Isaiah 40:1-11 In...
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Isaiah 40:1-11
In Minnesota, they like to say there are two seasons: winter and "under construction." It is indeed a land of long winters, and when those brief summer months come at last, the highway department crews get right to work, filling potholes and repairing other damage caused by the snowplows.
The prophet Isaiah, it seems, lives in the season called "under construction." He envisions a massive public works project, as workers "make straight in the desert a highway for our God." Mountains will be leveled, valleys raised up: all for the purpose of clearing the way before the God of Israel, who will lead the exiled people back home again.
The exiles have been used to seeing the Babylonians parade their gods along the grand, processional avenues of their capital city on religious feast days. The procession Isaiah has in mind will be so much grander, because the earth itself will be the Lord's processional avenue. Nothing can stand in the way of God's season of "under construction."
Isaiah 40:1-11
Advent calendars are a wonderful way to teach children about Advent and Christmas. One family shared their experience when their children were seven and five. Each day the children would take turns opening the little door to view the picture depicting an aspect of the nativity. One day it was an angel. Beth told the story of the angel visiting Mary. The next day the picture behind the door was Mary. One of the children asked his mother why she was wearing a scarf on her head. "Because it must have been cold," Beth replied. Another day there was a star, the explanation was that the wise men followed the star to find the baby Jesus. There were shepherds, a donkey, and other animals as the days progressed toward Christmas.
What stood out for Beth was the children's interest as well as their anticipation each day to discover what was behind the door. Beth also noted that throughout the weeks of Advent the children did not seem to argue and fight as much. There was a sense of peace in the house. Beth says that the meaning of Christmas became real to her children and for her that Christmas.
The prophet Isaiah cries out, "Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God." How might we prepare to receive Jesus into our lives anew this year?
Isaiah 40:1-11
Heralds in ancient Israel, as indeed down through the ages, were the ones who announced to the general population the decrees of the ruler and who carried important messages between rulers of various states.
As the office developed, the herald began to wear a surcoat that bore the coat of arms of his master. Heralds became experts in the field of coats of arms, so that today, in countries that still employ heralds (Great Britain, Scotland, Canada, among others) their task is precisely that: expert in coats of arms.
Isaiah was not thinking about experts in coats of arms, however. His herald was most definitely a bearer of the king's message.
2 Peter 3:8-15a
Sometimes, parenting demands that parents neither reward nor punish their children for their significant behavior. Sometimes, no matter the circumstances, parents remain "hands off," appearing to be passive. Such a style of parenting is done in selective situations because parents have learned that children need to solve their own problems and to discover their own internal rewards for living correctly.
When parents choose to remain in the background to help strengthen their children, they aren't in any way neutral or disinterested. They're profoundly interested and involved. Usually it takes years before children can identify and understand their parents' silence. They realize that their parents were exercising patience. As 2 Peter states, the children can then regard the parents' apparent non-involvement as the strenuous exercise of patience on their behalf.
2 Peter 3:8-15a
Einstein explained the Theory of Relativity like this: "Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute. That's relativity." Second Peter talks about relativity, too, and God is the master of relativity. In fact, God can make time conform to his wishes. "A day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day." No hot stoves or pretty girls needed in God's case! He can stretch a second into infinity or condense infinity into a second. Such power is beyond our understanding -- especially as a society that relies so heavily on the concept of time. It is almost impossible for us to imagine breaking past the tolling ticks of the clock; and consequently, breaking the bounds of time is therefore the best illustration for us of God's infinite power.
2 Peter 3:8-15a
Time is very much a human concept. We are reminded that with "the Lord a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years a day" (Psalm 90:4). We may operate on Eastern Standard Time or Greenwich Mean Time, but God works on eternal time. Sooner or later, our earthly time will come to an end. But, God does not work according to human timetables.
First-century Christians are becoming disillusioned by the long wait for Christ's return, which would lead to a new heaven and a new earth. The delay has been so long that people are beginning to doubt whether it ever will come.
