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Advent 3

Adult Object Lesson: Advent A-3 (Isaiah 35:1-10)

chia

Christmas Is Coming When You Hear the Ads!

Today’s object is a Chia pet—you know the Christmas commercials for the terracotta figures that when watered quickly sprout chia plants. They come in several models — everything from puppies that look like sheep to Ninja Turtles, Mickey Mouse and even President Obama. They are inexpensive novelty gifts.

Chia is an interesting plant. It is native to Mexico and grown commercially throughout South America.  It is rich in good things like protein, fiber, calcium, phosphorus, and manganese and low in bad things like fat and sodium. It may help control hunger and blood pressure.

But none of this has anything to do with why we hear the commercials at Christmas time and buy the planters for fun gifts.

It’s all about watching plants suddenly growing and blossoming from seemingly nowhere. Frequently all the good that can come from chia seeds is lost on us.

Make this point and then reread today’s Old Testament lesson.

 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the LORD, the majesty of our God. Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees.

Chia plants are not such a far-fetched Advent gift after all!

photo credit: Pandiyan via photopin cc

Adult Object Lesson: Advent 3, December 16, 2012

Tuesday

santa

He’s going to find out who’s naughty or nice!

Zephaniah 3:14-20  •  Isaiah 12:2-6  •  Philippians 4:4-7  •  Luke 3:7-18

The third Sunday in Advent is a good time to relate biblical tradition to secular tradition. 

We are tempted to think that awaiting Christmas is all warm and cozy. If we don’t feel that way there must be something wrong with us!

Today’s lectionary tosses that wishful thinking out the window. There is definitely something wrong with the people listening to Zephaniah and John the Baptist.

Today’s Old Testament reading and Gospel read a lot like Santa’s list of Naughty and Nice…only today’s writers are definitely concentrating on the naughty.

Your object today can be a scroll on which you can write some of the naughty notions talked about in Zephaniah and Luke. Zephaniah brings harsh words of warning to God’s people who are falling to temptation. John the Baptist addresses specific segments of his following with direct and practical advice on how to make their sorry lots better. You might have a second scroll for the Nice things John suggests.

And then there are the two other scriptures: Isaiah and Philippians connecting the Old and New Testament readings.

What is their message? Be joyful.

That’s the funny thing about Christmas.

Naughty or nice, it all comes down to doing something about our sin and rejoicing. Joy to the World. 

photo credit: LadyDragonflyCC <3 via photopin cc