As I reminisce on Christmas this year a few movies come to mind. It’s a wonderful life, miracle on 34th street; a Christmas story is my favorite. Another favorite is the edited version of Christmas Vacation. That movie is full of hilarious scenes and the one I believe to be my favorite changes from day to day depending on who I’m with. But I must say that my favorite character in all those movies is Cousin Eddy. You remember cousin Eddy with his white paten leather shoes, the proud father of his son training for the carnival who next year hopes to move from hosting the Yak woman to guessing weight. My favorite cousin eddy scene is at the dinner table on Christmas eve, where Clark declares to the children that he heard an airline pilot has just spotted Santa, and everyone smiles with anxious anticipation and laughter until Eddy ask, “Are you serious, Clark?”
Our text today is Luke 3: 2 and following and while your turning there may I ask you: do any of you have a relative, an uncle, a cousin, a family member that might be just a little bit embarrassing? Maybe she is eccentric, or maybe he is bull-headed. Now be careful here, I don’t want any of you naming any names. See, because some of you are related and you might just name somebody here. Or maybe you’re thinking, heck I am the relative that embarrasses everyone. Well for what it’s worth today, Jesus had a rather eccentric cousin. He certainly is not as clueless or thoughtless as cousin Eddy, but no doubt John, the son of Zechariah had to be a tough character to grow up with and once he was grown he only grew more peculiar. And while it may be entirely appropriate to dismiss cousin Eddy or whoever comes to your mind, we should be more careful about dismissing John and his message.
There is little background to give you concerning this passage. John precedes Jesus in ministry and this is the beginning of that ministry. John prepares the way with a call for repentance.
2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert. 3 He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: "A voice of one calling in the desert, `Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. 5 Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. 6 And all mankind will see God’s salvation.’" [1] 7 John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, `We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 9 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire." 10 "What should we do then?" the crowd asked. 11 John answered, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same." 12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized. "Teacher," they asked, "what should we do?" 13 "Don’t collect any more than you are required to," he told them. 14 Then some soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?" He replied, "Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely--be content with your pay." 15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ. [2] 16 John answered them all, "I baptize you with [3] water. But one more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." 18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and preached the good news to them.
Lets be real here a minute. John is not a likeable character. John is plain spoken. He is no diplomat. He calls them like he sees them. He is a purist and uncompromising, which is both appreciable and maddening. You may get the idea of a hell-fire and brimstone country preacher when you read about John, but the truth is, is that he wouldn’t make in that setting anymore than he would in ours or a more urban setting. John’s gift is prophecy not mercy, not compassion. In fact, Jesus’ compassion and mercy surprises John.
Do you remember when John from prison sends a message, a question to Jesus asking Jesus if he is the messiah? Now this is the same John who baptized Jesus, who heard the voice of God proclaiming Jesus to be God’s son in that baptism. John I believe is as perplexed as everyone by the ministry of Jesus, his compassion and mercy. And lets be real when you look at the picture John paints of the messiah in these texts, you can see why John is confused, so much so that he wants some affirmation that Jesus is the promised one.
Now don’t let that bother you… that John could have such a flaw or even have misunderstood the nature and work of the Messiah. Our Biblical characters are full of flaws and misunderstandings and they don’t get them all worked out before they are used by God. The disciples led by Peter didn’t get it until after the Holy Spirit fell at Pentecost and Jesus sent them out two by two preaching the gospel. The point is, is that John, as misunderstood and flawed and confused as he was, was a mighty instrument of God… who in spite of himself challenges us… with the truth, the truth that we already know and would rather exchange for a complicated excuse.
I love John’s opening phrase. This morning we had a call to worship. It was full of hope and promise and invitation to worship and experience God. I hope it made you feel God because we all know that if we feel good that’s all that really matters to God, and that if we feel good then God feels good.
But John is not so presumptive. He doesn’t begin his worship services like that nor his sermons. His favorite preachers were folks like Elijah and Jeremiah and so John begins by calling them names. You know, I almost rewrote this text into a narrative where I would be John and you all would be folks at the river. I would have opened up today by calling you names and mean ones. Why this congregation is nothing but a snake-pit ready to devour one another and corrupt anyone else along the way. Now that would’ve been fun but it might have become easy to get carried away. And the truth is, is that I would probably better be cast as one of the folks at the river.
