Comfort, O comfort my people,
says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and cry to her
that she has served her term,
that her penalty is paid,
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
double for all her sins.
A voice cries out:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
and the rough places a plain.
Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together,
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Get you up to a high mountain,
O Zion, herald of good news;
lift up your voice with strength,
O Jerusalem, herald of good news;
lift it up, do not fear;
say to the cities of Judah,
“Here is your God!”
~ Isaiah 40:1-5, 9 (NRSVUE)
As most of you know, there are four gospels in the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. And they each tell the story of Jesus’ life in their own way. But it is sometimes said that there is a fifth gospel. Some say that the fifth gospel would be the Book of Acts because it continues after Jesus’ resurrection with the story of Pentecost and the beginning of the Christian church. Some say that the fifth gospel is Israel, or the Holy Lands, because the historical sites there tell stories of Jesus’ life in their own way. Others say that the fifth gospel is the Book of Isaiah, which we heard from today, because though the prophet Isaiah lived more than seven hundred years before Jesus was born, throughout the book of Isaiah, we continually see glimpses, hear stories, and are filled with the hope and promise of Jesus, the coming Messiah.
The prophet Isaiah’s words are actually quoted more times in the New Testament than in any other Old Testament book, and they are always words filled with hope for a troubled world. Now, in the first thirty-nine chapters of Isaiah, the people are being judged for their sin, and because of it, and because that was the theological understanding at the time, they are suffering from war and destruction. But in today’s reading, the whole story shifts, and Isaiah begins to bring hope to a hurting nation. The interesting part is that Isaiah wrote these gospel truths without a full picture of how God’s plan would unfold. We have the benefit of hindsight to see with greater clarity how Jesus fulfilled the words of Isaiah. But Isaiah and his people did not.
I was thinking about how, sometimes, when we look back, we get a clearer picture. So, I decided to look back at what we have discussed over the years about Isaiah and his desire to comfort God’s people and fill them with hope. Interestingly enough, as I looked back, found a message that fits today perfectly. It talks about slowing down and being present, but it also talks about Isaiah and his message of hope with the coming of Jesus.
Several years ago–seven to be exact–our theme for Advent was “‘Twas the Season of Advent,” and our message each week rhymed like “’Twas the night before Christmas.” So I’d like to share with you “‘Twas the Season of Advent” part one so you can see the similarities between now and seven years ago.
Twas the season of Advent, and all through the town
Was the hustle and bustle of people running around.
They were spending their money, oh, the stress that that brings.
They were rushing and worrying about all kinds of things.
Would they have enough presents? Were their selections the best?
Would they finish their shopping? Would they ever get rest?
But at that little church, the one all painted white,
The people joined together to light the first light.
A candle of hope, they said it would be.
And they sang a sweet song to share their excitement and glee.
The scripture they read during worship that day
Spoke about hope and following God’s way.
“Comfort, O comfort, my people,” it said,
Like the comfort we find in a warm, cozy bed.
But how are we to comfort the people we meet
When we simply rush by them on the street?
The answer to that question, my friends,
Comes from that on which Advent depends.
It’s all about patience, waiting, and grace,
A gift that we learn about more in this place.
It’s not about shopping and rushing around,
But instead, connecting to that which we’re bound.
As Christians and people of faith, it does seem
That Jesus is where we should focus our stream.
So, back to that scripture from Isaiah once more,
That we might find a glimpse of what we are searching for.
It says that the people walked in darkness that day.
And they had a hard time finding their way.
Now, though that was a long time from now,
I think we still struggle with darkness somehow.
But as Isaiah told the people that day,
It was important for them to prepare the way.
And the same is true for you and me, friends,
We must find a way to straighten the bends
To make even the everyday road that we walk,
And to be careful about our words when we talk.
Because if hope is what we are searching for,
I think we need to do a little bit more.
To make even the valleys and mountains, they say,
And to be sure that everyone has a safe place to pray.
As Jesus taught us long ago,
The hope that we search for is all aglow
When we focus on Him and we do what’s right,
And when we do our best to love and not to fight.
And today, we remember that gift cause we’re able,
To meet with Jesus at this very table.
It’s the table he’s set for you and for me
So that our eyes might be opened, and we might begin to see.
That the hope that we’re searching for is all around
If we simply remember to whom we are bound.
Friends, this Advent, we wait for the child to be born,
And we celebrate that birth on Christmas morn.
But that is not where the story ends,
It’s only the beginning, my faithful friends.
For the baby born grows to be a man.
Who heals and teaches us all that he can.
But it’s up to us to do our part
And to carry his love with us in our heart.
For the candle of hope that we lit today
Shines brighter and brighter when we give it away.
Not in fancy presents or in a box with a bow,
But by sharing the story that all Christians know
The story of Mother Mary, so mild
And the journey she took and the birth of her child.
The one that would change the world as we know
And would offer hope to the people below.
A story of hope, and of peace, and of love,
A story that is shared with us from above.
So, brothers and sisters in Christ, as you go.
May your hearts be filled with the story you know.
Of a small little baby and a hope that’s so grand
That it changes the way we live in this land.
Find comfort in small things, my friends, is the plan,
And straighten your path, sharing all that you can.
Worry not about buying your gifts at a store
Because the gift of yourself means a whole lot more
I pray that your first week of Advent will hold
An abundance of hope for all to behold.
So, may it be so, for women, children and men,
Thanks be to God! Can I get an amen?
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