Our Advent devotional and preacher’s guide are now available! Read more here.
This week’s Lectionary texts can be found here.
All of our readings this week announce the call to repentance. Throughout Israel’s history, prophets were raised up to remind God’s people of who they are called to be, of the places that are crooked, out of step with their identity as the people of God.
Inherently, we know that there is injustice out there, and we WANT justice! We want those people to be judged: the terrorists, the bad guys, the propagandists, those with an agenda, those who work the system, etc. The stark reality is this: Advent is not Advent if that longing is only judgement for them. Advent is about inviting the revealing and healing power of God’s presence to call us to repentance.
In our Old Testament passage (Malachi 3:1-4), Malachi speaks of the messenger of God who was coming. This messenger would prepare the way for the Lord, would bring refiners fire and launderer’s soap. This is about the second coming of an Elijah-figure. If you remember the story of the great prophet Elijah in the Old Testament, you’ll remember that he never really died (2 Kings 2). He was carried to heaven in a chariot of fire. In Malachi’s time, there was the belief that Elijah would one day return and that would be a sign that the end of the world was at hand.
There are many parallels between Elijah in the Old Testament and John the Baptist in the New Testament. Both have successors who do greater things than they do; both are prophetic voices calling out unjust systems. Notice that the description of John the Baptist in Mark’s gospel 1:6 is the same as the description of Elijah in II Kings 1:8. Both are described as wearing hair (In John’s case, it is specifically camel’s hair), and a leather belt. Luke and the other gospel writers want us to see that John the Baptist is the new Elijah, proclaiming the new world arriving in Christ. In fact, Jesus himself identifies John the Baptist with the messenger in Malachi and also implicitly identifies himself as the Lord (Matthew 11:7-15; Luke 7:27).
In our Epistle reading (Philippians 1:3-11), Paul wells up with thanksgiving (vs. 3). Many scholars suggest that it should be read that the Philippians remember Paul. In that case, Paul is thanking them for remembering him while he is in prison. He is perhaps especially thanking them for a financial gift they have given him.
Paul expresses the gospel as the action of God, not something that we can manufacture on our own. We accept this free gift of salvation, renouncing our old ways, and God, in his faithfulness will bring it to completion. There is this notion of maturity. “Carry it on to completion (vs. 6)” is the idea of God making something do what it was designed to do. In this way, Paul’s prayer can be echoed in our own prayers. As pastors, we pray for our congregations, that God would make them into the people whom he has created them to become. As Christians, we can pray this for one another.
In our gospel reading (Luke 3:1-6), we are introduced to John the Baptist, an important character in the Biblical story, particularly in the season of Advent. He is described as the forerunner, the voice crying in the wilderness to prepare the way for the Lord (vs. 4).
By its very nature, Advent is a sense of calling out, of waking up, of taking to task. We sometimes need a splash of water in the face like the words Malachi, someone like John to remind us of who we are, and of what is true.
John is calling Israel to the faithfulness of their God and the ways that he has invited her into covenant, to remember her calling. They are to prepare the way for God, to make straight the paths because when he comes “every valley will be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all people will see God’s salvation (vs. 5-6).”
Today, we are called to remember God’s faithfulness, and to wake up. We are called to wake up from the paralysis that we experience because of fear, anger and shame. Fear leads to division, suspicion, and paranoia. Anger leads to violence and inflamed, dehumanizing language. Shame leads to counterfeit peace and love. How often do we see the manifestations of these things today? In the midst of all that is swirling around the people of God, we are called to wake up, to lay it all down, and to receive this new kingdom!