Signs of the Season

Sermon for Third Sunday of Advent – Sunday 14 December 2025 – All Saints, Kesgrave

Text: ‘Go back and report to John what you hear and see: ⁵ the blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.  (Matthew 11v4-6)

God give you peace my sisters and brothers.

You know Christmas is coming when….

• The Radio Times special Christmas edition is on sale.
• Mince pies appear in the shops.
• The Coca Cola Truck arrives in Ipswich (but sadly never Kesgrave…)
• There is a distinct odour of oranges and burnt sweeties in church.

and…

• The John Lewis Advert is on the Telly.

Here is one from a few years ago called ‘The Beginner’.

All these, and a whole host of other events (which seem to begin about the middle of September!) are in their own way heralds of the arrival of Messiah.   

However much we love and cherish them as part of our national identity, these ‘Signs of the Season’ are not Christmas.  They are signposts on the motorway but they are not our destination; they only point towards it.   Waiting at a signpost is never going to help us join Bill Rea on our quest to be ‘Driving Home for Christmas’.

If Advent is anything it is a season of signs.  Signs which are welcome but we must not loiter at them or we will never arrive at the Stable of Bethlehem.

So too with John the Baptist.  Though he features in our readings Advent is not about, John the Baptist.  He, like the John Lewis advert, is only a signpost.

Advent is not about the Adverts, it is about the journey.

We began Advent being reminded by Jesus to not waste time wondering when He will return but instead learn to be faithful in watching for the Kingdom

Last week we moved on to learn that faithfulness to the King and to be citizens of the Kingdom demands that we repent.

Today we are challenged to prove our faithfulness and our penitence by our deeds and start building the Kingdom.

Go back and report to John what you hear and see: ⁵ the blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. ⁶ Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.    (Matthew 11v4-6)

These are the signs of the season. 

Not the advent of the John Lewis TV Advert, nor Christmas decorations, nor even words from John the Baptist.

These are costly deeds. And, like the story we watched earlier of the foster father learning to skate board to help welcome a homeless child, it may hurt just a little bit.

We are all beginners at learning to live our lives for others

To do this will take our time, our treasure, and we will need to acquire talents that we never ever imagined would be ours.

But if we do not learn how to be people who open eyes and ears, people who welcome the lame and the outsider, people who bring Good News to those who have given up hope on life, then no amount of TV or Tinsel, Christingles or Carols, will put Christ back into Christmas.

As Jesus said we are so blessed, blessed even more than John the Baptist, how can we not be determined to pass this blessing on to others?

At the end of the service we will, with our usual enthusiasm, (and perhaps even a little bit of clapping) sing the song ‘Build Your Kingdom’.

Its lovely to ask God to ‘Build your Kingdom here’.  I’m not so sure it is quite so lovely to realise that we are the ones called to do the building.  We are God’s labourers.  We are the ones who are called to do the work.

We are your church, We are the hope on earth… [Gulp!]

That’s big bite of figgy pudding to swallow isn’t it?

Though Christmas is a time for children perhaps Advent is the time for us to grow up just a little?  Or as our Diocese encourages us, Grow Deeper.  

[Play Music Video]

As children we believed
The grandest sight to see
Was something lovely
Wrapped beneath our tree

Well heaven surely knows
That packages and bows
Can never heal a hurting human soul

What is this illusion called
The innocence of youth
Maybe only in our blind belief
Can we ever find the truth

No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
Everyone would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end
This is my grown-up Christmas list

[This blog ‘Signs of the Season’ is copyright © Andrew Dotchin 2025 and may be reproduced without charge on condition that the source is acknowledged] 

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John the Baptist in Prison

When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples ³ to ask him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’

⁴ Jesus replied, ‘Go back and report to John what you hear and see: ⁵ the blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. ⁶ Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.’

⁷ As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to see?  A reed swayed by the wind? ⁸ If not, what did you go out to see?  A man dressed in fine clothes?  No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. ⁹ Then what did you go out to see?  A prophet?  Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰ This is the one about whom it is written:

‘“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
    who will prepare your way before you.”

¹¹ Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.   (Matthew 11:2-11)

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Including this just because it’s a nice Christmas tune that got a passing mention in this blog…