Good News for Us Vipers (Reflections on Advent 3, Year C 2021)

 

“He proclaimed the good news to the people” (Luke 3:18) 

John the Baptist is a pain. Not just to King Herod—whom he excoriates for his immorality—but for any pastor who has to preach on this text on Advent 3 (Luke 3:7-18). I mean, I don’t think I’m going too far out on a limb to say that nobody wants to come to church to hear that they’re an unrepentant snake and they can’t flee from the wrath to come. In fact, the wrath to come isn’t exactly a topic to make you feel all warm and jolly with pre-Christmas cheer. 

No. John is making us uncomfortable on Advent 3 because he’s railing on about societal injustice—a subject even the most seasoned of Lutherans may prefer the pastor avoid. It’s not much of a stretch to sense that John is talking about wealth inequality, inequitable tax policy, and police abuses. Some stuff just never goes out of style, does it? 

But who wants to hear about that in church during Advent when we still haven’t gotten past a devastating pandemic? It’s not that I don’t think God cares about the poor, racial injustice, police brutality, or any other issue that assails us on the nightly news. My problem is finding something in this assigned lesson that speaks to the folks in my pews—folks who are getting older, are suffering loss, have been worn out by COVID, are worried about finances and their health and their grandkids and who just want a little word of hope or joy to get through this holiday season. 

Strangely, this gospel lesson provides it. Hidden within John’s rant about wrath to come are some secret blessings. Think about it. When the people ask John how the heck they can bear fruits worthy of repentance, he tells them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” Unless you get bent out of shape thinking John the Baptist is preaching socialism, you might notice that John is telling the folks that God has provided. The clothing and food may not be evenly distributed, but it’s not because God hasn’t been good. God knows what we need, and not only provides the material things, but provides the opportunity for us to learn compassion and form connections. 

John also tells the tax collectors not collect more than they’re supposed to. What John doesn’t tell them is that they’re a bunch of disgusting, treasonous, slimy myrmidons of Israel’s occupying enemy—an opinion held of tax collectors by not a few of the people of the day! John knows everybody has to make a living somehow, and, just as Jesus will later, he shows a surprising amount of forgiveness and forbearance for these guys who find themselves in a disagreeable profession. He simply tells them to do what they have to do, but be sure they’re doing the right thing. 

When the soldiers ask how they can bear the fruits, John tells them to respect the public and be content with their wages. These guys, whether they were Roman troops or temple soldiers, were essentially the police force. As still happens with people with authority, there was often abuse. John doesn’t condemn them any more than he condemns the tax-collectors. He just tells them to be content with their pay. After all, getting paid is better than not getting paid, and the richest person on earth is whoever it is whose content with what he or she has. Where there is gratitude there can’t be greed. 

Best of all, John promises the people that God is still at work, and that the one who is coming will fill them with the Holy Spirit. 

We all have so much to be thankful for. With the availability of vaccines we are able to gather for worship—masked though we should be—once again. Granted, with COVID still not under control and the new omicron variant promising to extend the pandemic, things just aren’t the way they used to be. Nevertheless, we still have our faith, our love for one another, and a million other daily blessings which the pandemic hasn’t stolen away. So, rather than lamenting on what we miss, let’s light that pink “Rejoice” candle on the Advent wreath and give glory to God for what we have. 

God is good. All the time. 

Advent blessings to you all.