Simply the Sermon for December 7, 2025: Second Sunday of Advent

Our Bible texts for Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025 are: Isaiah 11:1-10; Romans 15:4-13; and Matthew 3:1-12. The focus for this liturgical year is on the gospel of Matthew, interspersed with the occasional reading from John. Reading through the gospel of Matthew in particular might be a great way to start off the season of Advent and our new year.

At the heart of our Advent preparation stands John the Baptist, who calls us to repent and make a new beginning. As the darkness increases we turn toward the approaching light of Christ. For Christians he is the root of Jesse, the righteous judge who welcomes all, especially the poor and oppressed of the earth. We wait with hope for that day when the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and there will be no more hurt or destruction. From the Lord’s table we are sent in the spirit of John the Baptist to proclaim that in Christ the kingdom of God has come near. Through his nearness we are able to burst forth from the hard shell of ego and self-protection so that the tender, vulnerable grain of humanity can be freed to nourish the world.

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