FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT 2017
This last Sunday of Advent this year falls on Christmas Eve. In addition to
the Annunciation story (Lk.1:26-38) and Mary’s Magnificat (Lk.1:46b-55), 2 Sam.7
and Psa.89 narrate and extol God’s covenant with David. Rich stuff, yes? But it
may be Paul’s great doxology at the end of his letter to the Romans that aligns
best with overlap of the fourth Sunday of Advent and Christmas Eve.
Many families have a tradition of opening one present on Christmas Eve as a
foretaste of the gift-giving to follow the next day. I want to liken Paul’s Roman’s
doxology in this week’s reading as that present we may open early on Christmas
Eve. In it Paul praises God and the one whom he has sent to fulfill all his
purposes.
Here’s his doxology:
25 “Now
to God who is able to strengthen you according to my
gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the
mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but
is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the
Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the
obedience of faith— 27 to the
only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen.”
Paul invites us here
to look ahead and behind the “Christmas Miracle” (Karl Barth) to gaze in wonder
at what this solitary birth of a peasant baby in a backwater town in a small
Middle Eastern country amounts to. And it is far more than we could imagine or
even hope for!
A mystery is revealed
in this child. A mystery we could never figure out even with unlimited time,
information, and ingenuity. It has to be told to us. And it has been!
And this word has
gone out to the Gentiles. That’s most of us folks! We’re included. From the
beginning God had us in mind. And not only that, God has included us for blessing
(“according to the command of the eternal God”). The “obedience of faith” is Paul’s
way in Romans of saying salvation, reconciliation, new life, being conformed to
the image of Christ, a world remade. And he praises God for the unfathomable magnificence
of this goodness.
And the praise and
glory due this “only wise God” comes through Jesus Christ who comes to us
tomorrow same gifts in hands and an open welcome for his people and his world.
God is for us! We are
made for God! And the unveiling of that mystery is the gift Paul bids us open
this Christmas Eve.
Comments
Post a Comment