Sermon for St Edward’s Church, 14 Dec 2025, Advent 3.
Readings: Isaiah 35:1-10, Matthew 11:2-11
So we are in week 3 of Advent, time is flying by isn’t it!? Advent is such a beautiful season if we take time to appreciate it for what it is. A season of waiting and preparing, reminding us of Christ at the heart of Christmas, and churches have been marking it for thousands of years. Those of us in church know full well that there is no Christmas without Christ. Up and down the nation churches, Christians, are getting ready to celebrate the joy of Christ coming to earth as a vulnerable baby, welcoming their communities into their churches with love and an open welcome for all.
We heard from Rob last week about the prophets, and John the Baptist as one of those prophets, sometimes the readings work out that we get a double focus on John as we do this year, as John is always remembered in week 3 of advent, but the theme this week is also Joy. This Sunday in Advent is also known as Gaudete Sunday, from the Latin meaning rejoice or ‘be joyful’. And that is why we have the rose coloured candle, otherwise known as pink.
Because the Christmas message is filled with joy isn’t it!
– A baby is born – usually a source of great joy and celebration.
– This baby is the Son of God – of course cause for celebration
– He grows up to bring love and compassion into a war torn and oppressed world, who doesn’t love a seeker of justice?!
– And he does miracles, as we heard in our Matthew reading, when John asked about whether Jesus actually is the Messiah, Jesus’ answer is that the evidence is in his actions, what do they see,
the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offence at me.
Matt 11: 5-6
Can you imagine the results of him healing people and raising the dead, the result would surely be massive celebration? pure joy!
And with Isaiah too, we see in the vision given to him about Judah and Jerusalem, that the redeemed will return to Zion (which is also a picture of eternity), it will be filled with abundant joy and glory. (vv 1-2)
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus, it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing.
Isaiah 35:1-2
The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God.
This is the gospel we are offered, good news of great joy, a future in the glory of God. And that is what we prepare to celebrate.
And this message is also one of inclusivity, it is for all.
In Matthew we read that blessed is anyone who takes no offence at him/ at Jesus
And that’s not me putting a liberal lefty spin on it, the Bible says this, and we know Jesus brought salvation to Jews and gentiles alike. He opened up the way to God for all people, who wanted to make that choice.
Isaiah says, on the way to this glory,
A highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Holy Way; the unclean shall not travel on it, but it shall be for God’s people; no traveller, not even fools, shall go astray.
for those who choose this way, none will be lost on the way.
And it’s not a cheap offer, it’s not ‘oh all people get to be in eternity’, we know Jesus says he is the way the truth and the life, we only get to God through him. But that offer is there for all people.
Now I’m going to be a bit political this morning, for which I make no apologies and in the knowledge that I will probably get emails afterwards! But in recent months there seem to be those in the public eye who seek to corrupt the message Jesus brought for a political, and yes far right, gain.
Now I don’t care if you have different political views to me, I am sure amongst us here we have a range of views and as an inclusive church all are welcome, we need to love one another in our differences, that is what we are modelling here. BUT what I won’t accept is a corruption of the message of Christ. My job is about preaching the gospel. It is what I promised to do when I was ordained. To tell people about the truth of Christ. The Bible tells us that Jesus came, he lived, he died, and he rose again because, as John writes, God loved the world so much that God sent the only son.
There are no caveats to that.
It is a message of Love.
It is a message that brings great joy, as we have seen. And goodness don’t we all need some joy in our lives when we look at the world around us?!
And yet there are those wanting to distort this wonderful message into one of fear and exclusion.
Their message is that Christ is being taken out of Christmas*
That left wing elites are waging a war on Christianity*
That the carol concert held yesterday in London by Unite the Kingdom
‘ isn’t just a concert, it’s a rally for our values, a beacon of hope amid the chaos of mass migration and cultural erosion that threatens our way of life… this concert is more than music, it’s a statement that Britain belongs to the British people, and our Christian heritage will not be silenced...*
(*taken from emails to supporters)
This is not a gospel filled message of hope, it is a message filled with fear, with exclusion, it puts borders around the gospel. I don’t see much about God’s love or the joy of knowing Jesus in their messaging.
In 1 John 4, a passage that warns about false prophets, and goes on to talk about the love of God, we read, vv.18-21
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us. Those who say, ‘I love God’, and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen…
1 John 4:18-21
In Isaiah’s vision we hear
Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are of a fearful heart, ‘Be strong, do not fear!
And what’s more, the Bible tells us hundreds of times, not to fear. The true gospel message is one of love, not fear. That is something to be joyful about!
