Advent 3 Luke 3:7-18

10 days to go until the big day, anticipation is steadily rising, children are hunting round houses trying to find where mum and dad have hidden the presents, tinsel is clogging up hoovers everywhere and the lights are dazzling. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, in Hollywood movies.

The reality might look a little like that for most of us, but it would be true to say that this year like many that have gone past, Christmas will not be in the idyllic fairytale portrayed in our favourite Christmas movies.

The world is hurting, wars are raging, rising living costs, unprecedented levels of refugees bunkering down in camps desperately trying to keep their children warm. In our own country, in our own county, in our own community there will be people struggling this Christmas in one way or another. The world is broken and in need of a saviour.

Fortuitus then that the prophet cries,

“Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away the judgements against you, he has turned away your enemies. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst!”  

Christ has come into the world. God incarnate, the king of Israel and the saviour of the world was born some 2000 years ago in poor surroundings after a lengthy journey by his parents during a bureaucratic endeavour. Sounds as if it could have happened last Tuesday doesn’t it. Young couple get a phone call from the local council that some paperwork is due, they set off, get stuck in traffic, arrive just in time and then wham straight in labour.

And if we look at our gospel reading this morning, we see that it is about preparation. The crowds ask John, “What then should we do?”

In other words what should we do to not be left wanting.

I was watching a TV show the other night called Not Going Out, some of you may have seen it, on the BBC with Lee Mac. And in this episode Lee’s family and another family they’re friendly with go camping. They sort out all the preparation, get the tent up with a comedic difficulty, and then when everyone is tired and hungry, exhausted from the long day, Lucy, Lee’s wife, says “Lee what was the last thing I asked you to do before we left?” he replies, pick up the right hamper, and then camera pans over to see the hamper filled with dressing up clothes. Lee has failed in his preparations and brought the wrong hamper; they are left wanting.

A trivial example but nonetheless applicable to what is going on here. The crowds are demanding of John that he tells them what they need to do.

John’s who purpose was about laying the groundwork for Jesus.

In last week’s Gospel reading Luke sets the scene for us. He places John and everything that is happening in the context of both the location, the Jordan river and the of the political and religious power, we know that Tiberius is emperor, that Pilate is governor and maybe more importantly we know that Caiaphas is high priest, strongly influenced by his Father in Law Annas.

Luke is careful in how he builds the picture, and at the end of Chapter 3 in Luke’s gospel we have the baptism of Jesus himself.

We start with the problem, we move onto the preparation and then we end with the solution. The solution of course being Jesus.

These people we see asking John how to avoid being chopped and down thrown into the fire are doing the work we’re all supposed to be doing in advent.

Advent is a journey of preparation, a time of trial and hard work before the celebration. We cannot get to the final destination unless we prepare for the journey ahead.

We should be asking of ourselves where the areas are we need to change and improve upon so that when that time comes, we too will not be found wanting.

Part of the preparation however needs to be the realisation that it’s not all about whipped ourselves into shape. But that we should also have joy in our hearts. The prophet said after all Rejoice and exult with all your hearts.

Within this season of preparation, we get a respite of sorts, a day to celebrate the anticipation of Jesus’s coming. Because while we need to prepare our hearts, we should also rejoice that he is on the way. The saviour of the world who will wash away every stain of sin from those who love him.

John prepared the way, he proclaimed goodnews to the people, he ensured they knew who was coming and why that was important.

Every year in Church we get a crowd gather, friends and family descend upon us, both in Church and in our homes. Each year we have a moment to act like John did, to proclaim the Goodnews to those around us. Every year we get the chance to help prepare the way for the King.

For some of us that might seem rather daunting, but it should be exciting, every year, and to be honest every day, we get the chance to play a part in pathing the way, in proclaiming good news.

Think of all the people who will come to our carol services today, the nativity next week, the midnight mass. People who would never normally darken the door of the Church. We have an opportunity to proclaim good news to them, to show them that there is something in this Christian thing, that’s it not just a nice story, a historical belief system, but rather an UpToDate, living breathing faith with the very real and present God of the universe.

Amen.