3rd Sunday of Advent (17 December, 2017)

Be Prepared

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.  Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins.  A voice cries: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.  Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.  And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."  A voice says, "Cry!" And I said, "What shall I cry?" All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.  The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass.  The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.  Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!"  Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.  He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.  Isaiah 40:1-11

(To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.) LORD, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob.  You forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin. Selah  You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your hot anger.  Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us!  Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations?  Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?  Show us your steadfast love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation.  Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; but let them not turn back to folly.  Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.  Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other.  Faithfulness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky.  Yes, the LORD will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.  Righteousness will go before him and make his footsteps a way.  Psalm 85

This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.  Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.  But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.  For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.  Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.  1 Corinthians 4:1-5

Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples  and said to him, "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?"  And Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.  And blessed is the one who is not offended by me."  As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?  What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.  What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.  This is he of whom it is written, "'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.'  Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.  Matthew 11:2-11

Indulge my silliness for but a moment.  Everyone knows the best song from Disney movies are the villain songs.  And everyone knows Scar's is the best.  "Be Prepared" indeed.

In all seriousness, though, that is what the season of Advent is all about.  Being prepared.  The last three weeks readings have all been about the coming King.

One of my favorite Greek words is "kerux."  It's the noun version of the verb "kerusso," meaning "I proclaim.  The priesthood of all believers is called to be composed of "kerux," of proclaimers.

John the Baptist was the first of these proclaimers.  He was the "voice crying in the wilderness."  Jesus described him as the "messenger... who will prepare your way."  John was the royal herald proclaiming the joyous message of the arrival of the King of Kings.  Which, incidentally, is why this Sunday often is colored rose instead of the blue or purple that marks the season of Advent.

Today, though, we are not waiting for the King to come in conquest, to claim His throne and defeat the usurper.  Now we wait for His return.  Yet the task before us is the same as the one the Lord gave to John and later to the Apostles: proclaim the Gospel.

In a way, we are to be like the messenger from the legend of the Battle of Marathon.  One young soldier was tasked with carrying the message of victory back to the people.  He sprinted 26 miles to proclaim a single word.  Victory!

That is the race we run, and that is the message we carry.