Diocese of East Tennessee: Weekly Lectionary
Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee
Home  ·  
Parishes  ·  Calendar

December 17, 2006
Third Sunday of Advent – C


Book of Common Prayer Lectionary
Zephaniah 3:14-20
Psalm 85
Philippians 4:4-7 (8-9)
Luke 3:7-18


Revised Common Lectionary
Zephaniah 3:14-20
Isaiah 12:2-6 (Psalmody)
Philippians 4:4-7
Luke 3:7-18

 

Reflection and Response
Prayer Starter
 

Today’s readings celebrate God’s promise of freedom, forgiveness and healing. The prophet Zephaniah assures God’s people of approaching victory and gladness. Joy is the keyword in today’s reading from Philippians, as Paul urges his readers to rest fully in God and know God’s deep, abiding peace. John the Baptist announces the imminent arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, who will bring forgiveness, cleansing and the power of the Holy Spirit.  

First Reading: Zephaniah 3:14-20
Zephaniah’s ministry took place during the reign of Josiah (640-609 B.C.) before the fall of Jerusalem and the exile to Babylon. Zephaniah’s book foretells the coming “day of the Lord,” the reckoning day when God first judges the unfaithful and then rewards the faithful.

Today’s passage, like many other prophetic messages, concludes Zephaniah’s message on a note of comfort and jubilant hope. It presents a picture of the salvation of the people and the ultimate restoration of Jerusalem after God’s judgement has been carried out. The promise in verse 17 encapsulates the revelation to God’s people. Power and tenderness unite in God’s relationship with humanity to produce final victory and great joy.
Zephaniah 3:14-20
Sing aloud, O daughter Zion;
shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
O daughter Jerusalem!
The LORD has taken away the judgments against you,
he has turned away your enemies.
The king of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst;
you shall fear disaster no more.
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Do not fear, O Zion;
do not let your hands grow weak.
The LORD, your God, is in your midst,
a warrior who gives victory;
he will rejoice over you with gladness,
he will renew you in his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing
as on a day of festival.
I will remove disaster from you,
so that you will not bear reproach for it.
I will deal with all your oppressors at that time.
And I will save the lame and gather the outcast,
and I will change their shame
into praise and renown in all the earth.
At that time I will bring you home,
at the time when I gather you;
for I will make you renowned and praised
among all the peoples of the earth,
when I restore your fortunes
before your eyes, says the LORD.
 

Psalm: Psalm 85 (BCP)
This national lament gives thanks for God’s past favors (vv. 1-3), and asks for God’s continued help (vv. 4-7). God’s answer comes (vv. 8-13), perhaps as an oracle uttered by a temple prophet or priest.
Psalm 85
LORD, you were favorable to your land;
you restored the fortunes of Jacob.

You forgave the iniquity of your people;
you pardoned all their sin.

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,
so 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 faithful,
to those who turn to him in their hearts.

Surely his salvation is at hand
for those who fear him,
that his glory may dwell in our land.

Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet;
righteousness and peace will kiss each other.

Faithfulness will spring up from the ground,
and righteousness will look down from the sky.
The LORD will give what is good,
and our land will yield its increase.

Righteousness will go before him,
and will make a path for his steps.
 

Psalmody: Isaiah 12:2-6 (RCL)
This canticle combines two short hymns: Isaiah 12:1-2 and 12:3-6. They both present “the day of the Lord” as a new exodus, echoing the song of Moses in Exodus 15:1-2. The first song, similar to Psalm 116, describes deliverance. The second is a song of thanksgiving, perhaps referring to the miraculous gift of water during the Israelites’ desert wanderings (Exodus 15:25-27; 17:1-7).

God’s provision for the people’s thirst symbolized the divine provision for their spiritual thirst. The people will rejoice at the presence of the transcendent Holy One in their midst. These two psalms serve as the climax to the prophecies in chapters 7–11. After the divine judgment, God’s final word is one of consolation and joy.

Isaiah 12:2-6
Surely God is my salvation;
I will trust, and will not be afraid,
for the LORD GOD is my strength and my might;
he has become my salvation.

With joy you will draw water
from the wells of salvation.

And you will say in that day:
Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;
make known his deeds among the nations;
proclaim that his name is exalted.

Sing praises to the LORD,
for he has done gloriously;
let this be known in all the earth.

