Homily For Advent Two
Traditionally, the second Sunday in Advent is known as Bible Sunday; it derives its name from the focus of our collect today - where we praise God for the gift of the Holy Scriptures that are able to make us wise unto salvation. We receive patience and strengthening from the Scriptures as we hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them - that is, as we move from hearing the word, to reading with attentiveness, truly learn and memorize the Word of God that leads us to inwardly digest its truth. Taking truth into our hearts by meditating on the blessedness of a God who wants us to know Him and to know what pleases him. To know how he has planned our redemption from before time began and made himself known in history through acts of faithfulness and provision for his people.
We live in anticipation of Christ’s second coming by taking the Holy Scriptures to be our truest comfort in this world. Believing what God says to the salvation of our souls. Amen?
Our Old Testament Lesson is from Isaiah 55. It is an invitation to receive from God the blessings of abundance rather than the scarcity that characterized Israel. Isaiah is a book of repentance, he is calling Judah to turn from their wickedness, their rebellion, their idolatry and return to God before judgment comes.
Notice Isaiah does not invite them back to scarcity but to blessing, fulfillment, wholeness. He offers the best to them - the purest water, food in abundance, the best wine, the best of everything.
Centuries before, God had promised that Canaan would be incredibly productive, if they were obedient to Him. We are told in Deuteronomy 7 that if they listened and obeyed his Law, the land would produce, their livestock would be fruitful, their families would flourish. Moreover, God would drive all the dangerous animals out of their land and they would dwell in peace.
For generations, Israel has tried to find its purpose, its meaning in the religion of their neighbors. They sought alliances with the strong pagan nations around them. They sought to secure themselves by their own wisdom, prosperity and peace. Their self-sufficiency led to scarcity, futility as they worked for that which did not satisfy.
God tells them to listen to him, to hear his word, draw near in obedience and they would have that which satisfied their souls. God promises to satisfy the deepest longings of the human heart.
Indeed, God made an everlasting covenant with David -which he fulfilled in Our Lord Jesus Christ - that David would never cease to have a descendant on the throne with a condition, so long as they were obedient to His law. The one that is coming, the one who comes in Bethlehem, who comes at Christmas, will be the true witness, leader and commander of the people. His words, the Word of God Incarnate, will call the Gentiles to run to the God of Israel.
The call for Isaiah’s audience is to repent. Seek the Lord while he may be found. The Lord is a God of immeasurable mercy - we declare this in our liturgy. This is true as long as there is life. There will be a time when the Lord may not be found. The time of repentance passed. But now is the time for repentance, the present.
Repentance is a complete change of direction, a re-calibration of priorities. The wicked and the unrighteous must forsake the practices that dominated and directed their lives.
God promises to receive the repentance of those who turn to him. Even the most vile of offenders, the most wicked of Israel, will receive God’s mercy. Indeed, God will abundantly pardon. God’s freest most abundant pardon is available to those who will turn from their sins, great and small.
This reflects the vast gulf between human thoughts and those of God. We want satisfaction, painful retribution for offenses. We who have no rights to those demands want others to crawl back seeking forgiveness. We are in the habit of keeping a list of all the ways that others have offended us. The Creator, who everyone owes an account, forgives abundantly. He who has every reason, every right to keep a long list - pardons freely those who turn to Him. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. His ways, the ways that lead to eternal life, are higher as well. His actions, his ways, show his love by sending his son into the world to redeem us from sin and death.
To humiliate the eternal Son, so that he might lift us up to heaven.
In God’s economy, which is infinitely higher, more mysterious and more productive than ours, his Word will accomplish exactly what he wants, in the proper time. It is analogous to the agricultural cycle, rain falls down, the snows melt to prepare the earth to produce abundantly. In the fullness of the appointed time, the descent of the rain will be present in the sweetness of the fruit, the multiplication of the seed unto the harvest and feeding of man.
On this Bible Sunday, I want us to lay hold with the firmest of conviction, verse 11, “11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”
Our words are more often than not intentions - a desire for a certain outcome. Almost a wish.
God’s word is identical with his character and power - what he says, he will do. His word will not return to him void. We can think of His word in two senses - both of which will not fail. First, His word, the Holy Scriptures, will accomplish his will. Second, His Word, who is the Word of God Incarnate, Jesus Christ our Lord has accomplished His will. In the fullness of time, as God sent the waters of the promises to the Fathers, the stem of Jesse’s stump grew; the true king in the line of David came to his own people. After centuries of waiting, Adam, Noah, the Patriarchs, the Prophets, God came to his people as promised. Over the course of his earthly life, Jesus grew into full manhood and accomplished God’s intentions for this Word - bringing salvation to all his people. To all who call upon his name, who draw near in faith.
Hallelujah for such a great salvation. Praise be to God that his word NEVER EVER returns to him void. Let us hear the Word of God Incarnate as proclaimed in the Gospel. He says that he came to fulfil the Law and not to destroy. The scriptures that made Timothy wise unto salvation were those of the Old Testament. In the veiled truth of the Old Testament, St Paul in our Epistle was convinced it would make one able to discern the path of salvation for the Scriptures, all in varied ways, direct us to Jesus. We have greater light in the Gospels and the Epistles - showing us the glory of God in Jesus Christ ; his perfection and our hope. Imagine the joy and excitement of all God’s people in earlier generations if they would have access to the completed Scriptures.
We have countless copies in our homes, churches, businesses; we are overwhelmed by physical copies of God’s revelation that he promises will not return to him void. Are we willing to meditate, in the words of the collect, read, mark, learn, inwardly digest, these words that never fail? Will we let this word of God fill our hearts? Transform our thoughts? Control our words? On this Bible Sunday, let us be people of His Word - the word that never returns to him void. Amen.