Advent III
By The Rev. Martha Frances+
Yr. B, Advent III - 14 December 2008
Text: John 1: 6-8, 19-28
Other: Isaiah 61: 1-4, 8-11; Psalm 126; I Thessalonians 5: 16-24
Since I would imagine you're not sitting in the congregation with your Bible from home—after all, we're Episcopalians, not Baptists—you may not remember unless I remind you that the Gospel passage I read just a moment ago begins in the midst of the "Prologue" to the Gospel of John which begins "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Most of the first 18 verses of John the Evangelist's Gospel is a poetic revisiting of the original Genesis creation story, an announcement of the re-creation which the birth of Jesus the Christ becomes in the world. I've always thought the introduction of John the Baptist into such a poetic prologue sort of an unwelcome earthly interruption of a cosmic story. In addition, in this gospel, John is called neither "the Baptist" nor "the Baptizer," so it's hard to discuss John the gospel-writer's depiction of John the witness to the light without getting pretty confused.
As I prepared this sermon, however, I acquired a whole new view of the Evangelist's "interruption" as the rest of the prologue sees the world in macrocosm & God as transcendent—larger than life. Here in verse 6, John the very earthy wilderness man appears, reminding us that God enters into the world not just as the creator of the universe but also in the midst of ordinary human lives, in microcosm, if you will, with Cousin John from Tim- Buck-Two preparing the way for Jesus as the new creation. John hangs around out with the cactus and tumbleweeds, wearing clothing made from camel—the only animal who can survive in such arid surroundings, eating locusts which—by the way—are still eaten by poor people in some parts of the world, & people flock out to see him & hear what he has to say.
By golly, that's what the Incarnation, Jesus' birth for which we prepare this time of year, is all about anyway, isn't it? Into the midst of wars in Iraq & Afghanistan, terrorism in Mumbai, political scandal in Illinois, economic chaos throughout the world, fluctuating oil prices, twin babies burned to death in East Houston, and the senseless killing of a police officer less than a mile from my home, God chose to enter into the world in the form of a particular man, Jesus of Nazareth, & God continues to choose to enter into our world & our lives, this & every year.
The Evangelist's telling of the story moves quickly from the ethereal to the beginning of Jesus' public ministry with his debut prepared by his cousin John. The prophet John is causing quite a stir out in the desert, so members of the religious establishment of the day go to try to pin down just who this enigmatic figure is. Elijah? The prophet? The Messiah? John is a curiosity partially because he doesn't fulfill the expectations Jewish people have.
How many times have you missed out on opportunities because they didn't fulfill the expectations you had for them? Several years ago, our son Michael had to work on Christmas Day, & Ken planned to spend the early part of that day with his girlfriend. I pouted for several days before I realized their other plans allowed their father & me several hours of much-needed sleep after Christmas Eve services before our evening Christmas dinner. I was so disappointed that we could not have the usual Christmas lunch that I almost spoiled the joy of a leisurely Christmas dinner in the evening. Especially around holiday time, how much wasted energy is expended because of misplaced expectations?
So who is this John? We talked a lot about John last week, but in this passage, he not only refuses any of the labels the establishment places on him but emphasizes his own subordinance to the one who will follow him: "Make straight the way of the Lord;" and then later, "I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal." John is a perfect symbol for Advent because he prepares the way, he urges the people to wait expectantly, he reminds people to clean up their personal acts & he asks his followers to follow the one whose baptism is truly new & transformative. In so doing, he joins the long line of prophets who called the people of Israel back to behavior which honors Yhwh by caring for those who are most needy.
Our first lesson for today was first a prophetic call to the Hebrew people to change their behavior in order to reestablish a community back in Judea after the Babylonian captivity. In Jesus' first public appearance back home in Nazareth after he began preaching, Jesus takes this same passage as his Mission Statement of sorts, letting the people from his hometown know that behavior matters, that they already have the guidelines for faithful service to God: bringing good news to the oppressed, binding up the brokenhearted, proclaiming liberty to captives & release to prisoners, and proclaiming Jubilee to those who need a break & comfort to mourners.
If there ever was a time when our world needs the light of Christ shining in the darkness, when such behaviors outlined by Isaiah & adopted by Jesus need to be our own mission in the world, then now seems to be the time. Our own Bishop Don Wimberly points out in his December column in The Texas Episcopalian that rather than "fitting in" to the "way things are," we need repentance so that we may be reborn.
