The Fourth Sunday of Advent

The Scriptures for today fourth and last Sunday of Advent are Luke chapter 3 verses 1 thru 6. These verses tell of the beginning of John the Baptist’s ministry or work. John, the cousin of Jesus, and also a miraculous baby, had lived in the desert for years, He wore animal skins and ate a diet of locusts and honey. We don’t know too much more about him except that he preached that the messiah was coming and the people had better be ready for him. He preached a sermon of repentance and the need to turn away from sin. He was one “Crying in the wilderness, “Make way for the lord.”

Have you ever yelled in the wilderness? And by that I mean stand up say what you know is right but no will agree with you. Have you ever felt so alone in a dark place that you think it would be better to just be quiet and go back to safety? I am sure John felt this many times.

John was the herald of the Lord. He knew that Jesus would soon start his ministry and it was his job to prepare a way for him. He called and called and people began to come to him. They came to see him but then they were so convinced by him that they needed to repent that they stayed and were baptized by him for repentance. John brought people to a place of humility before God so that they would be ready for Jesus.

Many many people came to be baptized by John and some even stayed. We know that two apostles of Jesus began by staying with John. These would be Andrew the brother of Peter and John who would write the Gospel and call himself the “one Jesus loved”. These two John would send to Jesus. I think that must have been very difficult to send two people who stayed with him in the desert, two people whom he must have loved, to follow someone else. I think he must have felt not unlike a parent who knows it’s time to let the child leave the home.

Today, spend some time thinking about John The Baptist. Think about how hard his life was and how he chose stand in the wilderness and preach repentance. Think about the times you were last called to stand alone and your own reaction to that. Ready yourself today for the celebration of Jesus birthday that begins tomorrow night. If you haven’t thought about Jesus or considered who he is, ready yourself, think about who he is and who he claimed to be, make a decision. Jesus stands at the door and knocks at every heart and in every person. Let him in.

Three days of our mutual journey to Christmas left. It’s hard to believe that December has passed so quickly and the New Year is almost upon us. Time seems to March ever faster, and our lives are more and more like a vapor that fade very quickly. It is what we do here on Earth that counts. The good we do for others. How we reached out and how we loved is what we will be remembered for.

In A Christmas Carol Jacob Marley laments to Scrooge what he did not know in life. Read these words more than once.

“”Oh captive bound and double ironed” cried the phantom, “Not to know, that ages of incessant labor by immortal creatures, for this earth must pass away into eternity, before the good of which it is susceptible is all developed. Not to know that any Christian Spirit working kindly in its little sphere, whatever it may be, will find it’s mortal life too short for its vast means of usefulness. Not to know that no space of regret can make amends for one life’s opportunities missed, yet such was I! Oh such was I”"

Jacob realized that his life was full of missed opportunities for doing Good. He admits that he threw away the work God had sent him to do in favor of obtaining money, and now he is in eternal torment, wanting to be able to help but not being allowed to do so.

Dickens goes on to tell that Marley leaves through Scrooge’s bedroom window and upon looking out Scrooge sees the air filled with wailing spirits. Some of them he even knew while they were alive, Dickens explains why they cried in misery.

“The misery with them all was, clearly, that they sought to interfere, for good, in human matters, and had lost the power forever.”

As we get closer and closer to Christmas, I think it would be good to find things to do for others, and then continue that practice throughout the year. Dickens said that any “Christian Spirit working kindly in its little sphere,” would find his life or her life far too short for all the good it can do.

So today do good for someone. It doesn’t have to be huge. Being kind in the little things is just as important as the big ones. Bring a co-worker a cup of coffee. Volunteer to make tea for your spouse. Give your husband or wife a back rub. Do acts of kindness that you can accomplish. If it snows, shovel your neighbors walk, as well as your own. Any act of kindness that you personally do, will bring great joy both to the person who you do it for and for yourself.

Allow me to make one other suggestion. Most of us will be in a store in the next couple of days. When it’s your turn at the register, don’t be on your cell phone, and greet the person behind the counter. Smile at them and say something pleasant. Give any encouragement that you can because doing this small act of kindness you may give them the energy they need to deal with the miserable people who will soon come their way. Small acts of kindness have huge effects.