Sermon Notes from our Pastors
Christmas is in the air! There is A LOT that goes on in this season, but the most important thing that happens is the momentum that builds as we inch closer to Christmas. It is in this pre-Christmas season that we find ourselves stuck on a certain element of the holiday that is inevitable—the waiting. Waiting does not come naturally to most of us, and we struggle with it because it feels counterproductive in a world that glorifies instantaneous results. We are people who do not like to wait. We want to see results right away and usually on our own terms.
We currently find ourselves in a time of waiting known as Advent. Advent is a season of waiting. On this third Sunday in Advent, which is known as Gaudete Sunday, we are invited to rejoice not only because Christmas is near but because we are waiting in hope for the promise of Jesus’ return. Gaudete, the Latin term for “rejoice,” marks a shift in the focus of Advent, from “The Lord is coming” to “The Lord is near,” and it reminds us that even in the midst of waiting, joy can be found. It’s a reminder that we’re not just counting days or enduring time—we’re waiting with hope and expectation, knowing that something wonderful is drawing near.
This is an important tension to grasp during Advent. We are called to rejoice, even though the fulfillment of God’s promises isn’t fully realized. We live in the “already” of Jesus’ coming—His life, death, and resurrection—and the “not yet” of His final return to make all things new. This tension can feel uncomfortable, like standing with one foot in celebration and the other in longing. But it’s in this tension that our faith is deepened.
Waiting with joy is a little like preparing for a visitor. You start tidying up the house, making their favorite meals, preparing their room. Each preparation builds your excitement because you know they’re on their way. There’s no guarantee of the exact minute they’ll arrive, but your joy isn’t diminished. It grows with each moment because their promise to come is enough.
In the same way, Gaudete Sunday invites us to lean into the joy of anticipation. We don’t need everything to be perfect or complete in this moment. It’s the promise of Jesus’ coming—both as a baby in Bethlehem and as the victorious King—that gives us reason to rejoice, even in the waiting.
This joy we’re invited to embrace during Advent is not passive; it’s about living fully in the present—in the here and now—with hearts ready to receive and respond to what God is doing. Advent also invites us to slow down, be fully present with God, and show up for one another in meaningful ways. Our waiting and preparation are opportunities to practice being attentive to God’s work and to the people around us.
I believe the prophet, Isaiah, knew how to do that, and it all comes down to trust. In Isaiah 12:2-6, the prophet offers his personal hymn of praise—a vivid description of the joy we will have when Jesus comes to reign over the Earth.
Isaiah begins with a bold declaration of trust, saying, “2 Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.”
These verses remind us that true joy is rooted in God’s character—who He is and what He has done for us—and that His unchanging gift of salvation is unaffected by our circumstances.
In verse 3-6, we see that this joy begins as a personal assurance and expands into corporate worship:
3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. 4 In that day you will say: “Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. 5 Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. 6 Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.” – Isaiah 12:2-6
What these verses show us is that true joy in God’s salvation doesn’t stay bottled up; it naturally spills over into community. It’s like the line in the children’s song that proclaims, “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine. Hide it under a bushel? No! I’m gonna let it shine.”
Just like a light can’t help but to shine when it’s allowed to, our joy in Jesus can’t be kept to ourselves. It’s meant to shine brightly, not just for our own benefit, but so others can see and experience the goodness of God through us. As we proclaim Jesus’ name and share His love, our joy becomes a light that illuminates the world around us.
Isaiah shows us that the proper response to salvation is to share it and to invite others to experience and to join in on the celebration as well. This is why Advent joy is not a private emotion, but a shared experience where we rejoice together as the Body of Christ, lifting each other up and proclaiming the goodness of God to the world. Sharing joy in community is an act of being present with one another and celebrating God’s goodness collectively.
But how do we prepare for Jesus’ coming, not just with our hearts, but with our actions, living this joy out in practical ways? Isaiah doesn’t tell us, but this is where John the Baptist steps in. While Isaiah’s joyful vision is filled with praise, John gives us the steps to live it out in our everyday lives, but it doesn’t sound like joy at first because Luke begins this passage by telling us that John the Baptist:
7…said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?” 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
Here, John let the people of Israel know being Abraham’s descendants didn’t make them right with God. The religious leaders and others relied more on family lines than on faith for their standing with God. For them, religion was inherited. The people were relying on their connections to save them, but knowing the right people, being raised in a Christian family, or going to the right church will not save anyone. The only connection that will save someone is a personal connection to Jesus. Everyone has to make a personal decision of whether or not to trust in Jesus.
John was essentially telling the people to not rely on someone else’s faith for their own salvation.
In verse 9, John says:
9 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.’
While John starts his message off in what seems like a harsh manner by calling people a “brood of vipers” and talking about judgment for people not being far off if they don’t repent, his message was actually deeply hopeful. His call to repentance isn’t about guilt or shame; it’s about shaping our lives to reflect the reality of God’s Kingdom.
And how the people responded to John’s seemingly harsh opening statements cuts to the heart of our Advent preparation. They ask him:
10 “What should we do then?”
This question shows the people’s movement from expectation to transformation, from looking forward to Jesus’ coming to living as though He is already here. And that’s how we should be living as well, knowing that Jesus has not yet returned but living as if He has.
John responded to this question by saying:
11… “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.” 12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?” 13 “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them. 14 Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.”
John’s call to repentance and his response to the people’s question make it clear that true preparation for Jesus involves more than passive waiting; it requires actively aligning our lives with God’s purposes. John didn’t offer vague instructions; instead, he provided tangible, practical steps that reflect God’s Kingdom here and now.
His call to action—sharing clothes and food, practicing fairness, and avoiding exploitation—emphasizes being mindful and present to the needs of others. These are concrete ways to demonstrate care and connection in our daily lives.
John challenged the people to bear fruit through their actions, and his simple, actionable steps offer a valuable lesson for us, regardless of our profession. The key takeaway is this: joyful presence isn’t about waiting passively; it’s about living actively with generosity and integrity, reflecting God’s character in all that we do.
But true repentance goes beyond changing our actions—it requires a transformation of the heart. It’s not just about giving away clothes or being fair in business, but about a deep shift in how we view and respond to others, turning from selfishness to selflessness as we align our hearts with God’s will.
John warned his listeners that their repentance needed to be genuine. Empty promises wouldn’t cut it. He stressed that their talk of repentance wasn’t worth anything unless they were living it out. He wanted people’s actions to be in line with their words. Followers of Jesus need to do more than say we believe in Jesus—if our actions don’t back up our words, what we say is meaningless.
Picking back up in verse 15, we read:
15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. 16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” – Luke 3:7-16
John was doing some amazing things, but he made sure that people knew that he was only the opening act. Jesus was the main attraction. John prepared the way for Jesus’ ministry by calling the people to repent and turn away from their sinful ways in order to have a relationship with Jesus.
As we stand in this tension between the “already” and the “not yet,” Advent invites us to live with joy, repentance, and action. The joy we experience in this season is an active joy, one that propels us to prepare for the coming of Jesus both at Christmas and in His final return. As we anticipate His arrival, we are called to rejoice, not because everything is perfect, but because the promise of His coming is enough to fuel our joy.
