Advent III Sunday, December 9, 2007
By pastor John Jorgenson
Now two weeks ago we considered whether or not our being ready was actually realistic. What did being ready include?
Last week we considered our being worthy in terms of being responsible for whatever God asks of us and we expressed thank you to those who have died and have returned to be with God. We discovered that our being ready and worthy was really dependent upon God working with us and upon what God has been able to do with what we offer. So our being ready and worthy is a very positive yes, we are ready and worthy of the coming of Jesus, the birth of the Christ Child.
Now today we ask ourselves if we really are able. That is kind of another story where we have some responsibility. Are we able to celebrate the coming of God’s Son? Jesus gets pretty blunt asking us what we are able to see and what we are looking for.
John the Baptist is our pattern. He is no reed blowing in the wind. He is no fancy pants model. He is no politician running for office. Instead, John was a ready and worthy and able committed servant. John the Baptist was doing what God wanted done.
Are we able to be the same type of servant that God has called us to be? John the Baptist is our example of what a dedicated servant of God is like and what that dedicated servant does. So lets look at what John the Baptist did and see what we can learn from that.
Matthew wrote that John the Baptist was certainly a focused person. He was direct and did not mince any words. He was doing what God wanted done and ended up in prison for baptizing people and introducing them to the freedom that faith in God offers each one of us. Matthew wrote: “When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?’ ”
We learn that we need to get to the bottom of what is being proclaimed whenever a relationship with God is described. John was the kind of person who asked that we either fish or cut bait. He got right to the essence of the question. I wonder if we have the courage to do the same? I mean, we get so involved in whether or not to do this or that, and various issues divide us for whatever reason and we get distracted. I wonder why we are not more like John and ask are you the one who is to come or shall we wait for another? Of course it is not politically correct, nor is it polite but we are asking about the essence of life and existence here. Seems to me we need to be more or less direct because our entire global survival depends on it.
Well anyway, Matthew moves to the reply: “Jesus answered them, ‘Go tell John what you hear and see: Those who are blind receive their sight, those who are lame walk, those with leprosy are cleansed, those who are deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.’ ”
It is only by using God’s gifts of talent to us that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleanses, the deaf hear, the poor have good news and blessed is anyone who takes no offense at Jesus and what is being done. The issue of raising the dead raises a bit of question for me. We have extended the average life span, and we have conquered diseases, yet new ones arise that continue to challenge us. This death business is pretty much up to God at this point in time.
So we have some interesting issues to deal with and Jesus goes on to raise some more. Matthew wrote that Jesus asked, “As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to look at: A reed shaken by the wind?’ ” What are we looking for as we examine our faith. Are we basing our faith on some wifty reed blowing in the wind? Sometimes I wonder.
Matthew goes on to write that Jesus asked, “What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces.” Just because someone has a fancy coat does not make that person fully aware of who God is and what God expects of us.
Matthew continues, “What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about who it is written, ‘See I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you’ ”We have many prophets writing and insisting in our world. The problem I have with most of them is their personal exclusive nature. Seems like they define God the way they want so as to exclude all others and create another idol for us to worship, at a fee of course.
Finally Matthew ends with a comment by Jesus. “Truly, I tell you, among those born of women, no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the dominion of heaven is greater than he.” John the Baptist focused his life on presenting an action by God that we can fully understand in its simplicity. No one is excluded. God loves you and God loves me and we are to love one another. How we do that is the challenge we have as individuals. We are to work together. That is not as simple as it sounds. However, when based on what God wants and what Jesus taught it can be done. The price may be somewhat serious. After all remember that John was beheaded and Jesus was crucified. Would I give my life as they did? It is that issue that caused Martin Luther to speak out, “Here I Stand, I can do no other, So Help me God.” Deitrich Bonhoffer and others have done the same. Are we able to do that?
Amen.