2nd Sunday of Advent, Dec. 7th, 2025
The lessons for this Sunday from the lectionary are Isaiah 11:1-10, Romans 15:4-13 and Matthew 3:1-12.
On the second Sunday of Advent each year, John the Baptist shows up in the lectionary reading, proclaiming “the Kingdom of God is Near.” Calling the people to repent, change their ways in other words, set their lives right, in order to be ready for the one who was to come. The people of Judea and all the surrounding area go out to the wilderness to where John is to be baptised by him; they make way for it, by showing the intention of making change in their lives. And so in Advent, as we make our way to Christmas, we are reminded by John of our own need for repentance, what is it that we need to clear out of our lives, get rid of, change, in order to be not only ready to celebrate Christ’s coming on Christmas, but that gives him a permanent place in our lives, as well as makes us ready for the day when he will come again. Not all people who went out to John at the Jordan, went for the same reasons of course, while many of them went to hear John; others just went along as such, some of them believed and some of them didn’t, and in the crowds also were the Pharisees and the sadduccess, coming to be baptized it says, and John you might say signals them out: “you brood of vipers, who told you to flee from the wrath that is to come, bear fruit worthy of repentance.” John doesn’t mince words but tells it like it is, that they too needed to repent for the wrongs they were doing; coming from the ancestral line of Abraham, they thought themselves as being righteous, they didn’t however bear fruit worthy for the kingdom as they should, instead they lived for themselves, and John was saying they too needed to change their ways.
John’s message in Advent reminds us too, that we need to look at our own fruitfulness, are we bearing fruit that will aid God’s kingdom growth in the world, or might we too be often centered on self, rather then helping sow seeds that will give God’s hope, his peace in our world today.
In the reading from Isaish, the prophet speaking to the people of his day, in a time when Judah was in shambles, gives a message of encouragement and hope; “a shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse, and a branch will grow from its roots.” Even from that which was cut down, good can come forth, new life will come again.” And so we too looking to the words of the prophet, are to be a people of hope in our day, giving the encouragement needed in our time, so that those who are struggling, will know God’s presence to restore, make new again. Isaish paints a picture of peace like never before known for his people, “The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den. They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain;” It’s an image of hope and peace for our own time, where differences don’t matter, the weak and the strong will get along, the vulnerable will feel secure, and all will live together in Peace and Harmony; It’s a vision of what God’s kingdom reign will look like, and one we are all to work toward, living in peaceful relations with all in our world today, caring for the weak and the vulnerable amongst us, being loving and accepting of all.
And so Advent too, calls us to be a people of peace, living in a way that makes way for God’s Kingdom reign in our world.
Lord God, help us realize through these days of Advent all that we need to clear out of our lives that we might bear more fruit for Christ in our world, help us to live in peaceful ways, extending the hand of peace and grace to all, that God’s bond of peace be strengthen amongst all people. Amen.
Ministry Musings 