Zephaniah 3:14-20
Isaiah 12:2-6 (Isaiah 12:6)
Philippians 4:4-7
Luke 3:7-18
When I think of Advent, I think of angel visitations and dreams. I don't think of prophets calling us names and telling us to get our act together.
We're in the lectionary cycle year where we focus on John the Baptist. He doesn't show up in the holiday decorations of most people, yet here he is, week after week. Unlike the angels who show up in other years, his message is designed for the collective, not for a specific individual, like Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, and Zechariah.
John the Baptist shows up in each gospel, but this is the only one where he has directions for the people--what to do after they repent. They're not to get baptized then go back to the pre-baptism lives. The people can't say that they've got the proper credentials because of an accident of birth.
John tells them to share, to be truthful, to pursue fairness. It's a familiar message.
No, John tells us to repent. It's not too late. The word repent is often associated with seeking forgiveness of sins, but that's a very narrow definition. The larger meaning of that word is to turn. Turn away from what isn't working in our lives. Turn towards God and all the ways our lives could be better.
What would our culture look like if we took Jesus or John as our model of behavior? If we trusted God more? If, instead of listening to the blare of TV and the Internet and the many forms of media, what would happen if we listened for God? What would happen if we structured our lives according to the plan that Jesus reveals? What would happen if we decided that Jesus meant what he said, and we structured our lives accordingly?
As you think about the implications of the answers to those questions, you see why our culture rushes in to fill the voids that most of us don't even perceive in our individual lives and larger communities. For if we lived our lives and made our decisions based on the Kingdom that Jesus reveals, it would be a very different world indeed. John gives us a hint later in the Gospel for today: if you have two coats, share with the person who has none, and likewise with food; don't cheat people; be content with your wages.
Repent. Turn away from the life of bloat and greed that our culture of consumption offers us. Turn towards a vision of Kingdom living. Don't wait until you're dead. Do what you can to create the Kingdom here and now.
The Christmas angels will be here soon with their message of hope. But John the Baptist, too, has a message of hope, if we have ears to hear.
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