union avenue christian church |
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Duplicity Doesn't Work Matthew 3:1 – 12; Isaiah 11:1 – 10 Most weddings begin with the minister and the men entering the sanctuary. Although people may be interested in that parade, the men and minister are really not even the prelude of the service. It is when the bridesmaids begin to enter the sanctuary; the congregation gets attentive…excited…anticipating what is going to happen…anxious for the event they have come to witness. There is reason for that preparation – besides just having places for girlfriends to be in the party. The bridesmaids part is essentially ‘warming up’ the congregation…so they are truly ready…for the bride! Advent is our warming up time. It is these four weeks when we are doing preparation for the big event. If we choose to ignore the preparation, Christmas will come anyway, but the gift will not seem as wondrous…the star will not be as bright. God breaking through and into our lives will not be as significant. Today – John the Baptist is going to help us with our waiting and preparing time. John the Baptist is no bridesmaid…for sure. In fact, John the Baptist is not someone most of us would invite into our homes…certainly not for tea, or a sit down dinner. A man who eats bugs and wild honey and dresses in the scratchiest hide known probably had little understanding of personal hygiene. And because of his particular prophetic call – he undoubtedly never allowed his hair to be cut. I am sure he would have been one scary dude to see! If we were able to get past the exterior presentation – we would then have to deal with his message, which, again, would be offsetting, to say the least. John’s role was not new. His appearance and eating habits were a part of his call as a prophetic forerunner. His task was to ‘prepare the way.’ Even though it seems odd that he is brought to our attention during Advent – when we are preparing for the baby Jesus…it is not odd at all, if, indeed we are preparing for Jesus Christ to enter our lives in a fuller way. Repentance was John’s theme and what he hoped to bring to all his listeners. For if folks would repent, then they would be ready for the breaking through of history that the Messiah would bring. John was very clear that his job was merely to do the prep work. So what about his theme of repentance? Repentance is more than being sorry for things we have done or left undone. Repentance is a radical change in one’s mind. John would have gone further to proclaim that repentance meant a radical change of one’s life…an absolute turn. Well, despite John’s appearance, he was a hit. Scores of people listened to him, realized their lives needed major revamping…knew that their lives were in shamble…knew that they needed a new connection with God…and chose to be baptized as a symbol of the change of direction they had chosen. John was a success. But here’s the kicker of this passage. Sadducees and Pharisees (these are the priests…the clergy of the day). Even they showed up to receive this baptism of John. Even they were proclaiming their need of change and preparation for the new life that was being ushered in. And John saw right through them. How dare you make a mockery of this proclamation to change. You are only paying lip service to my words …don’t you dare pretend with God! And John called them snakes’ babies/vipers’ brood…which evidently was horrific name-calling. Pretend...separating what we say and what we believe. Pretend...saying one thing – one place…another in another setting. Pretend...make-believe in order to get through whatever circumstance seems unbearable. The ‘grown-up’ word for make-believe or pretend is duplicity. It is one of the most prevalent defense and survival mechanisms known to humankind. First of all, we act duplicitly to each other. My heritage is non-confrontational. My family has successfully covered up most of the major disagreements and secrets we have ever had. Sometimes we claim it is because of our desire for ‘peace.’ Interestingly, today as the Sunday of Peace...we encounter John the Baptist who is blowing the whistle and name-calling all in one breath. What kind of peacemaker is he? God’s peace is neither complicity...just to make things smooth…nor duplicity just to make it seem like we are in one accord. God’s peace demands an honesty that has room for diversity in opinion, openness for discussion, and lack of fear that bullies will win the day. With each other, we are often so eager to stay in good stead that we will agree with one another…and then mumble in disagreement when we are out of earshot. Duplicity is when we seem to separate – make two – ways of encountering the world...one real...one not so. The problem comes when we live so long with these two faces...we forget which one is real. Not only does our speech become divided, but also our heart and soul break. We deserve better from each other and from ourselves. God demands more! God knows better! But we even try to pretend with God. And that’s where John was confronting the clergy that day. How often do we ‘show up’ for prayer…or worship…or even Sunday School…but do not expect a real encounter with God in those moments? Have we ever claimed our need to repent with God’s help – change – turn around, but done so only because it would make our spouse, partner, children, boss think we were truly sorry for our behavior. Those ‘pretenses’ are an affront to God – whom we seem to think cannot tell the difference! And John the Baptist would call us on every duplicitous claim. IF we are desirous of receiving all that God has in store for us... IF we are readying ourselves to encounter Christ breaking through history... IF we are preparing ourselves for the grace and blessing of Christmas... We will work at integrating our life…and no longer pretending…We will have courage to be honest and forthright…We will understand God’s peace as being far more encompassing than merely avoidance of conflict…All of which will help us turn around with our whole lives…repent …change our minds and hearts…and be open to the transforming power God has in store for us this season and every season of our lives. May God’s peace overwhelm you and support you to turn, change, integrate, and become whole and to know that you are God’s holy and beloved child. • SW |
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