Expectations
Expectations: I love this time of the year. I love the expectation we share as the altar frontal gradually builds and unfolds the Christmas symbols. I love the plaintive tones of "Oh Come, Oh Come Emanuel". I love the ritual of the advent wreath, building our expectations, marking our progress toward Christ's birth as we light each candle in turn, week by week, first purple and today the joyful pink. The time is drawing near. Our readings today share the joy of our Messiah's coming to us:
IN THE COLLECT:
"Stir up thy power, O Lord, and with great might come among us." …"Come
among us."
IN THE READING FROM THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES Zephaniah celebrates "Sing aloud, O Daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart … The Lord is in your midst…he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love.
PSALM 85 declares "Truly, his salvation is very near to those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land."
AND AGAIN, IN OUR READING FROM PHILIPPIANS, "Rejoice in the LORD always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything…." "And then the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."
FINALLY, THE EVANGELIST LUKE tells the story as John the Baptist welcomes all those people who have journeyed to the rocky wilderness to be baptized. Imagine them gathered around our font of living water. Imagine the anticipation they feel about their baptisms. John's response? "You brood of vipers!" Don't you dare assume that, being descendants of Abraham, you have guaranteed salvation. In fact, God can replace you all by bringing life from these rocks.
What? Whoa!
Are you feeling whiplash? One minute it's joy, and next it's vipers! One moment "The Lord is in [our] midst… renew[ing] us in his love." The next moment an ax is ready to chop us down like worthless trees.
What's going on? Isn't this supposed to be the Good News? With axes and vipers and chaff being burned, where is the Good News?
John is furious because he recognizes hypocrites in the crowd. They aren't the least bit interested in a rite of purification or fresh starts to their lives. They are simply hedging their bets on eternity. They aren't interested in living lives that are fruitful – except for themselves.
They have come to John for baptism simply to cover their – interests.
For these, the Gospel is harsh. Hypocrisy won't work. John tells them to "Bear fruits worthy of repentance", meaning, Let your change of heart be visible in your actions. It's the only authentic way to prepare for the Lord's coming. If you're looking for a softer way, you're in the wrong place.
Hearing a severe warning to straighten up and fly right isn't a happy experience, but when we need it, I'm glad it's there.
Those in the crowd who are serious about preparing for the coming of the Lord ask John, "What, then, should we do?" "I understand that the changes I'm making will be shown in my actions, but what changes should I make? What's enough?
You don't necessarily need to change your profession, but you m ay well need to change how you do it: Share what you have; live with integrity, honor other people and live for their welfare as well as your own.
The Good News is that God gives us what we need whether we are hypocrites or we are sincere. We struggle and are selfish. We rejoice and honor. And God is there to comfort us when we need comfort, to get our attentions when we swap God's priorities for our own.
The Good News is that there is room for both the poets who sing of the coming of the Lord and for prophets like John. God meets us where we are.
In the final passage of the Gospel, Luke writes,
"People were filled with expectation, and all were questioning
in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah.
Expectations: John responds that there is one who is far greater than he. One
who baptizes with fire and the Holy Spirit. The purifying fire and the live-giving
Spirit.
Expectations: How limited are the expectations of the crowd when envisioning their Messiah.
Expectations: Candles on an advent wreath, a building story on the altar frontal, the excitement of the Messiah among us.
Expectations: Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel. How will we prepare ourselves for the Messiah? Will we be able to hold onto our expectations for his coming and his peace even if there are only eight shopping days 'til Christmas? In these frantic days, will be able to remember that "the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."
Expectations.