Our Presiding Bishop The Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori also uses the image of light shining in darkness from the gospel of John in her Christmas message for 2008. She says, "The world settles into winter, at least in the northern hemisphere, & life to many seems increasingly bleak. Foreclosures, layoffs, government bailouts & financial failures, continuing war on 2 fronts, terrorist attacks, murders of some identified only by their faith—this world is in abundant need of light. Born in poverty to a homeless couple, to a people long under occupation, Jesus is human & divine evidence that God is with us in the midst of the world's darkness. Emmanuel, Prince of Peace, Divine Counselor is come among us to remind, re-member, & re-create. A new mind & heart is birthed in us as we turn to follow Jesus on the way. The body of God's creation is re-membered & put back together in ways intended from the beginning. And a new creation becomes reality through Jesus' healing work. Christians tell the story again each Christmastide, & the telling & remembering invites us once again into being made whole. Our task in every year is to hear the story with new ears, & seeing light in the darkness of this season's woes, then to tell it abroad with gladsome hearts to those who wait in darkness. Where will you share the joyous tale of light in the darkness?"
I, too, ask you to ponder this next week where you will share Christ's light in the darkness? Several of us are gathering Christmas decorations & toys to take to St. Vincent's House in Galveston where many people lost everything to Ike. Adults on my gift-giving list will receive again this year chickens & pigs & seedlings & mosquito netting—or they will receive cards thanking them for these gifts distributed by the Episcopal Relief & Development throughout vulnerable parts of the world. Who will you bring with you to Joys of Christmas next Sunday evening? To one of the Christmas Eve services? Many homeless people will receive Christmas dinner at one of many service providers like Lord of the Streets this year. What about the hungry or those who need clothes in February? Have you turned in a pledge for Hope Church for 2009 so that we can stay open & continue to do the ministry God is calling us to do? Have you paid your 2008 pledge in full? The specifics of your willingness to be made new, to be reborn, to have Jesus' light enter your life once again this Christmas is a matter between you & God. May you carry these scriptures in your hearts (& even in your pockets or pocketbooks) throughout the rest of this season so you can continue to be reminded of the mission statement which Jesus chose for us.
Yr. B, Advent III - 14 December 2008
Text: John 1: 6-8, 19-28
Other: Isaiah 61: 1-4, 8-11; Psalm 126; I Thessalonians 5: 16-24
Since I would imagine you're not sitting in the congregation with your Bible from home—after all, we're Episcopalians, not Baptists—you may not remember unless I remind you that the Gospel passage I read just a moment ago begins in the midst of the "Prologue" to the Gospel of John which begins "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Most of the first 18 verses of John the Evangelist's Gospel is a poetic revisiting of the original Genesis creation story, an announcement of the re-creation which the birth of Jesus the Christ becomes in the world. I've always thought the introduction of John the Baptist into such a poetic prologue sort of an unwelcome earthly interruption of a cosmic story. In addition, in this gospel, John is called neither "the Baptist" nor "the Baptizer," so it's hard to discuss John the gospel-writer's depiction of John the witness to the light without getting pretty confused.
As I prepared this sermon, however, I acquired a whole new view of the Evangelist's "interruption" as the rest of the prologue sees the world in macrocosm & God as transcendent—larger than life. Here in verse 6, John the very earthy wilderness man appears, reminding us that God enters into the world not just as the creator of the universe but also in the midst of ordinary human lives, in microcosm, if you will, with Cousin John from Tim- Buck-Two preparing the way for Jesus as the new creation. John hangs around out with the cactus and tumbleweeds, wearing clothing made from camel—the only animal who can survive in such arid surroundings, eating locusts which—by the way—are still eaten by poor people in some parts of the world, & people flock out to see him & hear what he has to say.
By golly, that's what the Incarnation, Jesus' birth for which we prepare this time of year, is all about anyway, isn't it? Into the midst of wars in Iraq & Afghanistan, terrorism in Mumbai, political scandal in Illinois, economic chaos throughout the world, fluctuating oil prices, twin babies burned to death in East Houston, and the senseless killing of a police officer less than a mile from my home, God chose to enter into the world in the form of a particular man, Jesus of Nazareth, & God continues to choose to enter into our world & our lives, this & every year.
