It takes some re-orienting to move from John the baptiser to picture our man ‘sent by God’ as John the witness. Not that we would disagree with this. It is that the ‘baptiser’ imagery has lodged deep into our psyche. But true to his overall representation in the gospels, baptiser or witness, John stands out as a living testimony of one not afraid to challenge the status quo and to point to the larger story – God’s!

This week's news

Like John, we, too, are called to bear witness to God’s way of full and flourishing life for all – straightening up and levelling down our distorted and bent up ways. This witness is ever-more urgent given the realities around us. For instance: welfare reforms and the devastating consequences on the most vulnerable is an urgent concern of the Churches; hunger is not out there, removed from us – it is real, in our midst and a scandal in a rich nation as ours; if you worry about political will, direction and democracy, you are not the only one troubled with the power of ‘corp-o-crats’ in need of taming; and who would not be shocked by the epidemic of child sex abuse in the UK. At the same time, in the midst of despairing news, we read of the effort of one small ‘pariah’ nation’s contribution to fight Ebola and the bravery of a very young soldier (a vallon or front man) whose task was to clear the way of bombs for those coming behind him (he found 100 bombs).

Reflection

John the Witness 

John is clear that he is not the main event, but a prelude to the main act! In this account, emphasis is placed on John’s role as a witness to the light coming into the world (not as one who baptises Jesus)! God is about to do a new and surprising thing that needs flesh and blood (John) to point to this reality. The John of the third Sunday of Advent is he who points to Jesus and says, ‘Behold, do you see him? Here is the One who will soak up the sin of the world!’ 

Sent by God

Clothed in camel hair and leather and living off the wild, John exudes strength as he preaches with authority. The religious status quo from Jerusalem who turned up to interrogate John compares him to former ‘greats’. ‘Are you the Messiah, the descendant of King David?’ ‘Are you Elijah?’ ‘Well you must be a prophet?’ They must have been disappointed with his answer (‘no’). John refuses to provide a legitimate reason for his actions. He is operating across the Jordan, away from Jerusalem. He is decidedly outside of their system. He is no one’s tool. For it is God who sends him, we are told. 

A voice crying out, pointing beyond, preparing…

John is a messenger, not the message. Here he surprises them all, just as he would surprise today's power brokers. ‘I am a mere voice of one crying out on a landscape where God is experiencing a ‘chronic housing problem’, where goodness and generosity have been distorted, and where lies rule! So then, straighten up the way of God which you have distorted!’ John is not on any ego-trip: his calling is to decrease so that Christ (and God) may increase. Like John, we are not the light. Nor is the Church the light! Our calling is to constantly point towards the light that enlightens us. And the source of that light remains God in Christ. John points to his role of being sent to bear witness to the one who is the light. He is not the one they should be seeking: it's Jesus they should look to! 

Prophetic message

Yet, while pointing to Jesus, John remains a threat to the powers (religious and Roman) that be. For a message of ‘straightening out crooked and bent up ways’ is a challenge to all (from Jerusalem to Rome to us) who thrive upon ways being crooked rather than straight, whose lives revolve around the ways of greed or power rather than the ways of God. Like protestors, dissenters and whistle-blowers of today, John would have been a target of the communication tools of the status quo in their effort to caricature and say all sorts of ungracious things about him. But, he would not have been easy to dismiss. Herod was certainly afraid of him! 

Interrogating our motives

Who, today, are the people bold and gracious, pointing not simply to their schemes, programs, policies and proposals, but to something beyond themselves, to the possibility that all spheres of human life might hope for something greater, might expect God to shake-up our complacency and guarded privileges to recreate the world not along lines of privilege but according to what is just and what engenders flourishing life? Any attempt to make advent or faith and faithfulness about our personal agendas, our Christian community, and about our religion (or any other ‘our’) is a lie and misses the point of God’s offer of full and abundant life for all.

Prayer

This prayer may be used after the sermon/reflection.

God-who-lights-up-life, bursting into and through all of life, 

come to us in your kindness. 

Kindle in us the fire of your Spirit. 

When despair creeps in, 

light up our lives with sparks of hope. 

When fears restrict our acting, 

free us that we might grow deeper in your love. 

Embrace us in your light to glow always in confidence 

as we see, hear and experience in the ordinary places 

the melodies of your grace. 

We pray in the name of the One who enlightens. 

Amen.

Questions

• In this time of anticipation, try to imagine how your welcome for the Word-made-flesh might be, and where and how you can embody the light of God's presence that would transform lives.

Action

Write a letter to your local MP, the Prime Minister or Chancellor of the Exchequer describing a world filled with the economy of the light of Christ.

Have you ever done some random act of kindness which then grows on you? Why not consider one random act of kindness (towards someone in your community) this coming week? Let the light of God in Christ shine!

Young People

Have a look at your local newspaper and find stories of places that need the light of Christ. Consider writing a letter to yourself, school, church, local councillor or MP describing your community filled with the light of Christ!

Michael Jagessar, a minister of the United Reformed Church, is currently secretary for racial justice and inter-cultural ministry. He is the immediate past moderator of the General Assembly (2012-2014) of the United Reformed Church.