First Mennonite Church
December 1, 2024
Repentance: A Way of Living
Matthew 3:1-12
As we enter the Advent Season this year, (Advent means a time of waiting and expectation before God) it is especially important for us to take the time to look back at the path we have walked so far this year. At the height of this time in the year, perhaps even if to the slightest degree, we have been shaped, and molded, and perhaps we have even deepened a certain rote in our lives by following a certain pattern, whether intentionally or unintentionally. This possibility in and of itself is not a bad thing if what we have been shaped or molded into has made us a better person, a more faithful follower of Christ, a better parent or spouse. Or if the habit we have engraved deeper into our lifestyle has made us more disciplined, responsible, or aware of taking care of ourselves and our loved ones or towards the Lord. But if the shape we have been molded into and the habits we have gained have made us according to the forces that surrounded us, we, then, need to take advantage of this time to reconsider our path and seek to be reshaped, remolded, and redirected by God’s word as we anticipate celebrating the glorious gift of his Son.
As Christians, we confess that Christmas is not only a time for eating, drinking, and to be merry. At the heart of Christmas is the celebration of God’s decisive act of giving us a Savior—His Son, Jesus. Therefore, Advent is the time we should take to reflect on the meaning, expectations, and promises of God in giving his only Son to bring us to Himself.
The passage for today is where John the Baptist appears as God’s prophet.
John the Baptist is often called the “harbinger” or “forerunner” of Jesus. These titles simply mean: the one who signals the coming of something or someone, which, in this case, was Jesus’ entry into public ministry. John came forewarning the people of Jesus’ public appearance and message. In reference to Jesus, John announced, “After me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
It is clear that John’s description of who Jesus is can be the needed corrective most people make of Him during the Christmas season. Oftentimes, the image and purpose of Jesus that dominates Christmas time is one of a defenseless and dependent baby who remains so for the rest of the year that follows. His only purpose is to remind people of the beauty and innocence of childhood. However, when John introduced Jesus, he emphasized Jesus’ superiority as the one who would empower his followers with the Holy Spirit and godly zeal. Still, yet, John declares that His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
This verse is translated this way in The Message Bible:
He’s going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned.” (The Message Bible)
That is serious business! The One who is coming, the One who is anticipated during Advent is the One who deals with us.
Matthew quotes the prophet Isaiah regarding John the Baptist as the “voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”
John’s demeanor was not that of a typical Jewish peasant or rabbi of his time. He was dressed rather rustically. He did not wear any flashy garment but wore a tunic made of either camel’s hair or skin/leather, held around his body by a leather belt. His diet was that of the poorest of his people—locusts, some kind of edible grasshopper, and wild honey. Later in the gospel of Matthew, Jesus refers to John as someone who avoided banquets and parties, and because of that, the people thought he was demon-possessed (Matthew 11:18). And although John seemed rather unusual, his message was reaching far and wide. People from all over the place and from all walks of life started coming to hear John’s message and to be baptized by him.
John was a living sermon of simplicity and countercultural lifestyle. He was a living example of what repentance meant. But as we will see today, he also preached it verbally.
John’s coming was to prepare the way for the Lord and his message was: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
The kind of repentance John was calling for was not only about feeling sorry for personal mistakes and sins although it was implied. Repentance means to turn around, to take a new course of direction; it means making a 180-degree turn from which one is going. Repentance means starting again. In that regard, repentance could only be demonstrated by abandoning practices, habits, and values of self-centeredness. Repentance means embracing the new patterns of life according to Jesus’ message and example. Repentance turns us from self-centeredness to God and neighbor. John’s message of repentance concretely called his audience to stop the cycle of violence, injustice, and greed.
When the crowds asked John for ways to express repentance, John said, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.” And to others who came, he said repentance meant being honest, avoiding violence, and doing justice. As you know, repentance means to turn around and to choose another course. The emphasis is less on what is wrong with what we’re doing now and more on what is important and necessary to do differently.
Repentance also highlights that change isn’t necessary for change’s sake. Rather, change is necessary because we’ve become aware that our actions are out of step with God’s deep desire for peace and equity for everyone. Therefore, repentance is realizing that we’ve been traveling one way while God is pointing us another way; thus, we now want to change course.
As John was preaching and baptizing, some Pharisees and Sadducees also came to be baptized. John realized that they assumed if they got baptized they would be spared from God’s judgment. But John reminded them that baptism without evidence of repentance was futile and self-deceiving because God already knows what is in the heart of each. In fact, John’s words to the Pharisees and Sadducees were nothing short of a harsh insult. He called them a “brood of vipers.” As this incident reveals, hiding behind any religious practice without living its true meaning is self-deceiving.
If John’s core message was to repent and to “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance,” from what should we turn around or start all over again? How would fruit of repentance look like in our lives? I want to invite you to look at the way you relate to those around you. What changes would you make? What aspect of your relationship will you focus on to change? Will you be gentler in your speech to someone with whom you cannot see eye to eye? Will you trust more? Will you try to listen to those whom you might have written off?
Once again, if repentance is aligning our lives to the will of God, in what way will you seek to align your everyday life to God’s will? Will you give God more of yourself, of your time? What changes would you make in your daily use of your money and your talents? How would you join with God in raising the quality of human life and dignity?
My dear sisters and brothers, let us begin this time of anticipation before God by reviewing our lives. Let us see where God is pointing us compared to where we are. Let us adjust our lives through repentance. Yes, it is a daunting task. It involves our entire life and lifestyle. It involves matters of the spirit, and of the heart, but also includes our material life.
Let us remember that the fruit of all our actions takes the form of both wheat and chaff—things that are life-giving and things that ought to be discarded. So let us allow God to sort it all out in our lives.
Again, this is the message of John to us: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” And, “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” Amen.
Pastor Romero