Year B, 3 Advent

Again, I apologize for the gap in posting, computer problems for a while (had to get a new moniter) and then it just seemed like quite a task. I'll do my best to catch up.

This sermon was given at St. Andrews in Carbondale.

As I’m sure you know, the lectionary we use for our Sunday lessons is a 3 year cycle. Year A, focused on the Gospel according to Matthew, just ended and we are now in Church Year B, and most of our gospel readings come from the Gospel according to Mark. Year C, the 3rd year of the cycle, focuses on the Gospel according to Luke—and the Gospel of John is sprinkled among the three.

If you read the 4 gospels, it is clear that one of these 4 things is not like the others. John seems to have a different language almost. From the prologue (you know, “in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the Word was God) to his parables its’ a different animal. There are many stories in John that don’t appear in the others—the Synoptic gospels—like the Miracle at the Wedding in Caana, to the story of the Samaritan woman, to the woman caught in adultery (whoever is without sin cast the first stone).

It’s from the Gospel of John that we believe Jesus’ public ministry lasted about 3 years, from about year 27 to 30, because it mentions 3 Passover feasts. Mark’s gospel was the first to be written, probably around the year 70. And John’s gospel was probably the last of the four to be written, and it presumes knowledge of the others—evidenced by the remark in today’s gospel “John, of course, had not yet been thrown into prison.” John was probably written by year 100—the author had many more years to reflect on Jesus’ mission and ministry, to develop the theology which is more present in this gospel.

The Gospel of John is my favorite—so I’m always glad to see it pop up in the lectionary.

But sometimes the lectionary reading doesn’t start where I think it should—and so I’d like to back up a verse. Verse 22 says “Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he spent some time there with them and baptized.” The Gospel of John presents the only evidence that Jesus—or his disciples—baptized, though in chapter 4 it is clarified that it was his disciples who were baptizing, presumably with Jesus’ authorization. Probably a good thing that Jesus himself wasn’t baptizing—can you imagine the elitism that might have resulted in being baptized by Jesus? And in our gospel—John the Baptist was also baptizing—they seemed to be working the same area, perhaps even working together.

A dispute broke out between one of the Baptists followers and another man. We don’t know what the nature of the disagreement was—though it probably had to do with baptism. Perhaps it was a question by someone from the Jewish leadership regarding the nature of John’s baptism. Baptism was common for gentiles converting to Judaism, but Jews weren’t routinely baptized, though ceremonial washings for purification were common. Perhaps they thought that baptism for Jews didn’t make sense—and why is this man baptizing?

In any event, the fact of Jesus’ followers also baptizing must have come up, and the issue regarding the nature of baptism loses importance in light of the perceived threat presented by Jesus’ growing popularity. John’s followers seem to be more than a little jealous, even though they were witnesses of John’s testimony concerning Jesus—Jesus who received the Spirit, Jesus, the Lamb of God. Jesus, the coming one. John’s followers though don’t even mention Jesus by name. “Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordon, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” They aren’t too happy about this situation, and resent Jesus’ increasing fame.

John the Baptist’s response is meant as a corrective. “No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven.” If Jesus has received more followers’ then they were given from heaven, from God. In fact, all of life is a gift, all is grace, all is from God. As such, Jesus should not be criticized. After all, John reminds them that he had said “I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.” He is like the best man at the wedding—sharing in the bridegroom’s joy. The best man rejoices in his friend’s happiness. The Baptist concludes, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” John knows his role is to be 2nd fiddle, to point to Jesus. He has even encouraged his disciples to follow Jesus. “He must increase, but I must increase.” While “the Baptist continued to have a following . . . it is probably part of John the Evangelist’s purpose to set straight followers of the Baptist in his own day.”[1]

“John [the Baptist is] a model of humility. . . . He is completely self-emptied, being defined solely in terms of Jesus. His example of humility is expressed most memorably here: He must become greater; I must become less. . . .John’s joy is in fulfilling God’s will for his life—a model of Christian discipleship.”[2]

So where do we find our joy? Is joy a word that characterizes us? Sadly, I’m not sure that all too many Christians would be characterized that way. Certainly there seems to be an absence of joy in our world, as well as a shortage of commitment, constancy, patience and perseverance—and an overwhelming interest in self-esteem, self-assertiveness, self-enhancement, and self-realization. Do you hear a theme here? Is there a connection between our obsession with self—and our absence of joy? Perhaps!

I think sometimes it’s a good idea to reflect on the lives of the saints—big S or small S. We can get a different perspective on things. So today I’d like to introduce you to Charles Simeon.

Charles was born in 1756 in England, and apparently his mother died when he was very young. His father was a wealthy attorney, but not a Christian. When Charles was 7 he was sent to The Royal College of Eton, the best boarding school. He was known for his fancy dress, athleticism, and his tendency to be a show off. Charles was also rather homely. He did receive a good education, and at 19 he went to Cambridge. In those days Cambridge was not a Christian place, except perhaps in form, and early on he was required to attend the Lord’s Supper. And he was frightened, somehow knowing that he was unworthy. He tried to repent, but got nowhere, really, except that he made it through his first communion. He continued to study and search, and during Holy Week he read something that made him realize that he could cast his sins on Jesus—that God had provided a sin offering for him. By Easter he was filled with joy, knowing he was right with God and that Jesus his savior.

Without any outside support, he became a zealous Christian. He was ordained as a deacon in the Church in 1782, and later that year he became vicar of St. Edwards Church in Cambridge when their previous vicar died. He was pastor there for 54 years!! He had a great impact on many students passing through the University, and was very involved with the growing missionary movement growing in England. And he preached—he presented 21 volumes of his collected sermons to the King in 1833, 3 years before he died.

But Simeon’s life was far from easy. The people in St Edward’s Church didn’t want him—they wanted the assistant curate to be the new vicar and opposed him at every turn. For 12 years he was not allowed to preach a Sunday evening service—they hired an assistant to keep him out. And Sunday mornings weren’t much better. Those were the days when people “owned” their pews, and they were cubicles that locked. The parishioners locked the pews and didn’t show up. When Charles set up seats in the aisles, they threw them out! When he went to visit, doors rarely opened. For 12 years, he persevered in his service through word and prayer and community involvement, and finally, finally the congregation came around.

For a while. In 1812, after he had been there over 30 years, he again hit a rocky spell—one might think it was time to move on. But he stayed and worked through it, and in 1816 the church was filled with peace.

Talk about a tough situation!! I’m not sure there are many today who would persevere through all that!! I’m not sure I would! But Charles had a few things going for him. He had a strong sense of accountability to God for his charge, for his church. He spent many hours in prayer and study. He was involved with the community. He knew he was commissioned, not by the people, but by the Lord. His preaching was never accusative, but grounded in scripture. He lived a modest lifestyle, and was ever optimistic—at least in public. If he suffered, it was for the privilege of bearing the cross with Christ. And he imitated John the Baptist—it was his chief aim to grow downward in humility and upward in adoring communion with God. His adoration grew as he searched out and understood his own sinfulness. He sought to be “not only humbled and thankful, but humbled in thankfulness before God and his Savior”. He served and preached until 2 months before he died at the age of 77, in 1836, a remarkable example of persistence, patience and perseverance.

Echoing the Baptist, I pray that Christ will increase in us while we decrease. And like Charles Simeon, May we grow downward in humility and upward in adoration of our Lord and Savior, that our Joy may be full. Amen.

[1] Whitacre, Rodney. The IVP New Testament Commentary Series: John. Intervarsity Press, 1999, p. 96.
[2] Ibid, 97.