Advent Reptent

Welcome to the Second Sunday of Advent Year A. This sermon was preached at Faith Lutheran Church in Gardner, MA. At the heart of our Advent preparation stands John the Baptist, who calls us to repent and make a new beginning. As the darkness increases we turn toward the light of Christ’s coming. For Christians he is the root of Jesse, the righteous judge who welcomes all, especially the poor and meek of the earth. We wait with hope for that day when the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and there will be no more hurt or destruction. From the Lord’s table we are sent in the spirit of John the Baptist to proclaim that in Christ the kingdom of God has come near.  The scripture readings for the day are Isaiah 11:1-10, Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19, Romans 15:4-13 and Matthew 3:1-12.