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Sunday, Dec. 15
Third Sunday of Advent
Year A

Isaiah 35:1-10
James 5:7-10
Matthew 11:2-11
Psalm 146:4-9

The lesson chosen for the third Sunday of Advent, finds John the Baptist in prison and curious about what he is hearing about the teachings of the Messiah.    The one whose coming he foretold and of whom he told the crowds, “I am not worthy to carry his sandals, I baptize you with water for repentance but the one who is coming is more powerful than I.   He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” John told the crowds, the one to come would spread the wheat on the threshing floor and with his winnowing fork he would separate the wheat from the chaff.    He would gather the wheat to be used and burn the chaff which is useless in its form.

It is with this understanding that John is questioning whether Jesus is the real one. His curiosity and misunderstanding led him to send his disciples to ask, “Are you the one who is to come or are we to wait for another? John is expecting a fighting, judging Messiah. He is expecting a King to rule over Israel with a tough hand, possibly with the same harsh attitude John used when he upbraided the Pharisees, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” 

Instead this Messiah is soft, he sounds compassionate, preaching care and love evidenced in his return message to John. “Go and tell John what you hear and see; the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”

In our Christian lives what are we seeing and hearing, how are we hearing the message? More importantly, what are we sharing about the message of Christ if we are indeed sharing at all? Are we sharing the message boldly and unapologetically with the same enthusiasm we share a beautiful sunset, or a painting, a movie or some other experience that touched us? Or is our sharing lukewarm and hesitant?     

Jesus asked the crowds several questions including, “Did you go into the wilderness to see someone in soft raiment or a prophet? A reed shaken by the wind?” These questions and others are to give us pause; to reflect upon the reason we are in church on Sundays and to take on the mantle of who we are as the Body of Christ. As such, we the Church do not exist for ourselves, we belong in the world doing all that we can for God’s glory.    

The actions of the Sunday event of worship, praise in prayer and song, sharing the body and blood of Christ, sharing fellowship with one another, prepare us to go and tell the story. The service is ended, and we enter the mission field to join in God’s work already taking place in the world.

And blessed is anyone who does not take offense.

The Rev. Angela Ifill is the interim priest-in-charge at St. Mark’s in Haines City.