Third Sunday of Advent Year A 11th December 2022
Lectionary Readings: Isaiah 35 v1-10; Psalm 146 v5-10; James 5 v7-10; Matthew 11 v2-11.
Work it out for yourself.
Here is a message for all who are weak, trembling and worried. “Cheer up! Don’t be afraid. Your God is coming. The blind will see and the ears of the deaf will be healed. Those who are lame will leap around like deer. Tongues once silent will begin to shout.” (Isaiah 35 v 3, 5, 6a).
God always keeps his word. He gives justice to the poor and food to the hungry. (Psalm 146 v 6b, 7).
Matthew records a time during Jesus’ ministry when John the Baptist was in jail. Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great, had earlier arrested John and had him chained and put in prison. He did this this because John had told him, “It isn’t right for you to take Herodias, the wife of your brother Philip.” (see Matthew 14 v1-12).
Matthew writes, John was in prison when he heard what Christ was doing. So John sent some of his followers to ask Jesus, “Are you the one we should be looking for? Or must we wait for someone else? Jesus answered, “Go and tell John what you have heard and seen.” (Matthew 11 v2-4).
Hardly the straight answer that John was hoping for! Jesus was challenging John to recall what he knew about the coming Messiah from Scripture and then to compare that with the reports of his healing ministry and work it out for himself. I think that Jesus was confident that John would reach the right conclusion. Jesus was not just challenging John to think, but also his own followers.
Matthew has written the story in such a way as to challenge us, his readers, to think for ourselves, to work out how best we might imitate Jesus and become God’s healing agents in our troubled world.
Hymn writer, Fred Kaan, encourages us to pray for’ the healing of the nations’.
(Singing the Faith 696).
For the healing of the nations, Lord, we pray with one accord;
for a just and equal sharing of the things that earth affords.
To a life of love in action help us rise and pledge our word.
Lead us forward into freedom; from despair your world release,
that, redeemed from war and hatred, all may come and go in peace.
Show us how through care and goodness fear will die and hope increase.
All that kills abundant living, let it from the earth be banned;
pride of status, race, or schooling, dogmas that obscure your plan.
In our common quest for justice may we hallow life’s brief span.
You, Creator-God, have written your great name on humankind;
for our growing in your likeness bring the life of Christ to mind;
that by our response and service, earth its destiny may find.
Bible quotations are taken from the Contemporary English version.