“Strive to Be Found by Him at Peace”
“Strive to Be Found by Him at Peace” 2 Peter 3:8-15a
a sermon by Pastor Sonja Dalglish for FPC Weslaco
December 4, 2011
Isaiah 40:1-11, Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13, 2 Peter 3:8-15a, Mark 1:1-8
Introduction
Today, the second Sunday of Advent, we light the candle of Hope and read Isaiah, the second letter from Peter, and the beginning of Mark.
This is the beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, Mark tells us. I begins as he introduces us to John the Baptist. John is out in the wilderness preaching to people, preparing the way for Jesus who is to come. We hear echoes of the Isaiah passage in this voice crying in the wilderness. John draws people to him as he proclaims his message, “Repent!” They come confessing their sins and wanting to be baptized.
Change your ways, John tells them. Repent and be baptized. Then, he talks about the mystery of God and the one to come. John can baptize with water but Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit.
Today, as we receive the Lord’s Supper, we come to another mystery. While we eat the bread and drink the cup, we remember who gave us baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We prepare and wait for God to come to us.
The 2 Peter Passage
During this Advent, it is good to read the words of Peter to a community that has grown weary of waiting for Jesus to come again. This is the last communication from Peter. He is reassuring people that God is patient. He illustrates that God’s time is not our time. God may seem slow to us but it is because God is patient and would want all to be saved.
These words that one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like one day is to open our minds to understand that God sees things differently than we do. Time is different to God. This line is one of my favorites. I cannot tell you why but to meditate on one day is like a thousand years to God and a thousand years is like a day, gives me joy and peace. Somehow, it is like looking at the stars and contemplating the vastness of the universe and realizing that God is behind it all. God is the creator of it all. I am swept up into a mystery.
Perhaps you are as well. Peter tells us that while we wait, we need to work at being at peace, without spot or blemish, and regard the patience of God as salvation. Work at being at peace. This is not an idle peace but one of meeting God in the world.
Peace
In the scriptures, peace is always teamed with justice. There is no peace without justice. And with justice comes peace.
God’s peace has a wholeness and robustness about it. It is not just the absence of war – but the presence of goodwill. The poor are being cared for. The sick are visited. There is release for the captives. In the words of Psalm 85, righteousness and peace will kiss.
There is an inner peace as well, one that comes with satisfaction with our decisions and where we are in life. We may not always have the life we imagined. I am reminded of the surprise that Mary and Joseph received as Gabriel announced to them that God was coming into the world. Both must have been shocked at the change in their lives. And, yet, could find peace in serving God. Righteousness and peace will kiss.
As we are waiting and preparing ourselves for the coming of Christ for both the first and the second coming, we can look back to Isaiah. In the wilderness of our lives, we lift up the valleys and pull down the mountains and hills so that the way is straight and smooth.
A colleague of mine said that she was in Chicago when one of our presidents came to visit. To prepare, the city chose a route, repaired all the potholes, repaved, repaired buildings along the route and then, made sure there were flower boxes with blooming flowers along the way. Would we do less for Jesus than for a President? And yet we know that the sacrifice and the preparation that God wants is in our hearts which is then reflected in all we do.
Conclusion
As we look at our lives, what valleys and potholes do we see that need to be filled? Are the poor being cared for? Are we kind to the stranger in our land? Are we kind to each other and to our families? Are we fair and just. not showing favoritism to the rich and beautiful?
And, what mountains must be taken down? Pride? Conceit? Old plans of how we thought our lives would roll out? Prepare the way by preparing your hearts and your lives. May Christ find us working at peace when he comes.
Gospel Mark 1:1-8
1The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2As it is written in he prophet Isaiah,
“See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way;
3 the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,’”
4John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Sunday, December 4, 2011, the Second Sunday of Advent (Year B)
First Reading Isaiah 40:1-11
1 Comfort, O comfort my people,
says your God.
2 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.
3 A voice cries out:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD,
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 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.
5 Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
and all people shall see it together,
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
6 A voice says, “Cry out!”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
All people are grass,
their constancy is like the flower of the field.
7 The grass withers, the flower fades,
when the breath of the LORD blows upon it;
surely the people are grass.
8 The grass withers, the flower fades;
but the word of our God will stand forever.
9 Get you up to a high mountain,
O Zion, herald of good tidings;
lift up your voice with strength,
O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings,
lift it up, do not fear;
say to the cities of Judah,
“Here is your God!”
10 See, the Lord GOD comes with might,
and his arm rules for him;
his reward is with him,
and his recompense before him.
11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs in his arms,
and carry them in his bosom,
and gently lead the mother sheep.
Psalm Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13
1 LORD, you were favorable to your land;
you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2 You forgave the iniquity of your people;
you pardoned all their sin. Selah
8 Let me hear what God the LORD will speak,
for he will speak peace to his people,
to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.
9 Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him,
that his glory may dwell in our land.
10 Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet;
righteousness and peace will kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness will spring up from the ground,
and righteousness will look down from the sky.
12 The LORD will give what is good,
and our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness will go before him,
and will make a path for his steps.
Second Reading 2 Peter 3:8-15a
8But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. 9The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. 10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed.
11Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, 12waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? 13But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home.
14Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; 15aand regard the patience of our Lord as salvation.
