Third Sunday in Advent
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Because today is Children’s Program Sunday and also Gaudette -rejoicing- Sunday I’d like to offer 3 brief vignettes of rejoicing that may reframe your lives. Today I’d like to do three object lessons, two of which will be for individuals in our church and one will be for our church itself. This is the closest to Oprah I’ll ever get, and no one is getting a car so take it easy. If you’re not impressed by God in flesh made manifest then this might not be the place for you.
The Gospel of St. Luke records the disciples of John asking the Messiah
calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”
During this time of year I have fond memories of going out to look at the Christmas lights. I remember there were these moments when we would drive past a house we knew but they did not actually celebrate Christmas. Their lights were displays of Santa and Rudolph, glam set to music and as technology progressed there were even laser light shows.
The truth is though, all that light didn’t shine on anything. It was light pointing to a void.
Then there were the homes that we knew well that the family would be in church on Christmas and probably be in service. Yet, their gutters remained unadorned, there were no blinky’s or chasing lights, no static lights and often even the porch lights were off.
The very people who were prepared to talk about the light didn’t shine the light. You know the other day, I was out for a drive when I noticed that one of our own was not preparing the way.
This is he of whom it is written, “ ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’
Friends, I know that Christmas lights are not a barometer of the soul- but I also know that a little bah humbug isn’t who we are either.
Jason- would you come here? We here at Concordia feel that your kids would so appreciate you lighting up the world of darkness with hope. I’ll help you hang them. (ladder)
Church- how will we show the world that we are rejoicing that God has come, that the way to Heaven has been prepared? Seriously, answer this.
Next, our Epistle lesson exhorts us:
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving… In the description of the temple there is a special place for incense- in fact at the consecration of the tabernacle each of the 12 tribes offer up incense to help dedicate the altar. Incense was a regular fixture in Judaism but never really made its way into Christianity until about the 4th century.
We protestants then, in an effort to differentiate ourselves from Rome developed a cough and really don’t use it at all.
Yet- all advent we’ve sung the words of Psalm 141:2
Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!
I’d be willing to bet that each of you have embraced this Jewish/Roman practice a bit more than you realize. *pull out candle* Ever since we switched to fake trees at Christmas I have utilized these. I’d like to reframe them for you. Light the candle - think of how that scent fills everything.
Let your prayers this season fill everything and be filled by everything because our God has come to assume His rightful place over all things.
Finally- Zeph 3:20
At that time I will bring you in, at the time when I gather you together; 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.
The book of Zephaniah is written in an absolutely WILD time. The King, Josiah, is 8 years old when he ascends to the throne in Jerusalem, the Northern Kingdom has already been carried off into Assyrian captivity while Babylon and Egypt are getting their act together to overturn the south. The temple has been so underutilized in the time of Josiah that they actually forgot where the book of the law was. They had forgotten what they were there for and because of that they had no reason to be together. Why do you come to church?
God’s chosen people were scattered. Politically, geographically, spiritually. They were apart.
The church is the gathering of God’s people around His word and His sacraments.
This is it. This meal and this time is the fulfilment of God’s promise through Zephaniah. At that time I will bring you in, I will gather you together.
Communion is the gathering together of what was once lost… You and I taste and see that the Lord is good. We rejoice in all that He does in His triumphal arrival. We are pulled away from all that separates us; united under our king, gathered in this place for His purpose and fed by this spiritual food. Here in this place, everyone from preschool to PhD are all recipients of God’s presence.
Bob Papendick - kiddos.
Church rejoice because God’s presence is here and you are here with it.
He is coming again to make us one. Amen.