The Third Sunday in Advent
The Collect.
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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.
A glance at this prayer shows that the author (probably it was Cosin, Bishop of Durham; at all events his name stood at the head of the Commission appointed to revise the Book of Common Prayer 1662) followed as his model rather the Collects framed at the Reformation in 1549 than those of the early Office books. 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.
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OW Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.
58 And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her. 59 And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. 60 And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John. 61 And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. 62 And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. 63 And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all. 64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God. 65 And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea. 66 And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him. 67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, 68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, 69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; 70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: 71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; 72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; 73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, 74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, 75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. 76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; 77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, 78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, 79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. 80 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel. (Luke 1:57-80)
This is the Season of Promised Coming of Christ as a baby in a tiny little town in Judea called Bethlehem.
But His way had been prepared from before the foundations of the world:
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HO verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. (1 Peter 1:20-21)
The Gospels reveal in detail the events preceding His birth beginning in Luke 1:5-18 This is the account given of Zacharias, a priest whose wife was Elizabeth. Both were righteous before the Lord.
Elizabeth was barren, and both were in advanced age much like Sarah before the birth of Isaac. But an Angel of the Lord, GABRIEL, appeared to Zacharias as He administered his office in the Temple of burning incense at the altar.
Let us review the Gospel text for 2nd Advent beginning at Verse 8 -
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ND it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course, 9 According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense 11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. 14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. 15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. 16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. 18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. (Not proper to question a great Angel from God.) 19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. 20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.
From that moment, Zacharias could no longer speak a word until his son John would be born.
We read that John was born as prophesied and brought to the Temple to be circumcised. The ministers at the Temple desired to name the child Zacharias after his father, but that was noit consistent with the word of the Lord spoken by Gabriel. His name was to be JOHN.
THIS CHILD IS THE SAME JOHN THE BAPTIST THAT PREPARED THE WAY OF THE LORD…aren’t we all a voice crying in the wilderness who love the Lord? The whole world despises the name of Christ.
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N those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4 And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, 6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. (Matthew 3:1)
Lessons Learned:
1. God ordains and sets in order all things for those who believe and are the called according to His purpose. He also has a plan set in solid rock for you.
Do not disappoint.
2. The workings of God transcend earthly considerations…politics, social habits, natural laws, and the strivings of the ArchEnemy of the Soul of Man – Satan.
3. Do not question God when he tells you a great thing. God sent the Mighty Angel Gabriel, to Zaccharias; Zaccharias questioned the message.
If a message is contrary to Scripture and the Prophets, we should also question it, but this message was a sure fulfillment of prophecy. This same Great Angel came to the young girl, Mary: and most likely the same to lead the Heavenly Host to the skies over the Shepherds of Bethlehem.
4. God has endowed you with wonderful bodies – health, a good tongue to speak, good ears to hear Him, and feet to carry you into all the places He would have you go. He has blessed you with a Heart that is open to the Lord, a Mind that is able to learn all these things and to know them to be true. Anyone doubt?
Please take on your responsibility as a Christian who loves the Lord and those whom He has Created for a purpose. Be a John the Baptist (or Anglican!), go into the Wilderness of sin of this world and proclaim the Gospel. If no one listens, that is OK – you have done your part. The rest is left to the efficacious workings of the Holy Spirit. AMEN!
