St. MarkReformed Church

When reading the book of Proverbs, young men are confronted with two choices: Lady Wisdom or Lady Folly. It’s pretty clear who Solomon is angling for! But here’s a question for you: where is Husband Wisdom? Or who is Husband Wisdom? Solomon never really says, though in 8:22–31, he points to someone from the past, someone at the beginning of the Creation, a Master Workman at Yahweh’s right hand. But it’s not a question that is much of a focus in the book.

So who is Husband Wisdom? Well, that’s Jesus (1 Corinthians 1:30–31), come to earth as a baby to receive his bride!

“The Word of the Father came down from heaven to teach the Way of Prudence to the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve. Wisdom was born of a virgin in the dead of winter to an heir of the house of Judah. Wisdom lived and grew before God and men (Luke 2:52). Wisdom came and spoke to us in [sayings], for he is greater than Solomon (Matthew 12:42). It was the will of the Father to send his beloved Wisdom to the folly of the Cross, and the joy of Wisdom to carry it (Isaiah 53:10; Hebrews 12:2). That same Wisdom rose again, first-born of the dead, and now rules and reigns forever and ever!” (Mark Brians, Theopolis).

Having secured his bride, he now loves her and matures her that he may present her, the church, to himself in splendor, that she might be holy and without blemish.

So this Advent Season rejoice that he came for you, yes, YOU, to make you part of his bride, and he did so and is doing so in all wisdom! Rejoice! For you are not a lonely one, poor and needy (Psalm 113), but a glorious Princess clothed in the splendor of his love! (Psalm 45).

St. Mark’s Advent and Christmas Guide teaches that Advent is a time to remember that we live between the two major comings of Jesus in history, “that we must live by faith in Christ as we await his return,” and that “we are given to each other in the community of the church to encourage each other…”

Psalm 122 is one of this week’s Advent readings, and does a splendid job of displaying what it means to be a community that encourages one another.

It demonstrates the communal nature of worship: “I was glad when they said to me, Let us go to the house of the Lord,” and it is “our feet” that are standing within the gates of Jerusalem to participate in worship.

It describes Jerusalem, the worshipping community, as a body that is firmly bound together to give thanks to the Lord. It reminds us that we are under the Lord, who judges his city for their blessing, as the chief of the house of David.

It calls us, the city, the church, to pray for one another: to pray for peace and security amongst those who love the body.

Finally, it calls us to real, brotherly fellowship: “For my brothers and companion’s sake, I will say, ‘Peace be within you!’”, while at the same time exhorting us to seek each other’s good. And to do so for the glory of God!

So while our focus during Advent is the coming of the Lord, we aren’t to forget for whom he is coming: that brother or sister or child in front of you or behind you or to your side. Not only are we to pray for them, but to seek their peace and to love worshipping with them, because they, too, give thanks to the Lord!

In Genesis 1, God creates a three-tiered universe of the heavens, the land, and the waters below. The first three days he creates them, the next three days fills them, and then puts man in control of it all in Genesis 1:26: “…dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over… all the earth…” The three tiers show up all over the bible: it was seen in Psalm 8 in Pastor Joe’s sermon, and in my sermon in Revelation 12:12 and soon in 14:7.

This language of three-tiers of the universe is also in the second commandment, where God forbids us to bow down to an image of anything in “heaven above, or on the earth beneath, or in the waters under the earth” (Exodus 20:4). Stop for a second and take that in! God forbids us to bow down to images of anything! “Heaven, earth, and sea” means the whole universe!

In this holiday season, these are important words. Rather than worshipping things, or wealth, or beauty, or good times, or family, or coveting all that might go with those entities (like fake Coca-Cola Christmas scenes and all the emotions evoked by them), we are to worship the Trinity and give thanks for all that we’ve been given, and be content with that as well (1 Corinthians 4:7). We’re to be people of thanksgiving and joy, not envious or covetous of anything in the universe. We’re not to worship it or bow down to it, but rather “rejoicing in the Lord always…in everything by prayer…with thanksgiving letting our requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6–7). Or, as Paul said elsewhere, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Colossians 3:16). What a way to enjoy the universe God has blessed us with in Jesus!