Advent Reading for Sunday, Week 3 (December 11, 2022)

The Season of Advent prepares us for Christ's coming--both on Christmas Day and when we comes again in glory.  This year, we will spend each week exploring a different way we can prepare ourselves.  The post for each day will include a scripture, a song, a few brief questions to reflect upon, and a prayer. 

 

Week 3 Introduction

The 3rd Sunday of Advent is often referred to as Gaudete Sunday (or Joy Sunday).  Gaudete is the Latin word for "rejoice."  From a theological perspective, to rejoice doesn't mean pretending to be happy.  It means praising God in all circumstances.  Rejoicing includes taking comfort in knowing that God is with us in difficult times and finding delight in the fact that God will save us from distress.  It also means giving thanks to God not only for the good things that we are receiving now, but for the way God is working to turn things around and fulfill his promises of a good and abundant future.

This week, we will focus on the deep and abiding joy that is found in Jesus.  We will start with the prophets rejoiced in God's promise of a Savior who would change the world.  Mid-week will be devoted to Mary's and Zechariah's joyful reactions to the knowledge of Jesus's s coming.  Finally, we will end with Paul's reminder to rejoice in all things.

Scripture

Zephaniah 3:14-20

A Song of Joy

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 in his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing
¹⁸     as on a day of festival.”
I will remove disaster from you,
    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.  (NRSVUE)

 

Hymn

Chorus:  Rejoice, Rejoice! Christ is born Of the virgin Mary, Rejoice!
It is now the time of grace That we have desired; Let us sing songs of joy, Let us give devotion.	.The closed gate of Ezechiel    Has been passed through;    From where the light rises    Salvation is found.
God was made man, And nature marvels; The world was renewed By Christ who is King.	Therefore let our assembly now sing,   Sing the Psalms to purify us;   Let it praise the Lord:   Greetings to our King

Questions

Zephaniah lists several reasons to rejoice  sing for joy as he describes what God is doing for us. 

• Looking back over his song, which of his claims makes you most want to sing for joy?  Why?
  
• Which one resonates with you the least?  Why?
• What would you like to take more joy in? 
  
• Is there a song (either religious or secular) that you tend to listen to or sing when you are feeling joyful?     
  

Prayer

God, help me sing for joy for all your blessings--both those that have already occured and those that are to come..  Amen.