3rd Sunday of Advent
This Sunday's Summary
The Bible could very well be summarized as a scrapbook of invitations from God to man spanning the ages. Unfortunately it records the sad news that God's creatures have rejected the invitations of our creator for fellowship and blessing. Today’s parable captures this tragic history in a few lines. A King (God) throws a banquet, but all the important people find excuses not to come. So the King invites the poor, blind and lame, who accept his invitation. This tendency for the proud and 'self-sufficient' to reject fellowship with God and the small and humble to respond, runs through the entire Bible and ties into this season of Advent. Mary was a humble, young peasant girl. Yet, she was invited by God to bring His Son into the world and-despite the cost-responds with a resounding 'yes,' becoming the woman whom “all generations call blessed.” Today, we might reflect on the invitations we have received from God. Perhaps we have been too proud or self-involved to even recognize them. Advent is a perfect time to respond in fuller ways to God's will for us, as we follow Mary in preparing for the humble birth of the Savior into our worlds.
This Sunday's Readings
Old Testament Reading
Isaiah 37:14-38
And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of theLord, and spread it before theLord.Then Hezekiah prayed to theLord, saying:“OLordof hosts, God of Israel,the Onewho dwellsbetweenthe cherubim, YouareGod, Youalone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.Incline Your ear, OLord, and hear; open Your eyes, OLord, and see; andhear all the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God.Truly,Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations and theirlands,and have cast their gods into the fire; for theywerenot gods, but the work of men’s hands—wood and stone. Therefore they destroyed them.Now therefore, OLordour God,save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth mayknow that YouaretheLord, You alone.”
Epistle Reading
2 Thessalonians 1:1-12
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other,so thatwe ourselves boast of you among the churches of Godfor your patience and faithin all your persecutions andtribulations that you endure,which ismanifestevidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God,for which you also suffer;sinceit isa righteous thing with God to repay withtribulation those who trouble you,and togiveyou who are troubledrest with us whenthe Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels,in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord andfrom the glory of His power,when He comes, in that Day,to beglorified in His saints and to be admired among all those whobelieve, because our testimony among you was believed.
Therefore we also pray always for you that our God wouldcount you worthy ofthiscalling, and fulfill all the good pleasure ofHisgoodness andthe work of faith with power,that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Gospel Reading
Luke 14:12-24
Then He also said to him who invited Him,“When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid.But when you give a feast, invitethepoor,themaimed,thelame,theblind.And you will beblessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him,“Blessedishe who shall eatbread in the kingdom of God!”
Then He said to him,“A certain man gave a great supper and invited many,andsent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’But they all with oneaccordbegan to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in herethepoor andthemaimed andthelame andtheblind.’And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compelthemto come in, that my house may be filled.For I say to youthat none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’ ”
This Sunday's Lesson Plans
Ages 5-8
Ages 9-14
Ages 14-17
This Sunday's Sermons
This Season's Saints
Saturday, Dec 12
St. James of Nisibis
Saturday, Dec 19