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Second Sunday in Advent, 2004

Since the Reformation there has been a debate concerning altars and pulpits. The issue is this: In the Church, which should receive central focus, the altar or the pulpit? Altar and pulpit symbolize two different styles of churchmanship. Should the sacrament consecrated at the altar receive the priority in the life of the Church, or should the Word preached from the pulpit receive the prominence? Which is more important, the word or the sacrament? The altar or the pulpit? Consider the extremes.

Some of the Anabaptists of the Radical Reformation wanted nothing but a pulpit. Men such as Caspar Schenkfeld rejected all external forms, ceremonies, and rites. He believed that neither baptism nor the Lord’s Supper had been observed properly since apostolic times and even suggested that the Lord’s Supper not be celebrated until the proper observation was once again determined. The Radical Reformation was largely dominated by the pulpit.

Then there are historical examples of the altar eclipsing the pulpit. In John Wycliffe’s day, lay people ran from church to church to gaze upon the sacrament celebrated. Seldom did they actually partake of it. Bible reading, even among the clergy, was surprisingly rare. It was thought sufficient if the priest knew the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer, the Creed, and the Hail Mary. The ordinary Christian knew even less. The focus of popular interest was the cult of the saints. Wycliffe faulted the clergy in general for not preaching from Scripture (when they preached at all). The pulpit fashion of the time was largely to draw material from history, fables, and Greek myths. Hence, the medieval church was dominated by the altar. [See Wide As the Waters by Benson Bobrick, p. 49. Also Keith Mathison’s The Shape of Sola Scriptura, p. 125.]

Why does it have to be either or? Is it not possible to balance both Word and Sacrament? In the Reformed Episcopal Church, a combination of pulpit and altar frames our worship. On most Sundays we receive God’s sanctifying grace from both. Since today is Bible Sunday, we will concentrate on the Word. What is the place of the Bible in our earthly pilgrimage? Our Collect for the Second Sunday in Advent takes Romans 15:4 and converts it into a prayer, a prayer that encourages us in daily Bible reading and meditation. Our text will be taken from the first verse of our Epistle lesson, Romans 15:4.

I. “For whatever things were written before, were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” St. Paul refers to “things written before.” What are they? The Old Testament Scriptures. Everything in the Old Testament was written for our learning. How about the New Testament? Can St. Paul’s words apply to the New Testament too? Yes, they can! “For whatever things were written in the entire Bible, Old Testament and New, were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” What do we learn from Holy Scripture? We learn the way of sanctification and salvation. We learn about Christ. As St. Jerome put it in the fourth century A.D., “Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.” We learn the wisdom that leads us to Christian maturity in this life, and the heavenly glory of the next. 2 Timothy 3:16 says something similar to Romans 15:4: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” My English Standard Version says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God…” That means that ultimately, God Himself is the Author of Scripture. The words of the Bible are the very words of God. God’s words, spoken at particular moments in history, remain valid for all succeeding generations.

Why else ought we to read the Bible? Because God reveals Himself in it. Without it we would know little about God. Has the Divine Trinity revealed Himself anywhere else? Certainly! He is revealed in the Person of Christ, and in His work of creation. Creation provides vast and varied evidence for God’s attributes. The Lord reveals Himself in the majesty of the snowcapped mountain, and the colorful dewdrop that dangles on the end of a leaf. Yes indeed nature reveals something of the wisdom and character of God. The older theologians talked about two books that reveal God. The Bible was the first book; nature was the second. We might even say that there was a third book, the incarnation. Jesus, the Word, became flesh and dwelt among us, flawlessly revealing God (John 1:1ff.). These three sources of revelation combine to give a complete picture of God’s revelation to us. Because Jesus Christ has ascended into Heaven and is no longer on earth for us to observe, we must rely on creation and the Bible. Besides that, because creation is fallen into sin, and because nature tends to communicate vague and general messages, we give priority to Scripture, which is infallible, clear and special. Consequently, the Bible is our most important source for knowing God.

II. Let’s continue on with our passage. “For whatever things were written before, were written for our learning that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” It says we study the Scriptures to gain patience. That word patience is far larger than what we normally think. It can be translated “patient endurance,” “steadfastness” or “perseverance.” It means the ability to bear and to bear up under whatever comes along. Without God’s Word, a Christian is hampered in his or her ability to hold up under persecution and affliction. In contrast, with the Word of God, the chances of remaining steadfast are greatly improved. We see evidence of this when the apostle Paul languished in prison. He wrote to Timothy, “Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come – and the books, especially the parchments.” What were these books and parchments Paul desired? They were portions of the Scripture.

