Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 & John 1:6-8, 19-28
Is Messiah Needed?
One of my all-time favorite Advent sermons was preached by William Willimon, native of Greenville and later Dean of the Chapel at Duke University. He spoke of the times in which we live as the time Between Two Advents. Christ has already come once in the babe of Bethlehem, and now we await Christ's return. Willimon speaks of the tension of living between two Advents. There are a certain number of the promises which have been fulfilled by that first coming. The arrival in Bethlehem lead to the sacrifice of Golgotha which results in our salvation. A certain number of the promises have been fulfilled. But others remain unfilled. In this time between two advents, we celebrate the fulfillment - while we look forward to the completion.
I don’t want to preach the same sermon I preached last week, so I have to be careful here. As with last week’s lessons, these also moved me to address the gap between were we are and where we want to be. But this week, my spirt was moved not so much with the gaps in our personal lives but rather with the gaps in our communal life. Not only are we, individually, a long way from where we want to be. As a society we also have tremendous ground to cover. If Jesus is the Light to the Nations, if he is the Prince of Peace then there ought to be signs of his having come; there ought to be indications that his followers are working to distribute these gifts to others.
You listened as Isaiah 61 was being read. The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners. You heard those words this morning, but you have heard them before. They are the exact words Jesus will use when the time comes for him to acknowledge who he really is. This passage, from Isaiah 61, expresses Jesus’ understanding of why it is that he came to the earth. He came, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.
That first advent accomplished many great things. But many things have been left unfulfilled.
Within our own liturgy, we speak of that which is lacking. One of the references to our Eucharistic celebration is to call it a foretaste of the feast to come. We acknowledge that what we experience is wonderful but that it isn’t all that there is. God has even more in store for us.
A certain number of the promises have been fulfilled; but others remain. Living between two advents, we look to that which has been accomplished, drawing strength as we wait for that which remains unfulfilled. We look, first in one direction, then in the other. We look back to experience the wonder and joy of an advent past. We look forward in anticipation of that which God has promised to do.
Those who are in need, find it comforting to look ahead. Looking forward to the future advent allows the development of hope. The promise brings to them the oil of gladness which replaces their mourning. Those who are in need, understand how essential it is to look ahead.
Even though separated by some 600 years, the time of Isaiah and the time of Jesus were similar in that both societies were in need. An occupying force determined the fate of God's people. Isaiah's prophecy, read for us this morning, was written during the time that the Israelites were held captive by the Assyrians. They were oppressed by this foreign power. At the time of Jesus' birth, the people of God were again under the dominion of a occupying force. This time it was the Romans who held them captive.
Here were a people in need. Their community life had been destroyed, their money taken to support another nation's army, their sons and daughters lured away to false gods or decadence. The people living before that first advent were stirred beyond compare with Isaiah's announcement of the long-awaited Messiah. Their need was real. So too were the promises offered by their prophet.
The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; (God) has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners.
As one generation heard Isaiah speak these words and as another generation listened, Jesus read these words in the Temple. These words, this promise instilled hope in the hearts and lives of people who could not trust in their own power. They were dependent upon God and the promise given to them announced that those who depend upon God will not be disappointed.
Living before the first advent, the people were continually looking forward - to the time of the fulfillment. Looking toward the future, they found the strength to endure in the midst of their need.
Living here, between that first advent and the next, we are sometimes tempted to only look back. To look upon the Jesus event as that which has forever and always accomplished all that we could hope for. Living here, between the first advent and the next, we can give thanks for the things that have changed, for the gift of salvation and the presence of the Holy Spirit. But we must also continue to look forward, to anticipate the time in which God will fulfill all things.
We are a people in need. In need of justice, equity, compassion.
Jesus’ promise is to bring good news to the oppressed. Certainly, there have been reductions in the number blatantly oppressive governments - but try to sell this achievement to those who continue to live in shanty towns and refugee camps.
Christ’s arrival was to bind up the brokenhearted. Why then do we continue to see so many folks with no one to care for them? Explain to me the isolation induced shooting sprees at any one those American High Schools.
To proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners. In one of his books, former President Jimmy Carter speaks of how in his era Governors spoke pridefully of how many prisoners had been returned to society. Now, bragging rights go to those who build the biggest and toughest cell blocks. Maybe it is because the issues are so complicated but what I find most disturbing is our seemingly total lack of interest in discovering and addressing the root causes of crime.
The arrival of Christ was a light, sent to the nations. Christ is the life of all people. The first advent signaled the receipt of these gifts. But things are not complete; things are not over. There is more to come.
During these days of our world’s observation of Christmas it would serve us well to consider what Christ’s arrival means. This celebration is about more than the birth of a cute little baby in Bethlehem. It is an acknowledgment that God has entered our world and is about the business of setting all things right.
Our celebration of these days would prove to be the most meaningful if we were to consider how it is that the events of an Advent past gives direction to our role in the coming of the next Advent. As our Methodist sisters and brothers are quick to point out – now that your salvation has been secured, what are you doing to mold the world into the place God knows (and desires) it to be?
To
paraphrase Luther’s Small Catechism, the second Advent will come regardless of
what we do. But let us pray that it will
come through us.
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