Luke 3:7-18 (NRSV)
John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” In reply he said to them, “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?” He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.”
As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.
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"John's sharp words are compelling and these crowds of people respond, “What should we do?” They apparently receive his judgment and they agree with it. They're eager for it. The way they've been living and being isn't working anymore and they're ready for something new. They've already left the familiarity and certainty of their known worlds and come into this wild and alien wilderness seeking Good News, longing for a life-giving way.
"So they ask, “Tell us, John, what shall we do to bear fruit worthy of transformation? What fruit is appropriate for this new way of thinking and being?” I wonder what kind of a response they expected to get. After his fiery judgment, his answer is anticlimactic. “Go home. Go home and inhabit your lives. But instead of being stingy, be generous. Instead of being greedy, do the right thing. And instead of threats and violence, be satisfied with what you have.”
"This response seems tame following the wild opening words, but we cannot miss how profound it is. My sense is that we human beings often want answers that offer magical or miraculous solutions to our problems. But John isn't doing that. From this barren, uninhabited, unknown place, John is telling them to return to their domestic habitations, to return to the homes and work and communities they know. But instead of behaving like snakes, be children of God.
[...]
"Imagine a world where all people inhabited their lives bearing the fruits of God's Spirit. Imagine a world where everyone would inhabit their lives knowing they are God's offspring. The crowds of people listening to John could imagine. And they were so moved and inspired by it they were pretty sure John was the Messiah.
"I wonder what John would say to us if he spotted us in the crowds of people? My guess is that we wouldn't be singled out but are already included in these three messages. We want the same thing those crowds wanted. Our bodies and beings, deep in our flesh and bones, we want to see and experience God's salvation and healing and liberation not only in our lives, but blanketing the planet.
"John's words are for us, for us to prepare for all that is unknown and wild in our lives. In the face of all the broken systems of our time; all the unjust and violent and oppressive ways of thinking and functioning; all the worn out, slithery and slippery and unproductive ways our empire shapes and forms our children, I can hear John saying to us, “Go home. Bear fruit worthy of God's offspring.”"
- Suella Gerber, from a sermon delivered on December 13, 2015 (https://girardianlectionary.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Gerber-Advent3C-12-13-15.pdf)
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"The people that heard John speak recognized that he was on to something. Somehow it felt right, and the people got excited and felt hopeful. “Filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah.” But John's way depends too heavily on human effort. It doesn't get at the heart. John does his best but he knows something more is needed. “I baptize you with water, but the one who is more powerful than I IS coming. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” Jesus is the one Malachi described as “like a refiner's fire.” He has the power to refine us like gold and silver, and burn away what's useless. Could violence itself be the part that's useless?"
"Is The Coming One different from John the Baptist because he makes himself the chaff, and this is what changes people's hearts? He allows himself to be burned by our violence and then forgives us as we do it. Is this his refining fire? Is this how he gathers the wheat into his granary? Rather than inflicting violence and revenge, Jesus absorbs the violence we inflict on him. His forgiveness is the flame. This is how he changes our hearts and burns away our chaff. The good news is that this is coming and has already happened. Not even John can imagine it!"
"The Coming One turns us from violence. He changes even our desires. This Christmas, let your gentleness be known to everyone. Let your hearts be filled with expectation. Our Savior has come! He will renew us in his Love."
- Tom and Laura Truby, from a sermon delivered on December 16, 2012 (https://girardianlectionary.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Advent3-2012-Deep-Sorrow-Deep-Darkness-or-Disaster-No-More.doc)
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"So here we have John, who still has a vindictive vision of God, a punishing vision of God, who's wrath he announces. And yet part of the good news that we know has come in - which led John himself later [Luke 7:18-35] to be concerned that something wasn't right - is that the coming in is not the vindictive God. There is no wrath in God. There is no cataclysm coming from God. This is something that Jesus will be bringing in, this is the good news that is really going to come for us, which Luke is so keen to bring out as we will see as we read his Gospel over this [liturgical] year."
- James Alison, from video "Homily for the Third Sunday of Advent 2021" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEpsf3VWHkw)
[Source of links to Suella Gerber and Tom and Laura Truby sermons, and for analysis and discussion on all this week's lectionary texts: https://girardianlectionary.net/reflections/year-c/advent3c/]
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