Advent II. Otherwise known as Bible Sunday .

 Hope and Encouragement in the Scriptures through Christ the Lord

Bible Sunday. 2nd Sunday in Advent Romans 15

The First Lesson 

Isaiah 52:1-10

Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion. For thus saith the Lord, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money. For thus saith the Lord God, My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause. Now therefore, what have I here, saith the Lord, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the Lord; and my name continually every day is blasphemed. Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth; Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion. Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

The Epistle

Romans xv. 4.

WHATSOEVER things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God. Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people. And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

The Gospel

St. Luke xxi. 25.

AND there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; when they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

The Collect---Prayer

BLESSED Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

   I like what a friend sent me the other day that describes how we sometimes feel by ST Augustine:

"God of our life, there are days when the burdens we carry chafe our shoulders and weigh us down; when the road seems dreary and endless , the skies grey and threatening; when our lives have no music in them, and our hearts are lonely, and our souls have lost their courage. Flood the path with light, run our eyes to where the skies are full of promise; tune our hearts to brave music; give us the sense of comradeship with saints and heroes of every age; and so quicken our spirits that we may be able to encourage the souls of all who journey with us on the road of life, to Your honour and glory. "

    Certainly all of us have felt this way from time to time.  We need encouragement from others.  God has not left us alone in these times.  Whatever we in the way of hope is found in His Word which is " a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Ps. 119:105  Today's prayer from the pen of Cranmer who wrote most of the BCP also echoes this theme of hope from God. " Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning...."  One of the worst things that could happen to us in this life is to go blind.  Without light we cannot find our way.  The Scriptures are such a light and hope.

     1.  God who is the author of Holy Scripture comforts us through His eternal and unchangeable Word.  He has allowed the written Word to be our guide in this life so that in the life to come we may go to heaven.  2 Peter 1:21 reminds us that " prophecy came not in old time by the will of man:but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."  People were asked if the Ten Commandments were valid and 84% of americans believed they were,  but more than half of them could not id even five of them. ( sermonillustrations)

The Sleepy Church Member ministry127.com

A man asked his friend, “What color are your pastor’s eyes?”

He answered, “I don’t know. When he prays he closes his eyes, and when he preaches I close mine.”

        God is the author of the Scripture and He is also the Creator and Sustainer of all things.  In this world we are here only for a short time.  When loved ones go on before us we weep,  but in Christ who is the "Resurrection and the Life" we know they and we have everlasting life.  The Scripture reminds us of this. " Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep , but we shal lall be changed....Death is swallowed up in victory." I Cor 15

        2.  " Blessed Lord who has caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read them, mark them, learn them, and inwardly digest them."  The Apostle says the same thing .   " whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning , that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." Romans 15:4   As Augustine said the burdens we carry weigh us down & the road seems dreary and endless .  The word encouragement lit. means to be " called by the side".  We are called to be near God through His Word and near to His side.  This is our comfort and encouragement. Unfortunately the stats are not very good at our frequency in reading the Bible. The Barna group has found that in a typical week that not including the day at Church or days at Church that only 13% read it daily,3 times a week 32% and 43% not at all.

Perhaps a plan would be helpful.  One Year Bible is one...or of course there is just read through on your own every day and night, or use what is called a lectionary , a series of readings .  Presbyterians have done that for years so not one text becomes a hobby horse every day or Sunday.

There was once a pastor who had a five-year-old daughter. The little girl noticed that every time her dad stood behind the pulpit, and was getting ready to preach, he would bow his head for a moment before he began to preach. The little girl noticed that he did this every time. So one day after the service the little girl went to her dad and asked him, “Why do you bow your head right before you preach your sermon?”

“Well, honey,” the preacher answered, “I’m asking the Lord to help me preach a good sermon.”

The little girl looked up at her father and asked, “Then how come He doesn’t do it?” ministry127.com

            Some of us find encouragement in talking with those who have gone through things that others may need help with.  That is what the Apostle talks about in this chapter of Romans. " We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please ourselves....for even Christ pleased not Himself."  A friend, a family member, a trusted mentor or teacher. ....you can add to this list have all gone before us and shown us the way so to speak. 

Hope here is not I hope so,  but the greek means---- elpís (from elpō, "to anticipate, welcome") – properly, expectation of what is sure (certain); hope. ( Bible hub.com)

           3. Lastly the word of God , inspired and without error leads us into the hope of everlasting life which we " may embrace, and ever hold fast...which thou O God has given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ."  We feel this most deeply at the passing and memorial of family and friends who die unexpectedly or when we do not understand. Why we ask do some live long lives and others are taken from us .  We cry over that.  We yield them into God's hands for he is doing better things for them we can desire or  pray for ( as the Prayer says in our PB reminds us ,p. 597 " For Those We Love") But eternal life does not begin at death.  It begins at the moment of faith .  That is our hope.  That is our prayer.  That is our Blessed Assurance.

THE PASTOR WHO WAS LIKE PHARAOH

A man got up to leave early from a church service and the pastor asked him where he was going.

Joe: To get a haircut.

Pastor: Why didn’t you get one before services?

Joe: I didn’t need one then!

Joe was later heard to remark that his pastor was just like Pharaoh—he would not let the people go.    ministry127.com

Thank God that He has not left us alone but in He provides manna from heaven in Heavenly food, the Holy Scriptures.  May we read, mark and learn them that we have hope and draw near to the eternal life that He has given us in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.