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3. Sunday of Advent, 12/13/2009
Sermon on Luke 3:7-18, by Jennifer Gold
3:7 John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
3:8 Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.
3:9 Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."
3:10 And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?"
3:11 In reply he said to them, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise."
3:12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?"
3:13 He said to them, "Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you."
3:14 Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what should we do?" He said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages."
3:15 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah,
3:16 John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
3:17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."
3:18 So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.
SHUB & JOY!
Gaudete Sunday: Rejoice!
Today is the 3rd Sunday in Advent, also traditionally called Gaudete Sunday.
Hundreds of years ago, some people decided that they wanted to have a Sunday before Christmas that was penetential (a day to look inward at one's life) before the Messiah comes.
But they also wanted Joy because it's so hard to contain yourself with the all the excitement that goes into getting ready for Christmas.
So, whoever it was, decided that the 3rd Sunday of Advent would be called Gaudete - Rejoice Sunday - a day all about rejoicing!
So in our readings today, Zephaniah says,
"Rejoice and exult with all your heart!"
And St. Paul tells us today "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say rejoice!"
It is a joy -filled Sunday and I don't know who picked these readings but the third one just doesn't seem to match does it?
"You brood of vipers!" Now, that doesn't sound like rejoicing to me!
Good ol' John the Baptist - he's something else!
"Bear fruits worthy of repentance."
But then listen to the last line of the gospel
"And so with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people."
Shub! Repent!
How in the WORLD can that be good news to the people?
Here's where the penitential part of this Sunday comes in:
Bear fruits worthy of repentance.
The Hebrew word for repentance is "Shub"
Which means, to turn your back on something, change your direction. Repent. Shub.
People were coming to John to be baptized and I'm sure he gave them an ear full!
He says, "you come to be baptized thinking this water is going to do the trick and you think this is going to remove sin from you just like the removal of dirt like when you wash yourself and take a bath?
Well, I want to tell you something about that!
That's not all there is to it - what you've got to do is turn around.
Turn your back on sin.
Shub! Repent!
John says, the baptism I give is not something magical.
It is a sign that you are going to turn your life around and start living opposite from the sin that's been in your life.
Turn your back on sin and act out your holy life.
John says, "The Messiah is coming, and I'm telling you how to get ready!
Shub! Repent!
What Should We Do?
People came and asked John very seriously, "What should we do?"
And he told them specifically, "If you've got two coats, guess what your supposed to do with one?
If you have extra food, guess what you're supposed to do with it for the poor?
This is not difficult stuff - the world will be a better place if you do it!
And, you will be ready for the Messiah when he comes!
Even the tax collectors (the most hated people in their society because they ripped everybody off) came to be baptized.
And they asked, "What should we do?"
And John had something for them in particular -
"Collect no more than is appointed for you because if you do that,
the world will be a better place and you will be ready for the Messiah when he comes!
And the Roman soldiers even came and said, "What should we do?"
And John said, "don't bully anybody just because you have power and be content with your pay."
The world will be a better place if you do and you'll be ready for the Messiah when he comes!
And if you came to John the Baptist and said, "What should I do?"
What word would John have for you? (pause)
Because if you do that, the world will be a better place and you will be ready for the Messiah when he comes!
Repentance Leads to Salvation
How does this connect with joy? How in the world can this be joyful?
Well, the world is going to be a better place for one, but here's the connection:
St. Paul says in 2 Cor. 7: "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret."
And in another place, Paul says, "I thank God whom I serve with a clear conscience."
In other words, repentance is a gift from God that leads us to salvation.
Now just to be clear, salvation is not just a future event as most people presume, but in the Jewish understanding, salvation means deliverance from a present sin or situation that leads to a clear conscience.
Therefore, is our going to Heaven (our future salvation) dependent on repentance?
No, because our salvation was secured when Jesus died to deliver us from sin ultimately.
Repentance is an unconditional gift from God to help us turn around (Shub!) and start living the life that God desires for us-to live our lives with a clear conscience- and only then will we experience joy and be ready for the Messiah when he comes.
