Sermon on Mark 1:1-8 and Isaiah 40:1-11
Given 06 and 08 December 2020 at St. Chad’s, Rubery
May the God of hope enliven us through the words of my mouth. Amen
Today is the Second Sunday of Advent, which is traditionally the day we light the Advent Candle representing peace. But when I began writing my sermon for today, I based it on hope. I could say that I did this on purpose, because right now a bit more hope in the world is something we could all cling to. To be honest though, I simply got my Advent Sundays mixed up and I didn’t realise it until rather late in the day. In any case, I decided that right now we can’t get enough of it, so on this Second Sunday of Advent, I’m going to speak about hope.
Hope can be difficult to reflect on during a global pandemic. At this point in time all the typical stresses and worries of life become compounded because we carry not only the burden of our own lives, but also the burdens of those around us and worldwide. But I do hope the words of this reflection will bring you peace if you are experiencing distress, but challenge if you are experiencing plenty.
The Gospel reading introduces us to John the Baptist, who it is said was sent to prepare the way for Jesus. Preparation and hope work well together, because the definition of hope is the expectation of a desired event. We prepare because we expect Jesus to come again. We prepare because we expect a new heaven and a new earth.
Hope is not an empty wish. We find hope in the words of Isaiah – ‘Comfort, O Comfort my people.’ There is hope in the message brought by John the Baptist in his proclamation of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The refugees fleeing persecution, the children with rumbling tummies, the marginalised protesting injustices all have hope. Hope is about promise, it’s about a future. Our preparations through Advent, and through our lives as Christians, are not about an insurmountable goal that we may or may not achieve. We have hope because of the knowledge that a new day will come. This is not a maybe or a perhaps. This is a certainty.
Now this doesn’t mean there is no challenge in hope. There can still be pain, confusion, or disenchantment in the waiting. There is also struggle, disappointment, despair, and loneliness. The path we are meant to prepare is not an easy one. Isaiah describes that there are deserts needing straight highways, valleys to be lifted, mountains made low, and rough places that are to be made plain. But these challenges are not in vain. Each stumbling block is a step closer to the Kingdom of God, because Jesus promised us in the Sermon on the Mount ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness.’
Former Archbishop Michael Ramsey once said, ‘the duty of the church is to comfort the disturbed and to disturb the comfortable,’ so it is my hope that I am able to do just that with these words. The comfort for those who are weary and in desperate need is that you are not alone. You have a family through Christ who will give sustenance to ease your burdens. There is never a reason to be without food, clothes, shelter, or companionship. And this is the challenge for those of you who have more. It is your responsibility to support your brothers and sisters in Christ. And although we are all weathering the same storm, we do not all enjoy the same boat. There are some of us in dinghies with our heads just above the treacherous seas, and others who are coasting by in ease. This is a difficult time for everyone around the world, but for those who can do more, we must do more. We are called to do more, for we are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. Each one of us individually can make a world of difference, because even in the most consuming darkness, a single candle can light a path.
At this time of preparation, we prepare for the way of the Lord by doing his will. When we pray ‘thy Kingdom come’ we do so with the intention of making the kingdom of God here on earth right now. Of course you can’t feed hope to a starving child, but hope is made tangible in our actions. It is because of hope that we do feed the hungry, clothe the naked, give shelter to the homeless, and visit the lonely. Through hope we create a world where we give voice to the oppressed and empower the vulnerable. Now more than ever, we must be the representatives of Christ, bringing to all people the Good News. Now more than ever, we must bring hope.
So go, prepare the way. Make straight paths, lift valleys, and flatten mountains. Give hope to the hopeless, give peace to the troubled, give love to the hurting, and give joy to those in despair. Let us embody the spirit of the Gospel brought to us by Christ Jesus. As we wait in this Advent season, let us show hope is an expectation, not a wish. Go, bring the love of God to a world waiting in hope for a new day to come. Amen
Reflections of a Christian 