Prepare for Love

Sermon Luke 3:1-6 December 9, 2018 Advent 2C

Prepare for Love

As I prepared for this second Sunday in Advent I had no idea the events of this week would unfold. My plan was to share the usual story of John the Baptist crying in the wilderness.
But, with the loss of one very young man and his funeral that followed, I found myself back questioning God,
one,
more,
time.

I share a story today about a man who was a little unusual. A story about a man with a mission. John the Baptist was called on by God to be the one to announce the coming of the Messiah. He was the one who cleared the roads for the parade. He was the one who put the orange cones down and the flashing big arrow sign to merge left. He knew how to manage a crowd and get them to do what they needed to do.  

When he spoke, folks got it. 

They could hear his words about sin, about repentance, about redemption, and about renewal. In other words, he had the language that was different from the religious leaders in order to reach the common day crowd.

His language to the people of his day made sense to them and they were quick to respond. The crowds that John the Baptist spoke to understood sin the way he described it. The crowds John the Baptist spoke to understood forgiveness the way he showed them. And the crowds John the Baptist loved through the cleansing waters of baptism changed them forever. The crowds were ready to receive the love of God through Christ when he showed up.

It makes me wonder what language am I using?
What language is the church using?
What manner of speaking are any of us religious people using with the crowds of today?

I wonder if this season of Advent might need to be the season we return to the ways of John the Baptist.
It is clear that even though he was quirky, he was attentive.
Even though he was different, others paid attention to him. 

Even though he appeared as if he should be locked up, everyone loved him.
They loved him because he spoke to them in a manner they could understand.
He spoke to them with words they were willing to hear.
He spoke to them as one of them.
He spoke with authority not to lord it over them but as someone who knew what they were talking about.

I wonder if we, the church, have lost our language?

I’m beginning to think that the message of the coming messiah needs to be repeated as in the days of old.

The message of the love of God through Christ isn’t bringing people in to the current religious institutions.

Perhaps, the raw message of love, forgiveness, and cleansing through the waters of baptism are getting lost in the language of church.

If it’s true that our church language is missing the mark for the current generations, what language can be heard?

I am no longer part of the current generation. I have aged out of it. I also am deeply steeped in church language and find myself using words that are unfamiliar to those who are not part of the church group.

So how do we return to the message of the coming messiah this Advent?
How do we learn from John the Baptist this year to make the message of sin, repentance, & cleansing baptism something that the crowds come running to?

We, the church people, start by not criticizing the crowds who have chosen to leave church, or to never enter.
We stop saying that church and the Bible and the story of God is no longer relevant.
We start by picking apart the message that is there, studying it, dissecting it, until we are at the raw material.

We become comfortable with our own doubts.
We become at ease with our own questions.
We let go of absolutes.
We let go of our own know it all attitudes.
We release our need to be in control.

We start from the beginning this Advent. 

We start with the crowds of John the Baptist and hear the message for the very first time. From this new listening, we can move through Advent and arrive at the manger with the same awe as the shepherds and the Wise Men.

The language of love is the language most important today.
How we share it, speak of it, and live it are what makes the difference in the lives of others.

The raw truth of the gospel message is what hope is all about.
The raw truth of sin,
the fact that none of us have lived perfect lives,
none of us are pure,
none of us can honestly say we love everyone,
is the message of grace.

The raw truth of forgiveness, is that it is hard.
It is hard to forgive and it is hard to be forgiven.
Yet. It exists and it is real, and it is the greatest truth we need to hear today.

The raw truth of the cleansing waters of baptism is that we ALL get a fresh start. 

There is not a single person on this earth removed from the gift of a fresh start.  

I honestly believe if we share the truth and the depth of what we believe and what we don’t believe then the raw faith that we possess will come through and we will be renewed.

Let’s see if this year we can preach like John the Baptist to the crowds and draw them into the wonder of the love of Christ.

Let’s take heart, be at peace, know that we are loved and that we too can love. 

Because that IS the raw message. 

Let’s prepare to love.
Amen.