Matthew 3 1-12 2007
Advent 2, December 9, 2007
Text: Matthew 3:1–12
Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven Is at Hand
Introduction: Do you have your Christmas tree yet? Have you found that perfect tree to adorn your home this Christmas? For many of us, the tree is one of the highlights of the season. We drive all over searching for just the right tree. Once we find it, we somehow manage to tie it to the roof of are cars and begin the tedious journey home. We bring it indoors, thaw it out, and try to figure how to keep it from falling over. We dig out the decorations from wherever it was we put them after last Christmas. Then we say a prayer, hoping that our lights will work and cover the sap-laden branches of our tree with dazzling lights. Ornaments—some made by the children from toilet paper rolls together with others that have been passed down for generations—are hung in just the right spots, and when we’re finished, the tree becomes a focal point for our celebration. At the base of the tree the presents will be placed, and there we’ll gather at just the right time to open gifts large and small.
Now, the voice of the “Christmas perfectionist” will tell us that the Second Sunday in Advent is a little too early to be talking about Christmas trees. Yet trees are as much a part of our Advent preparation as they are a part of Christmas itself. Listen again to these words from today’s Gospel: “Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. “Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (Mt 3:10). With these words, John the Baptizer calls us beyond the decorations of the season to true preparation for the coming of the Savior, stirring up our hearts to receive the one who brings us the Kingdom of Heaven. His message is summarized in one sentence: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (v 2).
Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. “Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees” (v 10). The axe is laid to the root of the unfruitful tree. What is the unfruitful tree? It is for us, an understanding that lives that are un-repentent and unfaithful, that don’t over flow with love and praise toward God, or love and service towards all people are lives ready for the axe of God’s judgment.
We have all shared in Adam and Eve’s sampling of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. We are sinners. As a result, our lives are unfruitful. We do not do the works that our God requires; in fact, we cannot do them. We, too, belong to the “brood of vipers” that John condemns in his preaching. “Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (v 10). In the words of John the Baptist God’s righteous judgment comes upon Israel. God’s righteous judgment comes also upon us. Much of what makes up our Christmas celebration is artificial. With lights and presents we forget what the Advent of our King really means. John calls us beyond such phoniness to confession of who and what we really are, to own up to our sinfulness for which we deserve the judgment of God. The axe is laid to the root of the tree! God wants us to be prepared. Repentance and faith are the true preparations for the coming of the Lord, for the coming of Christmas.
Of course this is not the message we want to hear as we rev up the festive mood of Christmas. This is not the message the world wants to hear. Of all the Christmas specials that are on T.V. or at the movies, or the songs we hear playing on the radio, is there, in all of these a word of true preparation? Is there a word, a thought or a song regarding repentance? I think not at all. It is not a popular message. It does not sell well. So it is disregarded.
There was a man named Ed who wondered the street of a large city, Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter he would walk and try to talk to anybody he could. What was his message? He said, “May I share with you what Jesus Christ has done in my life.” You know what the reaction of the people was. Some people simply ignored him. Some people stepped a side to avoid him. Some people crossed the streets to get away. Almost all of them didn’t want to hear what he had to say. He had kindly words to share. John the Baptist has much harsher words to share. How much more do we want to avoid them, especially at Christmas? But we cannot avoid them. The reason is because God wants us to be prepared for the gospel, the good news of what He has done. After repentance, through faith we are prepared for the gospel. John said, for the kingdom of God is at hand. The Kingdom of God comes. It came in our Savior at His birth. It will come in completion on the final day of the Lord. After repentance and by faith, we are ready to see, to grasp, to hold onto the salvation of our God. His salvation is coming for all who believe in Jesus Christ as there Savior.
Transition: As important as it is that we hear John’s message again this Advent, John is not and never will have the last word. He himself knows this. He is but the forerunner. His message will be proclaimed again and anew in the One who brings the kingdom of heaven to us.
The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. John points us to Jesus, who will bring the judgment of God. His fire is unquenchable and the “threshing floor” (v 12)—the world—belongs to him. But his coming is not simply to execute wrath and judgment. Abraham’s descendants have failed, but Jesus Christ will make for God new descendants of Abraham, baptizing with the Holy Spirit. How will He accomplish this? Jesus will hang on the tree of the cross for the sins of all of Abraham’s descendants, both his physical descendants and his descendants in faith. Jesus is the new “shoot from the stump of Jesse” (Is 11:1) that restores to us the tree of life, the kingdom of heaven.
Even now in Word and Sacrament we feast upon Jesus Christ as our tree of life. He is the vine, and we are the branches. By God’s Word and Sacrament, we bring forth the fruit of repentance and live in trust and obedience.
That is a big part of what the season of Advent is all about. We repent, we turn away from sin as much as fallen sinners can do. Then we rejoice that God has sent a Savior for us. We remember that we are the baptized children of God. We are part of His true and everlasting family. Our sins have been taken away. We are forgiven. But like the people of long ago, we find it hard to live as God’s own people. We sin all the time and our sin comes between us and God. As we repent God reminds us and comforts us anew by reminding us that He sent His Son Jesus to be our Savior, by dying on the cross. Because of Him we have new life and life worth living.
Sometimes when a tree is chopped down, even with an axe, the tree shoots up new branches and starts to grow all over again. When we repent of our sins, as we trust in Jesus Christ, God makes new growth happen in our lives. As He does we are all the more ready to celebrate Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem. So, go ahead, put up your tree! Hang all the ornaments you’d like; light it up for all the world to see. While you do these things, let these time-honored traditions point you anew to Jesus, the shoot from the stump of Jesse, who comes to baptize you with the Spirit and with fire and to make you his own in the kingdom of heaven forever. Rev. Nolan D. Astley.