11 Dec SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2022
Last week, John was confident that the kingdom of heaven had come near. He pointed directly toward Jesus as “the one”. This week, there’s a John the Baptist meme going around with him saying, “Wait… What?” as if confusion had gotten the better of his previous surety.
Actually, I don’t believe John was experiencing any doubt as to whether he backed the right horse or misspent his life announcing the arrival of Jesus as Messiah. Instead, I believe John’s question signals a literary move by the author Matthew. Having one of his lead characters pose a clarifying question makes what the author’s trying to get across very clear.
The reading says, “When John heard what the Messiah was doing, he sent disciples to question Jesus. The question asked was whether Jesus was the one John and others had been waiting for. Per usual, Jesus replies knowing the thought behind the question.
“Yes, you heard correctly. What I’m doing can best be summed up this way: The blind receive sight; the lame walk; lepers are cleansed; the deaf hear; the dead are raised; the poor are brought good news.” Jesus cured people from disease, the Greek word nosos, as in the English word diagnosis.
Nosos refers to any sickness, bad or toilsome spirit which scourges the body or mind. Jesus does not make reference to any title, but the nature of his work. “You want to know who I am? I’m a healer. When a person’s quality of life is diminished by something like a constant plague, I deliver them.
Previous deliverers in the Bible, like Moses, were used by God to deliver whole people groups. Jesus comes to do that too, but he also comes to relieve suffering that’s personal and subjective. After all, what’s experienced as personal and subjective is what makes us human, as John and his disciples were.
Like us, they had hope and expectation riding on a person in whom they’d devoted time and effort, in whom they’d seen potential and promise, the kind we see in children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
If you’ve ever invested in anything involving risk: higher education, military service, marriage, a career path, a health care provider, or mortgage, you know that any business arrangement, partnership or personal relationship stirs up these feelings and concerns. The difference between what John and his disciples did by placing hope and expectation on Jesus and us is that most often, we pin our hopes and dreams on other humans no more divine and every bit mortal as us.
Might we try this Advent to place our hope in Jesus being who he is, what he’s about, and what he’s willing to do rather than on the success of our accomplishments or those of our relatives?
In Jesus’ time most people were powerless to alter their fates or shift society. Major positive change could only come from God. But in our time, many people possess the ways and means to continue the work Jesus began, including us. The way we begin is by asking God’s help to determine what needs doing. One means involves vowing to allow Jesus to work on us so in him and through him we can do his work.
Jesus says, “Happy and blessed are they who take no offense, who do not oppose or complain with regard to doing this work.” If and when we feel put upon for such work, we’re offered this relief: Lean upon the power of Jesus himself in order to keep doing good and doing our part to relieve suffering. I’ve witnessed many of you do just that.
The point of Jesus’ work seems to be:
Relieve a person’s major struggle or that thing…
…that prevents them from living an independent productive life…
…and making their own contribution to society.
Every person Jesus helped had dependency needs. They needed assistance in daily life to do normal activities. In the case of disease, they were probably dying. In ancient Near Eastern society, they couldn’t support themselves, earn a living or be independent unless relieved of significant burden. The very same categories/groups of people exist today and wait for relief from followers of Jesus.
Feel put upon yet? I only say that because every week, don’t we receive numerous pieces of mail asking for donations? After sending one big check to ELCA World Hunger a couple years ago, this year, I looked at the box of ornaments, coloring books and catalog with new options for giving with a shoulder shrug. We did that. What now? Seems like we’re focusing mainly on local seniors and children this year. How many more elderly and children go without not only toys at Christmas, but without food, clothing or shelter many days each week?
Did you come to church to see Christmas decorations and persons dressed in fine clothing or did you come to be pointed toward the work of Christ, prepared, inspired and empowered to continue as Christ’s body on earth, bringing the kingdom of heaven near, making it visible to the world in ongoing fashion?