Shout aloud and sing for joy, O royal Zion,
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
 

Second Reading: Philippians 4:4-7 (8-9)
Paul encourages the Philippians to recognize and establish joy as the atmosphere of their life. Their participation in the past sufferings of Christ and in his present lordship, and their anticipation of his glorious return in the future are the context for their life together now. This joyful lifestyle means that they can be gracious, unselfish, free from anxiety, bold in prayer and thankful as they make their needs known to God. Then peace beyond understanding, peace in the midst of trial, will be theirs.

Finally, Paul offers a list of commonly recognized Greek virtues as a guide, for whatever is good in human life is incorporated into life in Christ. He also offers himself as a model for imitation and a guide for the Philippians’ behavior.
Philippians 4:4-7 (8-9)
Rejoice in the Lord always;
again I will say, Rejoice.
Let your gentleness be known to everyone.
The Lord is near.
Do not worry about anything,
but in everything by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God,
which surpasses all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, beloved,
whatever is true,
whatever is honorable,
whatever is just,
whatever is pure,
whatever is pleasing,
whatever is commendable,
if there is any excellence
and if there is anything worthy of praise,
think about these things.
Keep on doing the things
that you have learned and received
and heard and seen in me,
and the God of peace will be with you.
 

Gospel: Luke 3:7-18
In this section, John the Baptist preaches the good news of forgiveness and of the coming of a new relationship with God. John’s baptism is a symbolic and prophetic act, the outward sign of a changed inner self. But he makes clear that repentance or changing one’s life has many practical implications. Those who have are to share with those who have not; tax collectors are to cease their extortion (19:8); and soldiers are to cease brutality and blackmail.

The mightier one who is coming, identified with the Messiah, will baptize “with the Holy Spirit and fire,” two images that are often associated with God’s power and judgment (12:49). John’s image is of a baptism of judgment (3:9, 17) rather than one that is purgative and salvific. The conjunction of Holy Spirit and fire may also be a reference to Pentecost. John preaches the good news of forgiveness and of the coming of a new relationship with God.
Luke 3:7-18
John said to the crowds
that came out to be baptized by him,
“You brood of vipers!
Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Bear fruits worthy of repentance.
Do not begin to say to yourselves,
‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’;
for I tell you, God is able from these stones
to raise up children to Abraham.
Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees;
every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit
is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
And the crowds asked him,
“What then should we do?”
In reply he said to them,
“Whoever has two coats
must share with anyone who has none;
and whoever has food must do likewise.”
Even tax collectors came to be baptized,
and they asked him,
“Teacher, what should we do?”
He said to them,
“Collect no more
than the amount prescribed for you.”
Soldiers also asked him,
“And we, what should we do?”
He said to them,
“Do not extort money from anyone
by threats or false accusation,
and be satisfied with your wages.”
As the people were filled with expectation,
and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John,
whether he might be the Messiah,
John answered all of them by saying,
“I baptize you with water;
but one who is more powerful than I is coming;
I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing fork is in his hand,
to clear his threshing floor
and to gather the wheat into his granary;
but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
So, with many other exhortations,
he proclaimed the good news to the people.
 

Reflection and Response
In a story of Mark Twain’s, the Mississippi River shifted one night, cutting through a narrow neck of land. An African-American man who went to bed a slave in Missouri woke up to find himself east of the river, in Illinois. He was free! We could say he had been “pardoned” from his sentence of slavery. He had found peace in his new surroundings. He had been promoted to a new life. Today’s gospel, too, is about being pardoned, being at peace and being promoted.

John the Baptist comes among God’s people, summoning them to be baptized. His baptism brings people forgiveness of their sins. John counsels the newly baptized to turn from the strife of their old lives to the peace of new ways.

But John warns that the power to live a truly new life is yet to come. God’s people will only experience this promotion when God’s Messiah comes among them, bringing a new baptism—baptism with God’s Holy Spirit.

Advent is a time of looking back and looking forward. We look back to the first coming of the Messiah and praise his gift of the Holy Spirit. We look forward to Jesus’ coming again and pray for obedient hearts to hasten the day of that coming.

We look back at our old lives and rejoice that, through baptism, God promoted us to live truly new lives. And we are so glad that Old Man River shifted—and we have been set free.
Quietly consider:
How, today, can I celebrate my freedom in Christ?

Prayer Starter
O God, call me from anxiety to trust and rejoice in you...

 

©Copyright 2006 Living The Good News

 



The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee
The Right Reverend Charles G. vonRosenberg, Bishop
814 Episcopal School Way · Knoxville TN 37932 · Phone:  865.966.2110 · Fax:  865.966.2535

Web Editor: editor@etdiocese.net


The URL for this page is:  http://www.etdiocese.net

http://www.preparingforsunday.com/scripts/getLectionary.asp?imemberid=2042