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Third Sunday in Advent, 12/13/2015
Sermon on Luke 3:7-18, by Brad Everett
Crowds are coming to the inhospitable wilderness surrounding the Jordan, in search of John and his baptism of repentance. That in and of itself is an important detail for this third Sunday of Advent. One might be tempted to say that these people left the comfort of their cities and villages to come hear John, but obviously they aren’t comfortable. If they were comfortable they would have stayed exactly where they were, but instead they are wandering out to the wilderness seeking repentance and peace.
Clearly they are unsettled within themselves, they are aware of their dis-ease. Notice that they stay put following John’s tirade, which begins by calling them a brood of vipers and ends with the threat of fire for every branch than doesn’t produce good fruit. If John’s words (no matter how harsh) didn’t have a ring of truth for them, they would have turned on their heels and left—offended at being spoken to in such a manner. But they stay.
Since his assessment of their condition was accurate, they ask his counsel to see if he can offer some remedy—“What should we do then?” What John offers is nothing new or novel, but is basic teaching easily found in the words of God’s holy prophets. Thus to the crowds he tells those with two tunics to share with him who has none, and likewise the one with food should do the same.
The tax collectors who came for baptism ask “What should we do?” and John tells them not to collect any more than required.
The soldiers ask “And what should we do?” and John instructs them not to extort money and not to falsely accuse people, but to be content with their pay.
The baptism John offered for repentance and forgiveness of sins was one that not only changed their relationship with God, but also their relationship with everyone around them. Repentance and forgiveness was not an end, but rather a beginning—a new beginning, a new life and a new awareness that would prepare them for the coming of the Christ who baptizes with the Holy Spirit and fire.
However, John’s counsel to the crowds might seem to us a touch underwhelming. After all, these people are living in a time of social and political turmoil. Their nation has been occupied by a series of foreign conquers, the latest ones coming from Rome who are imposing peace by force, sometimes brutally so brutally that zealots are pushing back just as violently. Culturally and socially the influence of decades and centuries of foreign rule was having an adverse affect on Jewish life, causing some to be led astray, and others to fear for the survival of their people.
And in the face of such upheaval John’s advice is to share, don’t steal, don’t slander and don’t extort. It doesn’t seem like an adequate response to the severity of the situation—until we recall that this instruction is rooted in the Law God gave to His people through Moses. The Law that outlined and defined for them what life as the people of God looked like not just in theory but in practice. That doesn’t mean those other, larger issues were not important, but rather they could only be properly addressed by the people of God when they lived as God had instructed them, which included such basic things as: sharing with those in need, not stealing, being content what they had, and not slandering others.
And this is precisely what the crowds were coming to John for—for forgiveness and repentance, for guidance on living as the people of God, for instruction on living lives prepared for the coming Christ. Everything else was secondary.
Today’s passage from St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians holds this truth up for us as well. Just as 1 C Palestine was a roiling cauldron of change and upheaval, so too is the world we find ourselves in. Politically, socially and culturally we are surrounded by forces of change and very little, if any of it appears to be for the better. Like the crowds that went to John the Baptist, we too have a sense of unease—with our world and with ourselves. But as John’s crowds received his baptism of repentance and forgiveness, in the Church, Christ offers us the sacrament of holy baptism for the forgiveness of our sins and a new beginning, a new life and a new awareness that we might be ready for our Lord’s second coming.
And we too come to Holy Scripture, to the Church, to pastors, to Christ in prayer, with the same question as the crowds “What should we do?” We know we have been baptized for something different, we just sometimes are uncertain as to what it might be or look like in practice. Thanks be to God St. Paul provides instruction for us just as John did his audience.
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. [5] Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. [6] Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. [7] And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3.4-7)
But when we look at these words we might find ourselves tempted to think “Is that it? Shouldn’t we, couldn’t we be doing something more?” And unfortunately the world we live in encourages such thinking. The most recent and severe example of this was when following the recent mass shooting in San Bernadino, CA, politicians and others who sent out messages saying they were praying for those affected by the violence were publically mocked for their sentiments and harshly admonished to actually do something useful to fix the situation instead of praying.
But we need to remember that because this new life we have is a gift from God, which we live in by the power of the Holy Spirit through the promises won for us by Jesus Christ, it is God the Father, not the world who defines who we are. It is our Saviour Jesus Christ, and not society who can tell us what things are most necessary. And it is the Holy Spirit, not popular culture who directs our actions.
Thus St. Paul’s exhortation sets out for us clearly what this new life, this life of preparedness looks like. These aren’t the words of some 1 C self-help guru, designed to help us achieve a positive outlook. This is the inspired Word of God, conveying the truth and life of Christ for us. We can rejoice in the Lord always, because it is in him we have been given life, love and salvation. That doesn’t mean bad things cease to happen or that we live in denial of the tragedies in this world. If anything we are better able to face them because we know that no matter how severe they may be, they don’t have the last word in our lives—Jesus does.
We are able to be gentle because we have no need to force our will or agendas on others because we are not on our own—the Lord is near.
We can be free from anxiety and fear because God is with us—we are invited in everything to bring our requests by prayer and petition to God. And to do so with thanksgiving remembering and recalling the ways and means he has provided for us in this life and the next.
Having our focus on living the lives God has invited us to, living in the promises he has made to us, we will be living in the peace of God which passes all understanding and guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
And make no mistake, this is no small thing in a society and world such as ours. There is no shortage of people frantically trying to come up with solutions to fix any number of problems—yet overlooking the inconvenient fact that in many cases these “solutions” only serve to create a whole other set of problems.
But there is a shortage of people who are themselves at peace. People who are not scared, worried, anxious—or the most common euphemism “concerned”—but are able to rejoice in the Lord, present their prayers to God with thanksgiving, live in His peace and share that peace with those around them. Of course there will be those who dismiss this as quietism or escapist or even one more way of living in denial—and in all fairness maybe that’s what this life God has called us to might look like to others. But let’s remember Jesus came as an infant in Bethlehem, was crucified, died, buried, and three days later rose from the dead, for love of the world. Not everyone understood or accepted what he did then or now. So why should we expect any more for ourselves?
Jesus didn’t come to offer us solutions, but to offer himself. We who have received him and his love and peace in the waters of baptism and his body and blood in the bread and wine of Holy Communion, what more can or should we offer those around us than our Lord by living in this manner to which we have been called?