Third Sunday in Advent December 14, 2003.

Zephaniah 3:14-20 Isaiah 12:2-6 Philippians 4:4-7 Luke 3:7-18

First Reading

The good news permeates the first reading, with perhaps the best news being the repeated phrase "The Lord is in your midst." To a people who have known the chastisement of the Almighty this is no small thing. The promise here is that not only has the Lord not abandoned the people, but God is in their very presence. This is significant, for the earlier chapters of this book make it clear that Israel has not been faithful in their worship of the one true God. Indeed, religious syncretism has been all the rage, and the Lord has not been pleased. However, "the Lord has taken away the judgments against" the people and has returned to Zion as a king and a warrior(v.15). The promises of verse 19 are particularly noteworthy. The word translated as "the lame" is a substantive participle meaning the "limping ones." Recalling that Jacob limped after his encounter with the Lord (Gen 32:31), suddenly we understand the richness of this expression. Also, "the outcast" is another participle which can be translated the "banished ones," and this again widens and deepens the meaning. The promise to "make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth" (v. 20) is better translated "to give you a name and fame among all the peoples of the earth." Again, the connection with Genesis can be seen; Abram was told that his name would be made great (12:2), and that promise is reiterated here.

Philippians 4:4-7 is sometimes read at weddings, perhaps because of all the anxiety that often accompanies them. In writing this letter Paul had much more to be anxious about than whether the tuxedos fit! Opposition and persecution were commonplace in Philippi, and Paul was probably in prison as he wrote this. Paul's opening imperative, "Rejoice!" is in present tense, implying continual and habitual actions. From prison Paul exhorts these Christians to continual and habitual rejoicing, even though they are under duress. This is no small task. Yet, Paul urges them to "let [their] gentleness be known to everyone." The Greek word for gentleness is a rich word, shown by the many ways it has been translated: moderation, forbearance, magnanimity, reasonableness. The word is rare, used only five times in the New Testament. It is the ability to be steadfast in suffering, trusting in God despite it all. "Gentleness" does not do justice to the richness of this term. The second half of the text is well known, but again it is worth remembering that the verbs are present-tense imperatives, urging all to a continual practice of not worrying but letting requests be made known to God, while expecting the peace of God to continually guard our hearts and minds.

The Gospel is a continuation of last week's reading. Today we get to hear John the Baptist preach, and preach the Baptizer does! John launches into a tirade against the crowds who seek to be baptized, going right to the heart of their self-righteousness when he calls them "offspring/brood of vipers." John continues attacking their heritage as he mocks their proud phrase, "We have Abraham as our father/ancestor," and points out that "even now the ax is lying at the root of [their family] tree." What the Lord seeks is "good fruit," not simply pious prayers and hand wringing. The turning point in the text comes with the crowd's response: "What then should we do?" This is appropriate, for, as Luther said, "to do it no more is the truest repentance." Their question was really, "What then are fruits which are worthy of repentance?" John tells them. Luke says that "even tax collectors came to be baptized." The word "even" indicates that these folks were unexpected, as certainly was their question of what fruits they could bear. Soldiers were also unexpected; like tax collectors, soldiers were known for their abuse of the public.

The last verse is a puzzle. After all John's exhortations, warnings, and admonishments, Luke summarizes it by saying that "with many exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people." Do John's words sound like gospel to you?

Pastoral Reflection

John is certainly a colorful character, and his words are powerful and intriguing. One way we preachers might get the creative juices flowing is to imagine ourselves as members of the crowd. How does it feel to be preached at like this? One can do this simply by changing a few words. For example, in the opening verse: "John said to [us who] came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" In this way an exegete can begin to feel the accusation of hypocrisy that came at these listeners. Since Pharisaism is a continual problem for Christians, the preacher would do well to identify with the crowd, not with John.

The question of the Gospel text, "What then should we do?" is a pregnant question for any preacher. How does one "bear fruits worthy of repentance"? How does one "live a life consistent with one's baptism"? This could send us back to our baptismal promises, where we "grow in faith, love and obedience to the will of God." It could also send us back to Romans 6, where Paul reminds us that we are "buried with Christ by baptism," and thus the Christian life involves a daily dying. One possible play on words could be, "Is the Christian life a 'Hoop' [to jump through] or a 'Hope' to live in?" Our natural Pharisaism makes it into a hoop more often than not.

The preacher might consider the identity Jesus is given here. When John talks about Jesus as one who will "clear his threshing floor" and "gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire," it sounds like the stuff of fire-and-brimstone preachers, something few Lutherans are known for. Does this picture of Jesus offer a corrective to our often completely inoffensive portrait of the Lord? Where is the place of wrath and judgment in contemporary preaching? Does the Holy Spirit and fire ever need to come down in our houses of worship?

Zephaniah is pure gospel. It is the announcement of God's decision to forgive and to live among God's people once again. This text might well serve as a fine example of our motivation for Christian living. God has decided to forgive. God has decided to live among us. God has become ruler and warrior for us. God has saved the lame, gathered the outcasts, changed our shame to renown, and restored our fortunes, thus we can do nothing but praise God's glorious name. There is much piety not born of gratitude, and perhaps that is the most likely to lead to Pharisaism. So an antidote to a hoop-jumping sort of expression of faith might well be thankfulness. Zephaniah gives us all the reasons we need to base our faithfulness on thanksgiving.