Just as Jesus asked the crowds about John, “Did you go out into the wilderness to see reeds shaken by the wind or a person dressed in soft robes?” Did you not go to see a prophet who would point to a different way of living and speak about the work of Christ? So I ask, “Did you come to church to see Christmas decorations and persons dressed in fine clothing or did you come to be pointed toward the work of Christ, prepared, inspired and empowered to continue as Christ’s body on earth, bringing the kingdom of heaven near, making it visible to the world in ongoing fashion?”
In many ways and in every way, Jesus comes to bring God’s kingdom to earth, to relieve significant burdens people face that threaten their very livelihood, the means to secure the necessities of life because life is always the goal.
In our first reading, the definition of wilderness is dry parched land with few or no signs of life. Other things that threaten people’s livelihoods are: weakness, being feeble, fearful, being wronged, unable to see, hear, move or speak as one might wish, not having what constitutes a home or the necessary provisions to live or thrive, lack of a clearly marked safe path forward, sorrow and sighing.
You, too, may be experiencing a temporary state of discomfort, be dealing with lack or feeling compromised. God is willing and able to make your life not only bearable, but enjoyable. God’s work through both John and Jesus is about overcoming negative circumstances and revealing the unknown by degrees. It always works toward goodness, gladness, rejoicing, blossoming, singing, and seeing glory equal to God’s majesty.
That’s the point. The work that reveals God’s goodness and majesty through the kingdom of heaven on earth brings life and enables a way for people to secure the necessities of life for themselves. Jesus healed people so they could do for themselves, escape dependency and thrive. Doing so pointed the way forward to a brighter future for all. We aren’t being asked to do for God as much as partner with God.
Some of our most intense memories involve doing for another, taking care of loved ones young and old. But our best memories involve doing something with loved ones young and old. Think of a time when you were first able to share some treasured activity or pastime with a beloved family member or friend.
Remember how excited you were to be invited to participate or go along? You knew they were capable of going it alone or doing whatever it was by themselves because they’d done so many times before and you’d observed that ability or enjoyed the end result of their endeavor whether that was hunting, building, sewing, cooking, fishing, or anything else they already knew how to do, but you did not.
Remember that moment when you were deemed trustworthy of handling the gun, measuring or mixing, casting or reeling in the catch or using their equipment? Because we loved and looked up to the person explaining things, we heard every word and remembered exactly how they looked and what it felt like to become part of their world, part of a shared adventure, no longer claimed by them as their sole domain? Those are exactly the feelings of delight and anticipation Jesus hopes to stir up in us.
God is ready and willing to instruct us in taking inventory of needed ingredients, gear and equipment. God is ready and willing to give us hand me downs and take all the time necessary to explain how things work, why things are done this way and not that. God wants nothing more than to be with us as we try our hand and do what Jesus did so delight will be shared, success will be achieved, everyone will have good memories and stories to tell.
We know that such moments are some of the best moments life has to offer. Rarely are the treasures of time counted in gold. They are counted by the number of lives we’ve touched and whether we’ve been able to improve the quality of those lives through our interaction. Recently, my cousin shared the story of going hunting with her father for the very first time.
She said it was so cold sitting still there perched in one spot holding her father’s gun. Beneath her were newspapers set on the snow to keep her dry for a time. She’d just turned twelve and had been told to keep silent. “Whatever you do, don’t hand the gun to anyone, even if they ask.” Her dad was within earshot hoping to spot game. Once he did, she was brought closer and given the chance to bag it. Together they headed home carrying dinner, triumphant in their shared time of endeavor.
Like her dad, God has hopes and expectations for his children knowing full well that he’s willing to provide everything needed. All we need to do is: listen, pay attention and do as told. Instruction is not about gaining control, God already has that. It’s not about getting someone else to do the job, God’s perfectly capable. Our partnering is about accomplishing a task together, passing on the benefits of wisdom and experience, ultimately benefiting multiple generations. Let us pray.
Lord, continue to teach and show us how to walk with you, sit still when necessary, and take our shot. Help us also walk with others, sit with them, point out provisions, and teach them to shoot, or stir, build or plant, mix and measure so they too, can find livelihood among your people, all of us your children. In your holy name we pray. Amen.