Sunday, December 10, 2023: Second Sunday of Advent

Mark 1:1-8 

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,

   “Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,

   who will prepare Your way,  [Malachi 3:1]

3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness:

   Prepare the way of the Lord,

   make His paths straight,’” [Isaiah 40:3]

4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes He who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Mark’s quotations from Malachi and Isaiah point his readers to the preparatory ministry of John and the powerful work of Jesus Christ. Both prophets seem to speak of both comings of Christ: Malachi looking to His second coming of purification and refining; Isaiah looking to His reign of peace and His glory revealed to all people. Matthew’s and Luke’s accounts of this story include John stating that Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. 

O God, please reveal Your glory in the Buddhist world. Please send forth Your word to do as You intend it to, to stand forever and proclaim Your truth as more sure than any Buddhist teaching. Please raise up laborers who will prepare Your way in never-reached places, that Jesus may be known and glorified in the Buddhist world. Amen.

Prayer:

2 Peter 3:8-15 

8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to His promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

14 Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by Him without spot or blemish, and at peace. 15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation…

Lord, thank You for Your patience. Thank You that Your timing is not like our timing, and that You are never slow to fulfill Your promises. We know that You do not desire for any in the Buddhist world to perish, but that You desire for all of them to repent and turn to You. Your patience gives people time to come to Your salvation! God, please draw Buddhists to Your salvation through Jesus Christ alone.

Today we also pray for believers in the Buddhist world. God, please strengthen them to live holy and godly lives, diligent to be found by You without spot or blemish. Grant them Your peace, in them and among them. Through their faithfulness, draw whole households and communities to believe in You too.

In this Advent season, we remember Jesus’ coming as a baby on the first Christmas, and we look forward to the day when He will come and create the new heavens and new earth, where righteousness dwells. Lord, may we also be faithful to live lives of holiness and godliness before You as we wait. Amen. 

Please enjoy reading and praying through the full passages as you have time.

Malachi 3:1-3

1 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, He is coming, says the LORD of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of His coming, and who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD. 

Isaiah 40:1-11

1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,

   and cry to her

that her warfare is ended,

   that her iniquity is pardoned,

that she has received from the LORD’s hand

   double for all her sins.

3 A voice cries:

   “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD;

     make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

4 Every valley shall be lifted up,

   and every mountain and hill be made low;

the uneven ground shall become level,

   and the rough places a plain.

5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,

   and all flesh shall see it together,

   for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

6 A voice says, “Cry!”

   And I said, “What shall I cry?”

All flesh is grass,

   and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.

7 The grass withers, the flower fades

   when the breath of the LORD blows on it;

   surely the people are grass.

8 The grass withers, the flower fades,

   but the word of our God will stand forever.

9 Go on up to a high mountain,

   O Zion, herald of good news;

lift up your voice with strength,

   O Jerusalem, herald of good news;

   lift it up, fear not;

say to the cities of Judah,

   “Behold your God!”

10 Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might,

   and His arm rules for Him;

   behold, His reward is with Him,

   and His recompense before Him.

11 He will tend His flock like a shepherd;

   He will gather the lambs in His arms;

He will carry them in His bosom,

   and gently lead those that are with young.