A sermon for Matthew 3:1-12: Presented at Christ Church, Bordentown NJ, December 3 & 4, 2022.
In today’s Gospel about John the Baptist, a lot of emphasis has typically been placed on repentance. And rightly so. The year when this happens is approximately 30 AD and the last recorded prophecies in the Bible were written approximately 400 years before that, when the last book of the Old Testament was written. During those 400 years, there was a lot of governing turnover of Israel. The Babylonians gave it up to the Persians, who gave it up to the Greeks, who gave it up to the Egyptians, who gave it up to the Syrians, who gave it up to the Maccabeans, who eventually gave it up to the Romans.
During this period, it wasn’t as if everyone just asked nicely for the property, or someone put a ‘For Sale’ sign out, and after an exchange of cash and a handshake, everyone walked away feeling great about everything. As you can imagine, with all of those takeovers there was a lot of mayhem _ a lot of wrath, a lot of greed, a lot of envy, and a lot of pride. Certainly much for folks to be repentant for, and a lot of room for someone like John to bring that to everyone’s attention.
Hence there’s quite a bit in today’s Gospel about repenting _ folks coming to confess their sins amongst John’s warnings of the one who comes after him will burn those who are the chaff with “unquenchable fire” but will keep the wheat.
Gospel reading and sermon begins at 19:22
But when I reflect on this Gospel, I also think about this Inter-Testamental drought of 400 years with no-known written prophecies. I think about who was John?, and how he got there, and why was he doing what he’s doing? I know the message of the Gospel is that God is telling us to be repentant . But all of these transitions of government and John being in the right place at the right time, makes me think less about repentance and more about the phrase _ “The Lord moves in mysterious ways”. Or maybe better said, “moves us in mysterious ways”. (For the record, a phrase not from scripture but instead most likely inspired by an 18th century poem and hymn by William Cowper.)
I heard that phrase a lot during my lifetime as I’m sure you have too. And like me, have also experienced God’s mysterious ways (taking the good with the bad, and hearing and heeding God’s calling). Perhaps my presence today up on the pulpit falls into that category of mystery for you.
I can say that it is quite the surprise for me that God has called me to serve for Christ Church and that I’m up here today. I did not have much of a “religious” upbringing. My parents taught me about God but attending church was not their forte. It wasn’t until I was 14 and performed in my town’s community theater’s production of the musical Godspell that I remember first hearing words that would guide me on my “religious” path of life.
This is where I first heard the beautiful songs inspired by the gospel of Matthew. Songs like “Day By Day”:
“Oh, dear Lord, three things I pray
To see thee more clearly
Love thee more dearly
Follow thee more nearly”
Or “By My Side” _ the song sung to Jesus_
“Then I’ll take your hand
Finally glad
That you are here
By my side”
These songs are still special to me. And it’s also when I first heard the words of John The Baptist. In the first number of the musical, “Prepare ye the way of the Lord!”, that line is repeated a dozen plus times. His words have lasted with me over my lifetime, hearing the music again and again in my head. And looking back on my life it is exactly what I was doing _ preparing for my calling. But I can’t say I always knew it at the time, or that I can fully say now what God’s plan is for me.
From that theatrical experience, I saw John The Baptist as the great sidekick to Jesus, the ordinary guy next to the genius.
We don’t know a lot about John’s history except that he was an ordinary guy and Jesus and him were presumably related. We don’t know if Jesus and John hung out, getting together for family reunions, or if they really knew each other at all. We’re not even sure if John knew that Jesus was the one he referred to when he said, “one who is more powerful than I is coming after me”. They also didn’t seem to spend much time together after John baptized Jesus.
What we do believe is that John knew he was not called to be the Messiah. But instead for some reason, John becomes the “voice in the wilderness” that Isaiah prophesied and he begins to baptize Jews in the River Jordan. He had folks lining up. He had power and fame. But his path was not to lead, but to prepare others for the Way of the Lord _ to prepare others to make Way for the Lord.
But how did he know this was his calling? What drove him to prophesize in Jerusalem for folks to come to the River Jordan, and that he could wash away their sin? I don’t believe he 100% knew. And this is what makes John’s story so much like ours. We’re not the Messiah and we know it. We’re more like the ordinary person with the voice in the wilderness crying out, doing our part in this world to show others the Way, and trusting in God to show us the Way, no matter how strange or mysterious it may be to us.
I understand the overall message of repentance when I read today’s Gospel. But repentance is about looking backward and moving in the opposite direction. I think today’s Gospel is also about something more. It’s also about hearing God and moving in the direction he calls you to, and trusting when it seems like a big mystery. John the Baptist certainty did.
But you don’t have to be a John the Baptist. You get to be you. And everyone is different. Each of you is different. Each of your paths and callings are different. And fortunately, whatever your individual reason, we are all here today blessing God, celebrating Advent _preparing ye for the way of the Lord. And no matter how long, or how hard, or how weird the path is, call it repenting or a calling _ I believe that God _ is leading you to be by his side, day by day. You just have to trust in the mysterious ways that the Lord moves you in.
Referenced scriptures:
Wired For Faith 
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