12.08.2009

Advent in Your Everyday: Day #10


Today's Photo: "Birdy"

"John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers!"....So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people." - Luke 3:7 & 18


Over the last week we've been doing a big bunch of reflecting on John the Baptizer. In this week's gospel lesson (Luke 3:7-18), Mr. John is quite bold! He starts off his preaching to the crowds with a phrase I've certainly never used in a sermon before. He calls them a "brood of vipers." Wowzers! What a way to start a sermon on repentance! Interestingly, this big passage ends with a summary phrase pointing to the fact that John was out and about preaching "good news." Sure, good news generally doesn't start out with name-calling, but John's formula for a high-quality sermon is not necessarily anything most of us are used to.

John believes that people of faith should live lives that resemble that faith. He thinks hypocrites are totally uncool. And even though he calls the crowd a "brood of vipers," they still want to hear what he has to say! They even ask him, "What should we do?" They want his advice on how to live a better kind of life. His advice to all of them is more or less the same. "Stop taking advantage of people and share!"

During a season regularly filled with personal Christmas lists and all-about-me thinking (I'm totally guilty of having Amazon wish lists and the like), John's harsh but honest reminder is good for all of us to hear.

"Share with anyone who has none"

Amen. Preparer of the Way, thanks for being so 100% authentically John the "yes, I'm always this uber-intense" Baptist.


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