By: The Rev. Canon Greg Goebel
John the Baptist looms large on the horizon during Advent. Why John? Isn’t this after the birth of Christ?
Why would we read this before Christmas?
John’s ministry was to prepare the way for Christ, which is what we are doing during Advent. You may remember beautiful story of the baby who leaped for joy? Well, this baby grew up, and now he is this very odd man. He lives in a cave. He eats locusts dipped in honey (try that if you are on a “biblical” diet). He wore a scratchy goat’s hair shirt and preached in the middle of nowhere. He was not married (which may be explained by his eating, dressing, and housing habits).
John the Baptist is the guy who shouts “WAKE UP!” He is the last prophet of the Law. Wait, why do we need a prophet of the Law to wake us up to the Messiah who showed us God’s grace?
The law of God shows us that our world is distorted and fallen from what it was created to be.
Why do we need to hear Law? Church Father Chrysostom says, “You don’t know to repent unless you know that you are off the mark.”
Sometimes we aren’t aware we are sick until the doctor shows us the test results.
We humans don’t always see the symptoms of our fallen, diseased world. We see selfdestructive behaviorsas if they are good. We seek death as if it is life.
In our world, people often wonder why we Christians need to point out that life is precious, and that it should be protected from conception to natural death. Why not just let people do what they will do?
Aren’t we only supposed to preach grace?
Grace doesn’t take root until we hear God’s law. We have to understand that we are broken, fallen people. We all are. And taking a life – before or after birth – is a sin against God, against another person, and against humanity. We have to be like John the Baptist and proclaim this.
And then, like John, we point to Jesus, the savior. Our goal is not to condemn but to point to our Savior Jesus Christ.