Unwrapped Gifts

Luke 3:7-18

John 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? Bear 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. Even 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.” And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” Soldiers 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.” As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John 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. His 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.” So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.

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We return this week to John the Baptist as he preaches a message of metanoia, the turning of our minds and hearts. Now joy might not be the first thing that comes to mind, especially when John's words appear to come off as harsh. Yet, within our reading for today, we find the importance of reordering our lives so that they align with God's heart and will. For some, the joy might be hard to see because maybe John's words aren't good news, but the news is very good for others. It depends on where we see ourselves in relation to God's call to take a close look at ourselves and determine what needs attention and affection so that we might open the gift of Christmas joy. 

Now joy takes many forms, which is complex; throw in the word "Christmas," and joy gets even more complicated. So let's clear one thing up and say that the problems and pains in our lives don't disappear just because it's the holiday season. As miraculous and joyous as it was, the birth of Christ cannot remove the pangs of grief, sorrow, anxiety, or stress that our bodies feel. What we can listen for in the reading for today and this Advent/Christmas season is how a change within our hearts might kindle within us a new fire, a fire that will help provide an additional source of joy that walks alongside whatever our hearts are carrying this very moment. 

It gives us all the more reason to pause and ask what drew people to John the Baptist, especially when we hear yelling, “You brood of vipers!” Could the spark of joy we’re talking about really be found in our reading? Have you ever wondered why people gathered to hear John the Baptist preach? As eccentric as John the Baptist was, there must have been something magnetic about his message, even if at first it seems harsh and disciplinarian. John preached a message of salvation, wholeness, and healing to anyone who would listen. You didn't have to be born into a priestly class, and you didn't have to be wealthy or powerful; all you had to do was believe and act on your belief. And as John went baptizing and preaching the word of God, he set the stage for an even bigger revolution that would come in the form of Christ's earthly ministry. As John the Baptist baptized with water, Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit, gathering people together who would tap into the undiscovered joy that is waiting for us to uncover. All it requires is us to turn, in both body and spirit, back to the light of God. 

I have a short anecdotal story to help convey my point. Since this story involves my sister, she knows I will share it with you all. When she was little, my parents got my sister presents for Christmas (or her birthday), and she was so excited by them. To be clear, she was excited about her presents, not what was inside, but the presents themselves. So for about a week, she pushed around her gifts, still fully wrapped, in a toy shopping cart. Now, if my sister was happy with receiving boxes wrapped in colorful paper, imagine her surprise when she was finally shown what was inside! I think there's a similar lesson for us as we hear the good news we hear from John. That being, if we thought the mundane (shiny things or things wrapped in colorful paper) could bring us joy, imagine what we could feel if we turned our hearts and minds and opened up the present of divine love found in the manger. 

For us to fully seize the gift of new life that was granted to all in the manger, it means that we have to do more than acknowledge or apologize for our faults or sins. That is why John the Baptist's message is not the end of the story; if it were, then the people who gathered in the wilderness would leave with nothing more than a checklist of what needed to be done. Instead, it marked the beginning of a larger narrative, a grander story that includes you, me, creation, and an infant who was God incarnate who would walk along with us as we discover the joy of living in the harmonious vision God has for all of us. It may not always be the smoothest journey or the easiest endeavor, but the transformational experience is worth it as we bask in the joy of God's love.