ADVENT II
December 4, 2022
“From the Ancient to the Present”
Every Sunday, we read and hear lessons from the Old and New Testaments. The history, the prophecies, and remarkable accounts of God interacting with the Hebrew people abound in the Old Testament. The Psalms are poetic, filled with comfort, assurance, and praise and thanks to God for the beauty of creation. The New Testament starts with four Gospels, accounts of Jesus’ birth, his ministry, his sacrificial death, and the miracle of his resurrection. This is where we learn what he taught, of his compassion and understanding, and how he cared for and listened to people. The Letters of the early Apostles, as they went about establishing churches, supporting, encouraging and educating the early believers, are filled with inspirational messages for individuals and congregations still today.
During these four Sundays of Advent, the Old Testament readings are from the book of Isaiah, and the beautiful, prophetic words are incorporated into our worship. Historically, the book covers about 200 years and was written by several individuals, but includes consistent messages and themes. We might question the relevance of such long-ago accounts and find it easy to dismiss them as old and dated, but that’s a superficial approach. The fears, the conflicts, the grief and sorrow of people around the world and throughout history have barely changed. Wars, violence, hatred, and cruelty have been part of the human condition for millennia. What difference is there between the suffering inflicted on people with high-powered rockets and nuclear weapons or by armies descending with swords and spears?
The overall message is powerful and timely, as we hear the full range of the prophetic message — both frightening words of judgment and comforting words of promise. A key theme shines through: God has a plan or purpose that makes history more than a series of random events. The judgment serves its purpose, we learn, and, having done its cleansing work, God can now bring comfort to his people.
The authors of the New Testament quote Isaiah more than any other prophet, particularly the passages that proclaim the promise of the coming messiah, who is God’s faithful servant. The fulfillment of the promise, Christ’s ministry of care for all and his message of forgiveness and salvation, beautifully connect with the prophecies of ancient times.
This week’s texts are connected by their references to Jesse (a branch, a shoot, a root) who was the ancestor of the great King David, ancestor of Jesus’ earthly father, Joseph. There are lessons to be learned and understanding to be gained as we take time to reflect on the timelessness of God’s love, sent to all people in the person of his Son, Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah. He is the embodiment of the hope and comfort desperately needed in the world, yesterday, today, and always.
Filled with hope and awe,
Your friend in Christ,
Mary Rogers