Bible Text: Luke 3: 1-18 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes
Moir’s bakery in Halifax started in 1815 but by 1873 it was making candy and chocolates exclusively. In 1920 the company decided to try something that had never been done before for the holiday season. It decided to sell boxes of its chocolates in a mixed assortment and they called it, “The Pot of Gold.” This Haligonian company was the first to ever produce those boxes of mixed chocolates. While the boxes are no longer owned by Moir’s but rather Hershey the boxes of Pot of Gold chocolates are a bit of a Canadian tradition. I think Forrest Gump said it best when he said, “My momma always said, “Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” ” This is perhaps true. Unless you’re like me and you find that piece of paper tucked inside or on the underside of the box of chocolates and you read intensely the descriptions of said chocolates. Then you squint and consider the various sketches of the chocolates to determine if what you see is a squiggly line or a twirl. Then with only slight trepidation you pick your truffle. At least then you can expect a particular crunch or texture or flavour. There is nothing worse then expecting a caramel and biting into a brandied cherry! Which is perhaps the point of Mr. Gump’s revelation, no matter how prepared one can be you still can’t be sure of what you’re going to get until you take a bite.
While last week was about preparation, it was also about breaking with routine, doing something differently so that we can meet God in different ways. Today it is about the unexpected, a prime example of God doing a new thing. Last week we heard Zechariah’s words of praise at the expectation of who and what his son would become and today we hear both those affirmations and some unexpected words. This week we move into more direct contact with John, hearing his preaching and teaching as we see him interact with the people who came out to hear his message and be baptized. John begins with very bold preaching.
The passage begins with Luke giving a litany of imperial, regional and religious authorities which actually gives us a date for John’s ministry either 28 or 29 CE. But it also contrasts the realities of the human kingdoms with God’s divine reign. These claims that the emperor and governor or high priests have over the land is temporary and finite. They can not compare to the infinite and ultimate power of God. Then John challenges those around him to see the wilderness as not a place of desolation but of hope, calling them back from their time in the wilderness during the exodus or exile. God is calling them to a new beginning and that is the first steps in this new journey are repentance.
All of John’s words have prophetic rings to them, not just due to their future casting but also the manner in which they articulate a call to godly living- what the prophets were known for was the clear recognition of God’s authority over all of human, and earthly, life. Which can sometimes mean the prophets- like John- say words we don’t want to here. I would argue this is the case for us today. As we near Christmas day we want to hear warm stories of a child in a manger, but that will have to come a little later. Instead what we hear is a crowd being called a “brood of vipers.” Not very nice words at all- none of that warm fuzzy Christmas stuff! But like many of the prophets John isn’t trying to tell them what they want to hear but what they need to hear.
By calling the crowd a brood of vipers John does more than name call. He is calling out their self-deception. These people, while they present themselves for baptism they merely do it as if they are taking out an insurance policy not an act of real repentance. The crowd expected to hear words of hope, that the Messiah was coming, the crowd expected to hear words of peace, that their oppression would come to an end, the crowd expected to hear words of joy, that something new was afoot and instead they end up being called snakes! This is because John knows that real repentance means an altered life. John calls for real change and evidence of it- that true faith generates godly efforts. “This is a warning against smug self-assurance of heredity, for faith lives anew in each generation; and recognizes God’s authority.” It is not what they expected to hear.
John is clear about what repentance looks like, when peoples’ hearts and minds are changed, their actions change also. Words are empty if they don’t result in good deeds. This is perhaps hard from us in the reformed church to hear as we like to follow the “By Faith Alone” stance of salvation. But the point is that while by faith we have salvation we, and others, experience it through our actions. John expresses that fruitless trees are pointless. But that made me think of our past harvest season, with a drier and warmer summer this year, many of those trees which had not bore fruit for some time were abundant. Sometimes what we expect will bare fruit brings nothing and sometimes those little, subtle, actions bring about the greatest change. John’s challenge to fruitful living prompts the crowd to ask the question, “What then shall we do?” While now we expect to hear some other comments akin to fire and brimstone, John actually gives them specific actions. If you have more than you need give some away. The command is clear, John expresses, “some people in your community don’t have enough to survive, so, if you have anything at all, share it.” The act of repentance involves renewing the lives of those in need around us. Now, that is something we expect to hear at Christmas- this is after all the season of giving. This is also what we call covenantal living.
Then as we come to grips with John’s words, he changes them again! So, in this season of expectation we do have to expect the unexpected, because John’s words change from ones of repentance to renewal to restoration, because then he invites all present to be baptized. John is clear, the act of repentance leads to a renewal of covenantal living- of living daily in and with God by serving others- and through that renewal we can look beyond ourselves to restoration. But John also knows the limits of his role. John knows that his job is to prepare the people for the coming One in whom we will find the strength to repent, the joy in renewal and the love in restoration.
This balance between repentance and restoration is important- while John promises judgment, we should never forget the unexpected way in which God’s judgment is revealed- first as a baby in a manger, then in bold compassionate ministry to the poor and oppressed and through the revelation of the depth of God’s love in Jesus’ death on the cross. No one expected any of that- but it was all topped off by the amazing grace of God brought in Jesus’ resurrection. Our God is a God of unexpectedly boundless hope, peace, joy and love. It’s better than any pot of gold but we do need to take the first steps and take a bite. What we can expect is a God who meets us here, a God who challenges us, a God who loves us and a God who expects us to live a renewed life in Christ by repenting and serving others. Amen