WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.480 I get a great passage, as always. 00:00:03.800 --> 00:00:06.960 I get a passage that's the third part of an actual whole passage, 00:00:07.179 --> 00:00:09.220 which Russ started for us last week, 00:00:09.519 --> 00:00:11.040 and the middle bit which we skipped, 00:00:11.580 --> 00:00:15.080 although it is a very important bit of this entire passage. 00:00:15.800 --> 00:00:20.039 So I want you to think, this is our passage, 00:00:20.199 --> 00:00:23.500 but I want you to think a little bit back to what Russ said, 00:00:24.400 --> 00:00:28.480 where Russ told us about the hope of salvation we have in Jesus. 00:00:28.480 --> 00:00:33.179 That one day we will see the promises of Isaiah 40 fulfilled, 00:00:33.719 --> 00:00:37.200 and its outworkings as written by John in Revelation 21, 00:00:37.920 --> 00:00:43.159 come to pass, fully done, finished, no more tears, no injustice, no pain. 00:00:43.579 --> 00:00:46.600 Old order of things has passed away, the new has come. 00:00:47.240 --> 00:00:49.219 You know, that was what Russ told us last week. 00:00:49.760 --> 00:00:53.799 We heard that this declared coming by John, in his high-vis jacket, 00:00:54.519 --> 00:00:56.760 has actually come in Jesus, the Messiah. 00:00:56.759 --> 00:01:00.640 We were reminded that those who follow Jesus 00:01:00.640 --> 00:01:03.559 are those who are the citizens of the kingdom of God, 00:01:03.879 --> 00:01:05.959 and will enjoy the fruits of that kingdom, 00:01:06.219 --> 00:01:08.459 partly now, but one day forever. 00:01:10.579 --> 00:01:12.200 And then we skipped the passage, 00:01:12.939 --> 00:01:18.759 to which all those excited people that got inspired by those words of John, 00:01:18.760 --> 00:01:23.640 were told actually to leave behind corruption. 00:01:24.640 --> 00:01:26.840 The prayers were spot on this morning. 00:01:27.640 --> 00:01:28.120 Injustice. 00:01:29.120 --> 00:01:33.300 John specifically pulls out certain people and their jobs, 00:01:33.800 --> 00:01:36.400 and the way that they were being unjust in the way they did life. 00:01:38.020 --> 00:01:39.760 And then we get our passage. 00:01:40.920 --> 00:01:42.200 So think about that. 00:01:42.200 --> 00:01:45.219 You just heard John say a load of quite heavy stuff to people 00:01:45.219 --> 00:01:47.219 about completely turning their lives around 00:01:47.219 --> 00:01:49.320 if they truly get this message. 00:01:50.320 --> 00:01:52.560 And the people were filled with expectation. 00:01:54.379 --> 00:01:57.000 Sounds a little bit different in that context. 00:01:57.900 --> 00:01:58.659 Expecting what? 00:01:58.820 --> 00:02:00.359 What's John going to say next? 00:02:01.240 --> 00:02:03.320 Uh-oh, is John going to call my career out? 00:02:03.879 --> 00:02:05.300 What was that expectation? 00:02:05.659 --> 00:02:06.200 Is John going to... 00:02:06.760 --> 00:02:09.480 Did John see me do that last week? 00:02:09.479 --> 00:02:11.899 And he's going to start picking on me as well. 00:02:12.119 --> 00:02:15.379 What did that expectation look like? 00:02:17.199 --> 00:02:20.399 But one thing we know is they got this message, 00:02:20.479 --> 00:02:22.560 was a message of good news. 00:02:25.359 --> 00:02:28.079 It was a message of the good news 00:02:28.079 --> 00:02:31.579 that the Messiah they'd been waiting for had come. 00:02:34.219 --> 00:02:36.039 But it wasn't a rosy message. 00:02:36.039 --> 00:02:39.620 I actually wonder if John was a little bit surprised 00:02:39.620 --> 00:02:42.340 with the amount of people that followed him into the desert. 