The season of Advent is upon us, a time when we remember the rich story of God’s people that led to a simple birth in the manger and the good news of a Savior. It is a time to get ready, to prepare for Christ’s coming yet again, and to remind ourselves of what this time of year is really all about. I wonder, what if Advent were kind of a pep rally for Christmas? It could be an explosion of celebration with banners and signs, shakers and cheers. Four weeks of pumping ourselves up for one of our most holy days. We might sing our “fight song” or alma mater (you know, Christmas carols). Perhaps we would decorate in special ways, and come in our most spirited festive wear. A pep band and cheerleaders could really ramp up our energy with tumbling trips and chants. I remember in high school our principal had a “spirit stick” that was awarded at each pep rally to the grade who showed the most school pride. He would run around the gym, pointing at different areas of the gym to cue our screams. Perhaps I should have some sort of Christmas spirit stick, like a star, to really get us going in worship this morning? Or we could split the Sanctuary, and have each side goat each other a bit “We love Jesus, yes we do, we love Jesus, how about you!?” – Add in the balcony and the choir and we’d have quite the competition I think. Yes, I like the idea of a pep rally for Advent, up to and including our Scripture readings each week. So let’s start over for a moment and try this again, shall we?
Music playing, “Get Ready for This” by Dutch Group 2, ending with:
Episcopal Church Meme’s Facebook Page, Posted November 29, 2016
John the Baptist is a pretty unlikely cheerleader. First, on a superficial level, his appearance needs a bit of work. Matthew’s gospel describes him as a true wild-man, with camel’s hair clothing. We might imagine he looks like a Survivor contestant, wind-blown and disheveled after time in the wilderness. Second, John the Baptist is a little quirky. He eats locusts and wild honey. It’s even more bizarre than say, putting ketchup on your macaroni and cheese. We might imagine that his general demeanor and mannerisms follow this same trend, and that, at best, this prophetic voice calling out gets more than a few sideways glances.
And yet, this is the one sent to proclaim the prophetic message and prepare a way for the Lord. John the Baptist is the leader of the pep rally for the amazing changes God is about to make in the world. Matthew’s gospel sets the stage with a beautiful telling of Jesus’ birth, which we will explore more next Sunday, and then it is as if there is a drumroll, all eyes on that paper banner held at the entrance to the room and through it bursts . . . John the Baptist, wild-eyed and a little crazy, with a disturbing message. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near!” (v.1). “Happy Advent! You brood of vipers!”
This isn’t quite the feel-good message we might expect. But such a jarring image might be just what we need to truly understand Advent. It is a time of getting ready, and certainly a lot of that is aided by encouragement and renewed energy for the Christmas message. But it is also a time of examination of ourselves, our hearts, to make our insides just as ready as our neatly decorated homes. And so, in our Advent pep rally, John the Baptist calls us to “keep our head in the game” and reminds us of what is at stake during this season – our very salvation.
For John, the coming of the Lord is more than just a call to celebrate the savior. It is a call to shift our lives in a way that allows us to live in the new kingdom of God that is coming. John preaches a message of Repentance. It is a call of change, not just subtle recalculating, but a complete u-turn. The word literally means to turn around. It’s as if John is trying to call the people of God’s attention to the rising sun on the horizon, but everyone is facing west. Even though the prophets and others have continuously told them to look east, God’s people are stubborn and have become fixated in the other direction. Gentle taps on the shoulder and nudging have not changed their perspective. So here comes John, barreling in to literally help turn the people of God around so that they can see the light of the new coming day.
He may have been a bit of a wild man, but his message caught on. We read that he had numerous followers, who not only showed up to see some spectacle but took his message to heart, confessing their sins and receiving the waters of baptism in the Jordan River. With such an outlandish message, we might wonder why he became so popular. After all, “come to Jesus” type messages aren’t usually received so well. But perhaps it was just the right time for the people of God. Maybe he spoke around the start of a new year, when people were looking for a resolution to make that would change their lives. Perhaps they were simply weary of the way the world was going and welcomed the call for change. Maybe they were grateful for a voice that was bluntly honest in a way that truly resonated with them. I think the people of God, much like us today, were longing for a new direction. And in that longing, they were able to hear John’s message as one not of dismissive condemnation, but of love.
