Sermon - December 13, 2009

Advent 3 - Year C | The Year of Luke

Zephaniah 3:14-20; Isaiah 12:2-6; Philippians 4:4-7; Luke 3:7-18

St. Luke writes, "[John] went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” I have been to the area where John the Baptist preached. It is hot, dry, and desolate.

Since the area is such a desolate wilderness, I wondered what it was like for people to come from Jerusalem to that stretch along the Jordan River where John preached and baptized. People had to be motivated to come and see John. He was on the edge of the desert; it was work to go there. John did not choose main street Jerusalem or an avenue outside the temple where the crowds would be gathered. He chose an out of the way place that getting there involved work and inconvenience. Then, after the all the trouble the people went through to make their way to the wilderness, John called them a "brood of vipers."

The wilderness held great symbolism to the Israelites. After all, they had come out of the desert wilderness led by Moses in order to occupy the land. In the desert where John preached, a few places had scrub and brush. Sometimes, the brush would catch fire, and the snakes would come scurrying away from the flames. John compared those who came to be baptized as being like those vipers.

Considering all of these things, people wanted to be there. People felt they had to be there. People did not want to miss what John said and did in spite of what they had to do and what John called them. Something amazing had to be happening with John and the people knew it. As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah.

What John said was in contrast to everything the Israelites had been told. The people of Israel believed that simply to be an Israelite meant that one did not have to fear the judgment of God. Judgment was for other people and other nations; it certainly was not for them. John threw all of that out. John said, "God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. God is not impressed by who your parents are. God is not impressed that you have a famous name. God is not impressed by your lineage." John's message was, "For God, life not lineage is what matters. What is important is who you are rather than who your ancestors are."

“You brood of vipers!” John accuses.

“Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. 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."

What vivid imagery! What a dire warning.

John is telling the crowd and telling us that what our ancestors have done in the past does not matter now. What we do in the present is what matters. There is immediacy in John’s declarations. God’s power is being stirred up, and we are powerless before the mystery of God.

The crowds come and ask John, "What then should we do?" The fact that they asked that question says that the crowds wanted something. They sensed deep inside that something was not right within them, or their nation, or the living out of their faith. They were searching for answers. They wanted something to give them direction. They wanted to feel and know that somehow and in some way their lives could be changed; God change them. John tells the people that we must bear fruits worthy of repentance. We must turn to God – our hope and our salvation.

John is preparing the way. He is opening the hearts of the people to the need for repentance and confession.