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1 While Jesus was living in the Galilean hills, John, called "the Baptizer," was preaching in the desert country of Judea. 2 His message was simple and austere, like his desert surroundings: "Change your life. God's kingdom is here." 3 John and his message were authorized by Isaiah's prophecy: Thunder in the desert! Prepare for God's arrival! Make the road smooth and straight! 4 John dressed in a camel-hair habit tied at the waist by a leather strap. He lived on a diet of locusts and wild field honey. 5 People poured out of Jerusalem, Judea, and the Jordanian countryside to hear and see him in action. 6 There at the Jordan River those who came to confess their sins were baptized into a changed life. 7 When John realized that a lot of Pharisees and Sadducees were showing up for a baptismal experience because it was becoming the popular thing to do, he exploded: "Brood of snakes! What do you think you're doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to make any difference? 8 It's your life that must change, not your skin! 9 And don't think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as father. Being a descendant of Abraham is neither here nor there. Descendants of Abraham are a dime a dozen. 10 What counts is your life. Is it green and blossoming? Because if it's deadwood, it goes on the fire. 11 "I'm baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. The real action comes next: The main character in this drama - compared to him I'm a mere stagehand - will ignite the kingdom life within you, a fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out.12 He's going to clean house - make a clean sweep of your lives. He'll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he'll put out with the trash to be burned." (Matthew 3:1-12 The Message Version)
Happy Advent to you, dear Friend! (Hint: It's not Christmas yet! But tell that to the stores that have had Christmas stuff up and ready to sell since July!). The stage for the big drama of Christmas has to be set. The readings leading up to the events of Christmas Eve prepare us for each change that has to happen in order to fully appreciate and to fully take advantage of God's gift to us on Christmas; and the first is a change in us!
Imagine growing up with a faith community that only stressed the Do Nots of your faith. You know, "Don't do this; don't do that." Well, that was pretty much what was happening in most synagogues during Jesus' time. I wish we could say it was different in the Temple in Jerusalem. And it wasn't. Please don't get me wrong; certain men and women were doing their part in being all that God wanted them to be and do. If you read chapter 1 of Luke last night, you read about Zechariah and Elizabeth, and the girl Mary, and their important roles in the coming of the Lord.
Today's passage comes from a prophet sent by God to prepare the way for the Lord. We know him as John the Baptist, or as this modern version calls him, "the Baptizer." We might think old school wrestlers and John would fit right in. As a newly arrived to Houston boy of 13, live wrestling was only 50¢ and with free parking at my dad's uncle's home across the street from the arena under Houston's "spaghetti bowl" (the garbled mess of bridges and underpasses of Houston's early freeways near downtown Houston), the action and drama of this sport called to me and my brothers. We could not believe our dad telling us it was staged. To us it was the real life drama of challenge and strength! But I could imagine a strong man dressed in camel-hair with long hair and a shaggy beard calling out his opponents. In John's case, the opponent was apathy and laziness towards the things of God. "Change your life! God's kingdom is here." Also, his cries of "Thunder in the desert! Prepare for God's arrival! Make the road smooth and straight! And while this version downplays his call for repentance, it was there and people responded to John's invitation to change their lives, rid themselves of sin, and to get right with God. And, in an affront to the traditions of their faith, John offered baptism, a ritual of cleansing for those born unclean as non-Jews, to the Jews and to all who heard and responded to the invitation to change. And the lines formed and people entered the waters of the Jordan River to become new creatures in God. Among those who presented themselves for this were the leaders of the religious groups who were the most guilty of laziness and apathy and who also offered themselves for baptism; John calls them a "brood of snakes!" He perceived they only wanted a superficial cleansing, and he calls them out: "Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to make any difference? It's your life that must change, not your skin!" And he further challenges them not to hide behind their ancestor's actions; "what counts is your life. Is it green and blooming? Because if it's deadwood, it goes on the fire." John further states all this must take place before the main drama even begins.
Advent is a call to you and me to be ready. Change, if we haven't yet. The old nature, the old person not right with God and headed for death and destruction will not do; we must change and be presented as new. For what Jesus will do is clean house, and everything that is not fit for the house will be thrown out as trash to be burned. Ouch. But it is serious and true. We must be made new in Christ, or face the reality of a life separated from God.
PRAYER: God of Advent, and God of Change; make us new. We want to be counted among those who are Yours, clean and ready to serve You and serve our fellow brothers and sisters. Make my life count. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show others your "newness" today!
Blessings of peace and love,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
PRAYER UPDATE AND PRAISE! Baby Hunter is home! He improved so much that he was released from the hospital! Tell me again; why do we pray? Because God answers prayers!
