Sermon, Advent 3

* an Advent carol service
* text John 1.6-8, 19-28

WHO ARE YOU?

No really - who are you?

How do you describe yourself? What is your identity? What is your purpose? How would you tell someone, in 10 seconds or less, the summation of your entire being?

Tough question, isn't it?

Because how we answer that depends on who exactly is asking the question…

And how we are seeing ourselves that day…

And how we want to present ourselves in that context…

We all of us have many aspects of who we are.

Even asking "Who are you?" is a challenge, because it lacks context.

Yet it's the core of today's gospel passage. It's what John the Baptist is asked repeatedly.

And I think it's worth noting how this question is asked of him, and how it is answered.

The questioning comes from some priests and Levites - so religious scholars and lawyers - but it has its roots in some other group of people. A group unwilling to come out to the rivers' edge themselves in order to have a conversation (or perhaps condemnation) with wild-haired wilderness-man John.

Does it seem odd to anyone else that these questions about identity and purpose, are asked through go-betweens? Hmm. Who are THEY? What is THEIR purpose? Alas - we just don't know.

What we do know, however, is how John cleverly de-escalates what was possibly a terse and tense situation.

WHO ARE YOU? these folks demand.

And John answers with who he is NOT.

He seems to know that his mission and ministry, in fact his very existence, is causing a stir with the religious and political rulers of the time.

Who are you? they ask him. Tell us, so we can report back.

Hmm. We get clear insight into their identity and purpose, don't we?

However - back to John - It's kinda fun how he starts this dialogue. John knows that they want to trap him into saying something that is heretical - so he jumps right in to the deep end.

He is not the Messiah - he is humble, knows that God's holy anointed one is someone else.

Well then! Is he Elijah?

Nope, not him either - Elijah was a great prophet whisked into heaven in a flaming chariot, a hero from early scriptures. No, that identity belongs to someone else, he confirms. But thanks for checking my knowledge of the scriptures! he seems to imply.

How about the prophet?

By this they mean Isaiah - and again John says no. John knows his Jewish history and tradition, so even a question like this one will not catch him unawares. He may look (and smell) rather rough, but John is NOT a fool.

So... I picture the rabbis and Levites are at this point flummoxed. They have not been able to catch John in their trap - and they expected to do just that. They judged him on his appearance, and thought he was some crazy guy in the river with delusions of grandeur.

But no; John is clear; that's not me.

Deflated then, they ask him to just identify himself, just so they have some form of answer to take back to the unknown people that sent them. Who are you? What do you say about yourself?

And here's where it gets fun. Because John here gives them an unexpected reply: He said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord.'"

And it's here in the story that we find out who had sent these folks to begin with - the Pharisees.

Talk about suspense! I think the priests and Levites are now standing there, jaws dropped, as they realise the implications of what John has just told them. Because he has let them know that he is connected to the Messiah - that somehow, by the grace of God, he is the one to announce the coming of the Lord, the one for whom all the Jews have been waiting expectantly for thousands of years.

John has just said: "I fulfill the prophesy."

That's substantial news. For anyone, at any time.

It’s so shocking to these folks, that instead of acknowledging what he’s just told them, they deflect. They deny. They ask him why he’s baptizing if he’s not the Messiah, Elijah, or Isaiah.

Can you imagine how John was feeling? “I just gave you the truth, friends, and you won’t hear it. I’ve answered your question.”

Yet, John is not confrontational. In fact, his manner makes it even more important for us to hear his message. Because in choosing how he answers that one question, John articulates some very specific things.

John knows who he is, and who he is not.

He knows what his purpose is, and what it is not.
He is clear that his ministry is proclaiming and baptising with water, a baptism of forgiveness. He doesn't stop doing this just because he knows that Jesus is there. Rather he does this even more enthusiastically, knowing that it is part of the fulfillment of God's truth.

By doing his part, by knowing his God-given place, John is helping people to believe. He is helping to set the scene for the coming of the Christ. He is doing what he can, to bring about the Messianic wonders that will change the world forever.

John, as we hear at the beginning of the passage, is not the light of the world. But he came to testify TO the light. He came to testify to the light of the world, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

John was, like the rest of the people, Longing for the light. He was wanting and waiting and hoping to see the light of the Lord shining in the world, bringing about the promise of redemption and salvation.

John knew who he was. He knew who he was not. He knew what it was that God was calling him to do. And he knew that part of his life's purpose was to testify to the light.

So: who are you? Who are you not? And what is your purpose?

However you might answer those questions, I pray that you know - deeply know - some shared truths:

You are a beloved child of God.

You are not anyone but who God made you to be.

You are being called by God to do amazing things in this world.

And, part of your life's purpose is to testify to the light.

Especially in this season of preparation, this sacred season of Advent; I pray our hearts are all longing for the light that we have faith is coming soon.