3rd Sunday of Advent

Zephaniah 3:14-20; Isaiah 12:2-6; Philippians 4:4-7; Luke 3:7-18 

Luke 3:7-18

⁷ John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸ Therefore, bear fruits worthy of repentance, and 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. ⁹ Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
  ¹⁰ And the crowds asked him, “What, then, should we do?” ¹¹ In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none, and whoever has food must do likewise.” ¹² Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” ¹³ He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” ¹⁴ 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.”
  ¹⁵ As the people were filled with expectation and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, ¹⁶ 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 strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷ 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.”
  ¹⁸ So with many other exhortations he proclaimed the good news to the people.

. . .

A Very Short Story About What Repentance May Look Like

Grace to you, beloved of God, and peace from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Elad was still overtaken by the words they called the baptizer. At 14 years old, he was becoming instrumental in his household. He was the only boy and the oldest of his siblings. He had also been way out of the route and schedule for the day. 

His father’s marching orders were to go to the next village and trade some milk for medicine and herbs for his mom. This time around, the fever has been harder to fight, and she has been lying in bed for two days now. Dad was not doing too well, either, Elad knew. The hip was getting worse, and the limp had become more noticeable, making walking anywhere outside their small abode more difficult. Hence, Elad’s task for the day. 

He had heard of the Baptizer from a neighbor who would not stop talking about being immersed in the river’s waters and how he resurfaced, renewed, restored, and forgiven. For what? Elad thought when he first overheard the neighbor talking to his father. As far as he had the chance to learn the old scriptures from his grandpa, his neighbor was a true Israelite—an observer of the covenant who cared for God and his family. 

The boy was beginning to understand what the Roman occupation and the complacency of the Herodian house were doing the people, and he had been wondering if Elohim would ever get out of the holy of holies and lift the people by the hand, heal his father, and restore their fortunes as the prophets of old have proclaimed.

That is what made Elad curious about the Baptizer in the first place. The encounter had indeed restored the neighbor’s joy despite the increasing hopelessness of the people in his village. Elad knew a Messiah would be sent to the people, but this one they called John was not it. The struggle in their village continued. Couldn’t his neighbor see or understand? Elad was certain the Baptizer was a con man proficient in magic tricks, as some say. He was still intrigued, nonetheless. Maybe he could learn some tricks to help his family. 

There he was, sitting on the banks of the river, waiting his turn. He had heard the man call the people the spawn of snakes. He certainly was not talking about his village’s parents and elders, was he? He better not. He was surely no Messiah, and Elad was slightly annoyed that some people whispered that he could be so. Yet, there he was, still. It was the speech about the too coats that Elad could not take out of his head. That part he could understand. It was almsgiving. His grandpa was big into it. But tax collectors! Roman Soldiers! They are certainly the vipers he was talking about. If anyone is the chaff that should burn for eternity in the fires of Gehenna, it’s them. 

What is your name, child? The Baptizer shouted to him from the river a few feet from the shore. Elad. Do you wish to be baptized child? Elad said nothing. He just stood and went into the river. Elad, your sins are forgiven, he said. Believe in the good news!

It was late when Elad got home. He was ready for a severe admonishment from his father. Not only was he late, but he had shared half of the medicine he could get from the milk he traded with the family of a sick young woman waiting by the river. That was the point of the two coats, he was sure. Instead, his father came running out of the house overjoyed, a fact that did not escape him. 

Elad, Elad, come! His father grabbed him by the arm and dragged him into the house. His mother was sitting by the fire, visibly better but still weak. Mom, what happened? Son, a man came. Elad stared at his mother, waiting for the other shoe to drop. He asked for a place to rest for a bit; he said he was coming from Galilee and going to the river to see the Baptizer. Did you meet him? Afraid to give away his whereabouts, Elad just shook his head. Plus, he had no idea what she was talking about. I met no man, Mom. Strange, she said, he delivered a message for you. He said, tell Elad the good news has come into the world. He is already here. Prepare the way of the Lord. Thanks be to God, Amen.