Advent 2, Year A - Matthew 3:1-12A Gospel Reflection by the Rev. Canon Jason D. Lewis I must confess, each year I am a little more than surprised by John the Baptist showing up in Advent. You know it is going to happen every year at this time; every second Sunday of Advent the Church introduces John to us and confronts us again with John’s startling message: “You brood of vipers, who warned you to come slithering down here to the river bank to get your snakeskins washed! Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. The ax is at the root of the tree. If the tree bears fruit, it’ll be kept…if it is dry and withered, it’ll be thrown into the fire!”
Well, happy holidays to you too John! This is such a surprise because it is at stark “right angles” with where our society and culture is at right now as we gear up for Christmas. The culture is into the warm fuzzies of decorations, and chorals, and gifts, and parties. And I like all these things…there is a real joy is sharing in these festivities with family, friends, and co-workers. But here, surprisingly enough, each second Sunday in Advent we get John - this wildman: camel-hair-honey-and-wild-locus-eating wilderness prophet! “Survivor Man” and Bear Grylls from “Man vs. Wild” have nothing on John! And it is a surprise to find his wild ways and wild message here in this supposed serene season.
And quite frankly, some of mine and your surprise, come out of our really not wanting to deal with him. At least not now, not here. Part of my surprise is an internal resistance: “We have to read what on Sunday? Really?”
It is curious though, we are told his sermons were greatly popular with the crowds. All of Jerusalem and the town in Judea, and those from the backwater hamlets along the river were making their way out into the wilderness to hear him. Curious indeed. Especially if you take into account the great effort these folks had to make to go see John preach. This isn’t like going to the local church to hear the well-known speaker interviewed and then attend this book signing afterward; this isn’t like flip through the channels and then hearing something interesting enough to pause for a few minutes before you click onward to another channel. No. John wasn’t preaching at the local synagogue, nor did he go to the national and religious center of his people's faith (Jerusalem) to preach his message. He went way off to the outskirts of civilization, middle of nowhere, the wilderness to preach. And the amazing thing is folks were drawn to his message like a moth to a flame. They made their way through the heat and dust of the desert - some traveled for hours, a day, or even days, to make their way to the Jordan to hear him preach. He was causing quite a stir. Curious.
And why? If I am so off-put by him; if his message seems so out of step and out of key with the season of the year, what did these folks see in him? There must be something more here that we are not hearing, seeing, getting. Curious isn’t it?
You know the three most important things in real estate don’t you? Location, Location, Location. The same is true here. They made their way to Jordan because this was a central place for them as a people. The Jordan marked movement from a people in the wilderness to a people with a home. Jordan marked them becoming a new people of God. This is a renewal place. And they are going out to hear John because his message is ultimately a renewal message - it is a message of transformation for those who know they are in need.
I wonder if the reason I am surprised, and the reason I at first resist meeting John on this 2nd Sunday of Advent is because I don’t think I need to meet him or need to hear him.
So, I need to try to listen again. It is a matter of context, situation, and perspective. It is not easy to hear and be confronted by those things that we know are true but are hard to face. No one promised the truth would be easy. I’m surprised by John on this second Sunday of Advent because I am not in the place to hear what he has to say…but, it is true nonetheless.
Gandhi, in his autobiography called his life “an experiment with truth.” Gandhi was persecuted for being a person of color in South Africa. He had gone to England, got his law degree, and went to South Africa to practice. He couldn’t ride on trains, couldn’t go to public places with insult or fear of personal harm. He was told, “color people can’t be lawyers.” He confronted the system to see if the society could bear the truth he knew: that his color didn’t define him.
Martin Luther King Jr. read Gandhi and was inspired to carry out civil rights rallies in US. He carried on this, “experiment in truth.” He was convicted that truth would win out. He lived out the willingness to bear the load and continue onward knowing the truth was true nonetheless.
John the Baptist is one who is an experiment with truth. John comes with the message of renewal. It is true, we all need renewal. John is God’s first step in “an experiment with truth” in Jesus. We need to turn toward the promise of love shown to us in the life of Jesus. Look to him.
The difference between hearing John or being offended, put off, resisting John, is seeing ourselves as a people who need to hear his message. Look to Jesus.
He is calling us to life change. Transformation. To bear fruit in our lives. To have what we believe in our hearts, say with our lips, match up with how we act in the world. But, if I don’t think I need to change, to be transformed, then I certainly won’t have the ears to hear.
This is the very charge he brings against the Pharisees and Saducess who come to see him. His words to them are the most difficult: “You snakes, who warned you…God doesn’t just want your snake skins washed, get the outside clean, he want to clean you from the inside out…so you’ll bear real fruit in your lives…just not on the outside in appearances, but real life change!” The religious leaders came, but John saw that they just wanted the outside cleaned, to do another ritual, hear another spiritual teacher. He was calling to them for something deeper - bear fruit! But, if I don’t think I need this, then I won’t hear. If can’t see my need, then I won’t try to have it met. If I can’t see I’m hungry, I won’t look for food.
The masses came to what seems to us to be an unwanted message because they were hungry, thirsty, a people knowing their need and a people seeking to get it satisfied, seek renewal.
We need “John moments” to point us to our need for “crossing the River Jordan” moments. We need John, despite the surprise this wild man brings, because he prepares us to encounter new Life. So, let us welcome him as we learn to welcome the new Life given to us this Christmas Season. Amen.
