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Year A Advent Third Sunday

Year A Advent Third Sunday
Year A Advent Third Sunday (grayscale)

Scripture

Testament: Old Testament

Book: Isaiah

Chapter: 35

Verse: 14

Lectionary

Year: A

Season: Advent Season

Week: Third Sunday of Advent

Church bulletins by Ronn Kerr

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Lectionary Meaning

Theological Focus

Known as Gaudete Sunday, the Third Sunday of Advent offers a momentary reprieve of joy amidst the penitential tone of the season. It celebrates the blooming of hope in the desert, reminding us that the wilderness of our lives is not our final destination or our permanent home. This joy is not a denial of suffering, but a defiant affirmation that God is actively working to restore all that is broken.

Scriptural Connection

Isaiah 35 paints a vivid picture of restoration where the parched land breaks into blossom and the broken are made whole. This text connects the physical healing of the blind and lame to the spiritual renewal of a people returning home to the safety of God’s presence. It suggests that the arrival of God’s kingdom is marked by the flourishing of life in places that were previously considered dead or forsaken.

Sermon Ideas

Preach on joy as a form of resistance. In a world often characterized by cynicism and despair, how does the promise of Isaiah 35 empower us to strengthen weak hands and firm up feeble knees? Focus on the transformative power of divine beauty and the certainty of God’s redemptive highway. Encourage the congregation to look for the small blossoms in their own deserts as signs of the coming harvest.