As we continue this journey into the season of Advent, recall that the true meaning of Advent, in the mind of Jesus, is other centered. The coming of Jesus was centered on us – a wayward, sinful people who had become lost and didn’t really know it. The advent of Jesus came with an invitation to a new life, a new relationship, a new reality, a new and deeper experience of love. Jesus used the voice of others to encourage us to prepare for this new relationship, to open our hearts to this new relationship of love.
And so, the readings for this second Sunday of Advent, a new character comes on the scene - John the Baptist. John was an odd sort of person, dressed a little different than everyone else. His diet was a little strange, but perhaps low in fat and carbohydrates. But somehow the people recognized him as a prophet. For so long the people of his day waited for another prophet. It was 400 years since Malachi, the last prophet who had come among them. So the voice of a prophet had been silent for a long time. And now John the Baptist appears on the scene proclaiming loud and clear - ADVENT IS HERE!!! It is here NOW!!!
He was 'A voice of one crying out in the desert, Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.' In other words, 'ADVENT IS HERE! REFORM YOUR LIVES! THE REIGN OF GOD IS AT HAND.'
There was something compelling about John the Baptist’s message that drew the people to him, that compelled them to be “baptized as they acknowledged their sins.”
There was something PROMISED in his message. The message was not one of comfort; it was not an easy way out of their present turmoil. Not only did one have to confess their sins as a sign of repentance, but one had to change their life and produce "good fruit." A challenge! Yet even then, people came and were baptized. What attracted them to John? THE PROMISE.
What did he say? “I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” The PROMISE was the gift and power of the Holy Spirit – a Spirit that brings new life, new hope, new faith, a deeper love.
For the people of John’s day, repentance was at the very center of the Jewish faith just as it is at the very center of the Christian faith. Repentance involves confessing sin, turning away from sin and completely toward God. Jesus proclaimed a message of repentance during his own public ministry as well. For the Hebrew people, with the promise of the reign of God comes the promise of the Holy Spirit, bringing them new life.
1. The Hebrew word for spirit is “ruah’....the very breath which God breathed life into Adam. When this spirit of God enters us, the tired, lack-luster, weary, defeatedness of life is gone and a surge of new life enters us.
2. The word ‘Ruah’ also means wind...which symbolizes power. When the Spirit of God enters us, we are enabled to do the undoable, and to face the unfaceable, and bear the unbearable.
3. The Spirit of God is connected with the work of creation. The spirit of God creates, but also re-creates, taking our disorderly and frenzied lives and brings them into harmony with God.
4. The Jews assigned special functions to the Spirit. The Spirit brings truth and enables us to recognize God’s truth when we see it. The Spirit enters into human minds and hearts and turns human guesses into divine certainty, and changes human ignorance into divine knowledge.
When the Spirit enters our hearts, our eyes are opened; prejudices which blind us are taken away; the self-will which has been darkened by sin is removed and we are able to see...see with God’s eyes…..and then we give our lives/will to God.
It is no wonder that so many pe