The Evangelist's telling of the story moves quickly from the ethereal to the beginning of Jesus' public ministry with his debut prepared by his cousin John. The prophet John is causing quite a stir out in the desert, so members of the religious establishment of the day go to try to pin down just who this enigmatic figure is. Elijah? The prophet? The Messiah? John is a curiosity partially because he doesn't fulfill the expectations Jewish people have.
How many times have you missed out on opportunities because they didn't fulfill the expectations you had for them? Several years ago, our son Michael had to work on Christmas Day, & Ken planned to spend the early part of that day with his girlfriend. I pouted for several days before I realized their other plans allowed their father & me several hours of much-needed sleep after Christmas Eve services before our evening Christmas dinner. I was so disappointed that we could not have the usual Christmas lunch that I almost spoiled the joy of a leisurely Christmas dinner in the evening. Especially around holiday time, how much wasted energy is expended because of misplaced expectations?
So who is this John? We talked a lot about John last week, but in this passage, he not only refuses any of the labels the establishment places on him but emphasizes his own subordinance to the one who will follow him: "Make straight the way of the Lord;" and then later, "I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal." John is a perfect symbol for Advent because he prepares the way, he urges the people to wait expectantly, he reminds people to clean up their personal acts & he asks his followers to follow the one whose baptism is truly new & transformative. In so doing, he joins the long line of prophets who called the people of Israel back to behavior which honors Yhwh by caring for those who are most needy.
Our first lesson for today was first a prophetic call to the Hebrew people to change their behavior in order to reestablish a community back in Judea after the Babylonian captivity. In Jesus' first public appearance back home in Nazareth after he began preaching, Jesus takes this same passage as his Mission Statement of sorts, letting the people from his hometown know that behavior matters, that they already have the guidelines for faithful service to God: bringing good news to the oppressed, binding up the brokenhearted, proclaiming liberty to captives & release to prisoners, and proclaiming Jubilee to those who need a break & comfort to mourners.
If there ever was a time when our world needs the light of Christ shining in the darkness, when such behaviors outlined by Isaiah & adopted by Jesus need to be our own mission in the world, then now seems to be the time. Our own Bishop Don Wimberly points out in his December column in The Texas Episcopalian that rather than "fitting in" to the "way things are," we need repentance so that we may be reborn.
Our Presiding Bishop The Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori also uses the image of light shining in darkness from the gospel of John in her Christmas message for 2008. She says, "The world settles into winter, at least in the northern hemisphere, & life to many seems increasingly bleak. Foreclosures, layoffs, government bailouts & financial failures, continuing war on 2 fronts, terrorist attacks, murders of some identified only by their faith—this world is in abundant need of light. Born in poverty to a homeless couple, to a people long under occupation, Jesus is human & divine evidence that God is with us in the midst of the world's darkness. Emmanuel, Prince of Peace, Divine Counselor is come among us to remind, re-member, & re-create. A new mind & heart is birthed in us as we turn to follow Jesus on the way. The body of God's creation is re-membered & put back together in ways intended from the beginning. And a new creation becomes reality through Jesus' healing work. Christians tell the story again each Christmastide, & the telling & remembering invites us once again into being made whole. Our task in every year is to hear the story with new ears, & seeing light in the darkness of this season's woes, then to tell it abroad with gladsome hearts to those who wait in darkness. Where will you share the joyous tale of light in the darkness?"
I, too, ask you to ponder this next week where you will share Christ's light in the darkness? Several of us are gathering Christmas decorations & toys to take to St. Vincent's House in Galveston where many people lost everything to Ike. Adults on my gift-giving list will receive again this year chickens & pigs & seedlings & mosquito netting—or they will receive cards thanking them for these gifts distributed by the Episcopal Relief & Development throughout vulnerable parts of the world. Who will you bring with you to Joys of Christmas next Sunday evening? To one of the Christmas Eve services? Many homeless people will receive Christmas dinner at one of many service providers like Lord of the Streets this year. What about the hungry or those who need clothes in February? Have you turned in a pledge for Hope Church for 2009 so that we can stay open & continue to do the ministry God is calling us to do? Have you paid your 2008 pledge in full? The specifics of your willingness to be made new, to be reborn, to have Jesus' light enter your life once again this Christmas is a matter between you & God. May you carry these scriptures in your hearts (& even in your pockets or pocketbooks) throughout the rest of this season so you can continue to be reminded of the mission statement which Jesus chose for us.
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at 12:19 PM
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