Before the Gifts (Malachi 3:1-4, Philippians 1:3-11, Luke 3:1-6)
Listen.December 6th, 2009
Rev. Dr. Craig A. Wagner
Introduction
There’s quite a bit of work that needs to be done before we celebrate Christmas. This is not only true in decorating the house, putting up the Christmas tree, cleaning for company and parties, but it is also true in purchasing gifts for someone.
I know that there are different methods of shopping for a Christmas gift. Some people actually enjoy going to a shopping mall and just wandering around until the right gift jumps out for them. Other individuals plan their shopping journeys into an almost military precision. They do their homework on line and decide what price they want to pay, the item that they want for the person and then they go directly to the store with an almost commando precision and purchase the item; in and out in a matter of minutes – by the way, arriving toward closing time helps alleviate the lines. Naturally, this method can be frustrating when the item is not in stock, or has just been sold out – back to the drawing board.
The hard work of Christmas shopping and preparation needs to be accomplished before the gift is given on Christmas morning. When thoughtful preparation has happened, the gift brings the joy that makes it all worth while.
This morning our passage from the gospel of Luke is a call to prepare ourselves for the coming of the Messiah. Preparation needs to be made before the gift is given.
John’s message of preparation
Luke puts this story into an historical context for the purposes of identifying when in history these events were taking place and to give us a glimpse of the worldly powers that would be challenged by the coming Messiah. He mentions powerful political names like Emperor Tiberius, the governor Pontius Pilate, King Herod and his brother Philip. Finally, Luke brings religious figures into the picture with the mention of the High Priests Annas and his son-in-law Caiaphas. The stage is set within this point of history. The political and even religious leaders will see their empires crumble in light of the true kingdom of God.
John the Baptist takes center stage in human history at this point. He receives the word of God. This word will be a call for people to prepare themselves for the arrival of the Messiah. The word that John received came from God and by God’s initiative. John did not go searching for this message, nor did he simply read about it and appropriate it within his job description. God’s word reaches into the course of human time. Great and wonderful things are about to transpire and John’s job is to proclaim the word that was given him by God.
The word given by God for John to proclaim was a message of repentance in preparation for the arrival of the Messiah. It was a message that Isaiah had also issued only in a different context. John received the message in the wilderness and proclaimed it to people who then were baptized as a sign of repentance and washing away of their sins; cleansed and ready!
Isaiah’s message, going back to the Hebrew Bible stated that the message was proclaimed, “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord.” Punctuation has changed the meaning somewhat for us. (see Westermann). The message for Isaiah’s time was that the way in the wilderness was to be prepared for the Lord’s arrival as they traveled back into the land of Israel. For John the message was one of preparation for the arrival of the Messiah into the hearts and lives of the people. Be ready for that exciting time when the Lord arrives and ushers in the kingdom of God.
Work must be done before the Messiah comes. The work was one of repentance. Repentance signifies a change of mind and a turning around. John’s baptism was a sign that this was happening in a person’s life. The word of God that John proclaimed called for the hard work of repentance. It called for self-examination and an acknowledgement of sinfulness as well as a renewed effort at living faithfully before God.
This preparation was needed before the gift was given: the gift was the arrival of the Messiah and the wonderful promise that all flesh will see the salvation of God! Before the gift; preparation must be done!
The Word of God touches our lives
The Greek word for repentance is metanoia (μετανοια) meaning to “change one’s mind.” How many times when we are decorating for Christmas do we change our minds? That particular ornament would look better over on that side of the tree. We change lighting and other fixtures. We look at the center pieces on the tables and think to ourselves, “That would look better with a white poinsettia.” And so on. To change our mind means to do something different than the way we had done them before. Another Greek word signifies this change, peripateow (περιπατεω), meaning to walk around, and walk in the opposite direction.
Repentance is hard work because it means recognizing our sinfulness and then changing our mind about it and then walking in a different and new direction. This change includes our behavior, attitudes, actions, words, thoughts and so on and on.
I think that one of the problems we have in our day and age is that we do not take sin very seriously. In fact, we often do not even use the word. We use euphemisms like doing something wrong, alienating ourselves from God, doing that which we shouldn’t, or making a mistake and so on. Whatever word or words we use, the issue is the same, we sin! We fall short of the glory of God and that is sin; pure and simple. John’s call is a call for repentance before the gift arrives. The same call is made for us repent before the gift of Christmas, but most importantly before the 2nd coming of the Messiah at the end of time. Advent is a time of waiting in anticipation, but much like Lent it is also a time of preparation through repentance. This demands self-examination; it is not about our calling others to repent, it is about ourselves, our examination of our life and a searching out of those areas where we have sinned. In the wilderness of our sinful life, repent and make straight the way of the Lord!
It is interesting as I read about the history of the church. At various times in the church’s history, the subject of repentance has been emphasized a great deal and at other times the subject has receded to the background.
In Martin Luther’s day the church instructed the people to fear a wrathful and angry God. Even the subject of repentance and contrition for sins brought no relief. God was angry; judgment would happen and people coward in fear. Into that type of religious thought, Luther came and reinterpreted scripture to bring God’s love and grace to the forefront. After a time, people became so complacent about God that Johann Arndt began the movement of pietism that brought people back into the fear of the Lord and of judgment.
Unfortunately in our day, we seem to have lost a healthy fear of God and have made grace and love the normative part of Christianity. Dietrich Bonhoeffer called this an emphasis on cheap grace. We have failed to realize the cost that God bore in our salvation. We have ignored God. We have lost any fear of the Almighty… And so in advent, John’s call to repentance comes to us – do we ignore it or do we realize that God’s judgment will happen and we are to prepare for his arrival in our hearts and live with a life lived in repentance. We are sinful people! Repent before the gift!
A glimpse of the future
There is also good news in this passage, too. The good news comes in the passage of Isaiah, repent so that we shall see the salvation of God. This news is for all flesh. Again, this news is not for one race of people, it is for all people. The good news of Jesus Christ, the Messiah will be good news for all who stand before him in faith. This is the gift that at the end time Jesus will return in glory and wonder, people will stand in awe and the glorious kingdom.
Until then we are called to be people of repentance and faithful preparation for that coming. We prepare to celebrate the advent of our Christ as Christmas time, but also we pray that we stand faithfully before him at the end when all will know of his glory.
The kingdom is not of this world, the political entities that Luke names in the beginning of chapter three eventually will die and their power is short-lived; their kingdoms will fail. The kingdom of God will never fail and will, in the fullness of time be ushered into human history. This kingdom is for all – it cuts across boundaries and politics, and geography and includes everyone who calls on the name of the Lord. It is not limited but is brought to fullness by God – not by human beings.
The great gift will arrive; as we celebrate Christmas this year, we experience only a mere foretaste of the tremendous love, peace and grace of our Messiah – in the end the fullness of the kingdom will arrive and the glories will be for all in Christ.
Conclusion
In our relationship with one another, it is sometimes difficult, if not impossible to say, “I’m sorry.” Saying those words implies having done something wrong. It’s an admission of failure. It is always interesting for me to observe people who never do anything wrong! Know some of these people (husband poking wives in the pew right now!)? They are never wrong and never say “I’m sorry.” Of course, reality suggests otherwise. All people need to assess relationships honestly and all should be willing to say, “I’m sorry.” No one is perfect, we all sin and sin breaks relationships.
This week tell someone you’re sorry…and most importantly, say to God, “I’m sorry.” Confess, repent and be ready for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Repentance is hard but necessary work before the gift arrives. Amen.