Here we go, another fire and brimstone gospel reading for Advent; which admittedly is not the message we’re used to hearing in our culture this time of year. Definitely goes contrary to the Hallmark Christmas movie, jingle-jangle Christmas songs we’re inundated with in the weeks before Christmas!
Hearing the preacher reading about John the Baptist calling his listeners a brood of vipers, catches our ears, as it most certainly would have caught the ears of those who were in the crowd listening John. John was what today we might call eccentric, his appearance and behaviour was, well, unusual, even for a prophet. I wonder if it was because he was so eccentric, so unusual, that the crowd accepted this tough message from him and even were so drawn to him. In no uncertain terms John is giving his audience a really good dressing down, ending with threats of unquenchable fire. He wasn’t pulling any punches. John is seriously calling these folks to task—and they were listening!
In those days, there was a sense of expectation in the air—the expectation of a Messiah, a Saviour King to save the people of Abraham, God’s chosen people, from the oppression of the Roman occupation they were living under. The people wanted another King like David to save them, to bring them once again to the golden era of the times of David and Solomon. We know that in biblical times, prophets roamed the land. Even in Jesus’ time, because he warned against following false prophets. This baptizing camel hair clad man named John, however, must have had an air of legitimacy about him. His listeners sensed the Spirit of God within him and his message because they asked John, “Is it you, are you our Messiah, our Saviour?” John tells them no. He was the messenger, he was to tell them to get ready for the Messiah’s coming, and to do so, they needed to make what amounted to a “mental and spiritual u-turn”[1].
Ok, so there it is! -- the Christ is coming message of Advent in this scripture reading. That’s why we hear this repent or die talk at this time of year. It’s not comfortable to hear this kind of talk, some may find it really off putting, but, a real prophet’s message seldom is a comfortable one. Generally speaking, the role of the true prophet is to warn and bring God’s message to the limelight; a prophet’s role is to be the mover and shaker! And it was a role John was very good at, it was a job he was literally born to do! Luke says he preached like this all the time; “with many other exhortations (John) proclaimed the good news to the people” (vs 18). And this exhortation was the good news? So how is the need to make a spiritual attitude-adjustment good news?
t is only within the last half century or so, since western commercialization took over the real meaning of Christmas, that the period traditionally known as Advent changed in its focus. Advent was always a time of getting ready for the coming of Jesus into our midst by looking at those things within us that with the love of God can be transformed or forgiven. It was a time of preparing oneself spiritually for the coming of the Messiah; a time of repentant self-reflection. That’s why historically the hangings were purple for Advent, the same colour as Lent, purple is the colour that signifies repentance. It is only more recently that Advent colours changed to blue in Protestant churches, to differentiate Advent from Lent.
The anniversary of the birth of the Saviour is our annual reminder of that three-fold message of Christianity; God came to earth in human form as a man called Jesus to show us The Way back to God, that God’s Spirit remains with us, and Jesus will come again. And in preparation for meeting our Lord at Christmas, we ask forgiveness, kind of a spiritual cleansing for those things that keep us from God – that’s what sin is, after all, those things we do that stop us from being at one with our Creator. So this inner soul searching and cleansing, kind of makes sense, if you think about it for a bit. Here’s an analogy. When we have a special visitor coming to our home, or even the Church, we make things ready for their coming. We look over the space with fresh eyes, and we see where we need to clean, tidy, throw stuff away, maybe we even do some redecorating. And depending on the situation, maybe even a full scale renovation is in order.
That was essentially John the Baptist’s message. Look, the Messiah, the Saviour is coming. Time to look within yourselves, check your lifestyle; is this how the people of God should be living their lives? Not exactly? Well then, cleanse yourselves, in mind, body and spirit so as to be ready for the Saviour’s is coming. And John had a special message for the Jews, the people of Abraham as Luke calls them. Just because you’re of the race of God’s chosen people, don’t think you have special status with God, or are safe from God’s judgement. Because, if God chose to, he could make children from anything God chooses—even stones! God has the power of life and death, the power to do whatever God chooses to. And just because you were born a Jew that doesn’t bring any special privileges with God John tells them! ‘Walk the talk’ is essentially John’s message to them. The message is still the same for today. It takes more than saying you’re Christian and giving donations to the church to be saved. “Every tree...that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” John told them.
Now, that must have got their attention, the message was reaching them; they recognized the need to repent within themselves, because many came forward for baptism and asked John: “What then should we do?” (vs 10) And he told them quite plainly! Do you have more than you need? Then share with those who haven’t enough, take care of those who have less. The tax collectors too wanted direction. They were hired by the Roman authorities to gather the Roman Empire’s taxes from the Jews, and they were notorious for topping up the tax rate and pocketing the extra. John tells them: ‘Don’t cheat, be fair and honest in your dealings.” The soldiers wanted his advice. Now, these soldiers Luke’s referring to are not like our armed forces today, they were more like mercenaries, hired guns you could say and the pay rate wasn’t just what they thought it should be. And mercenaries, by definition, play by their own rules, so they augmented their wages by stealing from those who they were hired to enforce. John tells them to stop stealing, don’t force people or abuse your power or authority to get what you want. Instead, be satisfied with your wages, with what you received. Be satisfied with your life! Now there’s a message that still speaks to us in the 21st century! Even with all we have, how many people do you know who really feel satisfied with what they have? Do all our things, all the stuff we have really make us happy?
John’s message was a primer for living a life as true people of God. Look inside, see and understand where you’re missing the mark, ask God’s forgiveness, then “reprioritize and return to lives focused on the love of God and the love and care of neighbour”[2].
Repent, be cleansed, and bear fruits worthy of repentance.
God overturns the broken reality of the world by changing people, by getting our attention, by inviting us to repentance, a repentance based on the faith that God is gracious, and God forgives, and loves us so much that God came to earth, in human form, just like us and lived among the people of God’s creation. That is the Good News that John was preaching, in his own indomitable way. So be prepared, and be open to invite Jesus, the Christ, the Saviour into our lives. So we can truly be the holy people God wants us to be.
Amen.
[1] From www.workingpreacher.com, podcast for Yr C Advent 3.
[2] Kathy Beach-Verhey in Homiletical Perspective in Feasting on the Word, Year C Vol. 1 p. 73.