Advent 3

Advent 3 GIFTS ARE ALWAYS GIVEN! 12/8 & 11/05

“There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John.” (John 1:6) How simply our Gospel lesson begins. John was, by some reports, a curious man. Everything about him was in the extreme, from his austere and harsh lifestyle---eating locusts and wearing clothes of camel hair---to his manner of speech---crying out in the wilderness. His mission was to prepare people for the mighty thing that was about to explode before them---to point to the magnificence that was on the verge of entering human history in their humble locale. John’s purpose, with appropriate God-given gifts, was to point the way to (JESUS) The Way and, then, get out of the way. John’s mission was one of preparing people for the coming of Christ. The more effectively John fulfilled his God-given purpose, the less noticeable and more irrelevant he became.

We, the church of Christ today, are preparing---and inviting others to prepare---for the coming of Jesus. During Advent, these weeks of preparation, we are looking at some of the primary personalities surrounding the coming of Christ, identifying their spiritual gifts, and highlighting how they demonstrated these gifts.

Let us acknowledge that in order for a “gift” to be a “gift,” there must be a “giver”! When it comes to spiritual gifts…God-given gifts…God is always the Giver. Unlike most every other kind of gift, we do not “shop” for spiritual gifts, we do not “select” our spiritual gifts, and we do not “purchase” our spiritual gifts. As recipients of God’s gifts, we can only discern and demonstrate these gifts to God’s honor and glory.

God gives gifts with a purpose. Every human life has meaning. John’s purpose is clearly revealed in our Gospel lesson. The Jerusalem Bible translates (John 1:7) : “He came as a witness, to speak for the Light, so that everyone might believe through him.” A more contemporary translation reads: “John came to show everyone where to look and who to believe in.” However you read this verse, it is clear that John’s life had a specific purpose and God gave him the gifts to get it done!

John was a passionate, yet humble, man. He demonstrated in a compelling way a quality that runs so contrary to our human nature. John realized that the world did not revolve nor center around him. Sure, most people today would say that they realize and accept this same truth, but the evidence shouts far louder than the world’s soft-spoken words. John was not full of himself, nor did John expect to have his own way. Rather, John showed others The Way in the person of Jesus. Verse 6 states this so succinctly: “He himself was not the Light; he came only as a witness to the light.” John’s actions perfectly matched his words, looking no farther than vs. 20: “He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Christ.’” John was a witness, with the spiritual gift of an evangelist, as he sought to bring others to Jesus Christ.

Spiritual maturity---the ever-developing walk with Christ---is indicated by, among other qualities, a clarity pertaining to identity. In other words, a clear self-understanding of who we are and who we are not. The religious leaders asked John: Are you “the Christ” or “Elijah” or “the Prophet”…all tempting, siginficant titles for the spiritually immature. Don’t miss the promptness of John’s repertoire of responses: “I am not” and a simple “No.” Moses had told the people, recorded in Deuteronomy 18:15 “The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee.” John directly denied that this honor was his. I believe John had been given the spiritual gift of prophecy…yet, by John’s own testimony, he might have been a prophet, but he was not the Prophet about whom Moses had spoken. About this, John was clear.

Finally, regarding spiritual gifts, each of us must first discern who God is before we can discern who we are and why we are, at all. This is not the short-sighted determination of “Who God is to me?”, for God’s existence and identity do not depend upon us. We do not make God God. We must each discern the general and basic theological premise: “Who is God?” Thereafter, we strive to discern our purpose in living based upon the belief---the fact of faith---that life has a purpose!

What John was saying through his words and works is this: “I am nobody; I am only a voice telling you to get ready for Somebody…the coming of the King.” John was what every faithful preacher, teacher, and disciple ought to be---he was only a voice, one pointing to the coming King. The last thing John wanted people to do was to look at him; he wanted them to quickly forget him and see, and remember, only Jesus. What a gift! God give us grace to forget ourselves and to remember only Jesus. AMEN.