Our week begins with “Gaudete Sunday.” Gaudete means “rejoice” in Latin. The spirit of joy that begins this week comes from the words of Paul, “The Lord is near.” This joyful spirit is marked by the third candle of our Advent wreath, which is rose colored.
The second part of Advent begins on December 17th each year - this year, in 2015 it is Thursday of the Third Week of Advent. For the last eight days before Christmas, the plan of the readings changes. The first readings are still from the prophesies, but now the gospels are from the infancy narratives of Matthew and Luke. We read the stories of faithful women and men who prepared the way for our salvation. We enter into the story of how Jesus' life began. These stories are filled with hints of what his life will mean for us. Faith and generosity overcome impossibility. Poverty and persecution reveal glory.
Preparing our Hearts and asking for Grace
We prepare this week by feeling the joy. We move through this week feeling a part of the waiting world that rejoices because our longing has prepared us to believe the reign of God is close at hand. And so we consciously ask:
Prepare our hearts
and remove the sadness
that hinders us from feeling
the joy and hope
which his presence
will bestow.
Each morning this week, in that brief moment we are becoming accustomed to, we want to light a third inner candle. Three candles, going from expectation, to longing, to joy. They represent our inner preparation, or inner perspective. In this world of “conflict and division,” “greed and lust for power,” we begin each day this week with a sense of liberating joy. Perhaps we can pause, breathe deeply and say,
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.”
Each day this week, we will continue to go through our everyday life, but we will experience the difference our faith can bring to it. We are confident that the grace we ask for will be given us. We will encounter sin - in our own hearts and in our experience of the sin of the world. We can pause in those moments, and feel the joy of the words,
“You are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people
from their sins.” Matthew 1:21
We may experience the Light shining into dark places of our lives and showing us patterns of sinfulness, and inviting us to experience God's mercy and healing. We may want to make gestures of reconciliation with a loved one, relative, friend, or associate. With more light and joy, it is easier to say, “I'm sorry; let's begin again.”
Each night this week we want to pause in gratitude. Whatever the day has brought, no matter how busy it has been, we can stop, before we fall asleep, to give thanks for a little more light, a little more freedom to walk by that light, in joy.
Our celebration of the coming of our Savior in history, is opening us up to experience his coming to us this year, and preparing us to await his coming in Glory.
Come, Lord Jesus. Come and visit your people.
We await your coming. Come, O Lord.
Each day this week, we will continue to go through our everyday life, but we will experience the difference our faith can bring to it. We are confident that the grace we ask for will be given us. We will encounter sin - in our own hearts and in our experience of the sin of the world. We can pause in those moments, and feel the joy of the words,
“You are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people
from their sins.” Matthew 1:21
We may experience the Light shining into dark places of our lives and showing us patterns of sinfulness, and inviting us to experience God's mercy and healing. We may want to make gestures of reconciliation with a loved one, relative, friend, or associate. With more light and joy, it is easier to say, “I'm sorry; let's begin again.”
Each night this week we want to pause in gratitude. Whatever the day has brought, no matter how busy it has been, we can stop, before we fall asleep, to give thanks for a little more light, a little more freedom to walk by that light, in joy.
Our celebration of the coming of our Savior in history, is opening us up to experience his coming to us this year, and preparing us to await his coming in Glory.
Come, Lord Jesus. Come and visit your people.
We await your coming. Come, O Lord.
We begin this third week of Advent asking to feel the joy
that comes from knowing our Lord's coming to us is near.
In these precious days ahead, we are praying, longing and hoping.
So, here we are, less than two weeks before Christmas – we should be penitent because we are so far from ready for the coming of Jesus in our lives – but . . . joy is breaking in – and when joy breaks out - it can’t be contained.
Advent is a season of mixed penitence and of joy. We are preparing – for a birth – not a death – we are preparing to celebrate a gift of life.
Zephaniah’s prophecy is during a time of Josiah’s rule – he was an 8 year old boy - his kingdom was rule by regents until he was old enough to reign. 18 years later he began to sweep away the idols that had been installed in the temple by his predecessors; pagan practices were adopted and used in the Temple in Jerusalem – then he found a scroll laying out God’s law for His people – it is likely to have been the laws from the Book we call Deuteronomy – laws given to God’s people through Moses.
It was during this time that Zephaniah began to prophecy about judgment and also a glorious promise. Zephaniah 1:2-3 says, “I will wipe out everything from the earth, says the LORD. I will destroy humanity and the beasts; I will destroy the birds in the sky and the fish in the sea. I will make the wicked into a heap of ruins; I will eliminate humanity from the earth, says the LORD.”
So King Josiah sets out – first to destroy – then to rebuild. Josiah began to follow the laws written on the scrolls; he purified the temple and eradicated the idols.