For some, this is a peculiar text for us to read on the second Sunday of Advent, a week when we express and give thanks for the love God has shown to us. But its placement is fitting, and reminds us that God’s love is not a platitude, but is a deep, abiding love that extends to us even when we are at our worst, and facing in the wrong direction entirely. So often we hear cries of “repent” as a message of judgment that should bring about guilty feelings. But John’s message is not about a guilt-induced change of heart. That’s bad theology. As John Burgess notes:
repentance is not primarily about our standards of moral worthiness, but rather about God’s desire to realign us to accord with Christ’s life. Repentance is not so much about our guilt feelings as about God’s power to transform us into Christ’s image. (1)
John’s message reminds us that God cares for us deeply, and that God’s love isn’t contingent on our good behavior. In fact, that’s a central point of Christ coming into the world – to show us God’s love firsthand, in and amongst the messiness of our everyday lives.
I don’t know about you, but if I have unexpected company, or just run out of time before visitors come, I have a tendency to reach a point in my cleaning and tidying up that I start to, well, “hide” things. That pile of papers I don’t have time to sort through? It can just get tucked away in that drawer. And those other things that are sitting out? Maybe they can fit in that closet. That way my house looks nice, and unless our guests open all the closets, no one will be the wiser. As a result, my house often looks cleaner than it actually is.
The Pharisees and Sadducees also came to hear John the Baptist, and were coming to be baptized. John responds by calling them a “brood of vipers,” indicating that there is something up with their approach that is not entirely in line with the well-known instructions for faithful living. One commentary notes that they may have been genuine in their intents, but something was still awry:
Perhaps they wanted a bit of his message, but not too much – enough to clear the conscience and remove the guilt, enough so that they need no longer to [be] haunted by the past, enough to feel good again. (2)
But not enough to really change them much. In many ways, this is where most of us want to spend our Advent season. We want to get a little taste of the good news of Christmas, say “aww” at the sweet little baby in a manger, and then go on our way with a little extra spring in our step. We don’t really want to tackle hard theological points, just the heart-warming ones. Keep it simple, preacher, and we’ll just stuff those big questions into the closet where they belong to deal with when we have more time.
In the tv show, Friends, the character of Monica was notoriously neat and organized, in an almost too-good-to-be-true kind of way. One episode features her husband Chandler, asking about storage space behind a mysterious door in their apartment that is locked. She panics, and we soon learn that’s because it is full, floor to ceiling, of “stuff.” But you know what? When that happens, Chandler wraps her in his arms and reminds her that he loves her, even if she isn’t as perfect as she tried to make herself look. In response to all the junk, is love.
John proclaims that the kingdom of God is near. It’s coming. Before we have time to get everything hidden again. The doorbell is ringing. The Savior has come . . . are we ready to open the door? This is the question of Advent. John the Baptist calls us to fling open those junk drawers and crammed closets in our lives and sort through our stuff so that we can truly be ready and have a clear path for the one who is to come. And then, he goes and opens all that we have tried to keep hidden. Are we willing to let Jesus into the crazy, mixed up lives we have made for ourselves?
The good news is this – Christ can handle our messiness. In fact, that’s a lot of his reason for coming into the world. Jesus is one of those friends who doesn’t care if you’ve vacuumed or dusted when he comes over. In fact, he’s the one who walks in and picks up the broom to start sweeping. He isn’t interested in going through your dirty laundry; he’s in the business of fluff and fold and will help you get even the most stubborn stains out. That, friends, is the result of God’s love for us; a God who doesn’t overlook, but overcomes all our messes.
So perhaps our question should be less of are we ready to repent this Advent, and more are we ready to accept the incredible love God has for us? We live in a world where precious few things come without strings attached, and the mantra of “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” We’d rather be skeptical or hedge our bets on a variety of options rather than fully buy into such absurd promises or hopes, lest we end up hurt and disappointed.
But remember, Advent is our pep rally. No matter what we’re up against, it’s a time for us to cheer loudly and get excited, believing that anything is possible as we look toward the night when we celebrate that God can and will make a way, even leading right to our hearts. Are you ready for this?
1. John P. Burgess, “Theological Perspective: Matthew 3:1-12,” Feasting on the Word, Year A, Volume 1, David L. Bartlett and Barbara Brown Taylor, editors. (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010).
2. Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV – Year A, Walter Brueggemann, Charles B. Cousar, Beverly R. Gaventa ,and James D. Newsome, editors, (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1995).
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