Dec. 6, 2009 – Advent 2
Philippians 1:3-22; Luke 3:1-18
For farmers the growing season this year has been a puzzle and very frustrating. It started with a wet spring and late planting followed by a cooler than normal summer and a late start for the harvest. Several inches of rain this fall delayed it even more. In spite of all this the USDA reported this week that the harvest is roughly 75% complete compared to 95% in a normal year.
Though the season has been unusual no one has ever questioned whether or not there would be a harvest. Though it is taking longer than expected, still the good work which began in the spring is coming to an end both for better as well as for worse as the case may be.
This sounds similar to something Paul wrote to the church at Philippi, a church he had founded years before. "I am confident that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ."(Phil 1:6) He is referring, of course, to the harvest of righteousness which began with the word of Christ planted like a seed in the hearts and minds of the Philippians. The growing of this spiritual harvest also faced adverse weather – persecution, ridicule, disappointment, even death. Yet Paul is confident that what God started to do in Christ he will finish.
Today even 2000 years later we continue to celebrate this hope. Our God is a persistent God who doesn't give up on what he created. Over and over we see this in the story of God's people from the first man and woman expelled from the Garden of Eden because of their sin to Noah and the flood, to Abraham and Sarah, to the captivity of Israel in Babylon, God punishes, but never forsakes his people. Again and again God makes a new beginning out of the failures of the past. Then in the fullness of time God comes personally in the flesh of Jesus to finish the work of salvation.
The job that needs finishing is cleaning up the sin of the world and to empower all people to live in love, mercy and peace instead of hate, strife or apathy. This is the work that began in Christ long ago, which continues in the ministry of the church today and which will be completed through the harvest of righteousness in his name that is to come.
The day of the Lord will be a day of joy and gladness for many and hopefully for all people. But it can be a day of sadness too depending on how we are preparing ourselves for it or not. John warned Israel long ago:
"You brood of vipers. Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance and do not begin to say 'we have Abraham as our ancestor' as if this alone makes you acceptable
to God. Today John would say to us: 'bear fruits worthy of repentance and don't begin to say 'we have Jesus as our savior' as if professing this with our lips alone makes us acceptable. John takes this further and says: "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."
Don't take the Messiah for granted. 'His winnowing fork is in his hand and will separate the wheat from the chaff.' "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none." "Whoever has food must do the same." To tax collectors and soldiers: "Collect no more than the amount prescribed..do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusations…be satisfied with your wages."
Each year I keep an eye out to spot examples from life that are in the spirit of John the Baptist.
I especially like the "good deeds" section in the Saturday edition of the State Journal Register. Each week they publish thank you letters from people who have benefited from the good deeds of others.
This week, Nancy and Troy of Springfield gave a big thanks to "the Springfield Fire Department and Dave from CWLP for saving their home and themselves too. 'The situation could have been a disaster if it had not been for the firefighters and for Dave who took time to rectify the electrical problem.'
Connie, Pam and Marian give thanks to the First Student bus company, the drivers and monitors, who provided transportation for residents of St. Joseph's Home to the Festival of Trees in November.
Clarence writes that he left his wallet at an ATM machine recently with credit cards, identification and cash in it. But someone from a local church found it and called one of the numbers he found inside. Clarence got his wallet back with everything still in it. Truly the one who found this was "satisfied" with their wages as were the employees of a local hardware store who found a purse in a shopping cart and put it in the safe until the one to whom it belonged came back to the store. Betty writes: "A great big thank you from the bottom of my heart to the hardware employees who found my purse!"
Yesterday a paper grocery bag was left at our door from the students of Williamsville High School announcing the 18th annual food drive and teen gift drive. The FFA is also sponsoring a coat drive.
Recently SUMC Kids Place filled over 100 shoeboxes with supplies for needy children as part of Franklin Graham's Operation Christmas Child.
And so far this year SUMC has given just under $5600 to mission projects from the fish and chicken dinners. The projects include: Habitat for Humanity, Kumler Neighborhood Ministries, Liberia UMC, the Midwest Mission Distribution center at Chatham, Central Illinois Foodbank, our Covenant Missionary support for Helen Sheperd in Mongolia and the youth program of SUMC. Soon we will be allocating the remaining net proceeds from the mission dinners – approximately, $5000.
I could go on here with many other examples of those who embody the spirit of John the Baptist by "bearing fruits that are worthy of repentance." The point is that preparing for Jesus is more than a simple profession of faith with our lips. It is more than grumbling about the sorry mess of the world in which we live. More than blaming the devil for everything bad. It's about doing something that is constructive, helpful, encouraging and a blessing to show the spirit of God's love in Jesus. The Christian motto is: LOVE IS THE GREATEST FORCE IN THE WORLD.
Today we can easily be distracted from this by all the bad news and seek consolation in the pursuit of personal enjoyment and comfort rather than in providing clothing to the poor, food to the hungry and volunteering at church, or a local food pantry, or soup kitchen. In a typical week we may often spend more time shopping than we do reading God's Word, praying, listening and caring for God's people. Many are overwhelmed by unfavorable circumstances and become chronically bitter holding on to grudges rather than forgiving them, feeling cheated by life rather than giving joyful thanks for all we have been given.
And so John encouraged those who came out to be baptized to overcome all the negative baggage they carried by rising above their personal circumstances and let God's love work through them. He encourages us as well to emulate the best and not let the worst drag us down.
This is the harvest of righteousness which has been a long time coming, but it is coming because God is persistent and doesn't give up on what he starts. The day of the Lord will be judgment time, a time when the righteous and unrighteous will be separated as wheat from chaff, the one gathered into the granary and the other thrown into the unquenchable fire. Yet it is never too late. Even those who are desperate in relation to God are still acceptable if only they turn and BEGIN to move in a new direction.
As we receive communion today for all God has done for us in Jesus Christ, may we keep on"bearing the fruits that are worthy of repentance" by sharing the love and mercy of Christ in every way we can, by spending less on ourselves, by volunteering more as God's servant, by overlooking the faults of others, and by being content with our wages.