A Radical Reordering: Preparing the Way for Christ
Luke 3:7-18 (NIV)
7 John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 9 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."
10 "What should we do then?" the crowd asked.
11 John answered, "Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same."
12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized. "Teacher," they asked, "what should we do?"
13 "Don't collect any more than you are required to," he told them.
14 Then some soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?"
He replied, "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely—be content with your pay."
15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. 16 John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." 18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.
The Meaning of Advent
As we enter the third week of Advent, anticipation grows. Expectation is building, not just for the celebration of Christ's birth, but for His return. This season calls us to a deeper level of preparation, one that goes beyond hanging wreaths and wrapping gifts. It's a time for spiritual house-cleaning, for examining our hearts and lives in light of the coming King.
Advent reminds us that we live in the "already but not yet" – Christ has come, yet we await His return. This tension creates a unique space for reflection and action. How are we living in light of Christ's first coming? How are we preparing for His second? These questions should stir us to action, challenging us to align our lives more closely with the Kingdom values that Christ proclaimed and embodied.
A Tale of Radical Living
In the rolling hills of Georgia, a peculiar figure once roamed the highways and byways, his appearance as striking as his message was uncompromising. Charles "Ches" McCartney, better known as the "Goat Man," was a traveling preacher who embodied a radical commitment to his calling that both fascinated and unsettled those he encountered.
Picture a man dressed in goatskins, driving an iron-wheeled caravan pulled by a team of up to thirty goats. His long beard and weather-worn face told the story of a life lived largely on the open road. As he traveled, McCartney would stop in small towns, setting up camp and preaching fiery sermons about impending judgment and the need for repentance.
McCartney's journey began in 1935 when a workplace injury led to a profound religious awakening. Inspired by the Bible and Robinson Crusoe, he hitched his goats to a wagon and set out to preach across America. His mission was clear: to warn people of eternal damnation and call them to repentance.
The Goat Man's approach was far from subtle. He tacked wooden signs on trees along his route, bearing stark messages like "Prepare to Meet Thy God" with painted flames of hell beneath. His appearance, his lifestyle, and his message were a shock to the system of anyone who encountered him.
In many ways, the Goat Man of Georgia calls to mind another voice crying out in the wilderness – John the Baptist. Both men lived on the fringes of society, both delivered a confrontational message of repentance, and both drew crowds of curious onlookers, some receptive, others skeptical.
Like John the Baptist, McCartney's radical lifestyle was a testament to his message. He lived off goat's milk, rarely bathed, and eschewed worldly comforts. His life was a living sermon, challenging those he met to reconsider their priorities and their relationship with God.
While we might be tempted to dismiss figures like the Goat Man as eccentric or extreme, their lives confront us with important questions: How seriously do we take our faith? How much are we willing to let it shape our lives? What comforts or conventions might we need to abandon to fully embrace God's call?
The Backstory on John's Proclamation
Now, let's turn our attention to our passage from Luke. John the Baptist, like the Goat Man, was a figure who demanded attention. His message was just as striking as his appearance – a man clothed in camel's hair, surviving on locusts and wild honey, calling people to repentance.
John's ministry took place around 28-29 AD, during the reign of Tiberius Caesar. It was a time of political tension and religious hope. The Jewish people were under Roman rule, and many were longing for the promised Messiah who would liberate them.
Into this context, John burst onto the scene with a message that was both comforting and confrontational. He proclaimed the imminent coming of the Messiah, but he also called for a radical reorientation of life in preparation for this coming.
John's words in our passage are particularly striking. He addresses the crowd as a "brood of vipers," challenging their complacency and self-righteousness. He warns them not to rely on their heritage ("We have Abraham as our father") but to "produce fruit in keeping with repentance."
When the people ask what they should do, John's answers are practical and radical. He calls for sharing of resources, honest business practices, and contentment with one's wages. These may seem like simple ethical instructions, but in the context of a society marked by inequality and corruption, they were revolutionary.
John's message culminates in his proclamation about the coming Messiah. He speaks of one more powerful than himself, who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. This Messiah will bring judgment, separating the wheat from the chaff.