00:02:43.079 --> 00:02:44.280 Maybe they got the wrong memo. 00:02:46.180 --> 00:02:48.579 Because they turned up to see this man, 00:02:48.819 --> 00:02:51.139 you know, in his camel head, 00:02:51.579 --> 00:02:53.379 eating locust and honey, 00:02:53.620 --> 00:02:55.739 and probably didn't have his straighteners, 00:02:56.319 --> 00:02:57.819 and just looking a bit rough. 00:02:58.939 --> 00:03:01.919 Telling them this message of repentance. 00:03:01.919 --> 00:03:08.119 Because this good news message that John preached, 00:03:08.239 --> 00:03:09.539 this promise of salvation, 00:03:10.599 --> 00:03:11.739 was also a warning 00:03:11.739 --> 00:03:14.599 that the one coming means business. 00:03:16.199 --> 00:03:19.619 And this business is administering God's judgment 00:03:19.619 --> 00:03:21.479 on the state of the world 00:03:21.479 --> 00:03:25.060 and the creatures and empires that distort it. 00:03:25.060 --> 00:03:31.080 I like to think of John as a little bit like Brian. 00:03:32.099 --> 00:03:33.520 I don't know if you recognise this. 00:03:33.640 --> 00:03:34.439 The Life of Brian. 00:03:35.140 --> 00:03:37.360 It's a film that actually predates me, 00:03:37.780 --> 00:03:39.020 but it's still good. 00:03:40.000 --> 00:03:41.219 It's a really good film. 00:03:41.800 --> 00:03:44.759 Sorry, if you remember watching that in your 30s, 00:03:44.780 --> 00:03:45.340 I'm very sorry. 00:03:45.340 --> 00:03:50.860 Anyway, I was going to show a couple of scenes from it, actually, 00:03:50.979 --> 00:03:52.039 but then every time I was like, 00:03:52.099 --> 00:03:53.180 that's the perfect scene, 00:03:53.319 --> 00:03:54.819 the watershed moment clocked in. 00:03:54.900 --> 00:03:55.719 I was like, ah! 00:03:56.580 --> 00:03:58.020 There's always something in the film 00:03:58.020 --> 00:04:00.580 that makes it inappropriate for church. 00:04:00.719 --> 00:04:03.300 But if you, in your own judgment and discernment, 00:04:03.420 --> 00:04:04.719 go home and watch Life of Brian, 00:04:05.080 --> 00:04:06.560 if you're old enough, etc., etc. 00:04:07.360 --> 00:04:10.840 And you remember some of those scenes 00:04:10.840 --> 00:04:13.340 where he's just this normal guy, 00:04:13.340 --> 00:04:15.340 and he's got some good things to say, 00:04:15.420 --> 00:04:17.620 but generally, people keep just following him. 00:04:17.959 --> 00:04:19.899 And I feel like John was a little bit like that. 00:04:20.259 --> 00:04:22.280 Because John gets mistaken for the Messiah. 00:04:23.800 --> 00:04:26.280 No matter what he says, people keep following him. 00:04:26.740 --> 00:04:28.860 He repeatedly told them he was not the Messiah. 00:04:30.660 --> 00:04:32.939 You can think with Brian, it's the same issue. 00:04:33.139 --> 00:04:34.800 He keeps saying, I'm not the Messiah. 00:04:34.899 --> 00:04:36.959 And they're like, yeah, that's exactly the sort of thing 00:04:36.959 --> 00:04:38.240 the Messiah would say. 00:04:39.360 --> 00:04:41.379 And I know, because I've followed a few. 00:04:41.379 --> 00:04:45.300 And there's another scene, and I love about it, 00:04:45.360 --> 00:04:48.079 where he's in trouble for something. 00:04:48.240 --> 00:04:49.219 There's a watershed moment. 00:04:49.560 --> 00:04:52.579 And his mum comes into his house. 00:04:52.939 --> 00:04:55.199 And there's a crowd of people waiting outside his door. 00:04:56.060 --> 00:04:58.000 And she goes, what's going on out there? 00:04:58.300 --> 00:05:00.319 And he goes, I don't know, mum. 00:05:00.360 --> 00:05:01.100 They're following me around. 00:05:01.180 --> 00:05:01.759 I don't know what to do. 00:05:02.279 --> 00:05:03.699 And they go, Messiah, Messiah. 00:05:03.860 --> 00:05:04.779 And she opens the door. 00:05:05.060 --> 00:05:06.019 He's not the Messiah. 