University Lutheran

The third Sunday in Advent is traditionally a jubilant Sunday, noted by the presence of the color pink. This week is also close enough to Christmas day that it starts to “really feel like” Christmas. Christmas movies are starting to pop up on television and the messages of Christmas coming near seem more insistent. This week the proclamation of our hope in Christmas is the key theme throughout the readings. We celebrate the coming of Christmas as the message of Christmas begins to ring clearer and clearer in our heads.

The third Sunday in Advent is traditionally a jubilant Sunday, noted by the presence of the color pink. This week is also close enough to Christmas day that it starts to “really feel like” Christmas. Christmas movies are starting to pop up on television and the messages of Christmas coming near seem more insistent. This week the proclamation of our hope in Christmas is the key theme throughout the readings. We celebrate the coming of Christmas as the message of Christmas begins to ring clearer and clearer in our heads.

The texts for this Sunday give us a sense of preparation by cleaning. John the Baptists plays a key role as being the “Voice who cries” – and when He is calling people to repent, He is calling them to clean-ness of life. Cleaning is a concept that seems to fit our sinful lives in much the same way that it does our messy desks, dirty dishes, and unkempt rooms. We would love for things to be cleaned, but we fear what it will take.

The texts for this Sunday give us a sense of preparation by cleaning. John the Baptists plays a key role as being the “Voice who cries” – and when He is calling people to repent, He is calling them to clean-ness of life. Cleaning is a concept that seems to fit our sinful lives in much the same way that it does our messy desks, dirty dishes, and unkempt rooms. We would love for things to be cleaned, but we fear what it will take.

The first Sunday in Advent is a sort of “alarm clock” that rings the bells that it is time for us to prepare for the coming of gift – or if we are found ill prepared, the gift might pass us by. Thinking about this question vocationally, we are given new tasks within our vocations all of the time – and if we are unprepared for their coming, we can appear inept and/or watch an opportunity fly past us.

The first Sunday in Advent is a sort of “alarm clock” that rings the bells that it is time for us to prepare for the coming of gift – or if we are found ill prepared, the gift might pass us by. Thinking about this question vocationally, we are given new tasks within our vocations all of the time – and if we are unprepared for their coming, we can appear inept and/or watch an opportunity fly past us.

God has redeemed us and has given us gifts, and the parable of the sheep and goats shows us that there is a way to mishandle these gifts. God’s people are marked by lives of generosity that are not always conscious of their generosity. However, Jesus is clearly calling us to be mindful of our generosity and sense of gifting to others in our Finances, Intellects, Physical presence, Relationships, and Spirituality. Our lives of generosity show how generously we receive His gifts.

God has redeemed us and has given us gifts, and the parable of the sheep and goats shows us that there is a way to mishandle these gifts. God’s people are marked by lives of generosity that are not always conscious of their generosity. However, Jesus is clearly calling us to be mindful of our generosity and sense of gifting to others in our Finances, Intellects, Physical presence, Relationships, and Spirituality. Our lives of generosity show how generously we receive His gifts.

Last week we talked about having the capital that we need, this week, we talk about the growth of that capital in our lives. In our culture, we are used to spending our capital, but not necessarily used to the ideas that surround the investment of our capital. We’ll talk about investing our Finances, Intellects, Physical time and body, Relationships, and Spiritual lives in order to show growth before Jesus returns, and how investing these things is actually more fun than hiding them away because of our fears.

Last week we talked about having the capital that we need, this week, we talk about the growth of that capital in our lives. In our culture, we are used to spending our capital, but not necessarily used to the ideas that surround the investment of our capital. We’ll talk about investing our Finances, Intellects, Physical time and body, Relationships, and Spiritual lives in order to show growth before Jesus returns, and how investing these things is actually more fun than hiding them away because of our fears.