John the Baptist is all about today – right now. Good or bad, the past doesn’t count. Pedigree or no degree – doesn’t matter. It is a new day – Prepare the way of the Lord – and do it now.
As with last week and thinking about Hope – this week, the concept of Peace is one that I wrestle with – and I know I’m not alone in that. What is peace? Is it internal or external? If we experience peace in our lives, where does that happen? How does it happen?
This year in particular, in wrestling with the idea of Peace, I have begun to recognize a kind of dissonance between the season of Advent and our preparations for Christmas.
Thoughts on preparing and preparation take me back to when we were first expecting our oldest daughter Sydney. We were living in a parsonage in a small town in Pennsylvania – our families were all back in the Midwest. But we were doing great – we bought and assembled the crib – we got one of those diaper genie contraptions – a rocking chair and we were fully stocked with diapers and onesies and car seat and stroller.
We had done the reading and research with “What to Expect when you’re Expecting” – remember that one?
And then the day came – Sydney was born – everyone was healthy – and the nurses were so nice and the care in the hospital was so good. And then the most terrible thing happened – they sent us home – the three of us – unchaperoned, unaccompanied, alone – two educated, fully prepared adults and they had the nerve to send us home with this two day old baby.
We had done all we could to prepare – but there was no preparing us for what it would really be like that day.
I think this is some of that dissonance that I am feeling between Advent and Christmas. At home, we have our tree up and decorated and lots of other festive decorations through the house. Christmas lists have been made – some shopping has been done – party invitations accepted – Christmas cards still to come – all the trappings and traditions of the season.
And then we come to Advent worship and are slapped across the face by John the Baptist. John the Baptist who cares nothing about Christmas cards and parties or festive stuff of any kind. Instead, John’s ultimate concern is the preparation of our hearts, our minds, our lives – proclaiming to all: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matthew 3:2)
I feel the whiplash as John calls us out in our preparations. And the feeling that John’s story is anything but a “Story of Peace”. His story is fire and brimstone – turn or burn theology. And he is not afraid to lay down the law for the Pharisees and Sadducees – those religious leaders who come out to join in John’s movement – and he will have none of it.
His message is don’t even bother unless you plan to actually change the way you live. And by the way – the fact that Abraham is your ancestor doesn’t matter either – the fact that your family has been Lutheran for generations doesn’t matter – “for God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham”. (Matthew 3:9)
I really like John the Baptist. He calls us out of any funk we might be in – he calls us away from the questions of the video – from the troubles and challenges of life and of our world. He calls us to focus – to be ready for the One who is coming – for the One whose vision will be realized.
To get there, John is all about today – right now. Good or bad, the past doesn’t count. Pedigree or no degree – doesn’t matter. It is a new day – Prepare the way of the Lord – do it now.
John does not cast the vision – he prepares the path – proclaiming “The Day is Near”.
Instead, the vision comes from another prophet – Isaiah. That vision begins with a tree that has been cut down – leaving only a stump. And yet from that stump sprouts new branches, new life.
The Day is Near.
From this stump will come a new king. And:
The spirit of the Lord will give him wisdom and the knowledge and skill to rule his people. He will know the Lord’s will and honor him, and find pleasure in obeying him. He will not judge by appearance or hearsay; he will judge the poor fairly and defend the rights of the helpless. (Isaiah 11:2-4)
The Day is Near.
To make the point even more clear as to how different this vision, this new reality will be, we hear:
Wolves and sheep will live together in peace, and leopards will lie down with young goats. Calves and lion cubs will feed together, and little children will take care of them. Cows and bears will eat together, and their calves and cubs will lie down in peace. Lions will eat straw as cattle do. Even a baby will not be harmed if it plays near a poisonous snake. (Isaiah 11:6-8)
That is how upside down it will all be…The Day is Near.
This vision of peace that Isaiah offers will be evident – “On Zion, God’s sacred hill, [where] there will be nothing harmful or evil. [And] The land will be as full of knowledge of the Lord as the seas are full of water. (Isaiah 11:9)
Yes, the Day is Near.
This vision of peace is for us and for our world. It is the vision that John the Baptist calls us to prepare for – one that we may only catch glimpses of, but a vision that is still present and real.
In this year’s Gloria Dei Advent Devotional, Annie Paulson shares the story of the unofficial Christmas truce that occurred in 1914 along the Western Front during World War I. German, British, and French soldiers left their trenches and crossed barbed wire into “no man’s land” to exchange seasonal greetings, talk, and exchange food. A real glimpse of peace in the midst of the devastation of war.
We too catch glimpses of peace when stands are made to welcome and not hate – for those that greeted neighbors a few weeks ago at the mosque in Northbrook. And for all of the diverse Northbrook faith communities who gathered on Thanksgiving Eve to celebrate unity in our diversity across the spectrum of creeds and traditions.
A glimpse of peace when gifts are sent to Bethel New Life – lending support to our partners in ministry as they work to strengthen neighborhoods on the west side of Chicago.
A glimpse of peace with every sponsored ornament from our tree to provide animals to communities around the globe – providing opportunities for sustainability for people we may never meet, but recognizing that we are part of a bigger picture – a larger family in the Body of Christ in this world that we share.
Beyond these, where have you caught a glimpse of peace in this past week? Perhaps in a story you read or heard. Or in a way that you felt God’s presence in a conversation or a random moment – stories of peace are all around us.
The dissonance I am feeling in this season is not going away anytime soon – good or bad, it seems that this is part of the conflicted reality of being human. And yet, maybe we can make use of both the call of John in the season of Advent and our preparations for Christmas in these days.
John’s call to us to focus – to lift our eyes from our doubts, from our struggles – to prepare our hearts and minds and lives for the coming of the Lord – that call not only invites, but commands our attention to be on the things of God.
That call to focus may help us as we prepare for Christmas – it may help us to recognize those glimpses of peace – to realize and prioritize what is truly important as we welcome God’s coming into the world.
“By the tender mercy of our God,
the dawn from on high will break upon us,
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace”. (Luke 1:78-79)
Yes, the day is near. Amen.
Rev. John Berg
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church
Northbrook, IL
PRAYERS
written by Barbara Drevlow
Dear God,
Today we pray for peace.
We pray for patience – as the frenetic pace of this season seems to
crash down upon us, may we find peace within ourselves.
We pray for serenity – as family and friends meet, as crowds gather in celebration
or in protest, may we have peace in our relationships and find space in our hearts and minds to appreciate opinions that may differ from ours.
We pray for harmony – as the earth groans under the weight of its inhabitants,
as we struggle to provide for those who need jobs and food and yet, protect our water and land, may we have peace with the earth.
We pray for calm – as we consider the issues that lie ahead with transition of our governing bodies, may we have peace in our world.
We pray for equity – as we struggle to succeed and yet not forget those who have suffered failures, may we have peace with one another.
We pray for quiet – as we listen for Your word and direction for our lives,
may we be channels of Your peace.
We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.