The First Sunday In Advent: A Sermon from Jeremiah

Our scripture text today is from the prophet Jeremiah. At different points in the history of ancient Israel, God would raise up prophets to convict God’s people of their sin and call them back to God’s way. Jeremiah the prophet was born in the 7th century BC near Jerusalem. He was called to his work as a young man and over the course of his life, he prophesied against the kings and governments of Jerusalem and Judah. When the kingdom was sacked by the Babylonians, Jeremiah prophesied that the conquest was God’s divine will against the unfaithful Israel. Jerusalem is razed, devastated by the Babylonians and in today’s passage, Jeremiah speaks to the people who see their homes in ruins.

Jeremiah 33:1-11, 14-18

10Thus says the Lord, through the prophet Jeremiah:

In this place of which you say, “It is a waste without human beings or animals,” in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without inhabitants, human or animal, (in this place I say) there shall once more be heard 11the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voices of those who sing, as they bring thank offerings to the house of the Lord (saying):  “Give thanks to the Lord of hosts, for the Lord is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” For I will restore the fortunes of the land as at first, says the Lord.

14The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 15In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 16In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”

17For thus says the Lord: David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel, 18and the levitical priests shall never lack a man in my presence to offer burnt offerings, to make grain offerings, and to make sacrifices for all time.

This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Christmas Eve

As my family and I were putting up our Christmas tree week before last, I couldn’t help but remember Christmases from my own childhood. I have some particularly memorable Christmas mornings but the things I actually remember the most were the Christmas Eves. Christmas Eve was always spent at my grandparents house. Now, as many of you know, my mother was an alcoholic and our lives were filled with a lot of chaos and despair. But Christmas Eve always seemed to be a little different. First, we would always drive through the night to arrive at my grandparents house on Christmas Eve morning. My mom was certainly a night owl but the main reason we drove at night is because we three kids would sleep, instead of arguing like we usually did. She would put the back seats down in our old baby blue pinto and make us a bed—Todd in the front passenger seat snoozing and me and Travis in blankets in the back. I would lay in the back of the car filled with excitement. I was excited because there would be gifts—so many gifts, my grandparents spoiled us so—and we would be surrounded by family. But looking back on it now, I think the thing that really filled my heart with joy and anticipation was that on Christmas Eve, everyone was on their best behavior and the world seemed to be put to rights. On Christmas Eve we went to my dad’s parents, but they welcomed my mom in like she was their own. They knew about her drinking and her problems, but they still welcomed her in, so glad to have her there with us. And my mom, for her part, didn’t drink while she was there with us. She wasn’t exactly comfortable, but she was there, with us, trying her best. She and my dad even got along during those Christmas Eves and with my now adult eyes I realize that what I loved most about those Christmas Eves was that out of the devastation and chaos of my daily living, things were put to rights—even if only for a few hours. Things were as they were supposed to be.

The Devastation of Judah and Israel

Now in our scripture lesson today, the people of Israel and Judah, during Jeremiah’s time, were living their own lives of devastation. They had suffered under terrible kings who were unjust and cruel, they had lived through the sacking of Jerusalem, and their being sent into exile. And it was all unbelievabley painful. They have suffered so much. Jeremiah has predicted and spoken out about much of it, indicting the people and their kings. But here, in the 33rd chapter of Jeremiah, he changes his tone offers them hope on behalf of the Lord God.

Jeremiah speaks directly to the people who are looking at their beloved Jerusalem and Judah that are in rubble. Utter desolation is all that can be seen. God has executed God’s justice and they are cut off and without hope. If things were to continue as they were, the people might as well die, so dire were their circumstances.

A Word of Hope

But Jeremiah has a new word for the people. God recognizes their devastation and God tells the people that even into that brokenness, God will again bring mirth and gladness to the people. God will bring the beloved voices of brides and grooms, of those singing their thanks to God. God will restore their worship too. The temple has been destroyed, their are no priests at this time, but God will make it so worship again can happen. God says, in short, that God will again put the world to rights.

The Hope We Have In Jesus

How will God do it? By bringing forth a righteous branch springing up from David. I imagine Jeremiah’s hearers must of thought of another king coming from the Davidic line, but we know who the righteous branch is—-it is Jesus Christ, who will come into the world and save it.

This Advent, we proclaim the three-fold coming of Jesus Christ into the world, offering redemption to all people. We celebrate Jesus coming into the dark world of the first century as the babe in the manger. We celebrate the fact that Jesus continues to come into our hearts and lives loving, redeeming, and guiding us. What Good News. But we also proclaim that through Jesus Christ, God is working to set the whole of the world to rights and that there will be a day when Christ will come again for that very purpose. There is much we can despair over in this day and age isn’t there—-there is much injustice, poverty, illness, wars, and division. But just like Jeremiah offered a word of hope in the darkness of the 7th century bc, let me offer you a word of hope now. Christ is already in the world working to put the world to rights. And we can take even more hope in the promise that some day Christ will come again and fulfill that work to completion.

Advent Hope

Just like I lay in the back of that car as a kid, filled with joy and anticipation that for one day all was going to be right in my world, this Advent allow yourself to feel the hope and anticipation of Jesus Christ in the world and coming into the world—setting things to right. Redeeming us all. Loving us enough to save us.

This Advent may we all say with hope and excitement, Come Lord Jesus. Come.