Do you remember that fellow - Zacchaeus? He was a tax collector and most tax collectors would be hiding from people because they were hated by the crowds, but not Zacchaeus.
He climbs in a tree to see Jesus and Jesus sees him and says, "There's something different about this guy - he's ready for me."
So he says, "come on down Zacchaeus, I'm going to your house today."
They go to the house, they eat together and spend the whole day together
And what in the world do you think Jesus is telling this man?
Shub! Tell me what you've done. Admit your sin. Repent. Go in the other direction.
We know Jesus preaches that. It's in Mark 1:15:
Jesus says, "Repent and believe the good news."
Jesus preached the same stuff John the Baptist preached.
And what does Zacchaeus do?
Zacchaeus doesn't just get a pat on the head from Jesus who says, "You're forgiven now."
Oh no, no, no, he repented.
He turned around the other direction. He meant what he said when he told Jesus, "I'll give half of all my possessions to the poor."
Jesus knew this guy had ripped everybody off and Zacchaeus knew it too.
"I'll give everyone back half of what I've got and if there's someone I've really ripped off badly, then I'll give them back four times what I took from them."
Now there's a SHUB! There is repentance.
And when that man started to do that, his life turned to joy.
That's what John the Baptist would have called for - bear fruits worthy of repentance.
Turn around, live an honest lifestyle and you'll have a clear conscience.
What did Jesus say to Zacchaeus when he left his home?
"Today salvation has come to your house."
There's the good news! Now you know how repentance (Shub!) brings joy!
Repentance Leads to Joy!
I want to tell you a story that really happened to a pastor colleague of mine.
A woman came to him for advice. She sat down and she said, "I want to tell you about what I've done, Pastor." And he said, "All right."
She said, "My husband and I have lived next to an elderly man for years, and I became very close to him and I'd help him when he was ill. He'd be bedridden so I'd help him, and in the process of cleaning his house and getting to know him, I found out where all his riches were kept - bonds, stocks, cash, gems, his deceased wife's jewelry-and one day while he was asleep, I stole them all.
And I'm here because I want you to tell me that Jesus forgives me.
Isn't that what Jesus is supposed to do?
Tell me my sins are forgiven.
Didn't he die for me on a cross?
Tell me my sins are forgiven pastor!
And he said, "Maybe you should think about something.
I want you to take back what you've taken. I want you to return all that stolen property to that man."
And she said, "I can't?"
"Why can't you?"
"Because he's dead!"
Oh!
She said, "I want you to tell me that Jesus forgives me."
And he said, "I think you better find out the value from what all you've taken from him and give it away to the poor. You'll never have a clear conscience until you do."
"I can't do that," she said. I cannot give it back. I cannot give it away. I'll never do it!
"Why not? He asked.
"Because it's my security blanket! I have to have financial security for my husband, my family, and I so I need to keep it."
"Jesus said he'd forgive me didn't he?
I want you to tell me that I am forgiven!"
And he told her, "You cannot find peace and joy holding on to stolen goods. Nor can you experience forgiveness.
Can you imagine yourself walking down the street with Jesus -
One hand is in his and in the other hand is a lot of stolen goods in a bag?
Do you think that Jesus would talk to you about that?"
Ladies and Gentlemen: The woman left the pastor's office.
She wanted cheap grace.
She had received the gift of forgiveness as we all have 2,000 years ago.
What she was refusing was God's gift of repentance.
Even though she had already been forgiven, she was clinging to a crime that she had committed instead of clinging to the cross.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, says John the Baptist and Jesus himself, you cannot find peace or joy or anything else holding onto sin in your life.
It will not happen and you cannot experience the full meaning of God's forgiveness that he has already given you.
Maybe there's a place in your life - some sin in your life that needs shubbing.
Shub! Repent! And then . . .
Come and hold onto the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all mind and with all your strength.
Come and put your hands around the cross of Jesus.
Know his resurrection and forgiveness and you will find joy.
And you'll be ready for the Messiah when he comes!
For that is what Advent is all about.
Amen.
Reverend Jennifer Gold
Pastor, Zion Lutheran Church of Helotes
San Antonio, Texas
E-Mail: jgold@zionhelotes.org