A similar thing happened to the great linguist William Tyndale. Tyndale is a towering figure in the history of the English Bible. For years he had been secretly hiding in France. From his hideout he translated the Scriptures into the English vernacular from the original Greek and Hebrew. The inquisition led by Thomas More had been hunting him down for years. In 1535 they finally did catch Tyndale and threw him in a dungeon. It was a dark, damp, dreary hole. From there Tyndale wrote a letter to the governor of the region. He requested certain items from among his belongings. He asked, could you have someone bring me “a warmer cap, for I suffer greatly from the cold, and have a cough… a warmer coat also, for what I have is very thin; a piece of cloth, too, with which to patch my leggings; and a woolen shirt… for my clothes are all worn out. … And I ask to be allowed to have a lamp in the evening, for it is wearisome to sit alone in the dark. But most of all I beg and beseech your clemency that the commissary will kindly permit me to have my Hebrew bible, grammar, and dictionary, that I may continue with my work. In return I pray every good may come to you, consistent with the salvation of your soul.” [Close quote.]

The governor apparently granted Tyndale some of these things. Throughout his trial, Tyndale bore up strongly. He endured frightful hardships and went to his death full of faith. Once found guilty, he was brought to the place of execution, tied to a stake, strangled by the hangman, and then consumed by fire. Because the Word of God saturated his soul, he never wavered. If the apostle Paul and William Tyndale begged for the Word of God in order to persevere in their respective jail cells, how much more should we, of little faith, immerse ourselves in God’s Word in order to persevere in the midst of our trials? Are you passing through affliction? Read your Bible. Meditate upon it. God’s Spirit can strengthen you and help you in difficult times.

III. We have seen that God’s Word was written for our learning. It was also written to help us persevere. Next, we see that it was written to give us comfort and hope. “That we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” St. Paul says that the Christian by studying the Bible draws comfort and hope. That word “comfort” can mean “consolation” or “encouragement.” Sometimes it is hard to see how certain parts of the Bible can be that comforting. The long line of bad kings that ruled Israel is anything but a rosy picture. In Kings and Chronicles the nations of Israel and Judah suffer humiliating defeats, and the peoples are eventually carried away into captivity. How does such a gloomy, bloody history offer comfort and hope?

Perhaps God allowed the Children of Israel to experience the bitterness of human rule so that they would long for the glory of the Messianic Kingdom. The person who has driven an old rattle-trap can appreciate a brand new BMW. Most people who suffer under totalitarian despots or cruel anarchists come to yearn for a righteous ruler and a stable government. God had promised His chosen ones precisely that. The Lord had made a covenant with King David to establish His throne forever. The covenant promised that David would have a son who would be a king of matchless excellence, the Messiah. The Hebrews looked for and longed for this Messiah. The prophets called him the Son of David, or the Suffering Servant. Isaiah described Him in Isaiah 9:6-7:

“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the Government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”

This prophecy of the coming King is one of the richest in all of the Old Testament. It not only points to the birth of Jesus, it reveals the greatness of the Son of David and the sublimity of His kingdom. The coming King is called “Wonderful Counselor,” “Mighty God,” “Eternal Father,” and “Prince of Peace.” These titles indicate that this child will somehow be God Himself. The description of His reign is impressive too. He will reign from the throne of David and “there will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace. This means that His kingdom will increase and occupy progressively all space until He rules over all. And what assurance do we have that this will occur? The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish it. The same almighty God who promises that it will surely be done also promises that He will be the One to do it. We cannot ask for greater assurance. We cannot ask for greater hope. Advent reminds us that Christ’s kingdom will expand over the globe in endless blessing and peace. So returning to our question: How do we read the gloomy chapters of the Bible and derive comfort and hope from them? We read them in reference to Christ’s advent. The evil rulers that populate the earth make us yearn for the King of kings. Cultural decay should make us long for the New Heavens and New Earth.

Furthermore, we read all of Scripture searching for Christ. In the Bible we see in Christ the whole sweep of God’s purpose to redeem and restore mankind, and indeed all creation. The Bible is primarily a book about salvation. It unfolds God’s total plan. We read Scripture believing that God has spoken, and that we are reading and hearing the very words of God. The collect for today is an encouragement, “Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scripture to be written for our learning; Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life…”

The Church calls you on this Second Sunday in Advent to make a new year’s resolution. Be resolved to read the Bible, to study it, and get involved in Bible studies. Granted, receiving the Holy Communion in faith sanctifies you in a unique way. The Lord will also sanctify you in your prayer time and your fellowship with other believers. God will sometimes use suffering to make you more holy. Nevertheless, your daily Bible reading time is crucial. You can’t ignore it and expect to make progress in Christlikeness. Therefore, this week, today, now, as you come to the Holy Communion, make that promise to the Lord. Ask Him for grace to read the Bible more frequently. Be resolved to put in the time. Turn off the TV; turn off the radio; and shut off the computer. Be resolved to learn the art of meditation in God’s Word. Be resolved to follow the readings in the lectionary that start at roman numeral XVI of the Prayer Book. If you don’t know how to use the lectionary please ask someone to show you. The lectionary gives you a Psalm, an Old Testament passage, and a New Testament reading for every morning and evening. The Bible is for your spiritual learning. Over the path of your pilgrimage in this life, it builds up perseverance. In the midst of trials and affliction it offers you comfort. In the face of death it generates assurance of everlasting life in Christ. Don’t let your Bible gather dust. Read it; learn it; meditate upon it.

Let us pray.

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