Bible Text: John 1:18-28 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes
When Shakespeare wrote his famous play, Hamlet, he included two somewhat bumbling secondary characters, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. They are two of Hamlet’s childhood friends who are called upon by the King to figure out what is causing Hamlet’s madness. They are not main characters but because they are spies trying to gain Hamlet’s confidence they help drive the plot. Of course, Hamlet is smarter than that and does not trust them one bit. In fact, if you know the play then you know that Hamlet turns the tables on them and rewrites a letter to the King of England instructing the executioner to kill Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, instead of Hamlet, and spoiler alert, that’s what happens and the play moves on without them. They are, however, named as the most famous minor characters in all of literature. This is in part because they were revived in Tom Stoppard’s existential and pretty ridiculous play, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, written in 1966, which was turned into a film in 1990 staring Gary Oldman and Tim Roth. But this is not the first play to feature these two minor characters as WS Gilbert also wrote a Rosencrantz and Guildenstern play in 1874. I do want to mention that Hamlet, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern all studied at the University of Wittenberg, in Germany, where we were this past summer. But what is intriguing is that these two minor characters have become cultural icons in their own right. They have a story that has a life of its own, beyond Hamlet. This was likely not Shakespeare’s intention but without them the plot in Hamlet is a little lacklustre.
The story of John the Baptist is kind of like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Let me explain what I mean, because no, Jesus did not have John killed! While John is a secondary character without him there is not much to explain, and his story also has a life of its own, beyond the story of Jesus. You see, for early Christians there was much confusion about the role that John played within the larger narrative. Who was he really? And what purpose did he serve? To complicate things a little more, three of the four Gospels begin with stories about John, not Jesus. We heard last week how the good news of Jesus Christ began with John’s voice in the wilderness. The first chapter of Luke devotes more than three times the verses to the birth story of John then to Jesus. And now, we have the beginning of the Gospel according to John mingling these poetic words about Jesus around a story about John. This fourth Gospel presents John the Baptist as one sent from God. Early in the chapter it says that John came into the world which as “in darkness” to testify to the light that was coming. At this moment in Advent, John’s story seems to interrupt our Advent leanings much like the story we hear this morning interrupts the poetic meditations in the Gospel on the divinity of Jesus. But seriously, if I’m honest with you, I’m a little sick of hearing about John! I want to get to the angels, shepherds and stable! After all, isn’t that the main story? Isn’t that what we are waiting for and preparing for? I loved the way one commentator put it: “We find John the Baptist prominently featured in the Gospel readings for Advent each year not because of a Scrooge-like desire on the part of the lectionary compilers to keep us as far from the manger as possible until Christmas Eve, but because the biblical witness and early tradition tell us that the road to Jesus starts with John.”
If we look at the Gospel of John (which was not named for the baptist but rather the disciple John albeit the Gospel was likely written a few centuries later) we discover that while John is named in verse 6, Jesus is not named until verse 17. Last week John the Baptist was presented in Mark as one from the same cast as Isaiah, Elijah and other prophets, but it is all through description and proclamation. In John’s Gospel this morning it is the same basic information, but it is conveyed in dialogue- actually one might argue it is a dispute. It is in this way that the Gospel writer introduces a new theme and continuing story line. Priests and Levites, religious authorities are sent to question John’s authority and purpose. It is these same people who we will come to know as opponents of Jesus. This sets up the plot that even at the very utterance of the name Jesus some will question, argue, and even fear what it all means. This is also the set up for Advent; along with waiting and preparing there are a lot of questions. What does this story really mean? Amid the Christmas consumerism, who are we really? What is the story we have to tell?
John’s words of witness can help us here as well, when John demonstrates that in relation to Jesus he is not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. What this teaches me is that faithful servants of God do not live with illusions of grandeur. “As we come under the active will of God, as we live faithfully in keeping with God’s will, we know who we are not; we are not the saviours of the world.” Rather we are the people who point to Christ by living as he did; in this way we are witnesses. John also shows us that knowledge of God’s will at work in Christ gives us meaning and purpose. John does not only know who he is not but who he is. Our lives take on purpose and direction when we live out God’s will. Finally, John had certainty in Christ’s message, even before Jesus spoke any words. Through his genuine humility and faith he was able to live courageously for Jesus. Because John looked to and preached about one above him, John dared to live with trust in God. In this day and age, especially at this time of year, we are lured into self-absorption, self-satisfaction, and secularism. Yet, John the Baptist’s story reminds us of humility in relation to Christ. We have been waiting, preparing and pointing to the story which quickly approaches- yes, it is the story of the nativity- after all that is the main event, but it is also the important secondary story that Christ’s holiness is our greatest hope for meaningful existence. In relation to Jesus we are given a clear sense of identity. Perhaps that is really the main story.
John remained true to himself and pointed beyond himself to one greater than he. This is in part what Isaiah’s passage does. It is equal parts proclamation of good news, words of renewal, and a statement of God’s will. The author claims his prophetic role as teacher and preacher and his message is clear; God is restoring and renewing a fractured people. And God will do it through salvation. But this is not salvation solely for the prophet or the people but for a new world order. Even this great prophet points beyond himself to something greater saying, “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness.” While these statements are all about the salvation given to him, he goes on, “For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.”
At this time of year we focus on the idea that the new age, the greater salvation promised in this passage is reflected in Jesus who came to demonstrate God’s will here on earth- a kingdom for all. John is an important piece of this story who seems to serve as narrator, opening up the dialogue and introducing the main character. The one who will bring salvation will bring hope, peace, joy and love. Now that is the real story at this time of year. Amen