Peter reminds us that the day of the Lord will come as suddenly as a thief in the night, totally unpredictable and unexpected. Being referred to as a "thief" is certainly not a flattering portrayal of God. It does serve to remind us that we cannot know the exact time of Christ's second coming. We must always be prepared to meet our maker.
Mark 1:1-8
Are you the sort of person who saves the best for last? If you sit down at a banquet, and find a piece of pie above the place setting, do you dutifully wait until the dinner has been served or do you sneak a piece first? If you're reading the newspaper, do you start with the part you like best: the comics, the sports page or do you read the minor news first, even the obituaries, rewarding yourself only at the end?
At Christmas time, especially in houses with small children, "save the best for last" is usually the rule. As presents are opened, every once in a while a child will reach for one particular package, and the father or mother will say, with a twinkle in the eye, "Don't open that one yet. Save it for later." That's how the kids know it's one of the best.
When John the Baptist humbly declares, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals," he is saying, in effect, "Be patient: God has saved the best for last."
Mark 1:1-8
Following worship one Sunday, Marty spoke with the pastor. He said, "I know you did not intend to hurt anyone but I found parts of your message offensive." The first thought to enter the pastor's mind was where did Marty get the idea that preachers were not to offend their listeners.
The prophets of old told it like they saw it. They did not seem concerned with hurting someone's feelings with their message. On this second Sunday of Advent we encounter John the Baptist. He looked the part of an Old Testament prophet with his camel's hair jacket, leather belt, and weird diet of bugs and honey. He had an urgent message to deliver, "Prepare the way of the Lord." Jesus would soon be on the scene so the people had better change their lives to be ready and in tune when Jesus arrives.
What would John the Baptist tell us as we prepare for Christmas? Maybe that we should spend more time serving the needy than shopping at the mall. Or that we should care for the "least of these" instead of buying expensive gifts for people who have more than most people in our world. That message would certainly be offensive to many of us. John the Baptist stands before us "proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins."
Mark 1:1-8
For some strange reason an unusual custom developed at the local high school. On the Friday of homecoming weekend, the senior class takes brooms and sweeps the path that leads from the school to the football field. It is done in the presence of the entire student body who are dismissed from class to watch and once the sweeping is complete, the football team makes their way to the field for a pep rally.
John had the job of sweeping the path before Jesus came, but he did it not with brooms but by preaching and baptizing.
Mark 1:1-8
John the Baptist is like that eccentric uncle who visits each year around Christmas. But John is worse than eccentric. He can be downright scary. This man is no Dale Carnegie course graduate. Far from it; he's a "How to Lose Friends and Irritate People," in-your-face, "Repent, you brood of vipers" firebrand. John is never in the crËche set. He's never invited to the Christmas pageant. There are no Christmas cards or ornaments for John the Baptist. Yet year after year, John reappears in Advent, and century after century, his message to the church and to us is always, "REPENT!" Ready or not, here he comes!
Mark 1:1-8
While on vacation at a well-known Atlantic Ocean beach, a couple went to one of the local attractions. After paying their entrance fee, they were given a coupon for $10 in "vacation money" and told they could redeem this at the next table. A man described to them many free things for them to choose from -- money, free tickets to some of the other area attractions, coupons for a great meal at a very nice restaurant, and so on -- available to them if they would simply attend a two-and-one-half hour sales presentation at one of the local resort areas.
The couple chose not to give in to this sales pitch, but was amazed at how cleverly it was all presented and how they almost fell for it.
John the Baptist was not selling anything, but simply preparing the way for the one who was to come after him.
Mark 1:1-8
Jonathan Edwards, arguably the greatest systematic theologian ever born on this side of the Atlantic Ocean, once preached a sermon that was destined to unleash a whirlwind in New England. The theme was simple and direct: "Turn ... or Burn!" Edwards' preaching is credited with having set in motion the First Great Religions Awakening in Massachusetts.
But there was an earlier -- and greater -- awakening. John, Jesus' forerunner, unleashed it in the wilderness. The results are still being felt.
In every congregation in the land, this is the season once again to turn, to wake up, and to start again.
