2nd Sunday in Advent

KEEP ON ASKING, “WHAT THEN SHALL WE DO?”
Rev. Kenneth W. Wieting
Text: Luke 3:1-20

As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”…And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” Dear Advent worshipers of the Christ who comes into our midst this morning and who will come at last in judgment, Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

In the sixth year of the presidency of George W. Bush, Jim Doyle being governor of Wisconsin, Tom Barrett, mayor of Milwaukee, during a time of spiritual and cultural decay, “prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight”. In this wilderness, “keep on repenting”, “keep on preparing the way”. The proper question continues to be, “What then shall we do?”

John the Baptizer didn’t make house calls! He stayed in one place and the people came out to him. He was the voice of one shouting in the wilderness – “turn around” – “straighten up”, “keep on repenting”. Nothing mealy mouthed about John. No tip toeing around people’s sensitivities for him. The Lord told him when to preach. The Lord told him where to preach. The Lord also told him what to preach – a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

The repentance that John proclaimed differed from the repentance of Judaism in a fundamental way. Judaism said, “Repent, get your act together, then the kingdom of God will come”. John the Baptizer said, “repent” because the kingdom of God has come - it is upon you (Mt. 3:2). Simply stated, the repentance that John preached didn’t cause God’s coming but proceeded from God’s coming in Christ. “Turn around” – “straighten up” – “keep on repenting”.

John lived in a time of political corruption and cultural immorality; just like now. He lived in a time when the church dabbled in politics and politicians sometimes used religion for their benefit, just like now. He lived in a time of false spirituality and humanistic hopes, just like now. Yet these were not the chief dangers he shouted out. Rather, the foremost hazard, the great threat of the ax of God’s wrath came from one’s own unbelief. “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight”. The focus of John’s preaching was receiving Christ!

Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree…that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” If we have ears to hear, if we but listen, that is intensely troubling. If modernism and new age mysticism haven’t gutted scripture’s witness to hell from our hearts, then John’s warning is rightly unsettling. More often than not, we don’t produce the good fruit.

If the good fruit includes joy and contentment, why do we need so much more help being cheerful than being down? If the good fruit includes perfect trust in God, why do the things that worry us usually make a longer list than the ones that make us deep down happy? Why don’t we trust God’s care of us even in suffering rather than scheming to manufacture our own rescue? If the good fruit includes perfect love for God, why do we put love for ourselves and other people and the things of this passing world above God’s Word and worship?

Dear Christian, repent! Your road needs rebuilding this Advent, as does mine. The readiness God desires of us is not primarily one of sending cards or of decorating. The readiness God demands of us is of the heart - repentance. We need to recognize that the axe should hit us. In fact, this recognition is central to the difference between the wheat and the chaff. The chaff did not allow them selves to be accused by John’s preaching of repentance. They would not listen. They felt secure in their station in life, in defending their decisions, in their religious performance and in their pedigree as sons of Abraham. They did not ask in fear and faith, “What shall we do?”

Dear Christian, repent! Turn from your self-protection, self-pity, and self-promotion. Start again today from zero. Your pride will not do, for every mountain and hill shall be made low. Your doubt and despair will not do, for every valley shall be filled. Your own agenda mapped out by personal preference won’t do for the crooked shall become straight and the rough places level ways. Your road needs rebuilding this Advent as does mine. There is some heavy lifting and earth moving to be done and we are not up to the task. Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. “What, then shall we do?”

To some extent, that depends! Tax collectors came to be baptized and said, “Teacher, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” Soldiers asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.” How predictable! And, how painful! Repentance for the one baptized starts right where they are in life, exactly in their vocation! If we hear John and recognize no ways to turn around, to straighten out, then we are not listening.

