Date: 6^th December 2008

Preacher: Richard Dingley

Churches: Draycott

Readings:

Isa 40, 1-11

2 Peter 3, 8-15a

Mark 1, 1-8

Advent 2

St. Mark begins his Gospel at the start of the action! It is an abrupt entry into the events immediately before Jesus begins his earthly ministry. It is a Gospel full of action and reaction. Mark omits the advent of Jesus into the world and those years prior to the time when he is called to start his public ministry. John the Baptiser opens the story. He was commissioned to be the forerunner of the Messiah as predicted in the prophesies of Isaiah and Malachi. The people of Israel were looking for their promised Saviour and here was the announcement of his imminent arrival.

On this second Sunday in Advent our attention is drawn to John, this austere man living in the desert, eating a restricted diet and wearing basic clothing. He was counter-cultural in a big way, but a magnetic personality. He got his message across powerfully – and yet the people could not relate their image of the temporal, free us from Rome, military type of Messiah that they wanted with the person who was introduced to them by John at the Jordan baptistery. Yes, they would applaud the teaching and wisdom of Jesus; they would dote on his healing ministry and the miracles he performed but they could not accept the ‘suffering servant type Messiah found in the prophets. They sought a militant ruler, a temporal leader not one whose Kingdom was not of this world.

We too, as the followers of Jesus in the messy and failed materialism of our day, have a similar function to John. We too are called by Jesus to be his witnesses, to be his forerunners. We too are called to be counter-cultural in our life style. Just as John had the task of preparing the way for the ministry of Jesus on earth we are commissioned to prepare the way for Jesus to return in glory! He is coming back as he promised, not to be just the saviour of the world but to be its judge. He will return and in great glory. Everyone will see him and bow down before him. Then he will separate the wheat from the weeds, the sheep from the goats; even the wolves in sheep’s clothing from his true sheep! Then there will be great rejoicing among the saints who know him as their Lord but great sorrow and fear for those who have rejected his offer of salvation. Our choices in this world will have eternal consequences for each and every one of us. So often the church, and each of us has and still does lose the plot! So often we fail to follow his teaching and example, to live as his followers. Our commission is to continue his work; to bring good news to the poor, heal the broken hearted, as well as to heal the sick. (Is 61 1-3) What can we do about it? What are we doing about it?

So what is the message for us in this passage? I believe that we are challenged to follow in the wake of John. That as he was called to prepare Israel for the coming of the physical Jesus we have the onerous role of being the forerunners of Jesus as king and of proclaiming that he is returning to this world in glory. People need to be warned, need to repent; need to be made conscious of their need of a saviour and of the consequences of ignoring the salvation offered to us by the Lord of creation and redemption, not only for the present but for all eternity.

May we not be found wanting when the master returns and reviews the work of his servants. Amen