THE INTRODUCTION

 

      A good introduction, whether it is for a movie, book, or a speaker, has the difficult job of getting the attention of an audience and creating excitement and anticipation. The introduction of a speaker should be done so that attention is focused toward the speaker to come, and not on the one making the introduction.

      As we continue our Advent journey, we find in Luke 3, John the Baptist’s introduction of Jesus. One preacher introducing another. Advent, the beginning of the Christian year, always begins with John, who gets us ready to meet Jesus. You see, we cannot get to Christmas, we cannot get to Jesus, without first hearing John’s introduction of Jesus. It may be that we do not really want to hear John’s introduction. We had rather hear Jesus. Yet we must realize that the introduction comes along with the headline speaker. So John says, “I’m not the main event. I am just preparing the way. I am just introducing the Son of God.”

      “First of all, you need to repent,” John tells his audience. “You’re going in the wrong direction and you need to turn around. Repent, ask for forgiveness of your sins, and be baptized. You are not who you think you are in the eyes of God.” Now this is bad news to many people. This is not the good news that, “You’re OK and I’m OK. We are just human and we just cannot help wallowing around in our self-pity and sins. So we will just do the best we can. God will understand.” It was not that kind of news.

      And if we keep reading it seems that some of the people may have been looking for the exits. Because John continues, “Some of you think because your Daddy was Abraham and he gave the land for the church, you put your offering in the plate each Sunday, and you show up regularly; that you don’t need improvement. You better turn around, get washed and cleaned, get into a right relationship with God and other people. You’re not as good as you think.”

      What in the world was John thinking? Why would anybody have listened to him, much less stayed for the sermon? I think I know! There is something inside each of us that knows, this is the kind of message we need to hear at the appropriate time. When we are really honest with our selves, we know that we are not right, our world is out of balance. A preacher with a message like John the Baptist’s tells the truth. So he intruded, stood up, and told that contented, self-satisfied religious congregation that they, especially they, needed to change. That their religious pedigree was no guarantee to escape the judging eye of God. In addition to all that, John told them they could change.

      John said “I offer you the chance to repent, ask God for forgiveness, and be baptized in the river. That is a start! But Jesus is the one who can finish the job with a cleansing and baptism with the Holy Spirit. That is what will transform you into who God wants you to be. I’m just the introduction, but Jesus is the three-year long sermon!”

      In verses 4-6 in our reading today, John quotes the prophet Isaiah. Through Jesus, God prepares the way for us and others to get back to him by “making paths straight, filling up the valleys, cutting down the mountains and hills; straightening the crooked ways, and smoothing out the rough ways.”  Mountains of pride and selfishness need to be leveled. Valleys of the denial of one’s need to be forgiven are to be filled. Crooked, immoral, and ungodly paths and ways need to be straightened. Rough places where we are guilty of judging and criticizing others must be made smooth.

      John knew that only Jesus could do all that in a person’s life, so he pointed the way to the Savior of the world.

      I believe the challenge is for each of us to follow the example of John the Baptist-pointing others to Christ. But first, let’s come into Christ’s presence asking him to fill us up, straighten us out, cut us down, and smooth us out. Prepare us to introduce Jesus to those who are waiting to hear.

Rev Tim McConnell, Long’s Chapel UMC, December 8, 2013