In essence, John is calling for a complete reorientation of society in preparation for the Messiah's coming. He's not just calling for individual moral reform, but for a restructuring of social and economic relationships in line with God's justice and generosity.
Living in Active Anticipation
So what does this mean for us today, in this Advent season? How do we, like John the Baptist, prepare the way for Christ's coming in our own context?
1. Examine our priorities: John's call to the crowd was essentially a call to reorient their priorities. What's truly important in light of Christ's coming? This Advent, take time to reflect on where you're investing your time, energy, and resources. Are these aligned with Kingdom values?
2. Practice radical generosity: John's instruction to share clothing and food is a call to radical generosity. John the Baptist is saying, “No person should have two shirts if another person has none. No one should go hungry, if others have food to share.” This is a selfless generosity we don’t know much about today. How could we practice the kind of sharing with others that John commands? Or should we?
3. Treat others justly: John's words to tax collectors who were over-collecting and soldiers who were extorting helpless victims were radical and against the norm of first century society. After all what was the point of power if you didn’t benefit? But John tells the tax collectors (who were Jews), and the Roman centurions (who weren’t) to treat others like fellow human beings. Don’t take advantage – be honest, fair, and respectful. A good word for the 21st century, also.
4. Speak truth boldly if God calls you to: John the Baptist was not trying to win friends and influence people – he was obeying God. Like the last Old Testament prophet he was, he didn't mince words when confronting the crowds. But his abruptness called forth their desperation for a more authentic spirituality than offered at the Temple in Jerusalem by corrupt priests and religious leaders. John’s holy boldness was not a spiritualized cover for telling folks off. His boldness was a calling from God. And in case you can’t wait to give someone a piece of your mind, remember what happened to John when he spoke boldly to a king later. It’s not for everybody.
5. Prepare for judgment and renewal: John's message wasn't just about judgment, but also renewal. The winnowing fork separates the wheat from the chaff, but the wheat is gathered into the barn. As we examine our lives this Advent, let's allow God's Spirit to separate what needs to go from what should remain, trusting in His renewing work.
Remember that we're not doing this work alone or by our own strength. The one John spoke of – Jesus – has come and has given us His Spirit. It's by His power that we're able to reorient our lives and prepare for His coming.
This Advent, take seriously the call to prepare the way for the Lord. Like John the Baptist, and even the Goat Man, let's allow our lives to become living sermons, testifying to the transformative power of Christ's coming. May our reoriented priorities, our empathy, our generosity, and our testimony to the truth serve as signposts pointing to the coming King.
As we continue our Advent journey, embrace this radical reorientation. Allow God's Spirit to challenge our complacency, reshape our priorities, and empower us to live as citizens of His coming Kingdom. For the One who is coming is indeed more powerful than we can imagine, and His coming changes everything.
Prayer: Lord, in this Advent season, shake us out of our complacency. Give us the courage to examine our lives in light of Your coming. Empower us by Your Spirit to reorient our priorities, to pursue justice, to practice radical generosity, and to prepare the way for Your return. May our lives be living testimonies to the transformative power of Your love and the hope of Your coming Kingdom. Amen.
Reflections for the Week Ahead
As you go through this week, return briefly and reflect on these weekday suggestions for active anticipation:
Monday: Re-read Luke 3:8. Reflect on the phrase "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance." What does this mean and what would this look like in your life today?
Tuesday: Consider John's instruction to share clothing and food (v.11). How can you practice radical generosity this week?
Wednesday: Meditate on John's words to the tax collectors and soldiers (v.13-14). How can you exhibit empathy and ethical practices with those you encounter?
Thursday: Reflect on the image of the "winnowing fork" (v.17). What was a winnowing fork used for? Ask God to show you what needs to be cleared away in your life to make room for Christ.
Friday: John spoke compellingly to the crowds. Even though his message was not sugarcoated, how did John respond to the people’s sincere questions about what they should do? Luke’s account of this conversation includes elements other Gospel writers do not include. Do John’s instructions to the crowd surprise you?
Saturday: Contemplate the phrase "He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire" (v.16). Invite the Holy Spirit to kindle a new fire of cleansing and devotion in your heart this Advent.