This is part of the worship series,
"Six Biblical Characters, Six Traditions of Faith”
Series Introduction
Advent 1 | Advent 2 | Advent 3 | Advent 4
Christmas Eve/Day | Christmas 1
Third Sunday of advent
The Social Justice Stream: John the Baptist
Reading for the Lighting of the Advent Candle
The Advent wreath is a circle with no beginning and no end. It is a symbol of God’s unending love and faithfulness.
Isaiah the prophet calls us to prepare for the coming of Jesus by making straight all that is crooked:
“A voice cries out: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.’” (Isaiah 40:3)
“Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” (Isaiah 40:5)
Let us prepare the way for Jesus, the Christ, who is anointed by God “to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners.” (Isaiah 61:1)
“For as a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.” (Isaiah 61:11)
All Sing: “O Come, O Come, Immanuel” (st. 7) Helmore
Scripture
Isaiah 61:1–4, 8–11
Song setting of Psalm 126: “When God First Brought Us Back from Exile” Daw, Jr.
1 Thessalonians 5:16–24
Sermon Text: Luke 3:1–20
Sermon-Building Ideas
While the contemplative and holiness traditions focus inward primarily, cultivating a prayer-filled and virtuous life, the social justice tradition compels us to look beyond ourselves to a world that aches for redemption and release. Many of us tend to live such sheltered lives that we fail to see the reality of human existence in the world at large. According to data from 2023, if the entire world’s population were reduced to a village of 100 people, this is what life in that village would be like:
- 60 inhabitants would be Asian, 9 European, 13 from the Americas, and 18 African
-69 non-Christian, 31 Christian
-13 would be illiterate, 87 literate
-40 would suffer from malnutrition
-22 would live in sub-standard housing
-39 would have a college or university degree
-66 would be internet users.
-8 people would have no clean, safe water to drink
While these statistics have improved in most categories of physical well-being since the original 1990 study, there is still significant need to bring the witness of the gospel to the world around us. As Foster writes, we practice the social justice tradition when “we feed the hungry. We help the helpless. We reach out to the orphan, the widow, the weak, the shoved aside” (Streams, p. 174). The preaching of John the Baptist confirms the importance of living the compassionate life—repenting of injustice and oppression and working to achieve the shalom of God’s kingdom here on earth. That’s particularly appropriate to remember during this Advent season, when we give expression to our hope for the return of Jesus. When Jesus comes back he will bring his kingdom to earth completely. Whatever sin has made crooked, Jesus’ justice will make permanently straight once more.
Prayer
Here is a gaping sore, Lord: half the world diets, the other half hungers; half the world is housed, the other half homeless; half the world pursues profit, the other half senses loss. Redeem our souls, redeem our peoples, redeem our times. Amen.
—John Bell from The Complete Book of Christian Prayer, p. 151.
This prayer was written by John Bell (b. 1949), Scottish-born musician and ordained minister in the Church of Scotland. A prolific musician and hymn writer, Bell is a music leader of the Iona Community in Scotland who is much sought as a speaker and workshop leader.
Song Suggestions
“On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry” Coffin and Woodward
“Let Me Be Your Servant, Jesus” Helms
“Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us with Your Love" Colvin
“Toda la tierra/All Earth Is Waiting” Vaquero
“God of Justice Ever Flowing” Moore
“When a Prophet Sings of Justice” Core
Revised Common Lectionary
Year B: Advent—Third Sunday of Advent
Year C: Advent—Second Sunday of Advent
Year C: Advent—Third Sunday of Advent
