Third Sunday of Advent

Sunday, December 15, 2024

Read 1 Peter 2:1-12

Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me.”

Matthew 15:7-9

“The greatest source of atheism in the world today is Christians, who acknowledge Jesus with their lips but deny him by their lifestyles. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable” -- Brennan Manning.

A few years ago, a young lady came into my office for advice. She had “hooked up” with a co-worker on an outing. Advice was given and the work environment maintained status quo. It was later I realized the young lady did not come in for confession, only advice.

There are many who attend church only to hook up with God. It “feels good” to go to church, they are “blessed” when they attend, and might say “Thank you, God” when leaving. They are satisfied with a one or two hour “hookup” rather than a day by day, moment by moment relationship.

Peter tells us, we have become a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession (I Peter 2:9). When we see God’s royal priesthood “hooking up,” we wonder what has gone wrong. In Malachi 2, God reminds the priests, and us, of his covenant with Levi. “My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him. It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name.” God continues and reminds the priests that Levi gave true instruction, and no wrong was found on his lips, “he walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity.”

The covenant is perpetual and extended to all priests. Let’s embrace this covenant as God’s royal priesthood and live lives that do not deny God by our lifestyle but honor Him with a real relationship. The rewards of a royal priest should be life and peace and turning others away from iniquity founded upon a God who loves us and found us worthy of so much more than a “hook up.”

Collect:  O Lord Jesus Christ, you sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Grant that the ministers and stewards of your mysteries may likewise make ready your way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient toward the wisdom of the just, that at your second coming to judge the world, we may be found a people acceptable in your sight; for with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign, one God, now and for ever.  Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, p 599)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Does my life reflect the words I profess as true?

Fr. Mitch Baker+

PRAYER FOCUS:  That God give abundantly to all pastors the gifts of his Holy Spirit, that they may minister in his household as true servants of Christ.