lectionary.com

Advent Season · Second Sunday of Advent · Year C

Baruch 5:1-9 or Malachi 3:1-4

The Messenger Who Refines and Purifies

December 5, 2027

Saint John the Baptist Preaching, Mattia Preti
Saint John the Baptist Preaching, Mattia Preti, c. 1650Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
A Neapolitan painting of the Baptist mid-gesture, lit from the side, with the crowd pressed into shadow around him.See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me: Malachi's messenger is the figure the gospels identify as this one.Mattia PretiA Calabrian painter who worked in Naples and then Malta, where he decorated the knights' cathedral almost single-handed.Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkThe largest art museum in the Americas, founded in 1870 by a group of New Yorkers who wanted one and had no collection to start from.Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Revised Common Lectionary
GospelLuke 3:1-6Lk 3:1-6
EpistlePhil. 1:3-11Phil 1:3-11
Old TestamentBar. 5:1-9Bar 5:1-9 orMal. 3:1-4Mal 3:1-4
PsalterLuke 1:68-79Lk 1:68-79

Overview & Insights

“But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire.” (Malachi 3:2)

Malachi announces that the LORD will suddenly send his messenger to prepare the way, and that this coming will be a refining fire purifying the sons of Levi. The prophecy anticipates a day when worship will again be pleasing to the LORD, as in former years.

From Sermons.com: Join Today to access the most scholarly & well written preaching resources anywhere.

Take it further: Baruch 5:1-9 or Malachi 3:1-4

Commentary

Commentary on Malachi 3:1-4Commentary on Mal 3:1-4 Working Preacher

The Lutheran home commentary on the refining messenger who prepares the way.

Malachi 3:1-4 CommentaryMal 3:1-4 Commentary Center for Excellence in Preaching

A Reformed preaching commentary connecting the refiner's fire to John the Baptist's message.

Malachi 3 - The Coming MessengerMal 3 - The Coming Messenger Enduring Word · David Guzik

A verse-by-verse evangelical study of Malachi's promise of a purifying messenger.

Malachi Commentaries and SermonsMal Commentaries and Sermons Precept Austin

A gateway to inductive word studies and cross references across Malachi.

Malachi 3:1 CommentariesMal 3:1 Commentaries BibleHub

Classic commentaries gathered verse by verse on the coming messenger.

Malachi 3:1 Verse-by-Verse CommentaryMal 3:1 Verse-by-Verse Commentary StudyLight

A large library of expositors stacked verse by verse for a further voice on the passage.

Background & Word Study

Malachi 3 (Hebrew and English)Mal 3 (Hebrew and English) Sefaria

The Hebrew of the passage alongside English with linked Jewish commentary.

Malachi 3:1 InterlinearMal 3:1 Interlinear BibleHub

The Hebrew of the passage word by word with parsing and lexical helps.

Book of Malachi OverviewBook of Mal Overview BibleProject

An animated overview of Malachi and its closing word to a weary post-exilic people.

The Church Fathers

Malachi 3 (Catena)Mal 3 (Catena) Catena

Patristic comments verse by verse on the coming messenger and refiner's fire.

Prep at sermons.com

Ready to write?

  • Full sermons on Luke 3:1-6
  • Illustrations cleared for use in worship
  • Commentary, quotes, and Bible dictionary
Open it at sermons.com →

Trusted by pastors since 1995.

Free every Tuesday

Illustrations & Sermon Prep in your inbox

The coming Sunday’s readings, a cleared-for-use illustration, and a sermon-prep head start. One email, free.