Second Sunday Of Advent
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series VII Cycle C
Seasonal Theme
The joyful anticipation and preparation for the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem and into our hearts as well.
Theme For The Day
Preparing the way for the coming of our savior into our congregation and into our community and home.
Old Testament Lesson
Malachi 3:1-4
A Messenger To Prepare The Way
In verse 4:5 it seems the messenger who is to come to prepare the way is Elijah. However, we Christians have generally identified this messenger as John the Baptist. Whoever paired this reading with the Gospel for today must have had that in mind as well.
Perhaps the covenant referred to here is that with Levi (2:48), as the job of this messenger was to prepare for God's return to the temple in a time of judgment. The right offerings needed to be given so that God might again bless the people. Malachi probably had in mind a priest who would bring much needed reform (see 2:7, Job 33:23, and Ecclesiastes 5:6). In verse 3 there is a fire which may be a hyperbole of the results from real justice wherever God rules.
New Testament Lesson
Philippians 1:3-11
Paul's Prayer For Philippians
In this letter of joy, Paul lays out for us the symptoms of the Christian life.
1. Christian joy. Christianity is the religion of a joyous heart and a radiant lifestyle.
2. Christian offering. The Greek word used in verse 6 is the beginning and ending of an offering to God. So our lives are an offering to God (see Romans 12:1).
3. Christian togetherness. We share the grace of God, the work of the gospel and in suffering for the gospel, and fellowship with the Christ.
4. Christian maturity. He prayed that their love would grow (vv. 9 and 10).
5. Christian goal. We are to set as our goal to live such a life that the praise is given to God. Some of us can be close to perfect in our practice of the faith, but we are so demanding, astringent, and austere that we actually turn people off to Christianity.
The Gospel
Luke 3:1-6
Here Comes John
It's a great passage to preach on using the personality of this prophet of the wilderness. As time went on, the relationship between John the Baptist and Jesus became more clear. All four Gospels associate him with the beginning of Jesus' ministry.
1. In Mark, he is addressed like a new Elijah who summons Israel to repent.
2. In Matthew, he has the same apparel, but he knows Jesus.
3. In this Luke passage, his coming is an historic moment and a renewal of prophecy. He is presented as the last of the prophets before the Messiah.
4. In John's Gospel, the Baptist is more aware of the importance of Jesus.
We do know that Jesus took the arrival of John as a sign that God's kingdom was on its way. The scripture quoted (Isaiah 40:4ff) was scripture which was usually connected with the coming of the Messianic Age. John's message was that the king is coming. Fix not just the roads, but your hearts.
Preaching Possibilities
A. For a suggested sermon plot on John the Baptist as a character sermon, see my Second Sunday Of Advent (pp. 14-16) in Cycle A of The Lectionary Preaching Workbook, Series VII. Of course this Luke account can stand alone or be linked to the Second Reading in how we are to be as Christians for the coming of this Messiah.
B. The Old Testament will also preach by itself as we consider what does it mean to be a messenger and how does one prepare the way today? And what needs to be changed in our temple to make it ready for the birth of the Savior this year's Christmas?
C. I'll go with all the readings, first reviewing last week's message, proceeding to this week's and then anticipating the weeks ahead until Christmas.
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
A. Begin with a review of last Sunday's message of the Advent season and the beginning of the Church's New Year. There are certain signs which point to Jesus' coming again and soon.
B. Run through last week's three readings' emphasis.
C. Move to today and tell how we continue the theme of joyful anticipation of Jesus' coming again.
1. Malachi says a messenger is sent to us to prepare the way. Reforms are needed in the temple.
2. Paul writes to the Philippians the symptoms of the Christian life which we ought to be able to see.
3. Bold prophet John the Baptist is the man with the message to get ourselves ready.
D. Move to your own preparation for this year's Christmas and list how you think your congregation ought to prepare, too.
1. Perhaps increased time for prayer and decreased shopping binges.
2. Perhaps more on self-examination and less on self-aggrandizement in greetings and social customs.
3. Perhaps more attention to the needs of the poor and less on the wants of us who have so much.
4. Perhaps less emphasis on matching gifts given to you and more on giving away with no thought of return on the investment.
