Readings for the Day:
Sermon:
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This can be a time of year where many of us become traditionalists, whether we want to be or not. Thanksgiving, Advent, Christmas all have to be done a certain way, whether we are talking about this for individuals, families, or even parishes.
The irony is that this season of Advent is not at all about staying the same and being rooted in our traditions. This season is, in fact, about change.
The words we hear in the Gospel this morning are all about change, specifically change in ourselves. The call to repent is the call to turn around. That is what the word repent literally means: to turn around. We are being called to turn around from our old ways and to once again follow God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
We are called to turn around and follow God because we are called to be prepared. We are called in this season to be prepared to let God in so that God’s presence might be more fully with us as we enter the seasons of Christmas and Epiphany.
For John the Baptist, that preparation was for the greatest change the world has seen, the coming of God into this world in the form of Jesus Christ. That is what our reading from Isaiah and Romans reminds us of, that preparation and foretelling of God’s coming into this world.
Jesus came to change the way people lived, yes, but He also came to fundamentally change the world and our very being. Jesus came so that we might not be slaves to the world anymore, following blindly the ways of those around us. Jesus also came that we might no longer be bound by the past, but that we could move beyond the choices we have made in order to truly become the adopted children of God.
Change is something that always is difficult for us as humans, and that is why we needed the preparation of John the Baptist first. It is also why we need the reminder of that preparation now. John the Baptist is a reminder to us that we are fundamentally different as followers of Jesus Christ. Sometimes we need that reminder so that we can reflect that truth in the world.
The need for preparation and the reminder of the change that Christ Jesus brings are important reasons why we are called, as Jesus teaches us, not to follow the ways of the world but that we are set aside and apart to be fundamentally different from the world around us. Yes, we too will celebrate as the world does, but not right now. We need to get ready, just as John the Baptist got others ready, to let Jesus in. Then we can fully celebrate the joy and presence of Immanuel, “God with us”, in the Christmas Season.
It is vital for us to remember our counter-cultural stance as Christians, especially during this time of year, and I would ask each and every one of to hear that fully in your hearts. We are not of this world. We are God’s, and God’s alone.
It is also important for us to hear what God is saying to us here at Resurrection as well. God is a Creator and one who brings change. We are in the midst of a time of transition, and I am a sign to you of that during this interim time. As we continue in the process of finding a new rector, change will come. Your new rector will naturally have new ways to help you experience God better, and my hope is that you will listen to the wisdom of that new person, whoever that person may be.
As we look to a new change, this is very good time for reflection and self-examination. This also may be a time of repentance even, and I hope each and every one of you can come through this period with an open heart to where the Lord would have you go. This is a time of preparation, so prepare. It is a time of repentance even, so repent. Whatever you do, be open to where the necessary change in your heart needs to be so that you can more fully and more deeply let God in.