Advent 3-St. Lucia Day-St. Luke 3:7-18

‘Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.’ (Ps. 19:14) Amen.

Grace, mercy and peace will be with you, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love. (2 John 3) Amen.

‘ “Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.”’ (V. 8)

Good parents are no guarantee of good children. Just look at those who came out to hear John preach. He anticipated the thinking of these people with these words. He warns them that if they want to gain heaven, they must bear good fruit. It does not matter who your parents are.

Just because this group of people could claim ancestry from Abraham, did not get them a free pass with God. These, as with you and me, would be judged on their own actions and works. True repentant faith, like that which John preaches about, gives you eternal life. Your parents do not give this to you.

It is the same even today. People think, “well, my parents were good people”, or, “I went to church all my life”, or, “I was baptized a Lutheran”. Yet, the question must be asked, “where are you now?” The reputation of a parent is a good recommendation in business, but the faith of the parent is no passport into heaven for the child. If I had entered the business world after college, it is possible that I could have used my father’s good name to help me land a certain job. My father’s faithful life as a Christian however, will do me no good at those gates of pearl (Rev. 21:21).

The children of the godly can be quite ungodly in their behavior. It is a notorious fact that people who go wrong after good training are often more wicked than others. All a person need do is look today at those leaders of infidelity and see how many came from good families[1].

‘ “Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”’ (V. 9)

What is John speaking of? Who is the axe and what will happen next now that the axe is laid at the root of the tree? The description that John gives here sounds like an orchard. Unfortunately, this does not seem to be a fruitful orchard. Yet, the lack of fruit does not come from the trees being too old. Rather, the fruitlessness comes from bad trees.

John is talking to the people of Jesus. The witness of the light bears witness here that the axe is made ready by God. The judgement of humanity is now at hand. This is why John had just warned the people to bear fruit in keeping with repentance. For if not, then the tree of humanity would be cut down root and branch. The head of the family with the children would be wiped out and would remain no more.

John is telling us here that the judgement is at hand. Yes, at the first coming of our Savior, He came in mercy. However, soon the world’s Redeemer will come again in judgement. There is hope here though. After all, the axe is not laid in the root of the trees. Instead, the axe is laid by the root. Those unrepentant, that brood of vipers John here speaks to, they will be destroyed root and branch. The rest of the multitude, the repentant ones, they are the remnant that will be rescued out of the fire set to destroy the chaff[2].

‘Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”’ (Vv. 11-14)

These along with the soldiers were among the harlots, all considered outcasts in Jewish society. None were welcome and so it was easy for them to do what John here warns them not to do.

The Roman system of taxation was not set up for the collectors to be liked. These individuals “bought” the right to gather tax from a certain area. Then, they were given a small wage out of what they were authorized to collect. The unfortunate consequence of this system was that the collector would extort whatever he could collect on top of what he was authorized. The Roman government did not care so long as they got their cut.

Such tax collectors as these would have been considered by the rest as blood suckers. It was the worst when a Jew collected taxes for the hated Roman overlords from Jews. There would also have been included among these tax collectors those who were simply outcasts and not literally tax collectors. The term would have been used as a sort of catchall.

All of these though wanted to receive the baptism of repentance. This is why they had gone out to John[3].

So, next to approach the prophet were a group of soldiers. These may have been hired soldiers, mercenaries rather than the professional Roman legionnaires. One perennial complaint of hired soldiers is lack of pay. Whatever it is, it is never enough. After all, the word wages used here by John for these soldiers implies the ability to purchase bread and broiled fish. A good meal as it is, but certainly one that would begin to get old soon. This does not pretend to be a varied diet.

John in his words does not condemn war in general. If he had, he would have told the soldiers to throw down their arms and look for a different line of work, giving up military service entirely. Instead, Christians have always seen military service as the noble office and profession it is. Instead, the prophet tells these men, ‘“Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”’ (V. 14)[4]

Notice in both of these groups, that John does not condemn them for engaging in their profession. He only condemns any sinful behavior that they found themselves prone to. It is the same for you and me. John does not condemn you in your profession, whatever it may be. Instead, he condemns your sinful behavior that is not in keeping with the bearing of fruits for repentance.

‘As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ. John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.’ (Vv. 15, 16)

Here in the thoughts and questioning of the multitudes gives John a temptation. It would have been easy for him to reply, “Well, yes, you are correct”. This in spite of the fact that John was of the wrong family line. Instead, John remained the friend of the Bridegroom. He remained faithful to the One who is our Master and Lord.

It is easy sometimes, through the temptations of the world, for you or I to get distracted from the one on whom we are to dwell. We often times in our sinful desires lose sight of our Savior. Then we are like Peter walking on the water out to Christ. As soon as the Apostle took his eyes of Jesus, he began to sink into sin (St. Mk. 6:45-52). So it is for you and me. When we take our eyes of Jesus, we sink into the mire of sin.

It is then that the Holy Spirit in mercy does for you what He does for the people through the words of the prophet John. John remains focused on the Coming One in the face of this temptation. The Holy Spirit uses John to call the people back to the proper focus. God lifts them back out of the miry pit (Ps. 40:1-4).

John does this by describing himself as so low of a servant of the King as to not even be capable of doing the lowest task of a slave. You and I are in the same humble position. We are not capable, because of our sinful condition (Rom. 3:19-28), of doing any more than John. So, John tells us that Jesus is coming that we might be purified with fire (Mal. 3:1-4). He will refine us as silver or gold, burning off the dross, our sin, that we may remain in His house forever (Ps. 23:6). It is because of this great mercy that our God displays toward you and all humanity that we rejoice this Advent and Christmas season.

In Jesus’+ Name. Amen.

[1] Encyclopedia of Sermon Illustrations, CPH, p. 33 entry #102.
[2] ACCS NT vol. III pp. 61-2. Gregory the Great Forty Gospel Homilies 6; Cyril of Alexandria Commentary on Luke, Homily 7.
[3] Ibid, p. 62. Origen Homilies on the Gospel of Luke 23.5, 9.
[4] ACCS NT vol. III p. 63. St. Augustine Letter 138.