The Third Way: God’s Radical Invitation | 3rd Sunday of Advent Sermon — St. Sarkis Church
In this Advent sermon, Fr. Nareg invites us to look beyond the cultural noise of the holiday season and rediscover the profound meaning behind Christ’s call to the divine banquet.
While our world is filled with parties, gatherings, and celebrations, Jesus offers something far more profound: an invitation that transforms the way we see friendship, generosity, sacred time, and even ourselves.
Drawing from Luke’s parable of the great banquet, this message explores:
Three ways of relating: transactional friendship, generous friendship, and the radical way of Christ
Why does Jesus command us to welcome those who cannot repay us
How the “poor, the lame, and the marginalized” in the parable are not only others, but us
A moving personal story about encountering the marginalized in everyday life How Christ goes to the very edges of human brokenness—even to God-forsakenness on the Cross—to bring us home
Why Sunday worship is essential to the life of the soul
How creating “space for the sacred” can reshape our families, our priorities, and our relationship with God
A pastoral challenge to make worship a habit and to invite someone you love to rediscover the sacred
This sermon is a heartfelt reminder that Advent prepares us not simply for a holiday, but for an encounter with the incarnate Lord. Christ’s invitation is extended to all, especially those who feel unworthy, unseen, or spiritually distant. And every invitation requires a response. Join us as we reflect on God’s unending love, His acceptance of every one of us, and His call to feast at His divine banquet.
