Advent Lutheran Church

"But Wait, There is More! (Advent 3)"

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

According to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, there are about one thousand monasteries in Ethiopia, which all belong to the church.  Most of the monasteries are found on islands, rocky mountains and desert areas. There are thousands of monks who live their monastic life in the monasteries.

Among the monks, some are hermits. The word hermit comes from the Greek word “ēremos” which means desert. Hermits are people who live in isolation mostly in desert areas. In Amharic they are called “Behatwiyan.”  Sometimes these hermits come to town to preach a repentance message.  I was fortunate enough to hear these hermits preaching more than once. If you remember John the Baptist from Jesus movie, they are dressed like him. It is not camel leather, but sheep or cow leather, and they are either barefoot or wear handmade sandals. They are usually skinny with a long beards and dreadlocks.

Since they are coming from an isolated life setting, which is mostly after many years’ isolation, they have a different perspective on the people, and of God.  Sometimes it is good and sometimes it is not.  It is good because their perspective gives them the opportunity to see what other cannot see. And they are bold when it comes to repentance preaching.

They are bolder than the parish priests, and they will speak about any broken relationship between God and the people, and among the people themselves. They are bold enough to preach about any social injustice. They are bold enough to preach against political authorities who are abusing their authority.  On the other hand, these hermits have a different expectation about God and the response of the people. Most of the time, their repentance messages are full of God’s imminent judgment. Sometimes they come up with specific signs of the fall of a government or of religious leaders. What if this does not happen as they had expected?  Some of their claims have put them in a position to be seen as controversial figures in the society.  It is difficult to preach a repentance message for a people who hold their religious heritage as their defense.

This is not a new experience in Ethiopian Christianity. In the early 19^th century, the Protestant missionaries in Ethiopia were confronted with the same tone, as in, “we are Abraham’s descendents”.  By the way, this kind of self-justification and heritage claim is an ongoing experience within most of mainline churches.

The same is true with John’s expectation.  He did not expect the Jews to show up for his repentance message. Because, he assumed that they would refuse to the call, he did not expect them to be part of God’s salvation. However, in Luke chapter 3:6, we read “…and all the flesh shall see the salvation of God.”  It seems that he has forgotten his purpose. That is why he fulfilled Isaiah’s prophetic word that says, “The voice crying out in the wilderness prepares the way of the Lord”

So, based on his call, the people came to see the salvation of God.  But, it is ironic that he is asking them how they happen to be prepared.  On the one hand, he has been sent by God to prepare the people, and on the other hand, he is asking them who warned them to flee?  John seems to have some expectation problems in which we all share. No wonder he concluded his ministry by asking Jesus “Are you he who is to come, or shall we look for another?”

John reminds me my grandfather who used to punish us, by us I mean all his grandchildren who had the chance to stay with him for a while. We had to be well-behaved kids during any given vacation time we spent with him.  He had some kind of expectation when it comes to punishment. By punishment, I mean the old fashion punishment. It is not a timeout or taking a toy or a car from your kids for a while. I mean the real one, spanking.

 So how do you know the effect of spanking on kids? It is when they cry right? In my granddad’s case, when you are punished, you shouldn’t cry for too long after the punishment.  If you continue crying too long you will be spanked again for not stopping soon enough!  As a kid for most of us, it was hard to find that balance of our granddad’s expectation.

 It seems John had his own expectation about God and the response of the People.  Not only John, but the people who came to hear him had their expectations, too. In fact, the people came with a higher expectation - the expectation of seeing the salvation of God, the expectation of seeing the Messiah.

   Their questions of “What should we do” are expressions of their desire to meet God. It is the expression of their  willingness to change their ways.  But, even after hearing John the Baptist’s answer for their questions, it seems that they are not satisfied.

  Why? I don’t think that this is the first time to hear someone to tell them to work their salvation.

  I don’t think that this is the first time a prophet is telling them that they should do this and shouldn’t do that.

  I don’t think that this is the first time that a prophet is telling them to come to God.

  They need someone who tells them God is coming to them. Amen !!!

  They need a prophet who tells them you are saved by the grace of God through Christ, which is why we read in verse 15    “As the people were filled with expectation, and all were  questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah.”

God bless John for not saying “I am the messiah.” You know that we have had many people who claimed to be the messiah and distorted and destroyed people lives to the extent of murder.

Here comes the Billy Mays infomercial kind of approach by John the Baptist. I hope you all remember Billy Mays’ style of commercializing products. Just to remind you, “Hi Billy Mays here for Oxy clean, the stain specialist. Powered by the air you breathe activated by the water you and I drink.”

 It goes on and on with the description of the product and then comes to the price: “For 40 dollars, but if you call now we will cut the price in half for only $19.95.”  Then, my favorite part of the infomercial comes. “But wait, there is more”

What we read in verses 15-16 is kind of “but wait, there is more.”  For the people of God and the church to be engaged in a social justice issues and work as much as possible is a great ministry. It is good for all of us to share what we have with those who are less fortunate. However, the gospel is not all about social justice. There is more.

John is saying that I am telling you the beginning. But wait there is more.

  He begins to preach the good news. He begins to point to Christ.  He begins to compare and contrast “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.”

  According to Matthew’s account, Jesus confirmed his powerfulness in his ministry by saying “You have heard that it was said, But I tell you”.  "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy but I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.  For Jesus, sharing and giving is not based on fairness and justice. It is comes out from mercy, love and generosity.

  John continued to say ,  But Wait there is more….

  He is powerful because,  though he was in the form of God,  did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, He is powerful because  he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, He is powerful because  he was willing to be born in human likeness. And being found in human form, But Wait there is more….

  He is powerful because he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death even death on a cross.

  He is powerful because he baptized us with the Holy Spirit.

  Since he was baptized with the Holy Spirit in his mother’s womb, John knew that he came all the way through his life and ministry with the help of the Holy Spirit.

  It is true for all of us. When we were baptized, we all received the Holy Spirit.  In our Affirmation of Baptism the Holy Spirit is expressed as “The spirit of wisdom and understanding , the spirit of counsel and might the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord, the Spirit of joy in your presence”

  In Ephesians 1:13 also we read,“when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your        salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory.”

  But wait there is more.

  He is powerful because he baptizes us with the fire. That fire is the cross we carry every day. The baptism in which we are baptized with his death and suffering.  Brothers and sisters the life of Christ in which we are called to be part of has always “but wait there is more.”

In this season of Advent, let us wait with a higher expectation to see more of Christ in a way we have never experienced before.   Amen.  “ But wait there is more…”