John goes from calling them names to challenging their integrity. “Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” “Why are you here and what are your motives?” “Are you an observer?” “Who told you about this? I didn’t send for you. I didn’t put up posters and advertisements. Do you want to be entertained? Is that why you came? “Do you think this is some kind of sideshow?” “Am I just an amusement park attraction?” that I’m gonna sing a tune and dance a jig. I know you want some goose bumps to get you through the week? I’m not begging you to listen to me. In fact if your one of those religious folks always strutting around town demonstrating how religious you are, then this message isn’t for you. Your too proud to hear it” Or are you here because you really want to hear the word of the Lord and get right?
Well there is one thing we can say of John’s preaching. He knows his audience and he knows where their faith is, he’d heard it countless times before. “We’re Abraham’s sons.” They’d say that excusing them from everything.
That doesn’t do anything for you does it? It’s not really relative. How about this: “I’m a member of the church. To which John replies, if God wanted church members he’d raise up these pews and they’d join the church… and they’d probably be more faithful.
Frankly, there’s not much we really like about John and not much he really likes about us. He challenges our church etiquette, our motives and intentions, and even our belief system. And he challenges all of that mainly for one reason. It’s inconsistent. It’s inconsistent the way we behave, our claimed intentions, even our belief system. It’s inconsistent with the way we live. And John speaks of an urgency to change it. The ax is at the root. Are you in or out? Further procrastination is not an option. John knows something from his simple life in the desert and he challenges all the sophisticated maneuvers around it. He knows that what we live is what we believe and the rest is just talk.
So they ask John… never ask prophet anything, unless you’re ready to hear his or her straight answer. They ask John, what should we do? Now that seems a good question. Clearly they recognize this mans profundity and depth. He will bring them answer that they have never considered, something they never have thought of. Those who are wealthy ask John what to do. “If you have two coats give one to someone who has none.” Its not complicated but OK. Maybe he’ll be more profound the next time. Then the tax collectors come. “What should we do?” They ask. “Don’t collect any more than you are required to," he told them. Hmm, well we already knew that… but ok. Then some soldiers came and asked him, "And what should we do?" He replied, "Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely--be content with your pay."….
Now listen that’s great advice but it seems a given don’t you think. I mean if a guy is going to go into the wilderness and live, and eat locust and honey, and not shave. And if he’s going to revitalize the practice of baptism to symbolize repentance and renewal… well if he’s going to do all that it seems the least he could do is come up with something more thought provoking than that. You know it just seems that he could have said all that as a rabbi at the synagogue. I mean why in the world would you have to with such passion and vision, and eccentricities challenge believers to do, what they already know they’re supposed to do.
Why do you think? Could it be… that we have educated ourselves beyond obedience that we would rather understand than trust, that really and truly the things we ought to do we already know about. I honestly believe that life and its challenges are that way and that sometimes we confuse difficulty with complexity…. Quitting smoking is not complex… but it is difficult. Being faithful to your spouse is not complex… but in tempting times it may be difficult. Not stealing or lying or cheating, well avoiding those things is not really complex, but it surely is at times for us all… difficult. What is profound in what John says to do is that there is nothing profound about it. Live the life you know you’re supposed to live without excuse.
Martin Marty writes of one critic who said he had gone to many churches and heard the preacher say, "Don’t try to impress God with your works" or "Don’t attempt to please God with your merits" or "Don’t try to keep the rules and regulations and thus win your way." He looked around at nearly slumbering collections of utterly casual Christians and wondered, "Who’s trying?"
I told you last week that I was going to be real with you. So in that let me tell you that if John the Baptist were preaching today that I don’t really think I would care for him. I think he lacks compassion and patience. I think his urgency runs the great risk of polarizing potential believers out of the kingdom of God. I think he’s is intolerant, bull headed, and one-sided…. But I hope I would find room for him in the kingdom and in God’s service… and in my life. Because in spite of all the things that embarrass us about John… he is family. And even this craze cousin has a great function in the kingdom of God…
You see I believe that sometimes… you and I… we… need someone who cares more about us than what we think of him or her, someone who has nothing invested in our institutions. Sometimes we need a John, the son of Zechariah to look us in the eye and say… no matter what circumstances surround you… this, whatever this is, well its just not right and it must stop. Someone who will say, “You know better.”