E. Move to a story from Possible Metaphors And Stories.
F. Frame your sermon, imagining how John the Baptist celebrated Jesus' birth over the years making the points above.
Prayer For The Day
Prepare our hearts today, O God, for your rebirth in them again. Give us a calmness and a sanity as we enter into this time which can be so stressful and hectic. Show us the symptoms of the Christian life, which will point others to Jesus as well. In his name. Amen.
Possible Metaphors And Stories
On CBS news a man by the name of Al Copeland in New Orleans had millions of lights in his front yard for Christmas. One thinks first, how beautiful! Then it's reported the neighbors are suing him for disturbing the peace! I think the light of Christ is like that. When we really let it shine, those who prefer the darkness will always complain and try to extinguish the light.
It was explained to me that the louvers in our parking garage ramps will automatically open up when the carbon monoxide level reaches a certain concentration. The airing clears the ramp of the dangerous gases. Perhaps the church ought to have something similar to ventilate the stale and dank air of a museum and bring in the fresh air of the Spirit. Advent promises that new ventilation.
In a church newsletter authored by friend/pastor Dan Johns was the story of Chippy the parakeet. Cleaning the cage one day, the owner was disturbed by the telephone and got the hose of the vacuum cleaner too close and sucked the bird right into the sweeper bag. Quickly she took the bag off, pulled out the bewildered bird, and stuck it under the water faucet. The bird survived, but now its owner describes it this way: "Chippy doesn't sing much any more; he just sits and stares."
Our church has many who don't sing much any more, but just sit and stare. How shall we minister God's loving grace and profound joy to them?
William Barclay tells how, at the coronation service in Westminster Abbey after all the congregation was seated, a squad of cleaners unexpectedly emerged with brushes and vacuum cleaners and proceeded to sweep the carpets so that they would be absolutely clean for the coming of the Queen. So here John is the courier for the King. He says to get things cleaned up. Soon he comes.
The joyful anticipation and preparation for the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem and into our hearts as well.
Theme For The Day
Preparing the way for the coming of our savior into our congregation and into our community and home.
Old Testament Lesson
Malachi 3:1-4
A Messenger To Prepare The Way
In verse 4:5 it seems the messenger who is to come to prepare the way is Elijah. However, we Christians have generally identified this messenger as John the Baptist. Whoever paired this reading with the Gospel for today must have had that in mind as well.
Perhaps the covenant referred to here is that with Levi (2:48), as the job of this messenger was to prepare for God's return to the temple in a time of judgment. The right offerings needed to be given so that God might again bless the people. Malachi probably had in mind a priest who would bring much needed reform (see 2:7, Job 33:23, and Ecclesiastes 5:6). In verse 3 there is a fire which may be a hyperbole of the results from real justice wherever God rules.
New Testament Lesson
Philippians 1:3-11
Paul's Prayer For Philippians
In this letter of joy, Paul lays out for us the symptoms of the Christian life.
1. Christian joy. Christianity is the religion of a joyous heart and a radiant lifestyle.
2. Christian offering. The Greek word used in verse 6 is the beginning and ending of an offering to God. So our lives are an offering to God (see Romans 12:1).
3. Christian togetherness. We share the grace of God, the work of the gospel and in suffering for the gospel, and fellowship with the Christ.
4. Christian maturity. He prayed that their love would grow (vv. 9 and 10).
5. Christian goal. We are to set as our goal to live such a life that the praise is given to God. Some of us can be close to perfect in our practice of the faith, but we are so demanding, astringent, and austere that we actually turn people off to Christianity.
The Gospel
Luke 3:1-6
Here Comes John
It's a great passage to preach on using the personality of this prophet of the wilderness. As time went on, the relationship between John the Baptist and Jesus became more clear. All four Gospels associate him with the beginning of Jesus' ministry.
