December 15, 2024 ~ Third Sunday of Advent
Worship Series: Come Home for Christmas
Rev. Beckie Sweet
The Third Sunday of Advent is traditionally known as Gaudete Sunday. “Gaudete,” when translated from Latin, means “rejoice.” And the origin of this name for the third Sunday of Advent comes from the letter to the Philippians which states, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.”
Advent is actually a penitential season, like Lent. This is a time of preparing for the birth of Christ by reflecting on our mortality and sinfulness. We then consider how much we need Jesus, which increases the anticipation of welcoming Jesus into our lives once again. In contrast to this dark season, our joy at Christmas is all the brighter.
God, through the prophet Zephaniah, offer us glimpses of a hopeful future and calls us to “Rejoice and exult with all our heart.” The prophet Isaiah reminds us of the ways God has delivered us, is delivering us, and will deliver us. Isaiah invites us to shout aloud and sing for joy because we shall “draw water with rejoicing, from the springs of salvation.”
This is the time during the season of Advent, for throwing parties! On this JOY Sunday we are invited to celebrate the gift that comes and the gift we are to and with one another. Let there be shouts of praise and hope. Let there be laughter and joy. But don’t let it be simply a superficial experience, a pretending that all is well when there are many for whom all is NOT well. But let there be a deep reservoir from which JOY can be drawn and tasted. We stive for the joy that sustains, the presence that abides, even in difficult moments and cloudy days.
But all of that is counter-cultural, not only during these days of little daylight, but especially as human nature takes over when conversation is being shared in a small group. Get any group of women together who have birthed children, and it does not take long for the horror stories of birthing or potty training to emerge, each one topping the other. Get a group of men together who have coached a children’s sports team, and the stories emerge about how hard it is to get the kids to focus on the game, and how long it takes the team to learn competitive strategies. Get a group of people together who have engaged in mission work, and the stories will be told about all of the snaffu’s that were encountered, that delayed the project, caused injury, or stumped every means of communication. And while some of the stories may be comical, they usually focus on the negative. And that negativity tends to grow with each ensuing tale.
On this day, Gaudete Sunday, we are reminded to tell the stories of JOY from our lives, our families, our church, and our community. Because the negative stories tend to be the norm, it may take a bit of extra concentration to come up with a story of joy to share. But I am convinced we can do it. WHY? Because that is God’s intention for us. That is why God sent the prophets, like Zephaniah, Isaiah, and John the Baptist. They speak to humanity in the midst of serious injustices, oppression, and fixation on the problems of life. John even calls his listeners a ”brood of vipers” ~ a nest of young snakes! All of these prophets convey God’s message that humanity needs to change their ways in order to escape from the negativity, and enhance one’s relationship with a saving God who desires for us to have persistent, transforming, sustaining JOY! Because Christmas isn’t about seasonal joy. It is about birthing that deep and abiding joy that is infused into our hearts and souls when we recognize the value of the gift of a Savior.
Most older teenagers or young adults go through a period of time when they cannot wait to leave home, to escape from parental control, get out of the town that is familiar, and venture out on a journey or education, or fulfilling one’s dream, or seeing the world. And typically it is not until that young person is on their own for a while that they begin to recognize the value of what they had “at home.” That is when a person begins to tell stories about HOME with a sense of appreciation and longing. These are the stories which convey the benefits of a Christmas tradition, the foundation of faith, the learning experienced, or the love that shaped one’s life and values. Those are the stories we should be seeking out on this and any other day.
Although John the Baptist began his message by calling the listeners a “brood of vipers,” those listeners must have understood the value of what John was trying to convey. Group after group then asked John, “What should we do?” And in reply, John offers to folks small and plausible acts of kindness that have the power to transform the giver and the recipient alike. If you have two coats, share with those who have none. If you have food aplenty, share it with the hungry. If you collect taxes or other debts, do so fairly and with integrity. Do not swindle or scam another. Rather, bear fruit as a model of what God can do with us, and for those in difficult situations. The examples could go on and on, but you get the idea. Put in positive terms:
- Care about people;
- Live generously;
- Live in community;
- Take responsibility for one another; and,
Bear the fruit of your faith.
Sing with Zephaniah, who desperately wants to go HOME with REJOICING to the home of God’s promise, the home of hope and the kin-dom of peace. This Christmas, let’s listen for the songs of the joy of home. Let’s catch a glimpse of what God’s home looks like. Let’s long to live in the pool of mercy and justice. And let’s feel the immeasurable and unconditional love of the One who came to save us. Amen.