The Bible is also full of people, prophets, messengers, who pointed the way to Jesus, just as we see with JtB. As Jesus says in Matthew, as we heard, this is the one about whom it is written, “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.” v10
But we must discern carefully which voices, which messengers are truly from God, preaching a message of love. As Jesus said, it is by your love for one another that people will know me (John 13:35).
Jesus is quite clear about who John was – and he challenges the crowd on who they expect to see – were they looking for someone who ‘looked like’ a leader? dressed in soft robes (ie expensive) someone who lives in a palace? all this symbolised wealth, luxury and status. But the person sent to be the messenger pointing to Jesus was not wealthy or clothed in luxury, nor funded by rich patrons. No, we know he wore camel hair and a leather belt. He was rough around the edges, lived out in the desert. He was totally sold out on Jesus. They went to find a prophet and that is what they got. Someone truly pointing the way to Christ.
And we know that when God wanted to be incarnate amongst humanity, with us as Emmanuel, he didn’t take on the role of a King in a palace, he came as a Palestinian baby born into poverty, to a young woman forced to travel while heavily pregnant by the actions of a political ruler, and subsequently for them all to flee as refugees to a foreign land, in fear of their lives. There is nothing overtly political in me saying that that, that is what God did. But if we want to be political we might say that the infant Jesus was a homeless asylum seeker in a foreign land…
And what does the Bible tell us about the alien, the foreigner, the stranger? We are to love them, to support them in the same way as those native born. Just as one example, in the law in Leviticus 19 we read (19:34, NIV)
The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.
Lev 19:34, NOV
This asylum seeking baby grew up to preach a message of love and compassion, who went to the least and the lost, the sick and dying. Who gave up his own life in an act of love, so that humanity could be with God.
I am not one to be easily offended, but to take the beauty of the gospel and twist it into a message that excludes, that uses language that is hateful and othering, that seeks to divide, in the name of Christ, is not just offensive it is I would dare to say, blasphemous.
I want to be clear as I have said before, I am being careful not to use the language of ‘this is racism’, or labelling or demonising individuals, although in some cases there has been overtly racist rhetoric used, and I 100% denounce that, we must call that out. But, we can hold different political views on any number of subjects including migration and asylum seekers, and we should be able to do so together, but what we cannot do is hold any of those views without love at the heart of what we believe.
What we are seeing from some quarters is an attack on the true gospel, on Christianity. Love has to be our motivation, in our souls, embedded in who we are.
We live in difficult and troubling times, but the heart of the gospel is the hope that Jesus brings, that things will be different one day. As Isaiah says vv10-11
And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
It’s a beautiful hope, and one that brings us joy, but while we wait for that future, and for all of us, for those who think we need to put Christ back into Christmas, or that we need to stand up for Christian values in our nation, and those that don’t, then we need to act that hope out every day. We need to be people who bring joy not fear.
We don’t show the love of Christ by flying a flag or travelling miles to sing some carols. We don’t show the love of God by othering, or using hateful language or by causing division.
The best way to show Christ at the heart of Christmas is by living a life that is fuelled by God’s love in each of us.
Amen
Alternatives
If you really think we need to put Christ back into Christmas, here’s some ideas that will save you a trip to London and might be a whole lot more enjoyable and rewarding…
Instead of buying cheap flags from Amazon, donate to your local foodbank to support those in need in your community (Matt 25:31-46)
Instead of travelling miles to sing Christmas carols, attend your local church who will be delighted to welcome you, plus they will probably offer you refreshments and have a loo (Col 3:16)
Instead of spending huge amounts on Christmas presents, find out what local charities need and see if you can help (1 John 3:16-18)
Instead of buying new clothes this Christmas, donate some old coats or useful items to your local homeless shelter needs (Luke 3:11)
Don’t grumble about old Auntie Maude or Uncle Joe coming to visit at Christmas (1 Peter 4:9)
If you know someone who is going to be alone at Christmas, invite them to join you (Hebrews 13:2)
Instead of buying huge amounts of food, much of which will end up in the in, cook a meal for those in need (Luke 14:12-14)
Instead of unkind language, be a seeker of justice, use kind words and don’t puff yourself up (Micah 6:8)
Buy only sustainable Christmas presents (Col 1:15-17)
Send Christmas cards with an actual Christmas message and/or tell your neighbours about Jesus (Matt 19:7-14)
Don’t get the latest novel to read over the Christmas period, get into your Bible instead (2 Tim 2:15)
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