The Light of Messengers - h2o devos loc 121112

In my work I grow weary

Lost on this road of desires

Where is the path that leads homeward?

To bring me back to your fire.

Lift these eyes of sadness into gladness at Your peace

I am lost and weary, come shepherd me.

Ever Walk With Me Lord by Peter Mayer

Advent 2c
December 9, 2012
Pastor Ronald T. Glusenkamp 

Sermon:  “Messengers” 

“Thunder in the desert! Prepare God’s arrival! Make the road smooth and straight! Every ditch will be filled in. Every bump smoothed out. The detours straightened out. All the ruts paved over. Everyone will be there to see the parade of God’s salvation.” Luke 3 -­‐ THE MESSAGE 

Blessed be the holy Trinity,
+ one God,
the Lord of Israel who comes to set us free,
the mighty Savior who comes to show mercy,
the Dawn from on high who guides us into peace. Amen.

John the Baptist makes his entrance into our Advent consciousness. It’s as if he is “photo bombing” -­‐ the practice of sneaking into the picture right before it is taken. So, we gather here this morning and in our picture we have Peyton Manning and lots of people wearing orange and blue. We have some brightly lit Christmas Trees. There are also busy shoppers hoping for great sales and discounts, while resort owners, skiers and snowboarders pray for SNOW! There are Salvation Army bell ringers and Metro CareRing 12.12.12 volunteers calling attention to hungry families. Choir members and carolers singing their songs of hope and joy.

Perhaps due to sadness, life events or personality there is a Grinch or two as well. Little children are in the front of the scene standing with their lists with their wondrous hope and innocent eyes of belief and joy. Eggnog, candy canes, Christmas cookies and the ubiquitous fruitcake are basic staples, which have been placed on the table filled with candles reflecting the light and love from above. Grandparents recall the past while hoping and praying for the wellbeing of their families. Teenagers and techno-­‐savvy adults text friends and stay connected that way. College students at school are winding up finals. Those who have lost a loved one in this past year shed a single solitary tear for their departed one. Politicians, money managers and news junkies wonder and worry if or when we tumble over the fiscal cliff. That is the scene we find ourselves in and watching this day.

The words from Luke 3, this time from the King James Version,

“Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; 6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” 

Last week, we focused our attention on the BRANCH, the root of Jesse, Jesus Christ our Lord. This week we are confronted by a MESSENGER, John the Baptist who makes us stop and think for just a moment or two. By his curious dress, diet and demeanor we are impelled and compelled to survey our own spiritual landscape and the contextual landscape of our lives. This call for analysis and repentance has us asking,

• “What valley needs to be filled?” Are those the spaces and places of vulnerability and woundedness?
• “What mountain shall be moved and reduced to an ant hill?” Is that pride, arrogance and anger?
• “What crooked-­‐zig-­‐zaggy parts and pieces of us can be ironed out by the heat and light of God’s laser beam of commandments and law?” How many treatments will that take?
• “What is rough, so edgy and torn?” that it needs a treatment or two from a heavenly Black and Decker power sander to make it SMOOTH?
• “And when shall we see the salvation of God?”

John the Baptist is the advance man for Jesus Christ. He comes into our lives with all sorts of harvest time and end time language. He has wild eyes and is scary. I don’t think I’d let him visit the kids in the nursery. Or, for that matter, let him be a guest preacher on Christmas Eve! But, as the rest of the story will tell us, he is a messenger but not THE MESSAGE. He points to the ONE who is on the way. In fact, the ONE who called himself the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE.

You and I are called to be messengers, too. We might not have the same role as John the Baptist, but we are called to be involved in the construction business of restoration, hope and peace. For this Jesus is coming once again. He was and is and will be the HOPE for the world. Here is the spiritual blueprint for what’s going to happen:

Once again from THE MESSAGE-­‐

“Thunder in the desert! Prepare God’s arrival! Make the road smooth and straight! Every ditch will be filled in. Every bump smoothed out. The detours straightened out. All the ruts paved over. Everyone will be there to see the parade of God’s salvation.” Luke 3 -­‐ THE MESSAGE

Amen 

rtg