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Matthew 3:1-12 Today's scripture passage describes the ministry of John the Baptist; a man who Jesus said was truly great. He was dedicated to God, first by his parents, and later by his own prayer and meditation. To John, life was more than just the body or accepting what each day might bring without thinking about it. John believed that life was a gift from God for a specific task. So, John disciplined his life for this task. He chose to live in a desert. Not in a fancy house on a golf course. No, he chose to live in the desert. His dress was simple, if not uncomfortable. His diet was simple, eating nothing more than tree honey and locusts. He lived in solitude, and he heard in the desert wind the voice of God. John was a stern realist about the difference between right and wrong. Today, we argue about shades of guilt. The complexities of our lives sometimes confuse the issue of right and wrong. But John saw that there was a great divide between the two and he insisted that we should live on the right side of that divide. In modern thought about ethics, we sometimes debate the relativities of choice. But John would tell us that it is better to err on the side of our scruples than to make the mistake of being too lax. Aware of God's judgment, John saw the need for confession. John insisted on public confession, forthright and complete. I imagine that the crowds who were confessing in front of John must have been a stirring sight. John was like a surgeon who requires that the boil must be lanced so that the poison won't spread and cause death. John's followers knew that he required integrity in daily life. His teachings are full of his sense of social righteousness. He said that a human must do right, be neighborly in kindness, and avoid the bane of wealth and rank. He taught that we should bear the fruit of integrity in our daily dealings with others. John himself was lowly. What could be more moving that his own acknowledgment that he was only the slave of the coming Messiah? Only a truly great man could face and accept his menial place. When we compare John to Jesus, he pales in comparison. John is short on grace. He is Old Testament. He is only the forerunner of the New Testament of grace and forgiveness. Yet, his life and his message were great and needed at that time. As we look at John's life and ministry, what can we learn for our own preparation for Christ?
The word "repent" implies a radical change of mind. It looks to the past in honesty and remorse, and then in an about-face, it looks to the future in resolve for a new way of life. Honest remorse is not easy in our lives. Have you noticed that? We avoid accepting our own failures by condemning other people's shortcomings. We blame the government, the institution of marriage, the corporate structure as the scapegoats for our own weaknesses. Or, another favorite evasion is to label the problems of others with realism - "He's just a miserly skinflint." - while we mask our own shortcomings with kind words - "Me? I'm just being thrifty." The other item in repentance, the new resolve, is equally hard. We claim that our will is weak, as it often is, but we too often exercise the courage we need to stand by our beliefs. If we look carefully at the notion of repentance, we will notice a major difference between John's teachings and the words of Christ. John said, "Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand." Jesus said, "Repent, and believe this good news." That last phrase, "and believe this good news" brings us new hope and power.
The author of today's scripture passage, Matthew, seems to see John the Baptist as a man much like the Hebrew prophet Elijah. Both Elijah and John lived in the wilderness. Both men were sent to prepare the way of the Lord. This reminds us that this work needs to be done in every age. But, how do we do the work? John the Baptist has shown the way. We can prepare the way for God's presence in our world by changing the conditions to prepare for Christ's entrance in human lives. We can start by lifting the valleys - the poverty that embitters and gnaws at the human spirit - and lowering the hills - the wealth that leaves humans in blind pride. We can prepare for God's presence by smoothing the rough road - easing the desolate hardships of ill health, and imprisonment, and loneliness that poison the soul. Our push for social change and justice will not save humans in the spiritual sense, but it makes all of us more open to the coming of Christ. Hungry and bitter people don't easily listen to a preacher. This work of social change can also be done by personal example. John the Baptist was a true forerunner in this area. In his own life, he renounced the insincerity of the temple religion and an easy lifestyle. The way he lived his life said much more than words could have said. His life showed the people that the kingdom of God was near. Perhaps because his lifestyle was so different and so powerful, John's words had a strong effect on the people around him. His words shook the land. We shouldn't forget that words driven by God are more powerful than rifles and bombs. The proclamations of John met people in their need and opened a new way for them. So, John prepared the way for God's presence by social change, by a living example, and by proclamation. All of these were born out of a faithful prayer life. God has ordered life so that Christ does not come without the preparations that we can make.
John warns us not to think to ourselves, "Because of this and that, everything will be all right." But that's exactly the way that we like to fool ourselves. The Pharisees trusted the line of their ancestors. They said, "We have Abraham as our father." Today, we give that a reverse twist. We often say, "I had too much religion when I was young." That usually means one of two things: 1) "I had too much nonsense masquerading as religion when I was young," or 2) "I didn't have too much, but I got tired and the world deceived me." Whatever our meaning, we make an assumption. The assumption is that God understands and he's a good fellow. The Pharisees trusted outward observance, and that's another danger. Respectability is not faith. Clinging to respectability can come from fear, or selfishness, or even self-righteousness. Going to church can simply be a habit, or "fire insurance," or even an attempt to bribe God. The Pharisees trusted that they would be spared because there were others who seemed more wicked. After all, they weren't as wicked as the cruel, or the pagan Romans, or the mob that forgot to go to temple. Sometimes, we have the same false assurance. We are especially prone to this false assurance during a time of war. "We aren't the aggressor," we tell ourselves. We preen and tell ourselves that we're not wicked like the enemy. We forget that in God's eyes, all of us have fallen short. In preparation for the coming of Jesus, John reminds us that there is no refuge from the consequences of our actions. There is no refuge, no safe place, and no home - except in God. And he points the way to Christ, who brings us the safety of being the children of God.
This passage can seem like a hard, rough-edged message in modern times. In can appear to be out of place in the festive mood of the Christmas season. But the message of John paved the way for the ministry and work of Christ. At the conclusion of the passage, John reminds his followers of the hope to come. His baptism is for repentance. There is another who is coming to baptize us with power and hope. During this Advent season, let us not forget the reason that the message of Christ means so much to us. It's because we all have a deep need to admit our mistakes, to work to change the world around us, and to stop fooling ourselves about how "good: we are. Jesus offers us the power and hope of forgiven lives that are empowered to bring fullness and hope. Not just to us as individuals, but to the world around us. That's very good news. And it's the news that we celebrate this holiday season.
Amen. |