00:05:06.120 --> 00:05:07.379 He's a very naughty boy. 00:05:07.379 --> 00:05:11.560 I feel like John needed his mum in the desert 00:05:11.560 --> 00:05:13.219 just to help him out a little bit. 00:05:13.279 --> 00:05:15.199 Because these people were hearing the words of John 00:05:15.199 --> 00:05:16.459 and hearing good news. 00:05:16.680 --> 00:05:18.779 But they were also hearing some tough stuff. 00:05:19.120 --> 00:05:20.339 And yet they didn't want to leave. 00:05:21.199 --> 00:05:23.360 So there was weight and honesty and integrity 00:05:23.360 --> 00:05:25.839 in these words that he was saying. 00:05:26.180 --> 00:05:27.219 It wasn't fluffy. 00:05:27.420 --> 00:05:28.100 It was real. 00:05:31.219 --> 00:05:34.500 John's message proclaimed that the coming of the Messiah 00:05:34.500 --> 00:05:36.300 meant getting your house in order. 00:05:36.300 --> 00:05:41.040 It meant repenting of your role in the brokenness of the world. 00:05:42.280 --> 00:05:46.040 Preparing through the symbolic image of cleansing 00:05:46.040 --> 00:05:47.420 through the waters of baptism 00:05:47.420 --> 00:05:50.220 for the real judgment of God. 00:05:51.759 --> 00:05:54.379 Surely this isn't that good news. 00:05:55.860 --> 00:05:57.639 For repentance means to change. 00:05:58.439 --> 00:06:01.019 It means to stop and turn around. 00:06:01.400 --> 00:06:03.060 It means to live a godly life. 00:06:03.060 --> 00:06:08.220 Repentance means to be involved in the judgment process. 00:06:08.920 --> 00:06:12.199 Looking at yourself and being honest about the things in your life 00:06:12.199 --> 00:06:14.839 that do not reflect the life of Christ. 00:06:17.040 --> 00:06:20.819 And often we wait till Easter to remind people 00:06:20.819 --> 00:06:23.259 that baby Jesus became the man 00:06:23.259 --> 00:06:25.560 who carried out the judgment of God 00:06:25.560 --> 00:06:27.240 for the sin that infested 00:06:27.240 --> 00:06:29.660 and still distorts creation. 00:06:32.120 --> 00:06:33.040 But for John, 00:06:33.259 --> 00:06:36.079 this was Jesus' primary purpose. 00:06:36.980 --> 00:06:38.340 He believed that when the Messiah 00:06:38.340 --> 00:06:39.660 made himself known, 00:06:39.759 --> 00:06:41.259 that civilization as they knew it 00:06:41.259 --> 00:06:42.980 would be fundamentally changed. 00:06:42.980 --> 00:06:45.160 The empires would be toppled. 00:06:45.759 --> 00:06:47.879 God's people would be renewed again. 00:06:47.879 --> 00:06:50.959 And so his call to repent and be baptized 00:06:50.959 --> 00:06:54.439 was about preparation for that moment 00:06:54.439 --> 00:06:56.560 when the threshing floor 00:06:56.560 --> 00:06:58.839 would be cleared 00:06:58.839 --> 00:07:00.360 and only the weak, 00:07:00.759 --> 00:07:01.680 the repentant, 00:07:01.800 --> 00:07:04.060 the willing to be changed 00:07:04.060 --> 00:07:05.060 would survive. 00:07:09.040 --> 00:07:10.300 I know what you're thinking. 00:07:10.860 --> 00:07:12.339 Come on Jay, it's Christmas. 00:07:12.939 --> 00:07:15.040 It's not quite the jolly Christmas message 00:07:15.040 --> 00:07:17.279 you'd expect two weeks before Christmas. 00:07:18.180 --> 00:07:20.159 What's with the Debbie Downer? 00:07:22.459 --> 00:07:24.040 If you don't know who Debbie Downer is, 00:07:24.079 --> 00:07:25.259 I am Debbie Downer today. 00:07:26.360 --> 00:07:28.319 Debbie Downer could be in the most amazing 00:07:28.319 --> 00:07:31.439 Walt Disney show, 00:07:31.939 --> 00:07:33.360 everything's beautiful and flashy, 00:07:33.899 --> 00:07:34.379 and she'd go, 00:07:34.500 --> 00:07:35.240 well, you know, 00:07:35.319 --> 00:07:37.659 but I wonder if they really did do enough 00:07:37.659 --> 00:07:39.079 health and safety checks. 00:07:40.459 --> 00:07:42.680 Somebody could bring the biggest present out 00:07:42.680 --> 00:07:43.759 and be like, 00:07:43.800 --> 00:07:45.819 this is going to make your day amazing. 