Luke 3:1-20  “The Country Preacher- John the  Baptist  11/29/09- 1^st Advent

                When I am travelling the backroads of South Carolina, or sometimes in the mountains of the Appalachians I will try to find a radio station, and occasionally get a “gospel station” with a country preacher.  The country preacher will be talking about hell, brimstone, fire, repentance, gasping for air, and soon I’ll change the channel.  Sometimes when I wake up early and turn on my TV, I will see a fellow with a strong southern accent reading the Bible and talking about the need for purity, holiness, and repentance.  I will listen for awhile, then change the channel.  Why do I not want to hear such things?  It maybe the way they are presented, I may, in my pride think that we are much more sophisticated than all that.  But it is more likely that I just don’t want to hear such things.  I don’t want to hear about hell, I’d rather concentrate on heaven.  I would much rather be motivated by the carrot than the stick.  I’ve got a feeling most of us in this room today would too.  Yet, the message of hell, punishment for sins, being held accountable for sins, and the need for repentance is certainly there in our scriptures- both Old and New Testament, and in our confessions. 
                People like to hear that things are going well with this life, and we can take our comfort and relax.  We don’t want people stirring up the pot, telling us to change our ways.  But the prophets were all about telling people to repent- to return to their first love and to their God.  Jesus said that the ultimate prophet- He said, “Among those born of women there is none greater than John the Baptist” (Mt. 11:11).  In my mind, John the Baptist was like a country preacher. 
                LIKE A COUNTRY PREACHER IN HIS DRESS- John the Baptist and Elijah were both country preachers.  John lived out in the country- in the wilderness/desert east of Jericho.  Elijah was from a small country town called Tishbe.  Both John and Elijah dressed funny, and ate funny things.  They dressed in a course camel-hair garment- which is a course, scratchy, cheap thing.  It probably would compare unfavorably to some of the work overhauls some wear out in the country.  This really contrasts with Herod’s fine robes, and it really contrasts with the fine clothes of our day.  They lived simply, and preached a simple message- get back to basics.  You can survive without all of these luxuries.  Take your extras and help someone in need.  If you have two cloaks give one away.  If you have the opportunity to squeeze someone for more money- like a soldier or a tax collector- don’t do it (I think John would be for lowering taxes).  His message was not a message of forced communism- that the rich had to share, but a message of the rich need to be much more generous than they were and needed to not think that just because they had a lot of money they were not accountable to God. 
                THEY WERE NOT AFRAID- They didn’t care what people thought of them.  They were not trying to be celebrities.  They didn’t have PR people publishing their latest sermons.  They didn’t have heralds going before them.  They were fearless.  Elijah confronted Ahab for his syncretistic religion- where he tried to pick some of the Canaanite worship and some of the worship of the Lord, and blend them together.  So John didn’t mince any words- he went up to Herod who had already killed a wife and a son by that time and rebuked him for taking his brother’s wife away and marrying her.  For their message the kings tried to kill them- Ahab didn’t kill Elijah, but Herod ended up beheading John.  Fearless preachers don’t fit in too well.  They don’t hobnob with the religious elite of the denomination.   They are not well respected and have outstanding names among the seminary presidents.  Fearless preachers are not swayed by the world, and are not caught up in it.  Both Elijah and John spoke in corrupt times.  Elijah lived ina time when he felt he was the only one left who believed.  John lived in a time of religious ferment and blatant unbelief.  I believe they would have a message for us today.  We live in a time in which church folks are easily lured by the world, and preachers are too.  The greatest need of our time is that we love God more and love the world less.  A recession is a great time to recognize that.  IF you can’t buy more, don’t want it.  There is more to life than things, or the love for things or the love for money.  Yet, there is really very little sign of people coming back to God.  Instead there is every sign that we will not repent for anything.   In the past when bad things happened to the country- like war, or recession, or even failure among our politicians there has been a time of fasting and prayer- today not much is going on.  So I want to invite you to a time of fasting and prayer on the Longest Night of the Year- December 21.  We will have a worship service that evening, and that is a time to really take seriously the dark night that is surrounding us. 
                THEIR MESSAGE- Their message was basically “come back to God.”  I have heard some talk about a “come to Jesus” moment.  That is what Elijah’s and John’s message was- come to God for God is coming to us. 
