3rd Advent Sermon Notes for 14 December 2025, the Anglican Orthodox Communion
The Collect.
O LORD Jesus Christ, who at thy first coming didst send thy messenger to prepare thy way before thee; Grant that the ministers and stewards of thy mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready thy way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at thy second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in thy sight, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit ever, one God, world without end. Amen.
This Collect, like those of the Reformation, is longer and fuller than the earlier ones; unity of idea is not so much studied in it; but this particular Collect cites the words of Holy Scripture, instead of making covert allusions to it. It reminds us of the biblical theme of this Advent at the preaching of John and the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Also, appeal is made to fulfillment of prophecy being enacted at the very occasion. The Triune God is invoked as a seal to the Prayer of Collect.
The Prayer opens with reference to John the Baptist – the first to greet the Lord while both He, and the Lord, were in the mother’s womb. John is the long prophesied Preparer of the Way of the Lord. His mission and purpose make him equal to, or greater than, all other prophets. The purpose of the minister is to reveal the mysteries of the Holy Bile insofar as the hearers are able to bear them. He not only defends the Word, but propagates it as well. In that sense, our mission as ministers is quite similar to that of John the Baptist. The Word must be presented in its fundamental simplicity in order to make the Word palatable whose hearts are conditioned to belief by the Holy Spirit.
There is only one way we may “found acceptable” to the Lord at His Coming – through the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ for we have none of our own.
His messengers of today are those who have been called and chosen in Christ.
In our Epistle from 1 Corinthians 4, Paul is proclaiming the duty and responsibility imparted to those in the ministerial offices. The responsibility is two-fold - first in relation to Christ who calls us; and secondly to our fellow Christians and the grave responsibility we observe in our dealings with others of the faith.
Our relationship to Christ as His ministers is not one of rulership, but rather as servants of the Most High God. Political concerns are not our purpose, but rather to preach and teach the undiluted truth of the Gospel in obedience to our Lord’s command. We are responsible to God alone for our calling and function. The minister is not merely a minister to the local congregation, but to Christ and His Gospel. The minister must courageousl combat any compromise that may be advocated to satisfy ‘itching ears.’ The minister’s calling is not from the Church but from God. It is the responsibility of the Church to recognize the validity of that calling by way of examination of the candidate for ministry’s character and faith.
The forgiveness of sin, the Gospel which they preach, the sacraments they are called to administer are effective only by the commission of Christ and His authority. Whatever good works that are performed by the minister, or any Christian layperson, is not his own, but the works of Christ working in and through him. The faults of the minister do not belong to God but to the minister or professor alone.
The overriding responsibility of the clergy is to prepare the hearts and minds of the people for the Advent of Christ, and to be ever ready to defend the Gospel truth against false doctrine.
Faithfulness to the Gospel is the foundation pillar of the minister as well as of the lay Christian. “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” All these qualities are not limited to the called ministry, but to every practicing Christian alike.
Though a sound conscience is a valuable tool for the believer, conscience alone is not the main concern, but faithful to Christ and His Holy Word overrules every other consideration. “Let God be true, and every man a liar.” Though the conscience of some may be deceived to believe a lie, God’s Word is always true and the final arbiter thereof. When we opt to believe any doctrine contrary to Scripture, the Lord may send a great delusion such as we see in the wealth, health, and arrogance of many modern churches today.
Our Gospel text from Matthew 11 declares whom we must look upon as our Master - the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a great comfort and satisfaction to know that our Master is Christ and not any man. The Person of Christ as Lord and Master was proven by His own deeds of miraculous healing and righteous living. If we are His kin in the Spirit, our actions and behaviors must reflect that same quality of character - the child will resemble in the parent in both appearance and conduct.
If we quit ourselves as true servants and disciples of Christ, the Lord will praise us for our faithful service. Our failures He will gently correct. Our self-denial will be a source of praise from our Lord. He not only denied Himself of rest, of possessions, of unjustified slanders, but even, at the last, His own life-blood for our redemption.
Questioning the basis of our faith is a natural human trait. It is good that we, at times, question what we believe so that we resort to Holy Scripture to reconfirm truth and doctrinal faith. John the Baptist himself began, as he was imprisoned, to question if Christ was the promised Messiah; and was reassured by the Word and testimony of Christ. In difficult straits, we may reflect on the cause of our misfortune, but we should always be given assurance by faith in God’s Word. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15
The “fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,” but it is not the end thereof. We at first fear the Lord for His justice and our infirmities; but, then, when we have come to the Throne of Grace and Mercy, that fear becomes less than a mortal fear but rather a fear of disappointing the One who died for us. Consider the misery of poor Peter outside the courtyard of the High Priest at the phony trial of Christ. He denied the Lord Jesus Christ three times ere the cock crew. Remember this passage from Luke 22: “56 But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him. 57 And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not. 58 And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not. 59 And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean. 60 And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew. 61 And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. 62 And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.”
May the Lord spare us that misery that Peter felt in denying the One who loved him above all others. Peter wept bitterly for he feared he had sinned greatly in his denial. He went out and wept bitterly for three days until the Angel at the open tomb sent the women to tell the disciples, and Peter (by name!) that Jesus had risen. Peter was the only disciple the Angel mentioned by name for the Lord knew and understood the miserable guilt Peter was feeling for his denial.
Lord bless us with the courage and faith to never deny you by thought, action, or tongue.
In the Name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. AMEN
