Sunday Stretch: Vol. 106, Advent III

Start off your week with a grounded take on Bible, prayer, the world, and your life ...

Hi Readers,

It’s the third week of Advent. This week’s word is JOY. And as I read the texts for this week, I’m struck by the ways they reorder the season for us: especially the second reading from Philippians. Because that reading suggests that maybe Joy comes before Peace.

I don’t know about you, but I tend to think it works the other way around. That if I can just find some peace, then maybe I will be joyful. But maybe the other way around really makes more sense. Maybe I need to give myself permission to experience joy first, even if things don’t seem peaceful. Maybe then I experience the peace that passes all understanding.

Here’s hoping. Let’s find that joy: in the world, in one another, in the child who is born to us anew this Christmas. (ICYMI, here’s what I wrote for the Advent Week of Joy a couple of years ago - s/o to a fun memory with Jake on his third Christmas …)

Let’s get to the texts!

Bible Stories

Zephaniah 3:14-20

Zeph. 3:14 Sing aloud, O daughter Zion;

shout, O Israel!

Rejoice and exult with all your heart,

O daughter Jerusalem!

¹⁵ The LORD has taken away the judgments against you,

he has turned away your enemies.

The king of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst;

you shall fear disaster no more.

¹⁶ On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:

Do not fear, O Zion;

do not let your hands grow weak.

¹⁷ The LORD, your God, is in your midst,

a warrior who gives victory;

he will rejoice over you with gladness,

he will renew you^a in his love;

he will exult over you with loud singing

¹⁸ as on a day of festival.^a

I will remove disaster from you,^b

so that you will not bear reproach for it.

¹⁹ I will deal with all your oppressors

at that time.

And I will save the lame

and gather the outcast,

and I will change their shame into praise

and renown in all the earth.

²⁰ At that time I will bring you home,

at the time when I gather you;

for I will make you renowned and praised

among all the peoples of the earth,

when I restore your fortunes

before your eyes, says the LORD.

When I think about joy, I think about the gift of knowing that you aren’t alone. There’s such a joyfulness to knowing that you are loved, supported, and understood. I see that gift throughout this text, God’s promise through the apocalyptic prophet Zephaniah:

The king of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst;

you shall fear disaster no more.

Thank God!

Questions to Ponder

What other reasons for joy do you see in this text?

Read again verse 15. Do you see God’s promise of mercy? How might mercy be connected to joy?

Think about the image of a warrior who is rejoicing. How might this change our understanding of what kind of warrior God is?

Philippians 4:4-7

Phil. 4:4 Rejoice^a in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.^{b 5} Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus

This is the short but powerful passage I referenced in the intro to this post. It packs a powerful and subversive punch, not just about how joy might come before peace, but also with words about how worrying might be transformed by fear. I think sometimes we misread this text as an admonition against worry, which tends to be coded as a feminine trait. I think instead though this text reminds us that worry is a natural state of those who care, but that worry is only addressed truly by prayer and thanksgiving. It’s kind of amazing how true that is. Ask me how I know! ;)

Why do you think the Apostle Paul repeats the word Rejoice in the fourth verse?

How is gentleness connected to joy? Does it surprise you that they are connected?

Take a few moments to think about your biggest worries. Maybe write them out on paper or digitally. Pray for them purposefully one by one. Then take a few moments to think of the biggest things (specific ones) for which you have gratitude. Do you feel more joyful after doing this? Why or why not?

Luke 3:7-18

Luke 3:7 John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸ Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. ⁹ Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

Luke 3:10 And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” ¹¹ In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” ¹² Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” ¹³ He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” ¹⁴ Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.”

Luke 3:15 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah,^{a 16} John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with^a water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷ His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Luke 3:18 So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.

Oh look, it’s the week of JOY and Jesus is giving us Brood of Vipers. Perfect! But seriously,