                A. REPENTANCE- This means to turn around.  It means you are going one direction and you stop and go the opposite way. Have you ever gone down the wrong way on a one way street?  A few years ago I did that in Charleston (which has lots of one-way streets) when I was near the Citadel.  I accidently turned, and then I noticed about three blocks down I was going the wrong way.  It was a narrow street and cars were parked on one side.  I couldn’t turn around.  I thought I would be okay, but then I noticed a car coming toward me.  What do you do when you’re going the wrong way on a one way street?  You stop and turn around.  But if you can’t turn around- instead of heading toward destruction, you stop and shift into reverse.  When we repent we stop going away from God- the wrong way- and reverse our direction.  John defined repentance in practical terms. He said if you have two coats you give one away.  He would be against hoarding if someone else is going without.  I’ve actually heard people respond to the recession and economic crisis by saying they’re going to start hoarding food and buying guns and ammo.  The devil would like for you to be afraid—very afraid.   Christians do not fear tomorrow- building bigger barns, but instead seek to share what they have.  Giving is an essential part of the Christian life, and one thing that distinguishes us from those who think this life is all about them, and they only have to live for themselves. We need to give to clean out our junk and make a spot- make room for Jesus in our busy, junky lives. 
                One of the key phrases of John the Baptist was that Jesus must increase, and he must decrease. In a way, this is what repentance means. Repentance means decreasing our focus on ourselves, and increasing our focus on God.  Repentance means we go the opposite from selfishness and pride, and instead seek to give all the glory and the honor to God.  John the Baptist embodied this.  He lived simply, and he sought to honor God more than himself.  God used him mightily, and God can use anyone mightily who will honor Him.  The Bible says, “He who honors me I will honor.”  Repentance, as taught and embodied by John means we quit going our own selfish way and go instead turn around and go God’s way- He must increase, we must decrease.  This is a math problem.  One person said that we cannot add God to our lives and not subtract sin.  But too many think that they can.  When God increases, sin and self have to decrease.
                B. PREPARE TO FACE GOD- Part of the message of John was that the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.  That is, God is about to do something in our time- and it will be marvelous in our eyes.  The things we think are last will become first.  Those we think are first will become last.  The stone the builders reject becomes the capstone- that is the kind of thing that happens when real advent occurs.   John and Elijah were saying that we are not taking God seriously enough.  It is evil times when those who wish to do evil are full of energy and those who believe in the good have weak hands.  I believe that describes our day.  If you died today, would you be prepared to face God?  John says he is coming quickly and his winnowing fork is in his hand.  That means he is ready to sift the wheat from the tares.  Jesus used the same imagery- when God comes he will sift the wheat from the tares or weeds.  At harvest time, the wheat is kept but the weeds or tares are burned up.  Jesus said don’t separate them now, but God will separate them.  In the church there are those who are washed in the water, but not in the blood- as the country song goes.  You can fake being a Christian before me and before the community, before your friends at school or even at home.  But when God appears what is done in a secret corner- hidden where no one can see- is proclaimed on the housetops. 
                Advent is a time of preparation.  It is not just a matter of preparing our homes with Christmas trees, wreaths, ribbon and eggnog.  It is time to prepare our hearts, our minds to come face to face with God.  God comes.  I can remember when my in-laws were coming to our very first house after we got married.  I really liked them and wanted to create a good impression on them and Kay did too.  So… the grass was cut, leaves were raked, the bushes were trimmed for the first time, floors were vacuumed and mopped, everything was dusted and windows were washed.  Some of you worked really hard to have everything was ready for Thanksgiving because special people were coming to your house.  All the decorations we put up at advent  are to remind us someone is coming.  The advent wreath is a reminder someone is coming.  But the preparing of our house does not come close to the preparing of our hearts. Jesus is not so concerned about coming into our homes as much as coming into our hearts and residing there.  John tells us to prepare the way for the Lord.  We do that by getting our hearts ready by cleaning them up with repentance.  Getting rid of the self-centeredness, rid of the pride, rid of our indulgence of things, and prepare the way for the Lord.  John was a different kind of preacher, but his message still rings true- repent and get ready to encounter God in your life. Amen.