Inspired by the hymn, "What Gift Can We Bring," I continue to reflect on our call as Christians to continue to offer the gift of Jesus to the world. As we travel through Advent and Christmas and consider the gift that God has given us in Jesus, how do we continue to offer those gifts to the world?
For the second Sunday of Advent, we frequently pair John the Baptist with the theme of Hope. This year, we read the story from the Gospel of Matthew (see Matthew 3:1-12) as we weigh the connection between judgement and hope.
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On the second Sunday of Advent, we often hear from the prophets and from John the Baptist. And because of the ones who are speaking we often hear words of judgement. So it may at first seem ironic that the second Sunday of Advent is often the Sunday of Hope.
This is especially true when we look at John the Baptist. He is out in the wilderness preaching the coming of God’s kingdom. He is wearing clothes made of camel’s hair and eating locusts. I imagine he was also rather unkempt and dirty. Chances are he would be run out of any church he happened to wander into today.
And yet people are coming to hear him speak. People are coming to him to be baptized, seeking forgiveness as they confess their sins. Yet as the Pharisees and Sadducees came to him he greets them by calling them names. It seems fairly innocuous by modern standards, but his greeting was full of venom (no pun intended).
“You brood of vipers!”
“You children of snakes!”
“You offspring of vipers!”
It’s not too difficult to imagine the epithet he would have hurled at them in our time. He was filled with righteous anger and righteous indignation toward those who considered themselves holy and worthy and above reproach. He had little care for their self-important actions, their self-centered ways.
He goes on to speak of the coming judgement. He tells them the ax is at the roots. He tells them that fire is coming.
Where is the hope in this judgement?
But when we look deeper, we can find the seed of hope. His words are primarily directed at those who fail to serve others. His words are directed at those who call themselves religious and yet fail to produce any fruit. If they were doing the work of leading the people into appropriate relationship with God, why are people flocking to John?
It becomes even more obvious as we look to the other texts usually read on this Sunday. Isaiah (see Isaiah 11:1-10) speaks of the one who will come to judge with righteousness and to act equitably on behalf of those who are suffering. The one that Isaiah foretold will destroy the violent and the wicked.
Even the Psalm (see Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19) on this day makes it clear that the judgement to be rendered is justice for the poor and salvation for the needy. The only one that needs to fear the one to come is the one who has been an oppressor, the one who has taken advantage of the poor and needy.
When it comes to judgement, we often have a negative reaction. To judge one, to hold one accountable, is most often in our current culture considered a negative thing. We tend to look negatively on any that find themselves before a judge. We usually fail to consider that sometimes a judgement can be positive. We fail to understand that while John throws some pretty harsh words at the Pharisees and Sadducees, they are the only ones that receive this greeting from him. We are simply told that others come to hear him and to receive the baptism of forgiveness.
Still, how do we hear words of hope in the midst of John’s harsh words?
As we look to John’s words and actions, as we look to Isaiah and the psalmist, we find that there is hope here for those that are most often hopeless -- the poor, the needy, the outcasts, the oppressed. The coming of God into the world, as we will see again in Mary’s words next week, is a sign of hope for those that have little other to be hopeful for.
And for those that feel they have no need of salvation? For those that are the oppressor?
There is hope for them as well. There is hope in the knowledge that God still loves them. There is hope in the knowledge that God is still giving them the option of repentance, of returning to a right relationship. It may feel like a negative, but they have the option of turning back to God and giving up their ways.
The coming of Jesus brings that hope into the world. John speaks of the one to come, the one that is more powerful than him. He says that while he offers a baptism of water to those that repent Jesus will bring the Holy Spirit and fire to burn away selfish desires and empower people for fruitful relationships with God and each other.
Remembering our theme for the season, “What Gift Can We Bring,” I wonder how we continue to offer God’s hope to the world. If as Christians we are meant not only to believe a certain way but also to act in the world as Christ would, what are the ways in which we are making this hope that the prophets spoke of known in the world? How do we as church offer hope to the poor, the needy, the suffering? How do we speak words of judgement to the powerful while still offering them the option of hope as well?
As Christians we are called still to find those places in need of hope in our present world and to work to make that hope a reality. If we are not currently working directly with those in need of hope, we can at least support those who do -- organizations that offer shelter and food to those in need, organizations that offer shelter and protection to those who are in harm’s way. We can find out what the vulnerable people in our community need and work to make sure those needs are met. We can make sure the weakest ones in our community are treated fairly and with dignity, especially in situations where the powerful benefit. And maybe some of us have the space and resources to address some of those needs directly with beds and showers and fresh meals.
John spoke harshly to those that benefited from their position, those who were called to be an example of God in the community and chose only to lift themselves. He spoke harshly to those that were called to lead the people in their relationship with God, to those who had instead seen this position as something for them to personally benefit from. Isaiah spoke judgement against those that visited violence on those around them. The psalmist spoke judgement against those that oppressed others. This should make it clear to those who are open to hearing exactly what our God values, exactly what the kingdom that Jesus is ushering into being looks like.
So let us continue to do the work of Christ in the world. Let us continue to be a sign of hope to the hurting and the outcast, the poor and the needy.
May we continue to produce the fruit of compassion and grace.
May we continue to show people the kingdom of God that is coming into being.
May we continue to give the gift of hope to the world around us.