In Minnesota, they like to say there are two seasons: winter and "under construction." It is indeed a land of long winters, and when those brief summer months come at last, the highway department crews get right to work, filling potholes and repairing other damage caused by the snowplows.
The prophet Isaiah, it seems, lives in the season called "under construction." He envisions a massive public works project, as workers "make straight in the desert a highway for our God." Mountains will be leveled, valleys raised up: all for the purpose of clearing the way before the God of Israel, who will lead the exiled people back home again.
The exiles have been used to seeing the Babylonians parade their gods along the grand, processional avenues of their capital city on religious feast days. The procession Isaiah has in mind will be so much grander, because the earth itself will be the Lord's processional avenue. Nothing can stand in the way of God's season of "under construction."
Isaiah 40:1-11
Advent calendars are a wonderful way to teach children about Advent and Christmas. One family shared their experience when their children were seven and five. Each day the children would take turns opening the little door to view the picture depicting an aspect of the nativity. One day it was an angel. Beth told the story of the angel visiting Mary. The next day the picture behind the door was Mary. One of the children asked his mother why she was wearing a scarf on her head. "Because it must have been cold," Beth replied. Another day there was a star, the explanation was that the wise men followed the star to find the baby Jesus. There were shepherds, a donkey, and other animals as the days progressed toward Christmas.
What stood out for Beth was the children's interest as well as their anticipation each day to discover what was behind the door. Beth also noted that throughout the weeks of Advent the children did not seem to argue and fight as much. There was a sense of peace in the house. Beth says that the meaning of Christmas became real to her children and for her that Christmas.
The prophet Isaiah cries out, "Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God." How might we prepare to receive Jesus into our lives anew this year?
Isaiah 40:1-11
Heralds in ancient Israel, as indeed down through the ages, were the ones who announced to the general population the decrees of the ruler and who carried important messages between rulers of various states.
As the office developed, the herald began to wear a surcoat that bore the coat of arms of his master. Heralds became experts in the field of coats of arms, so that today, in countries that still employ heralds (Great Britain, Scotland, Canada, among others) their task is precisely that: expert in coats of arms.
Isaiah was not thinking about experts in coats of arms, however. His herald was most definitely a bearer of the king's message.
2 Peter 3:8-15a
Sometimes, parenting demands that parents neither reward nor punish their children for their significant behavior. Sometimes, no matter the circumstances, parents remain "hands off," appearing to be passive. Such a style of parenting is done in selective situations because parents have learned that children need to solve their own problems and to discover their own internal rewards for living correctly.
When parents choose to remain in the background to help strengthen their children, they aren't in any way neutral or disinterested. They're profoundly interested and involved. Usually it takes years before children can identify and understand their parents' silence. They realize that their parents were exercising patience. As 2 Peter states, the children can then regard the parents' apparent non-involvement as the strenuous exercise of patience on their behalf.
2 Peter 3:8-15a
Einstein explained the Theory of Relativity like this: "Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute. That's relativity." Second Peter talks about relativity, too, and God is the master of relativity. In fact, God can make time conform to his wishes. "A day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day." No hot stoves or pretty girls needed in God's case! He can stretch a second into infinity or condense infinity into a second. Such power is beyond our understanding -- especially as a society that relies so heavily on the concept of time. It is almost impossible for us to imagine breaking past the tolling ticks of the clock; and consequently, breaking the bounds of time is therefore the best illustration for us of God's infinite power.
2 Peter 3:8-15a
Time is very much a human concept. We are reminded that with "the Lord a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years a day" (Psalm 90:4). We may operate on Eastern Standard Time or Greenwich Mean Time, but God works on eternal time. Sooner or later, our earthly time will come to an end. But, God does not work according to human timetables.
First-century Christians are becoming disillusioned by the long wait for Christ's return, which would lead to a new heaven and a new earth. The delay has been so long that people are beginning to doubt whether it ever will come.