What, then shall we do? Children, stop rebelling against your parents. Stop putting more value on what you think and on what your peers say than on what your parents teach you in Christ. Give them honor, which even goes beyond God’s command that you love them. Parents, stop believing what Dr. Spock wrote about raising children. He’s admitted that he was wrong and that his advice negatively impacted a whole generation. God gave parents the responsibility to bring up children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Eph 6), not psychiatrists. Encourage them and discipline them and speak the truth in love to them, even when they dislike you for it. You can’t control the outcome, but do your God-given duty and thereby love them.

What then shall we do? Friends and neighbors, bridle your tongue. Gossip is a sin that soils not only another’s reputation but also the thoughts of the one whose tongue is wagging. Christ died for the one of whom you are speaking, so repent, defend your neighbor and explain everything in the kindest way. Pray for them.

What, then shall we do? Single and married, honor marriage and keep the marriage bed pure. Satan’s deceptions are as old as Eden and as new as contemporary media morality. Darkness is dressed up as light; ignorance is disguised as wisdom and slavery to sin masquerades as freedom - at least for awhile. But it is all so empty and destructive of God’s good gift. And the axe will be laid to the root of the tree. Love others enough to keep on speaking the truth. There is forgiveness in Christ, full and free, but how will hearts desire His forgiveness if people pretend. John the baptizer didn’t pretend.

What then shall we do? To the crowds John said, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” To each one of us the prophet’s voice still cries out “Don’t forget you are in a wilderness here. Don’t lay up treasures here on earth without first thought for the spiritual and physical clothing and food needed by others. Whose kingdom is it that you are building?”

What then shall we do? To Herod the tetrarch John said, get rid of your brother’s wife and take note of all the evil things you have done and repent. That’s no way to talk to your tetrarch if you’re worldly wise. But John loved him and kept on speaking the truth and got locked up in prison for his trouble.

Fellow-redeemed, God does not ask us to fight the sins of a different vocation. Nor does He ask us to invent impressive ways to serve Him. Rather, in Christ’s Advent, He asks us to live in His forgiveness and daily battle against the sins in front of us and within us. Both the strength and the joy for that battle come from the mightier one that John proclaimed. John said, I baptize you with water, be he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”

When John referenced untying the strap of another’s sandals, he used an Old Testament figure of great significance. In biblical times, the removal of a sandal or a shoe was done by the one who redeemed or bought back another from slavery or poverty. John was thereby clearly stating that only Christ could redeem us. John preached Him! And when He saw the impending fire of God’s wrath against our sin, He essentially asked the same question of our text, what, then shall I do? The Father’s answer was John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…”

What then shall the Messiah do? Be conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. Suffer under Pontius Pilate, be crucified, dead and buried. On the third day rise again and ascend into heaven. Beloved, the Father sent Him forth in saving vocation for us.

His baptism was with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Anointed by the Holy Spirit in the Jordan, He took the fire of God’s wrath in our place on Calvary. The axe of God’s fury struck Jesus on the cross. He was cut off from the land of the living (Is. 53:8). The one tree that produced perfect fruit was cast into the fire for all of us dry and withered and fruitless tress. Such are the freedom giving results of His bloody baptism on the cross.

Beloved, that is why you should never tire of hearing that you were baptized into His death, that is, into that fire! For in that washing of rebirth God reckons you as already having been consumed as chaff with Christ! His blood cleanses you from all sin. HihhClothed in Christ, God now sees nothing in you but the finest of wheat to be gathered into his barn. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Who can endure the day of His coming and who can stand when He appears? You can! By God’s grace you can! “What, then shall you do?” Keep on repenting, that is, keep on turning from the daily sins of your life right now and keep on receiving what Christ continues to do for you. “What then shall you do?” Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Behold your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation…

John the baptizer couldn’t even help Jesus take off his sandal to rescue you. Jesus alone redeemed you. John the baptizer pointed to the mightier one, but Jesus is the mightier one. John the baptizer didn’t make house calls but Jesus does. He is in this house of worship this morning to rescue you from the threatening perils of your sins and to enable you to serve Him with a pure mind. Amen.

The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, Amen.