The Third Sunday of Advent -- 12 December 2021

Because of circumstances beyond my control, Sunday's service was not recorded. Still, here are the readings and the sermon for your meditation.

First Reading:  Zephaniah 3:14-20 Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away the judgments against you, he has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear disaster no more. On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak. The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing as on a day of festival. I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it. I will deal with all your oppressors at that time. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the Lord.

Psalm:     Isaiah 12:2-6 Surely, it is God who saves me;  I will trust in him and not be afraid. For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defence, and he will be my Saviour.   Therefore you shall draw water   with   rejoicing    from the springs of salvation. And on that day you shall say,   Give thanks to the Lord   and call upon his name; make his deeds known among the peoples;   see that they remember   that his name is exalted. Sing the praises of the Lord, for he has done great things,    and this is known in all the world. Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion, ring out your joy,    for the great one in the midst of you    is the Holy One of Israel.

Second Reading:   Philippians 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 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.

Gospel:  Luke 3: 7-18 John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.” As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.

So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.

§  John the Baptizer seems to have it in for the people listening to him. He says they are a brood of vipers because they want to be known as righteous while not actually being righteous. They base their claim on their heritage as children of Abraham only to hear John say God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Where does that leave them? How is this good news for the people?

§  I imagine that the people taking insult from John’s preaching were quite satisfied with themselves. Those who asked how to behave – the crowds with two coats, the tax collectors, the soldiers – wanted to hear something about their state in life. John addresses the problems he sees - the selfish lack of action for the poor, the unjust self-serving tax structure, the extortion by armed thugs posing as keepers of the peace. To his listeners, this would be some good news because there WAS a way out of the despair the world around had put them in.

§  John goes on to say that he is NOT the promised and expected Messiah. He is not even worthy to tie the shoelaces of the Messiah. The baptism of fire and the Holy Spirit is coming and that will be the real harvest time. (That’s what is referred to in talking about the threshing floor and the winnowing fork.)

§  So the best is yet to come. That is John’s good news here. Justice can be worked for, but it will never be achieved by human action alone. After all, people might still be a “brood of vipers” to use John’s words. This may be how it is.

§  But… and that “but” is huge… one who is more powerful than I is coming. More is promised; the best is yet to come. The harvest is coming and what is good will be gathered and kept and what is not good will be burned up.

§  Is that frightening? It has been for me. It may help to remember that we are part of the harvest and the winnowing is our purification. We could say that what is good within us will be kept and what is not good will be removed. In that case, there is cause for rejoicing.

§  The third Sunday in Advent has traditionally been called “Gaudate” Sunday. In some Advent wreaths, the “rose” coloured candle is lit and the vestments and paraments are rose. The name comes from the Latin verses used as the entry song for the service: Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, gaudete. Even in a season of waiting, in a dark time looking for light, rejoicing can and should be done. John’s words seem harsh, yet they give us hope. That a powerful one is coming is good news! Let’s just say – “Never fear; the Lord is near!”

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 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.