SUNDAY-3^rd Week of Advent:Year- C

First Reading: Zephaniah 3:14-18: The Lord will dance with shouts of joy for you as on a day of festival.

Second Reading: Philippians 4:4-7: The Lord is very near.

Gospel: Luke 3:10-18: What must we do?

The Plain Message of John the Baptist:

A Message for All Ages, Lk 3:7-20

Today we celebrate the “Rejoice Sunday” because the salvation of Jesus Christ is for all including the tax collectors, sinners and everyone. The first and the second reading also encourage people to rejoice. We can be happy and joyful by three things: first, we must know about our origin and true nature, secondly we must have a great faith and trust in the Lord and thirdly we must be a true Christian and follower of Jesus in the Church. What must we do? How can be saved?  True repentance and love of our neighbours by sharing our goods, valuable times and talents can save us. These will help us to understand the love and faithfulness of God in our lives. Let us be rejoice because God is always with us and loving us.

The message of John the Baptist was powerful, a message for all ages.

1. He preached condemnation (v.7)

2. He preached repentance (v.8)

3. He preached against pride (v.8)

4. He preached judgement (v.9)

5. He preached social justice (v.10-14)

a. The people: were to love and care enough to share their material possessions

b. The tax collectors: were to love and care enough to stop exerting their authority and cheating people

c. The soldiers: were to love and care enough to provide security and service to the nation

6. He preached the Messiah’s coming (v.15-17)

a. The Messiah’s person

b. The Messiah’s baptism

c. The Messiah’s judgement

7. He preached many other things (v.18)

8. He preached against sin in high places (v.19-20)

a. He preached against the governor’s sin

b. The result: he was arrested

Thought: Most people are prideful. They feel they are special enough to be acceptable to God, that God would never reject them. They feel acceptable because they have godly parents, have been baptized, are not bad, are good enough, religious, members of the church and regular worshippers etc.

What is most important is to walk in the way of the Lord and to establish God’s kingdom on earth.

We the Christians are happy and joyful people the fact that we have already been forgiven, the Lord is already in our midst, the Lord is very near (Phil 4:5) and through prayer, we can obtain whatever we need (Phil 4:6).

The way to salvation is open to everyone; repentance and love for neighbour are the only conditions required to be saved.

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