John the Baptist

Sermon for 6th Dec (Is 40: 1-11; Mark 1: 1-8)

It was October. The native Indians on a remote reservation asked their new Chief if the coming winter was going to be cold or mild. Not knowing the old secrets, he couldn't tell what the winter was going to be like. To be on the safe side, he told his tribe that the winter was indeed going to be cold so everyone should collect firewood. But just to check he called the National Weather Service and them. "It looks like this winter is going to be quite cold," the meteorologist replied. So the Chief told his people to collect even more firewood to be prepared. A week later he called the National Weather Service “Is it going to be a very cold winter?" "Yes," the man "a very cold winter." The Chief told his people to collect every scrap of firewood they could find. Two weeks later the Chief again asked about the weather. "Absolutely certain, probably one of the coldest winters ever." "How can you be so sure?" the Chief asked. The weatherman replied, "The Indians are collecting firewood like crazy."

Today we’re not talking about Red Indians but someone who might seem like one - John the Baptist as he prepares people for the coming of Jesus. For us it’s a challenge to look at out lives as we prepare to celebrate the coming of Jesus at Christmas during Advent and as we look ahead to the second coming when Jesus will return as judge of all our hearts. John’s message is simple and two-old ‘Repent’; ‘Be forgiven’. To prepare for Jesus in our lives, we need to hear both messages – and respond.

John was not comfortable to be around. He is not the sort of person you would invite to a party. Those who went out to see him knew they would make him feel uncomfortable. So why did they go, and why do we listen now? Because they knew, and at least some of us know that he was something that was really important, something that would change them; something that would make them better people, more whole, more like God.

So what do we know about him. He was related to Jesus, a little older.. He had been born in extraordinary circumstances. His parents were exceptionally old to start a family and no longer expected to have the joy of children. His parents were Elizabeth, a cousin of Jesus’ mother and Zechariah, one of the temple priests. It was when it was Zechariah’s turn to minister in the holiest place in the Jerusalem temple when the same Angel Gabriel who later spoke to Mary cam e to him and told him they were to have a son, who they were to call John and he would prepare the way for Jesus. Zechariah, understandably didn’t believe him so was made dumb until the baby was born and it was only as the family were discussing what to call him that his speech was restored. He was never to drink wine or beer and would be filled with the Holy Spirit from birth. We then know nothing about him until he starts a ministry as a man in his thirties. And his ministry challenges us in three ways: 1) Lifestyle, 2) our involvement in our world concerns 3) our hearts

1) Our lifestyles: John looks like the ultimate eco-warrior. He wears hard wearing (but uncomfortable) camel’s hair coat, a leather belt and lives off the land, eating locusts and wild honey. Zero carbon footprint. So without saying anything he challenges us to a simpler lifestyle. Do we need all we have – could we live with less? Do we need endless national growth? (for which someone else has to pay?) Each Christmas everyone seems to want to eat and drink three times what we normally eat or drink and to spend money on expensive presents. And actually, what has that to do with the real meaning of Christmas? My half of the family meets each year down south for a meal and we play ‘Secret Santa’ to get away from this obsession with money; we have all been given one person to but a present for, as the present from us all with a maximum spend of £5; we don’t know who it’s from. It changes the focus from what we are gettign, to just enjoying each other. John challenges our lifestyle. So I walked to church.

2) Our involvement with the world around us. John was doing more than challenging excessive lifestyles. John’s clothes reminded people of a much earlier prophet, Elijah. Elijah even the kings of Israel to repent, to care for the poor, to see there was justice for all, especially of a rather nasty piece of work called Ahab and his wife Jezebel. Christians are always called to challenge those in power, whether its about fighting unjustifiable wars like Iraq, or banks becoemign excessively greedy, or governments in the trade rules they impose on other countries, or taking global warming or aid to poorer countries seriously. John challenged even the king of the country, Herod. It costs him his life, as he knew it would, but it didn’t stop him challenging Herod. So John calls us to challenge those in power too for other’s sakes

3) A change of heart: But John also speaks to us. In the programme ‘Outnumbered’ last night the little girl in the series was trying to sort out the problem of evil. Her father had suggested that most people in the world are good but some are bad. Her solution? “Why don’t all the good people kill all the bad people” (we might laugh but is that different from Bush’s solution in Iraq?). John’s solution is very different. ‘Repent’ and ‘be forgiven’ he says. What does ‘repent mean? Repent means ‘turn round’ go the other way. Stop doing what you want, start doing the right thing. Start doing what God wants. Change your heart. And forgiveness follows. That is the message of Advent. It’s the message to us, too.