December 12, 2021
St. John’s United Church of Christ, Union, Illinois
Isaiah 12:2-6; Luke 3:7-18[1]
John was not known for being soft. He lived in the
wilderness, not the city. He was a prophet, not a priest. He came to shake
things up, to preach a baptism of repentance, and prepare the way for Jesus. For
us, it is worth considering how we prepare for Christmas, the arrival of the
son of the Most High God. We tune our radios to the Christmas songs, decorate
and bake and wrap. It is often a joyous time, though somewhat stressful as
well, but we rarely think about repentance.
The thing is, we can’t get to Bethlehem and the baby in the
manger without first encountering the prophet in the wilderness calling us to
repentance. We can’t enjoy the fruit of the harvest if we don’t first determine
if it is good to eat. For us, the year is coming to a close, and we might do
well to examine the fruit that we have produced. Have we done good this year?
Have we done right by the others we have encountered in our lives? How might we
do better in the year to come?
John storms into our comfortable, familiar pre-Christmas
planning and preparations to remind us that this should be a really big deal. “One
who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of
his sandals” (Luke 3:16). Santa Claus may be coming to town, but Jesus the son
of God is being born, and we should take that seriously. John calls on us to reprioritize
our lists and focus on the love of God and the love and care of our neighbor.
What, then, should we do? Fortunately, John offers us some practical
advice. Engage in acts of mercy and justice. Share with those in need. Feed the
hungry. Be fair; don’t try to get all you can get, but only what you need, and
leave enough for others. Treat others with kindness, care, and respect. Be humble
rather than greedy.
This is the time of year when we are most generous and outwardly
focused. Churches and charities receive more donations in December than any
other month of the year. Perhaps we’re grateful for making it through another
year, especially one as hard as this one. Maybe as we reflect on years past we
remember the good feeling that comes from giving. Whatever drives us to be
generous, maybe we’re already responding to John’s call to be merciful knowing
already the gift of God in Christ that we will celebrate again this year.
As we are filled with expectation, with memories of happy Christmases
we’ve known, and hope for a better future, this is a good time to consider how
we live out our faith. How should we act toward others in ways which reflect
the faith we have in God? Let’s make unselfish choices, considering the impact
we have on others. Let’s live within our means, accepting that we have what we
need, and enough to share. Let’s do what is just, as John called on the
tax-collectors and soldiers to do, being sure to not exploit our positions of
power and privilege.
The people who gathered around John to be baptized sought to
renew their commitment to God. In John’s call to baptism, to repent and commit
their lives to God, John wanted to ensure that those who had followed him into
the wilderness were aware of the serious, life-altering consequences of being
baptized. What grows withing us that does not bear good fruit will be cut down
like trees. The wheat within our hearts will be threshed, and the chaff will be
burned away. Repentance means changing, ending the behaviors and thoughts that
cause harm to others and to our relationship with God. It is not easy, nor
painless.
Jesus, the Messiah, is coming to save us. The baptism of
Christ is more than a washing clean. The fire of this baptism changes us from
the inside out. This is what the church of Jesus Christ believes about baptism
today. We are cleansed, renewed, and changed forever. The sins of our past are burned
away and we face the new day with hearts cleaned and souls refreshed, ready to
serve God and follow in the ways of our Savior.
The good news that John prepares us for, that Advents leads
us to, is the new life, the changed life in Christ. With God’s Holy Spirit
burning within us, we will no longer feel the pull of sin and death, but the drive
to love and life. Mercy and justice become the way in which we walk through the
world. Hope and peace, joy and love become part of who we are. The coming of
God to live with us is what we anticipate. The gift of life in the realm of love
is being born in our hearts and our spirits once again. Let us take joy in the
presence of the Holy One, and rejoice in what is to come. Amen.
[1] The
scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard
Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of
the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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