Scripture/Sermon of the Day

3 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 4 as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,

“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.

Every valley shall be filled,  and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth,

and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ”

I. This year, when I read this passage there are two insights that speak to me:

First — Luke is the only Gospel to introduce John the Baptist like this — naming a group of politicians before mentioning John. From the emperor of the Roman Empire on down to the high priests Anas and Caiaphas. Why does Luke do this? Why mix politics and religion? Aren’t we supposed to avoid this? But he tells us — Pontius Pilate, Herod, Herod’s brother Philip, Lysanias. And he names also the political jurisdictions: Galilee, Judea, Ituraea, Trachonitis, Abilene. Why does Luke think we need this information? We read the Bible because we want to learn about God and our faith — not politics. Right?

After naming all the centers of power, the rulers and the territories — he says, “the word of God came to John, son of Zechariah, in the wilderness.”

II. I watched some of the news last night. A big story is the murder in New York City of the Health insurance CEO. Trump will soon give his first interview after the election. There was an earthquake in northern California. Syrian rebels have taken Damascus — Asaad has fled. Putin accused western countries of driving the world to the brink of a global conflict.”

Look — all these important things happening. But the news hasn’t mentioned where God is in all this. Why?

Luke says all these important men seem to be ruling the world — But God isn’t in Moscow, or Damascus, or Washington DC — God’s in the wilderness. God is at the Rio Grand River where migrants are coming into the United States for refuge. God is in prison in Siberia with the thousands who have resisted Putin’s dictatorship. God is with the homeless and starving refugees in Gaza. The word of the Lord does not come to the powerful, but to the weak.

III. Luke sayss things are not what they appear. Think about this — I just wanted to mention it — it’s really not what I want to talk about.

IV. What interests me is John’s message. It’s the same message that, in a month or so, Jesus will preach. The message is we must repent. Repent means to change our “hearts and lives.” But how? Paul wanted to repent but couldn’t. How do we repent — change our hearts and lives — if it’s not in our power to do this?

V. I read a story that was in New York Magazine about a woman, Rosemary Hayne, who ordered a burrito-bowl at Chipotle — but she only wanted white rice, chicken, sour cream and cheese — she said leave out the pinto peans, veggies, salsa and guacamole.

When she got the order she told the server “this is disgusting!” She raised her voice and was making a scene. The assistant manager, Emily Russell, came and apologized and remade the order herself. She gave it to Hayne and said no charge but Hayne still complained it looked like @#$^&!. Russell gave her a card with the manager’s number on it and said she’d need to sort it out with him if she wanted. Hayne paused a moment and then threw the bowl in Russell’s face and left the restaurant.

VI. Two months later, Hayne had to appear in court and told the judge, Timothy Gilligan, she wasn’t looking for a fight, but her food looked disgusting. The judge said, “Not as disgusting as the food you’re going to get in jail.” But he offered her a way out. He said she could shave off 60 of her 90 day sentence by working in a fast food restaurant for that time so she could learn empathy. THE JUDGE WANTED TO TRY AN EXPERIMENT IN FORCED EMPATHY.

VII. Hayne said yes, but the incident had spread all over social media and nobody wanted to hire her — but finally she got a job with Burger King. She worked two months and did so well the manager asked her to stay. Hayne said she grew from the experience. She said, “MAYBE I shouldn’t have thrown the food in her face, BUT it was bad service, the food looked disgusting, and I had to do something.”

She was not sorry for the harm and humiliation she caused Russell, and she didn’t want to reconcile with her. The judge let Hayne go free after serving two of the thirty days she had left of her sentence. The judge thought the experiment worked — because Burger King wanted to hire Hayne. But Hayne did not repent — she did not feel empathy for Russell — she was not sorry for what she did.

VIII. God went into the wilderness and told John to tell us that we have to repent — we must change our hearts and our lives so that we DO feel compassion and empathy for others. But how? Even saint Paul couldn’t? It seems too simple, but Jesus said if we ask, we will receive. God will make it happen. GOD WILL DO FOR US WHAT JUDGE GILLIGAN OR JAIL OR WILL-POWER CAN’T.