Fr. Philip Sang: Prepare the Way for the Lord: Make Straight His Paths

Sermon delivered on Advent 2B, Sunday, December 10, 2017, at St. Augustine’s Anglican Church, Westerville, OH.

If you prefer to listen to the audio podcast of today’s sermon, click here.

Lectionary texts: Isaiah 40.1-11; Psalm 85.1-2, 8-13; 2 Peter 3.8-15a; Mark 1.1-8.

Prepare the way of the Lord make straight His paths in the name of God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit Amen.

Advent is a season of expectation and preparation, as the church prepares to celebrate the coming (adventus) of christ in his incarnation, and also looks ahead to his final advent as judge at the end of time. We note that the readings and liturgies not only directs us towards christ’s birth, they also challenge the modern reluctance to confront the theme of divine judgement.

Last week Fr. Kevin reminded us that the four last things – Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell- have been traditional themes for Advent meditation.

Advent means “coming.” I don’t need to tell good Anglicans that. This is a season of waiting, of expectation, for Christ’s coming on Christmas Day. So with the whole church, we wait: lighting candles, singing coming of the Lord songs, counting down each Sunday until, with Christmas joy, we celebrate God’s incarnation. Waiting, faithfully, for Christ’s coming at Christmas.

But there’s another side to Christ’s coming, one that, generally speaking, us mainline Christians get a bit nervous to discuss. This reason gives some of us hope to get out of bed each morning, and for others, it’s the farthest thing from our minds, a scary and strange idea that we just rather not consider.

Advent means “coming” in another way: Christ’s “second coming.” Christ’s return. Today’s lection is all about Christ’s coming again, Peter calls it “The day of the Lord” , but that day isn’t December 25th at all. It’s that other day, the timing of it is rather fuzzy, after all “with the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day” but it’s that day, that second-coming-day, about which Peter is concerned.

I’ve heard a story told about one New Testament scholar who every day would wake up, stretch, and walk to the window of his bedroom and open the blinds. Then he’d pray the same prayer every morning. Short, succinct, longing. Every morning he’d pray: “Is it today Lord? Is it today?”

These are not new questions, they are the questions Peter’s community were struggling with when he wrote 2 Peter. It was then several generations after Jesus’ death, and the people were met with the hard truth: Jesus had not yet returned.

Their opponents said the delay was proof that he would not come. The doubters cemented their stances against the Christ-followers. And, like you and I might be, Peter’s community was worried. They found themselves asking, “Is he ever going to get here?”

Waiting is hard. Anyone who has checked the mail anxiously expecting an admissions letter or very important mail knows that waiting is hard. Anyone who has kept vigil beside a hospital bed, crying and worried, holding a loved-one’s hand knows that waiting is hard.

Peter gets it too, waiting is hard. Perhaps he was persecuted for his beliefs like other Christians of his day. Perhaps he had struggles along the way, but he knows his Bible and echoes Amos and Joel and Isaiah: “The day of the Lord will come.”

The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness” Peter writes, “but is patient with you, not wanting any one of you to perish, but all to come to repentance.”

Peter writes But the day of the Lord will come, like a thief in the night . And then he says the heavens will pass away with a bang, and the elements will be dissolved by fire, and all that is done on the earth will be disclosed. One translation puts it: “Then the earth and everything on it will be seen for what they are.”

Advent is a time of grace to remind us that Jesus is the reason for the season. We heard the beginning of today’s Gospel reminding us of the prophecy of Isaiah fulfilled in John the Baptist, Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. A voice of one crying out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.’ (Mark 1:2-3) The season of Advent therefore being the time of waiting and anticipating Christ’s coming is like John the Baptist now, crying out to us to prepare. ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.’ (Mark 1:3) The Church longs for the Second Coming of Jesus because it will be Christ’s victory over all evil and Christ’s triumph in the world.

In the Eucharistic Acclamations we profess our faith in Jesus’ Second Coming: Great is the mystery of faith:

Christ has died Christ is risen Christ will come again

When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim your death, Lord Jesus, until you come in glory.

In the Creed which we profess every Sunday too we also proclaim: “He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.”

Advent every year encourages us to reflect on the Second Coming of Jesus and to long for it because then Christ will triumph and all evil will be destroyed and God’s plans will finally be accomplished. As I said earlier like the church of Peter’s day we have been waiting two thousand years for Jesus’ Second Coming but Peter reminds us that for God that is only like a day because time for us is very different to time in eternity, “with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day” (2 Pet 3:8) This time of waiting for Jesus to come again, this Advent of two thousand years already, is a time of grace for us so that we can prepare our hearts and do what we can to bring about God’s kingdom. As I pointed earlier Peter reminds us that this extended time, this long Advent, before Jesus comes again has been given to us because God is patient, “not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Pet 3:9) If this is the case what is to be our attitude as we wait? The gospel says prepare the way. Peter advices us to be “conducting ourselves in holiness and devotion, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God” (2 Pet 3:11-12) And the reading concluded, Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive, in other words be eager, to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish (2 Pet 3:14)

My Brothers and sisters in Christ, during this Advent let us prepare our hearts for Christ by turning away from sin and evil and giving ourselves completely to God so that when Christ comes, or when we are called from this life, we are ready and prepared.

‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.’ (Mark 1:3)

In the name of God the father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit Amen.