Third Week of Advent 2025
Episode notes
Before listening to this 28 minute conversation, read and/or listen to the Revised Common Lectionary texts for this third week in Advent:
Isaiah 35:1-10; Psalm 146:5-10; Luke 1:46b-55 (alternate); James 5:7-10; Matthew 11:2-11.
What text is most recognizable or memorable to you?
Which text is the most challenging or raises the most concerns?
Engage your curiosity. Ask yourself: What don’t I know about my neighbor? If this question seems disconnected from these readings consider these two statements from Martin Luther and Dietrich Bonhoeffer:
“…we ought freely to support our neighbor with our body and its actions, and each person ought to become to the other a kind of Christ.” - Martin Luther’s The Freedom of a Christian
“Christian love knows no limits. It seeks to realize God’s rule in each and every place.” - Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Sanctorum Communio
Topics and terms covered in this episode: Martin Luther, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Walter Bouman, Sojourner Truth, Holy History (Heilsgeschichte), honesty that is rooted in Christ.
The video of this episode is at https://youtu.be/LsoVa9hkC50. Additional Advent 2025 resources are at https://www.sdsynodlearns.org/pages/advent-resources-2025