Article: Third Sunday in Advent: December 17, 2006.(Preaching Helps)

Zephaniah 3:14-20 or Isaiah 12:2-6

Philippians 4:4-7

Luke 3:7-18

First Reading

Zephaniah and Paul seem to lead preachers toward the comfortable and familiar and away from the difficulties of our Gospel text. Paul's words of rejoicing, echoing in camp songs and Sunday school lessons of the congregation's psyche, seem to be a refuge from the radical discipleship and judgment of Luke's John the Baptist. At first glance, Zephaniah seems to support Paul, with words of vindication for the people and joy at restoration. But there is more in these texts than this surface reading. They have much in common with the Gospel text.

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