1. In Mark, he is addressed like a new Elijah who summons Israel to repent.
2. In Matthew, he has the same apparel, but he knows Jesus.
3. In this Luke passage, his coming is an historic moment and a renewal of prophecy. He is presented as the last of the prophets before the Messiah.
4. In John's Gospel, the Baptist is more aware of the importance of Jesus.
We do know that Jesus took the arrival of John as a sign that God's kingdom was on its way. The scripture quoted (Isaiah 40:4ff) was scripture which was usually connected with the coming of the Messianic Age. John's message was that the king is coming. Fix not just the roads, but your hearts.
Preaching Possibilities
A. For a suggested sermon plot on John the Baptist as a character sermon, see my Second Sunday Of Advent (pp. 14-16) in Cycle A of The Lectionary Preaching Workbook, Series VII. Of course this Luke account can stand alone or be linked to the Second Reading in how we are to be as Christians for the coming of this Messiah.
B. The Old Testament will also preach by itself as we consider what does it mean to be a messenger and how does one prepare the way today? And what needs to be changed in our temple to make it ready for the birth of the Savior this year's Christmas?
C. I'll go with all the readings, first reviewing last week's message, proceeding to this week's and then anticipating the weeks ahead until Christmas.
Possible Outline Of Sermon Moves
A. Begin with a review of last Sunday's message of the Advent season and the beginning of the Church's New Year. There are certain signs which point to Jesus' coming again and soon.
B. Run through last week's three readings' emphasis.
C. Move to today and tell how we continue the theme of joyful anticipation of Jesus' coming again.
1. Malachi says a messenger is sent to us to prepare the way. Reforms are needed in the temple.
2. Paul writes to the Philippians the symptoms of the Christian life which we ought to be able to see.
3. Bold prophet John the Baptist is the man with the message to get ourselves ready.
D. Move to your own preparation for this year's Christmas and list how you think your congregation ought to prepare, too.
1. Perhaps increased time for prayer and decreased shopping binges.
2. Perhaps more on self-examination and less on self-aggrandizement in greetings and social customs.
3. Perhaps more attention to the needs of the poor and less on the wants of us who have so much.
4. Perhaps less emphasis on matching gifts given to you and more on giving away with no thought of return on the investment.
E. Move to a story from Possible Metaphors And Stories.
F. Frame your sermon, imagining how John the Baptist celebrated Jesus' birth over the years making the points above.
Prayer For The Day
Prepare our hearts today, O God, for your rebirth in them again. Give us a calmness and a sanity as we enter into this time which can be so stressful and hectic. Show us the symptoms of the Christian life, which will point others to Jesus as well. In his name. Amen.
Possible Metaphors And Stories
On CBS news a man by the name of Al Copeland in New Orleans had millions of lights in his front yard for Christmas. One thinks first, how beautiful! Then it's reported the neighbors are suing him for disturbing the peace! I think the light of Christ is like that. When we really let it shine, those who prefer the darkness will always complain and try to extinguish the light.
It was explained to me that the louvers in our parking garage ramps will automatically open up when the carbon monoxide level reaches a certain concentration. The airing clears the ramp of the dangerous gases. Perhaps the church ought to have something similar to ventilate the stale and dank air of a museum and bring in the fresh air of the Spirit. Advent promises that new ventilation.
In a church newsletter authored by friend/pastor Dan Johns was the story of Chippy the parakeet. Cleaning the cage one day, the owner was disturbed by the telephone and got the hose of the vacuum cleaner too close and sucked the bird right into the sweeper bag. Quickly she took the bag off, pulled out the bewildered bird, and stuck it under the water faucet. The bird survived, but now its owner describes it this way: "Chippy doesn't sing much any more; he just sits and stares."
Our church has many who don't sing much any more, but just sit and stare. How shall we minister God's loving grace and profound joy to them?
William Barclay tells how, at the coronation service in Westminster Abbey after all the congregation was seated, a squad of cleaners unexpectedly emerged with brushes and vacuum cleaners and proceeded to sweep the carpets so that they would be absolutely clean for the coming of the Queen. So here John is the courier for the King. He says to get things cleaned up. Soon he comes.
