Introduction (to John the Baptist)
Well, this is the second of two weeks where we are hearing about John the Baptist. Last week, we heard the infamous Isaiah reference of “preparing the way of the Lord” and John the Baptist being the voice who is calling the people of God to prepare. This week we continue with John the Baptist who is speaking to a growing crowd around him. This is an important thing to recognize in our text today. This is a large crowd that has gathered around John the Baptist.
Tradition has said that John the Baptist grew up to be a wild and eccentric man, to say the least. He is described as wearing clothes of camel’s hair, living on locusts and wild honey. He is remembered as shouting charismatically (like one of those guys on the street corners that you intentionally try to avoid). But I’m not sure that’s the best way to look at it. I would imagine he was probably a passionate speaker who could capture the attention of all of those around him.
That is the distinction that is sometimes hard to grasp in the Gospels. From the perspective we get from some of the writers, John seems to be a loner, who is isolated and maybe even treated as though he’s wild and dangerous. But historians and theologians have discovered that John the Baptist may have had followers in the hundreds maybe even the thousands. His following was even larger than that of Jesus.
He was charismatic. He was passionate. He was turning hearts and minds towards the Lord. He was intriguing the intellects of important persons. John is the voice crying out in the wilderness, “Prepare the way of the Lord.”
But what was it about his message that was drawing so much attention?
The John (the Baptist) Message
“Repent! Repent for the Kingdom of God has near!” And his message was to all.
In the Gospel of Luke from our text today, the crowd asks John, what they should do to prepare for the coming kingdom, he responds, “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?” And John answered, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” And John said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation and be satisfied with your wages.”
Townsfolk. Religious leaders. Even Roman soldiers came to listen to his message. Not all were there out of support. But even still, the message intrigued them. John’s message was for all to hear. And the message was simple. Repent. Turn back towards God, because no one is above the rule of God, and all are in need of repentance.
All People in the Same Crowd
Think about the implications of all these people from different walks of life gathered together to hear from this one man, but all of them hearing this same message. Repent!
Think about the townsfolk or those who were poor and struggling, who had gathered to hear messages of hope or guidance from this prophet of God. But they also see those who had been exploiting them listening to John as well. Like the tax collectors and soldiers. How might they feel as they see others being told to repent as well.
Think about the implications for the religious authorities who are hearing that they need to repent in front of their congregation members. Think about the implication of tax collectors being told that they were doing wrong in front of the people that they collected from. Think about the soldiers who there to maintain peace (Pax Romana) but are told that they are the ones enacting violence.
“Repent,” John says. And his message is directed to all.
People began to wonder if John himself was the Messiah. But he told them, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” John’s purpose was always to point to the coming Messiah. His purpose was to lead people to God. John’s message was captivating, and it paved the way for Jesus to immediately pick up the same message and add to it.
Now you may be wondering to yourself, “Micah what does this all have to do with Advent? What does this have to do with preparing for Christmas and the holiday cheer?” The truth is this has a lot to do with preparation for Christmas, but it’s a more challenging message. It’s one that is more difficult to hear because it asks us to do more.
Oftentimes to better understand parables we can think about ourselves as different characters to find different interpretations. For example, we think about whether or not we are the prodigal son, the older brother, or we are the father who welcomes the son home. Giving us different perspectives and interpretations for the story.
For this text, we have many characters. It mostly centers around John the Baptist which is a viable option. Do you feel as though you are John the Baptist calling out into the world as a prophet in order that the world might right itself to prepare the coming way for God and God’s Kingdom. Are you someone who is shouting into the world for justice, for equality, for equity, and for abundant life for all?
But of course, there are other characters too. The religious leaders that are interspersed throughout the crowd. The poor and the ordinary townsfolk who are just trying to make their way through life. The tax collectors. The Roman soldiers.
Each of these crowd members are looking to John for something. But in looking to John, they missed the fact that the people of God are all around them.
“Be fruit worthy of repentance” John exclaims. And one after another they begin to ask John, what must we do, what must we do, what must we do?
And as they ask their questions John immediately points them to the other people around them. If you have two coats, give one away. If you have food do likewise. Do not exploit from others. Do not collect more than you are required to.
John is pointing each of these crowd members to the others and telling them to see the other person as a beloved child of God. Not someone to take advantage of. Not someone to exploit. Not someone to ignore or pretend does not exist. But instead to care about them. To care about them as someone who is a part of the Kingdom of God.
And this is where the story turns back on us.
Preaching Possibilities
Where do we see ourselves in the Crowd? Where do we see our Neighbors?
How often might we think about ourselves or how things impact us before we think about how they impact the world around us? How often do we think about our place in the crowd but forget to actually look at those around us?
As we hear in scripture this is a common occurrence. It’s not something for us to completely guilt ourselves over. But it is a reality. That many, if not most of us, consider ourselves, our own needs, our own wants, our own concerns, before thinking about the concerns and the needs of others.
But during this season in particular, as we prepare for the coming Christ child. And as we prepare for the return of Christ, we remember that Christ did not come into this world as a conquering warrior, as a mighty king, or a rich Lord. He came as a lowly infant, with poor and unwed parents, who relied on the generosity of their neighbors in order to survive the night. Who relied on the compassion of the wise men in order to flee the wrath of Herod and escape to Egypt (borrowing from Matthew).
Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote in a letter to his parents from Tegel prison camp (Nov 29, 1943):
“Jesus stands at the door knocking (Rev. 3:20). In total reality, he comes in the form of the beggar, of the dissolute human child in ragged clothes, asking for help. He confronts you in every person that you meet. As long as there are people, Christ will walk the earth as your neighbor, as the one through whom God calls you, speaks to you, makes demands on you. That is the great seriousness and great blessedness of the Advent message. Christ is standing at the door; he lives in the form of a human being among us. Do you want to close the door or open it? It may strike us as strange to see Christ in such a near face, but he said it, and those who withdraw from the serious reality of the Advent message cannot talk of the coming of Christ in their heart, either. . . . Christ is knocking. It’s still not Christmas, but it’s also still not the great last Advent, the last coming of Christ. Through all the Advents of our life that we celebrate runs the longing for the last Advent, when the word will be: “See, I am making all things new” (Rev. 21:5).”
From John today we are reminded that our actions in this world directly impact others. Our deliberate actions can help someone else’s life and their needs so that they can not only survive but thrive in the world around us. And for all we know that person that we are helping, that person that we are seeing, is Jesus Christ.
Our actions towards our neighbor matter. Your generosity and kindness matter. Your care and compassion, your attention and your love, can make all the difference for someone else’s life.
So let us bear fruit worthy of repentance. Let us prepare the way of the Lord. Let us see our neighbors in the crowd around us, recognizing them as Christ in our midst. Making this world around us a little more like the Kingdom of God.
Micah Krey 
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