Expecting Joy – A Advent 3 – Dec 12 2010

They say that there are only thirteen days until Christmas.  To tell you the truth, I find it hard to believe.  All those things that are supposed to be done seem to be thrown together.  Activities at school have been planned at the last minute, shopping has been done, but only because it has to be, deadlines are fast approaching.

 

It seems as if another Advent and Christmas will fly by without so much as a wave – so long fair well, thanks for the presents, we’ll see you again next year.

Some questions I’d like us to ponder: Don’t we expect more?  Have our expectations around Christmas been met?  Have our expectations around life been met?  Is this what Christmas is supposed to be or is there another?  Is this the life we were created for or is there another?

 

To say the least George was a little disappointed.  He didn’t start investing right away, so when his son finally convinced him to plan for retirement, George threw all he could at the financial advisor.  George never really understood where the money went, but made sure it wasn’t risky and would have a decent return.  George knew that risk and reward would be balanced, but as long as George could continue living as he had with a few extra pleasures in his extra time, he would be content.

 

When George cashed his investments in, the pay out was lower than expected.  In fact, George’s return was barely more than the heartache he got from thinking about all that he should have had. George should have had enough to cover the monthly bills to keep on with his status.  He should have had enough for a good life; enough to leave behind too.  This was more than a disappointment.  This was disaster.  Perhaps the worst part was that George had expected more.  If only he didn’t have those expectations, if only he hadn’t hoped, he wouldn’t have been so disappointed.  Was this the life he had hoped for, or was there another?

 

John also had a few expectations.  He was sent to prepare the way and he prepared it all right.  He stood out in the wilderness, wore camel skin tunics, ate wild honey, and proclaimed doom just as all the old prophets had done.  He proclaimed repentance, told the folks to turn from their ways and to be prepared for the Messiah.  The Messiah came and John was ready for everything to change.  John baptized the Messiah, which John thought was a little odd, but he did it anyways.

 

Now we can’t be sure, but it seems as though John was ready for the revolution, just like the other Jews.  The new way, the new life, the Messiah was to revolutionize, overthrow the government, and establish a new kingdom.  So when John landed in jail, you could say that he was disappointed.  But it was no big deal, Jesus was on the scene, He would break out all those imprisoned unjustly as the Romans are tossed and the Jews take over.  Herod would become a casualty of the war and John himself would be promoted quickly as the troops were rallied.

 

So as John sat in Herod’s prison day after day, disappointment began to fester into doubt.  Was Jesus actually the Messiah?  Was He the one, or was there another to come?  I read expectations in John’s question; I wonder if John’s question is his polite way of saying “If you are the one, then get on with it.  Bust me outta here and let’s get our heads together and bring this kingdom you speak of now.  What are you waiting for?”  John’s expecting some action, some results.  And as we all know, John ends up beheaded in Herod’s prison.  Not exactly part of John’s expectations.

 

Here we are, December 12, 2010.  And we have created our own prisons.  To each and everyone our prisons are different.  Our prisons are whatever is holding us back, keeping us locked up so that we can not truly experience the joy of Christmas.  To some gambling is a prison.  To others work.  To others drinking, and to others television or the internet.  Others may not feel locked up, but our sins add up to a life sentence in a prison with no way out.  What is keeping you locked up, so that you can only look out and ask, “Is this the life I am meant to lead or is there another?”

 

So I ask you this, as a new Christmas approaches, is this Christmas just another Christmas for you?  Is your Advent spent preparing to maintain the status quo, tree up, presents bought, lights hung, stockings hanging so we don’t disappoint those who are expecting status quo?  Or are you preparing for a new life, one that is refined by the arrival of a Saviour?

 

It is tragic to know that John remained imprisoned despite the arrival of the Saviour.  It is difficult to find any joy in John’s story, because as a captive, he was never set free of the prison that held him captive.  Wasn’t Jesus to come to help the blind to see, the lame to walk, the lepers cleansed, the deaf to hear, and the dead to be raised?  Isn’t there supposed to be something in there about the captives being freed?  Interestingly enough in both the Isaiah lesson and the Gospel, prisoners are not mentioned.  Too bad for John, too bad for us?

 

As Jesus sends to John, look at what you hear and see.  As we read earlier, Jesus promises a life a new life of freedom – the blind will break free of their chains and see, the lame will break free of their imprisonment and will see.  The lepers cleansed, the deaf will hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.  These are causes for joy, they are evidence of a new way to live – freed from our bondage by the Saviour.

 

In our expectations for this Christmas, can we remember that a doctor doesn’t come to the house of the healthy, nor does the Saviour arrive for the righteous?  Can we remember that the Saviour came for us, the sinners, so that not only can we see, walk, hear, but that we can live – not only in this world, but in the next as well.  Can we remember that we are the blind, we are the lame, we are the sick, the deaf, and the poor?  This is the darkness of our world.  But even in the darkest time of our year, in the darkest times of our lives, Christ comes, the Saviour arrives.  Upon His arrival, we are able to see through His eyes the love that we are to be and to see the love that is in each one of us.  We are able to walk in His ways to lead others by example.  We can hear His good news and share it with the world around us.  And, to realize, that in fact we are rich in His love, and we have an abundance to share.  What a joy to receive these gifts.

 

So is this the life that we were meant to live, or is there another?  Is there another full of joy as our needs are met and promises revealed?  Is there another where a baby arrives to reveal in us the love that God gave us?  There is.  Thanks be to God.

 

And may the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Amen.