Peter reminds us that the day of the Lord will come as suddenly as a thief in the night, totally unpredictable and unexpected. Being referred to as a "thief" is certainly not a flattering portrayal of God. It does serve to remind us that we cannot know the exact time of Christ's second coming. We must always be prepared to meet our maker.
Mark 1:1-8
Are you the sort of person who saves the best for last? If you sit down at a banquet, and find a piece of pie above the place setting, do you dutifully wait until the dinner has been served or do you sneak a piece first? If you're reading the newspaper, do you start with the part you like best: the comics, the sports page or do you read the minor news first, even the obituaries, rewarding yourself only at the end?
At Christmas time, especially in houses with small children, "save the best for last" is usually the rule. As presents are opened, every once in a while a child will reach for one particular package, and the father or mother will say, with a twinkle in the eye, "Don't open that one yet. Save it for later." That's how the kids know it's one of the best.
When John the Baptist humbly declares, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals," he is saying, in effect, "Be patient: God has saved the best for last."
Mark 1:1-8
Following worship one Sunday, Marty spoke with the pastor. He said, "I know you did not intend to hurt anyone but I found parts of your message offensive." The first thought to enter the pastor's mind was where did Marty get the idea that preachers were not to offend their listeners.
The prophets of old told it like they saw it. They did not seem concerned with hurting someone's feelings with their message. On this second Sunday of Advent we encounter John the Baptist. He looked the part of an Old Testament prophet with his camel's hair jacket, leather belt, and weird diet of bugs and honey. He had an urgent message to deliver, "Prepare the way of the Lord." Jesus would soon be on the scene so the people had better change their lives to be ready and in tune when Jesus arrives.
What would John the Baptist tell us as we prepare for Christmas? Maybe that we should spend more time serving the needy than shopping at the mall. Or that we should care for the "least of these" instead of buying expensive gifts for people who have more than most people in our world. That message would certainly be offensive to many of us. John the Baptist stands before us "proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins."
Mark 1:1-8
For some strange reason an unusual custom developed at the local high school. On the Friday of homecoming weekend, the senior class takes brooms and sweeps the path that leads from the school to the football field. It is done in the presence of the entire student body who are dismissed from class to watch and once the sweeping is complete, the football team makes their way to the field for a pep rally.
John had the job of sweeping the path before Jesus came, but he did it not with brooms but by preaching and baptizing.
Mark 1:1-8
John the Baptist is like that eccentric uncle who visits each year around Christmas. But John is worse than eccentric. He can be downright scary. This man is no Dale Carnegie course graduate. Far from it; he's a "How to Lose Friends and Irritate People," in-your-face, "Repent, you brood of vipers" firebrand. John is never in the crËche set. He's never invited to the Christmas pageant. There are no Christmas cards or ornaments for John the Baptist. Yet year after year, John reappears in Advent, and century after century, his message to the church and to us is always, "REPENT!" Ready or not, here he comes!
Mark 1:1-8
While on vacation at a well-known Atlantic Ocean beach, a couple went to one of the local attractions. After paying their entrance fee, they were given a coupon for $10 in "vacation money" and told they could redeem this at the next table. A man described to them many free things for them to choose from -- money, free tickets to some of the other area attractions, coupons for a great meal at a very nice restaurant, and so on -- available to them if they would simply attend a two-and-one-half hour sales presentation at one of the local resort areas.
The couple chose not to give in to this sales pitch, but was amazed at how cleverly it was all presented and how they almost fell for it.
John the Baptist was not selling anything, but simply preparing the way for the one who was to come after him.
Mark 1:1-8
Jonathan Edwards, arguably the greatest systematic theologian ever born on this side of the Atlantic Ocean, once preached a sermon that was destined to unleash a whirlwind in New England. The theme was simple and direct: "Turn ... or Burn!" Edwards' preaching is credited with having set in motion the First Great Religions Awakening in Massachusetts.
But there was an earlier -- and greater -- awakening. John, Jesus' forerunner, unleashed it in the wilderness. The results are still being felt.
In every congregation in the land, this is the season once again to turn, to wake up, and to start again.
