ourselves any favors by worrying about tommorow. Christ tells us this: Matthew 6:34

Matthew 6:34 NRSV

“So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Today’s worries are enough, really we shouldn’t worry at all if we can help it. Of course a healthy amount of stress is needed to deal with each day’s issues, but we are called by God to look forward the Dawn of Peace. When the Sun Rises and suddenly all things are calm. We can replicate all of this in our lives as we let Christ shine is light through us. Let us Pray

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, We thank you for your Spirit in our hearts, and the Peace that transcends all Understanding that can come with this Spirit. Lord, let us look to song about John the Baptist, preparing a way for the Lord, as a sign that your messengers are indeed preparing the way once again for you to return. That you aren’t something that is exclusive to the Peacefulness of the Christmas Season, but you are a Peace that we can find everyday, despite our busy and distressing lives. Lord we come to your altar today with Hopeful hearts, for a peace that transcends all understanding this week. Help us open our Hearts to us, and mend our brokenness that brings all of the anxieties and worries into our lives. In your name I ask this: Amen.

Doxology / Benediction / Closing

As we go out today, reflect on the Peace we have been blessed with by the Prince of Peace. Share that Peace to those around you. Just as we sometimes share Peace to our neighbors in Church, we are called to share the Good News of Salvation, the Ultimate Peace, to those who are unchurched, and those who do not Know the Lord like we do. We don’t have to doom scroll, we don’t have to struggle so hard with the noise, we can simply reject the World’s anger, and move on towards Christ.

May you Have a Blessed Sunday, and rest of your Week! Amen!