2 Kings 23:6 tells us: He removed the Asherah image from the LORD’S temple, taking it to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem. There he burned it, ground it to dust, and threw the dust on the public graveyard.
Enormous changes were taking place. And now for the promise of joy -
Zephaniah 3:14 says:
Rejoice, Daughter Zion! Shout, Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem
Zephaniah 3:17 adds:
The Lord your God is in your midst – a warrior bringing victory.
He will create calm with his love; He will rejoice over you with signing.
Then he ends in Zephaniah 3:19:
And that joy will be for everyone: I will deliver the lame; I will gather the outcast.
It is not just us, but God who is joyful – He is singing because of us!!!
Jesus said, “Joy breaks out in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who changes both heart and life.” (Luke 15:10)
We need to remember that not all idols are material. What idols draw us away from God? Isn’t the hope of joy motivation enough? How do we respond to our God who loves us so much? What can we possibly cling to that keeps us from giving God such joy?
We return again to Paul’s letter to the Philippians – the gift of suffering. We all may need to endure suffering, but we are still called to “be glad” and to “rejoice” because we are followers of a risen Christ.
Philippians 4:5 says, “Let your gentleness show in your treatment of all people.”
How often do we encounter gentleness in our lives? How often do we bestow it on others?
We are told that “the Lord is near”. When we know the nearness of God and respond in hope and prayer and thanksgiving, peace follows.
Paul says in verse 7 “The peace of God that exceeds all understanding will keep your hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus”. John Calvin reminds us “the peace of God does not depend on the present aspect of things.”
The author uses the analogy of being in a shipwreck – hearing a message on the only cell phone just before the battery fails . . . “we know where you are and are on the way.”
That gave me “goose bumps” or “God bumps” just to think that God always knows where I am and He is always watching out for me.
Next the author moves us to how difficult this time of year is for some people – disappointment – remembering loss of loved ones – being lonely – tension – madness of Christmas shopping – spending more than budgeted . . .
In Luke 3:7 we hear from John the Baptist . . . “You children of snakes! Who warned you to escape from the angry judgment that is coming soon?”
YIKES! And if that isn’t scary enough, the author’s version of this Scripture during his sermon is “You brood of vipers! The Messiah is on the way and he has an axe all sharpened to cut you down and unquenchable fire to burn you up.”
BUT . . . John had lots of other good news to share also. His fundamental message was “God cares about you. God is not satisfied with you, but God cares.” Now THAT is more reassuring to me – how about you?
When asked “what should we do?” John answered, “Whoever has two shirts must share with the one who has none, and whoever has food must do the same.” (Luke 3:10-11) His message was basically “Whoever you are, there is something you need to do, AND . . . there’s an unquenchable fire for those who fail to do it.”
If John’s first command to the crowd was “Share” wouldn’t that be his first word to us as well? As 21st century visual for us today is . . . imagine John witnessing Black Friday crowds stampeding / trampling each other just to get that gift for their child / spouse / friend . . . isn’t it sort of like trying to buy love for ourselves rather than give “love” to each other? Love isn’t about giving the biggest / badest / most expensive Christmas present.
The author tells us that John’s messages, then and now, were not rules for the kingdom . . . just housekeeping – part of our preparation for when the Messiah arrives – we will be called to a whole new level of living. John is making sure we are not totally embarrassed when the Messiah does come – for those who don’t get warmed up won’t be ready for the heat.
Remember when Malachi said, (3.2) “Who can endure the day of his coming? Who can withstand his appearance?” Who can expect to survive and stand in the presence of God? That is John’s challenge. But John also wants us to know that what we do matters – how we live matters – our lives have value – God values us – judgment is evidence of that value – God judges because He cares. God loves us – God is with us – we are not alone.
Assignment for the Week:
- In your workbook - please read Hope in Unexpected Places (pages 59 - 71); answer questions on pages 72 - 73
- OPTIONAL: Where Is Bethlehem of Ephrathah? on page 74.
- OPTIONAL: Read Pray with Scriptures on pages 74 and 75. Try this on your own - possibly will be done with our group next week. For those following along on the blog the Scripture is Mary's prayer in Luke 1:46-55 using lectio divina (you can look it up on the internet for instructions).
- For those following along on the blog who do not have a workbook - the Scriptures for the Fourt Sunday of Advent are: Micah 5:2-5a; Hebrews 10:5-10 and Luke 1:39-55
- The following Scriptures were submitted from the group and placed in our Advent . . . please include these as part of your daily devotional and quiet time this week of Joy:
- Psalm 5:11 - 12
- Philippians 4:4-7
- 1 Peter 1:8-9
- 1 Chronicles 16:27
- Philippians 4:4-5
- Romans 10:17
- Psalm 100:5