Advent 3: The Promise of Restoration
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Today is Joy Sunday! Traditionally, the third week of Advent takes “Joy” as its central theme. It’s sometimes called, “Gaudete Sunday” (gaudete means “rejoice” in Latin), and its candle in Advent wreaths is often rose-colored. Ours is not but that’s a story for another time. The overall idea here is that while Advent is a time of waiting for Christ to come, there’s also room for joy in his arrival!
If we were to read all 4 assigned (lectionary) texts for this Sunday we would hear this theme: Joy.
From Zephaniah we hear that it’s time to sing, rejoice, exult! Paul tells us to “rejoice in the Lord always.” Isaiah would have us “draw water with rejoicing from the springs of salvation.” And even in the gospel reading, where John the Baptist speaks) about the unquenchable fire, you can even perhaps detect the joy in his message--- for the downtrodden. So, joy, it is today.
I am guessing the book of Zephaniah is not one that we are super familiar with. Right? Let’s dig into Zephaniah a little bit and explore joy…and the promise of restoration that he shares.
Zephaniah is a prophet called by God to speak to the people of Judah during the reign of King Josiah (640-609 BCE). The first three chapters of the book are filled with judgment oracles and communal memories of suffering (1:2-3:8). These oracles declare that turning away from God only leads to destruction (3:8). But Zephaniah makes a dramatic turn from judgment and destruction to joy and rejoicing with the arrival and presence of God (3:15; 17). The day of the Lord finally does arrive, but it is not what the people expect. They expected the Lord to appear as judge and executioner, but instead, God reveals a savior who rescues, protects, loves, and rejoices (3:17-20). The oracle ends with a focus on restoration (3:19-20). The oppressed will be protected, the exiled will be brought back into belonging, and those who feel shame will now rejoice. It is a day when those who are restored will rejoice that God is such a loving savior, and one in which God will rejoice over those who have been redeemed. Zephaniah (much like Jeremiah) proclaims that “days are coming” when God’s future and God’s promises will be fulfilled. But until that day, God’s people must hold fast to the promises and character of God. (Kate Bowler, A Weary World Rejoices Advent Devotional).
Hold fast to the promises and character of God.
Hold fast to the promise of restoration.
Today. Right this very moment.
We have a God who is about the work of restoration. And yet, so much gets in our way. Perhaps it’s pain or disappointment, grief or shame, woundedness or a feeling of being unworthy. Sometimes our past haunts us or bitterness creeps in that we can’t let go of. We wrestle with addiction or anxiety or despair or unforgiveness that overwhelms everything else. We have a hard time imagining the wholeness that God longs for us all. A wholeness that is rooted in our very creation (Genesis 1:31). (Kate Bowler)
A wholeness promised for us. A wholeness that brings joy, healing, and peace.
But…How? How do we hold the promise of restoration and the joy as we carry ALL THE THINGS we are carrying around? Is it even possible? Really?
For many people I know, joy feels hard to access.
But let’s talk about joy for a second. It’s not about feeling joy ALL the time.
Brene Brown says in The Gifts of Imperfection:
It’s about twinkle lights. You know what I’m talking about when I say twinkle lights?
Twinkle lights are the perfect metaphor for joy. Joy is not a constant. It comes to us in moments. . . . A joyful life is not a floodlight of joy. That would eventually become unbearable. I believe a joyful life is made up of joyful moments gracefully strung together by trust, gratitude, inspiration, and faith.
I can get behind that metaphor for joy. With those twinkle lights in mind, maybe we can allow ourselves to hold the joy alongside the weariness that so many of us are feeling. Because true joy—biblical joy—does not sweep tensions under the rug. It tolerates doubt and sadness; fear and loss. It is a celebration of God’s presence with us, even—especially—in the darkest of days. (Nadia Stefko) PCUSA Lectionary Column
In Advent, we are reminded that the coming of Christ is about the ongoing work of God in the world—a work that seeks to heal, restore, and reconcile all people. God's presence in the world is not static but dynamic. It is actively involved in the struggles of humanity, challenging systems of oppression, bringing liberation, and working to build a just and compassionate world. This season is not just about waiting for Christ’s return but about embodying the hope, joy, and peace that Christ represents. It calls us to be agents of transformation, to work toward the renewal of all things, and to ensure that God's promise of restoration is realized in our own communities. It calls us to be a part of the ongoing restoration of creation, working toward justice for all, especially for the oppressed.
So, on this Third Sunday of Advent, let us hold on to the promise of Zephaniah: a promise that God is always working for our restoration, healing, and peace. Let us be open to God's transformative love and, in turn, work for a world where all people experience the fullness of this promise. May it be so. Amen