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?

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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).

How many of you spent some time in the past few days decorating for the holidays? For me, one of the best things about the holiday season is enjoying decorations. While I am one who prefers to wait until after Thanksgiving to put them up, now that the time is here, I am excited to enjoy them. Specifically, I love Christmas lights. Whether on a tree, candles in a window, or in the lawn, it is beautiful to see those twinkling lights. When I was little, there was a house not too far from us in Manassas, Virginia, whose yard was covered in different Christmas light scenes, from Charlie Brown to the Christ child. I love discovering those gems in each place I visit. I’ve even enjoyed driving through the Bristol speedway or state parks, complete with a cup of hot chocolate and Christmas music playing. There’s something magical about lights. Have you ever seen infants on their first Christmas? Here’s what Nathan looked like two years ago [show picture]. They can sit and stare at a lit tree or string of lights for an amazingly long amount of time. Even now, one of my favorite things to do is sit in the living room with only the Christmas tree lights on. There is something quite peaceful and reassuring about those little lights nestled among the branches that brings a sense of calm to the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.

Thanks to some wonderful volunteers, our Sanctuary is now festive for the season. But more than just being pretty, our decorations offer a liturgical purpose. They remind us that the season of Advent has begun, the start of a new church year, and help draw us in to the awe and wonder of preparing for Christmas. During the next four weeks, we’ll hear a lot about light. Our worship will begin with the lighting of candles, a reminder of the light of the world that is to come. They help us build our anticipation, adding one flickering flame each week, as we eagerly wait to celebrate the birth of our Savior, lighting the way to the manger and leading us to Christmas Eve when we will sing Silent Night with our own candles flickering. But we aren’t there just yet. In fact, we have a ways to go first. Advent, is our journey to get there. In children’s chapel this is illustrated with a long purple road that leads to an outline of the city of Bethlehem, and describes the next four weeks in this way:

“This is the season of Advent, the time we get ready to celebrate the mystery of Christmas, the time we are all on the way to Bethlehem. . . But who will show us the way? . . . The prophets. . . prophets listen to God. So they can show us the way.”(1)

We begin Advent with the words of the prophet Isaiah, who invites us on the journey saying “come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!”

The writings in Isaiah are among the most dazzling and complex in all of our Scriptures, speaking to a complicated community. In these opening chapters, likely written sometime in the 8th century BCE, the people are on the brink of the Syro-Ephraimitic war, as the northern kingdom of Israel and the Aramaean kingdom of Damascus tried to force Judah into an unwise alliance in opposition to the Assyrian Empire. When these foes finally laid siege to Jerusalem, King Ahaz turned to the prophet Isaiah for advice and assurance.

Isaiah is known as the “poet of light,” offering powerful imagery of light and life even as he condemns the current priorities of God’s people. In these and other images, the prophet offers a vision of a new heaven and a new earth, prompting the people of God to look ahead to the future and imagine a world in which God, not them, is center-stage. The people in Jerusalem will experience one challenge after another, often brought upon themselves because of pride and arrogance that puts distance between them and God. And yet, this vexing city is an integral part of God’s plan and purpose for the world, so the prophet speaks repeated words of hope and promise in the midst of struggle.

One of his first images features people of all nations coming to the mountain of God and joining together. This means the people of Israel and others – a radically inclusive group that would have been virtually impossible to imagine. A critical part of this interaction is that they come as students, sitting together to learn from the Almighty and seeking wisdom and council for where to go next. The prophet’s vision is not accidental – he wants to remind the people of Israel that their help and guide comes not from their own devices, but from God, and more specifically, from the Torah. All the students, it seems, are on a level playing field and have something to learn. It is the Word of God which will be their guide and open them to new possibilities. Isaiah’s vision is of a community that comes together to discover that path.

