John the Baptist Prepares the Way. #2

Luke 3.7-18*  John the Baptist Prepares the Way (#2)

I wonder what you would say, if I were to ask you the question, as to whether you were ready to meet your maker? You would probably think what a cheek, I’m not ready to shuffle off this mortal coil just yet thank you. Let’s talk about something else. Well of course I don’t want to see any of you depart from this life, but it is an interesting question isn’t it. Are you ready?

Last week, I spoke a bit about John the Baptist, and how his sudden appearance in the Jordan Valley and surrounding country coursed quite a stir; no one had seen anything quite like him for 400 years. But what was his message; well it was one of repentance in the light of the arrival of the forthcoming Messiah. A Messiah whose message would be one of impending judgement, sweeping a way all those who had turned their back on the things of God. And as I have already said John’s message caused quite a stir, and hundreds of people flocked to gather around him, hear what he had to say and be baptised.

But in many ways John was unhappy about the furore that he evoked, unlike perhaps some of today’s mass evangelists, he was cynical about the attitudes and motivation of this vast gathering of individuals. In a nutshell, it seems that he believed that deep down most people were captivated by the man rather, than the message, suspecting that the majority of the people were simply onlookers, curious to see for themselves this new strange “phenomenon” in the desert, and perhaps even undergo the baptism that he espoused. Perhaps there were some who in the light of the threat of imminant judgement thought that they had better get themselves done, as a sort of ecclesiastical insurance policy against the wrath of God.

Whenever I baptise children, your hear me emphasise the need for faith, faith in Christ, because it is strange that so many in our modern day and age seem to think that baptism can be done without it. A form of service without substance. But John was absolutely right, there is aneed for both faith and repentance, of a sincere turning away from things that have been wrong, and of a turning back to God. “You brood of vipers” John calls those who go through the motions, who simply come out of curiosity, in other words they are like snakes in the grass, simply trying to get their own way and follow their own twisted path. “Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?” he says. “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves we have Abraham as our father” (7-8) For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. [1]

In other words we can not simply rest upon our laurels, relying upon our descent, our upbringing and family background, to get into heaven, for no one can get to heaven on the back of another man’s religious faith and commitment. Even being a descendant of Abraham is not enough, for if needs be God is capable of producing children out of the barren ground itself, and there is a word play going on here which is lost to us who speak English, between the word for sons and the word for stones, - I tell you out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham – so you’d better watch out.

“What should we do then?” the crowd asked (10). Well they have got to live the faith, and prove that their repentance is genuine. Not just in words but in deeds.

“The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.” (11). A simple but genuine concern for one’s neighbour is required, a selfless consideration of those around. Loving your neighbour as yourself. Instead of simply thinking of your own good and well being. Fairness, honesty and truth, should be the hallmark of our dealings with others, tax collectors should not collect more than is proper and soldiers should not extort money from those under their protection. Each person should be content with their pay, the reasonable and responsible remuneration for a day’s work. This is not to say that we shouldn’t better ourselves, nor hope to do so, but we shouldn’t exploit others in the process, nor neglect their basic rights or needs. Josephus, the Jewish Historian, observed in his Antiquities, that John was “a good man who bade the Jews practise virtue, be just one to another, and pious toward God, and come together by means of baptism”;

For you see, despite John’s radical appearance, he was at heart no revolutionary, but simply a man who wanted people to live sincerely and passionately and honestly in the light of their faith, and the forthcoming Messiah.

For let’s make no mistake about it, John was completely overawed by the prospect of the Messiah’s arrival, and he knew his importance, for in his presence John believed that was not even worthy to untie the thongs of his sandals. He baptised with water, but the Messiah would baptise with the Holy Spirit and with fire. The Holy Spirit and with fire. It’s tempting for us to look to this phrase as simply referring to the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost, and undoubtedly this is part of it. But Spirit and fire were also signs of judgement, judgement that would be caused simply because of the Messiahs arrival. “The axe is already at the root of the tree” (9). “His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing-floor, to gather the wheat and to burn the chaff.” (17). And if you want to escape judgement, then you must change your life style and not simply go through a ritual of baptism, but undergo a baptism, a baptism of repentance. There is no doubt that in John’s mind the forthcoming Messiah would be someone of cosmic significance, a mighty king and warrior who would be the judge of all, and have the power and authority of Almighty God. Judgement is never pleasant, it’s daunting and over bearing, but it’s essential. For there has to come a time when sin is put to rest, when evil is punished and overcome, and when God’s climatic power over throws the power of Satan freeing us for ever more. And this is important for how would we feel if sin always got its way, if there was no justice for those poor girls who were murdered in Suffolk, or no point to all the suffering that has been caused by various wars and conflicts, if fairness and justice were completely thrown out of the window and people simply had to live with the unfairness of it all and put up with the pain. John’s prediction of the advent of the a Messiah who would be both Lord and Judge is still crucial to all that we as Christians believe and it makes sense of the hurt that we see in an unjust world.

So here we are - the week before Christmas, and we look forward to it with eager anticipation, but even so we are reminded that the Christ Child does not remain a child, but becomes a man, a man whose arrival and gentle manner did seem in parts to baffle and upset John who asked him directly: “Are you the one who was to come or should we expect someone else?” (7:20). To which Jesus’ reply was unequivocal: “The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me”. Sin is already being beaten back in the time of Christ, and John’s understanding was not far out or mistaken, for when we look to Christ’s return he will be all those things that John proclaimed and more. So, at this advent time, let us make ourselves ready, prepared to celebrate the joy of Christmas certainly, but also anticipating, that which is to come. When our joy will be made complete, when Christ returns and judges the world and bringing all things to completion. We must plan for tomorrow, because that is the Christian’s walk of faith, but we should also live for today, conducting ourselves in a practical and relevant manner that makes a difference to ourselves and the people around us, because that is the Christian’s walk of baptism, hope and repentance. In the name of Christ. Amen.

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[1]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1984; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996 (electronic edition.) (Lk 3:8). London: Hodder & Stoughton.