Sermon for December 16th, 2012

Luke 3:7-18

7John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 9Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." 10And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?" 11In reply he said to them, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise." 12Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?" 13He said to them, "Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you." 14Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what should we do?" He said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages." 15As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, 16John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." 18So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.

Prepare the Way: Looking Around

Can you imagine getting a Christmas card from John the Baptist? "Merry Christmas, you brood of vipers!" At least no one ever mistakes him for Santa Claus. The best line in this passage, however, is at the end, where John has just described the Messiah as coming with a pitchfork in his hands to separate the wheat from the chaff..."but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." I think Luke, who is telling the story, just couldn't resist the next line: "So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people."

I always thought this made John a good Calvinist Presbyterian -- after all, we believe in total depravity, or to put it in contemporary terms, that everybody is infinitely messed up. But my wife pointed out that, no, John was actually a Baptist. John the Baptist. I guess if he were Presbyterian, we'd call him John the Elder, or John the Committee Vice-Moderator or something creative like that.

Bring it home to Faith, Hope and Love...greatest of these is Love.