The Third Sunday of Advent

Table of Content

• Matthew 11:25-30
• John the Baptist is the spiritual fulfillment of the prophecy that Elijah would return
• John’s disciples ask a question on behalf of John to Jesus
• Jesus responds
• The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls
• Herod’s revenge
• James Commentary on Patience

Opening Prayer:

God of hope,
you call us home from the exile of selfish oppression
to the freedom of justice,
the balm of healing,
and the joy of sharing.
Make us strong to join you in your holy work,
as friends of strangers and victims,
companions of those whom others shun,
and as the happiness of those whose hearts are broken.
We make our prayer through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Old Testament Readings:

Isaiah 35:1-10
Psalm 146:5-10

Old Testament Prayer & Response:

Brothers and sisters,
as we joyfully await the glorious coming of the Christ,
let us pray for the needs of the church, our community, and the world.

Response by the People:

God of joy and exultation,
you strengthen what is weak;
you enrich the poor
and give hope to those who live in fear.
Look upon our needs this day.
Make us grateful for the good news of salvation
and keep us faithful in your service
until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who lives for ever and ever. Amen.

Sermon Scripture: Matthew 11:2-11

A Special Relationship John the Baptist

Matthew 11 is a passage that many scholars consider the most difficult to understand. Jesus addresses a question from John the Baptist’s disciples to Jesus, and then responds to the disciples. In the story, Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a merchant searching for a fine pearl. His response to his disciples’ question is instructive.

John the Baptist is the spiritual fulfillment of the prophecy that Elijah would return

Though John the Baptist’s ministry was not a literal return of Elijah in the flesh, he was identified as a fulfillment of the prophecy in Matthew 11. The New Testament often contains a tension between ‘now’ and ‘not yet’, indicating that while Jesus is the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God, Elijah is still yet to come.

The ministry of John the Baptist was not about a resurrected Elijah, but rather the coming judgment on sinful humanity and a call for repentance. The baptism that John performed was an outward sign of repentance. John also confronted the Pharisees and Sadducees and asked them why they were fleeing the wrath to come. In short, John’s baptism came before the great and terrible day of judgment.

John’s disciples ask a question on behalf of John to Jesus

In Matthew 11, one of John’s disciples asks Jesus a question on behalf of John. The answer could have been a simple “yes” or a “no.” But Jesus answered John’s question with a series of miracles. Lepers were healed, the dead were raised, and good news was preached to the poor. John’s disciples reported these miracles to their Master and he told them to tell John what they saw.

The question John’s disciples ask on behalf of John to Jesus is a reflection of the people’s expectations for the Messianic era. Most of them expected to have the Gentile oppressors expelled and a kingdom of righteousness and peace established. Despite this, most people did not understand that Jesus would first die. It was not until after the resurrection and Pentecost that the disciples finally understood what Jesus wanted.

Jesus responds

The first section of Matthew’s gospel, Matthew 11:25 30, starts with Jesus’ prayer to His Father. He asks the Father to show Himself to any one He chooses. Jesus then offers rest for weary souls. The burden that weighs us down is light. In other words, Jesus is the Father in the flesh.

Jesus invites the tired to come to him and receive his life. The word weary in this verse means “wearied of doing work.” It also means “heavy laden”. Jesus wants us to hear the Good News and accept it. If we have been working and striving for too long, we are likely to become weary.

This statement is a warning that the Kingdom of Heaven is about to come in power. People will try to stop it. For instance, King Herod once imprisoned John the Baptist. The Kingdom of Heaven is coming, but many people will fight to get it.

The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls

The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant who sells all his belongings and tries to buy one fine pearl. He tries different methods to find a pearl and finally decides on a particular one. This pearl is worth a lot of money and the merchant has to sell everything to get it. This is the same way that the right seeker of salvation should conduct himself in relation to religion.

Jesus uses a parable to explain his teachings. In the first Parable, he talks about the merchant looking for a beautiful pearl. In the ancient world, divers would hunt for pearls, and the best ones were sold for huge sums of money. The value of these gems is staggering even today, and the pearls would be worth a lot more in a modern context.

Herod’s revenge

Herod’s revenge in Matthew 11 is an example of how paranoid a person can be. His paranoia led him to kill his wife, put his three sons to death on suspicion of treason, and drown his own mother-in-law. He also plotted to kill Jewish leaders and put to death all the male babies in a certain village. Although he remained a powerful man, he had no assurance of his own life.

The King James Version of Matthew 11 begins by saying that the man who killed John the Baptist was Herod’s most prominent enemy. Herod had put him in jail, and John the Baptist had been imprisoned for up to a year. John had protested Herod’s decision to divorce his own wife, but was caught in a legal bind. Herod then compelled John to be put in prison.

James Commentary on Patience

James instructs his readers to have patience. He describes patience as the ability to accept trouble, delay, and suffering. Patience does not mean that you should sit still; in fact, it is the inherent facet of loving action. In the context of the gospel, acting and waiting are not in opposition to one another, but complement each other.

James’ warning is a rebuke to rich, oppressive people. The rich are the ones who have the resources and people to protect their money. Those who are poor and oppressed must learn patience and stay patient, as the judgment will come. They should not boast in their possessions and have no ill will towards others.

James also counsels Christians to be patient. He reminds them of the judgment that will come at the end of time. Though times are tough, our faith in Jesus should be our motivation. While times are tough, we should remain united and continue to build community. Even though we may feel that times are tough, we should always keep our faith in the Second Coming doctrine and practice patience.

James’ third example of patience is Job. Job lost everything but refused to curse God. This attitude of faith and patience helped Job overcome all the obstacles in life and was rewarded with an abundant life. By embracing patience, a Christian can endure any situation and be content. The result is a perfect faith and godly living.

In the early days of Christianity, prophets were often persecuted. They preached God’s word to the people, and yet they were mocked by their fellow humans. As a result, the prophets had to persevere in their calling and message. The people were often too stubborn to listen.

The word “parousia” of Jesus’ gospel is often understood as Christ’s Second Coming. However, James used the word “parousia” in other contexts. He may have been telling his Christian brothers and sisters to be patient and wait for God’s vindication. The word parousia is also used in other places in the New Testament.

In the first century, Jews and Christians faced many persecutions, including evictions from their homes, control by powerful people, and weak government protection. Moreover, they faced common human suffering, such as physical illnesses, personal frustrations, and the reality of death. These challenges were very real and difficult for the early Christians.

During this difficult time, many Christians were martyred for preaching Christ. In fact, John the apostle was imprisoned on the island of Patmos for speaking the gospel. Yet, the apostles did not give up on the gospel, and continued to pray for their salvation. Ultimately, the Lord of the harvest was there, saving their souls in His own time.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

O God of Isaiah and John the Baptist,
through all such faithful ones
you proclaim the unfolding of future joy
and renewed life.
Strengthen our hearts to believe your advent promise
that one day we will walk in the holy way of Christ,
where sorrow and sighing will be no more
and the journey of God’s people will be joy. Amen.

 Alter Call

If my words today touched you. If you desire to invite God now or once again, into your heart ! I ask you to come forward, without fear or shame, during the singing of our final hymn. Together we will ask the father to restore your spirit. For Jesus Himself said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)