This, I think, is a vision many of us can get behind. Like the people of Isaiah’s day, we too are people of God who long for such an image of peace and harmony. We read this text on the first Sunday of Advent as a reminder of hope and aching expectation for the world. Advent is a chance to imagine the world not as it is, but as it should be, and Isaiah paints a beautiful picture for us. The second image gets even better. The very things that separate and divide – weapons- are no more. This is significant. They are not just laid aside. They are transformed into useful tools for growth in a way that only God can do. As one commentary notes:

“It is not enough to end spears and swords as an act of romance or of goodwill. There must at the same time be production of instruments of life, such as plowshares and pruning hooks. Thus human energies and public resources are reassigned to vinedressing and agriculture. The economy is transformed; the earth is also transformed, from battleground to fertile garden.” (2)

Advent doesn’t just hope for an end to the challenges in the world. It proclaims a hope that God will bring about new life; the kind of life that comes in a newborn baby in a manger, and leads to all of creation being restored to right relationship with God. The birth of a Savior.

But Advent isn’t just about that sweet little baby in the manger who was promised long ago. There is another arrival at play for us as Christians – the second coming of Christ. In Advent, we recognize that we are living between Advents, or comings, and are called to embrace the expectation for the time when Christ will indeed return to earth and fulfill in their entirety those promises proclaimed by Isaiah.

Our Epistle reading from Romans highlights the hope of the promise of this second Advent.

Paul calls the early church to look to that day with the same kind of eagerness that the people of Israel had for the hope of a promised Messiah. There is an urgency born of this hope that reminds us Advent is more than just a simple time of waiting to open presents under the tree and sing Away in the Manger; Advent is a time of action. Paul puts it in the imagery of waking up to the dawning of a new day. Cynthia Campbell describes it this way: “. . . it is still dark outside when this theological alarm clock goes off; the day is “near” but not quite here. Perhaps it is that mysterious moment when the darkness of night begins to give way to shadows, and there is just enough light to know that morning is around the corner. This is a time of anticipation, and Paul urges his audience to action. It is time to get up and get dressed!” (3)

No snooze buttons here. We are called to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, as if Christ is coming at any moment. The clothing we put on, according to Romans, is Christ, the light of the world. Bathed in this light, we will be ready to face the new day, even if it seems that darkness has not quite departed.

Isaiah calls us out of the darkness, “Rise and shine! Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!” The words of the prophet are meant to fill us with hope – a hope that God’s word will be enacted. That what has been promised will indeed come true.

God’s word does not return empty but accomplishes its intent. God’s word happens as the word becomes deed. The word, as promise, is always looking toward fulfillment. “The God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light” (Gen 1:3).

Advent declares that God’s light is coming into the world, just as it did so long ago in Bethlehem. Our job is to be awake, ready, looking and listening for it to be revealed to us.

In the end, what Isaiah offers is not only a vision of global transformation, but an invitation to live toward that day. . . The future belongs to God, but the first step toward that future belongs to those who have glimpsed God’s light and are willing to trust that enough light lies ahead. (4)

For both Isaiah and Paul, it is God who provides the light. Advent invites us to look for God’s light and seek to follow it, as we string lights of decorations and hear about magi who followed a light in the star. To live in this way is to embrace the mystery of Christmas and align ourselves with ridiculous good news that is unfathomable. To hope in what we do not yet see.

Theologian Henri Nouwen writes that it can be quite a challenge to live in this way:

“Often we want to be able to see into the future. We say, “How will next year be for me? Where will I be five or ten years from now?” There are no answers to these questions. Mostly we have just enough light to see the next step: what we have to do in the coming hour or the following day. The art of living is to enjoy what we can see and not complain about what remains in the dark. When we are able to take the next step with the trust that we will have enough light for the step that follows, we can walk through life with joy and be surprised at how far we go.” (5)

May the hope of the prophets light our way as we go up to the mountain of the Lord together. May we learn God’s ways, and may we walk in his paths. Let us walk in the light of the Lord! Amen.

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(1) Sonja M. Steward and Jerome W. Berryman, Young Children and Worship, (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1989).

(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).

(3) Cynthia M. Campbell, “Pastoral Perspective: Romans 13:11-14,” Feasting on the Word, Year A, Volume 1, David L. Bartlett and Barbara Brown Taylor, editors. (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010).

(4) Stacey Simpson Duke, “Pastoral Perspective: Isaiah 2:1-5,” Feasting on the Word, Year A, Volume 1, David L. Bartlett and Barbara Brown Taylor, editors. (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010).

(5) Henri Nouwen, Henri Nouwen Society Webpage, http://henrinouwen.org/meditation/enough-light-for-the-next-step/. Accessed 11/22/2016.