00:07:45.819 --> 00:07:46.379 And she'd go, 00:07:47.279 --> 00:07:48.000 yeah, well, 00:07:48.099 --> 00:07:49.659 but is that paper recyclable? 00:07:51.199 --> 00:07:53.279 And I just want to throw it out there. 00:07:53.599 --> 00:07:55.459 You might feel like this about me today. 00:07:56.540 --> 00:07:58.219 Oh, he's being a bit like Debbie. 00:08:00.180 --> 00:08:01.019 I'm sorry. 00:08:01.939 --> 00:08:02.800 And I am. 00:08:02.800 --> 00:08:04.480 But like, 00:08:04.540 --> 00:08:05.819 but like, 00:08:05.860 --> 00:08:06.879 but like, 00:08:07.199 --> 00:08:07.660 John, 00:08:08.060 --> 00:08:08.460 for me, 00:08:08.500 --> 00:08:09.500 the Messiah's coming 00:08:09.500 --> 00:08:11.400 is a full gospel. 00:08:12.100 --> 00:08:13.980 And it is actually good news. 00:08:13.980 --> 00:08:18.319 It's not just we wait for the future to come. 00:08:19.000 --> 00:08:20.740 It's not just we wait till the end. 00:08:20.980 --> 00:08:22.040 It means now. 00:08:22.439 --> 00:08:24.620 The good news for Christians 00:08:24.620 --> 00:08:26.240 that we celebrate at Christmas 00:08:26.240 --> 00:08:27.800 the incarnation. 00:08:28.840 --> 00:08:31.060 We celebrate the arrival of salvation 00:08:31.060 --> 00:08:32.920 physically on earth. 00:08:33.539 --> 00:08:36.360 No longer does humanity have to wait. 00:08:37.220 --> 00:08:39.159 The new way of life has come. 00:08:39.159 --> 00:08:41.559 God has arrived 00:08:41.559 --> 00:08:43.240 and changed the trajectory 00:08:43.240 --> 00:08:44.759 of all creation 00:08:44.759 --> 00:08:46.319 away from darkness 00:08:46.319 --> 00:08:47.659 and back to its creator. 00:08:49.039 --> 00:08:50.959 We are not in the waiting room. 00:08:52.559 --> 00:08:53.939 The kingdom of God 00:08:53.939 --> 00:08:55.299 is now and not yet, 00:08:55.399 --> 00:08:56.740 but we forget the now bit 00:08:56.740 --> 00:08:57.779 too often. 00:08:58.819 --> 00:09:00.000 And Christmas is that time 00:09:00.000 --> 00:09:01.600 where we see how serious 00:09:01.600 --> 00:09:02.659 God is about it. 00:09:03.019 --> 00:09:03.779 In a baby, 00:09:04.100 --> 00:09:04.519 vulnerable, 00:09:04.659 --> 00:09:05.299 in a manger, 00:09:05.759 --> 00:09:07.299 God fleshed out 00:09:07.299 --> 00:09:08.399 on earth. 00:09:09.240 --> 00:09:10.579 For the salvation 00:09:10.579 --> 00:09:11.599 of mankind 00:09:11.599 --> 00:09:13.079 and all creation. 00:09:14.539 --> 00:09:14.919 For me, 00:09:14.979 --> 00:09:15.620 that's the message 00:09:15.620 --> 00:09:16.339 that would drag me 00:09:16.339 --> 00:09:16.919 into the desert 00:09:16.919 --> 00:09:17.599 to see a guy 00:09:17.599 --> 00:09:18.779 wearing some funny clothes 00:09:18.779 --> 00:09:20.179 and eating honey and locusts. 00:09:23.579 --> 00:09:24.579 I don't want us 00:09:24.579 --> 00:09:25.559 to miss the significance 00:09:25.559 --> 00:09:26.599 of that message. 00:09:28.779 --> 00:09:30.359 We don't have to live 00:09:30.359 --> 00:09:32.039 the corrupt narrative anymore. 00:09:33.120 --> 00:09:34.299 Because God is making 00:09:34.299 --> 00:09:35.299 all things new 00:09:35.299 --> 00:09:36.099 right now. 00:09:36.100 --> 00:09:37.779 And his people 00:09:37.779 --> 00:09:39.580 are of the new creation 00:09:39.580 --> 00:09:40.860 in Christ. 00:09:42.200 --> 00:09:42.980 We are called 00:09:42.980 --> 00:09:44.060 to actively seek 00:09:44.060 --> 00:09:44.680 his kingdom, 00:09:45.060 --> 00:09:46.080 life in our own. 00:09:47.460 --> 00:09:48.720 This is the proclamation 00:09:48.720 --> 00:09:49.820 of the good news. 00:09:51.379 --> 00:09:52.540 And this message 00:09:52.540 --> 00:09:53.960 still needs to be heard 00:09:53.960 --> 00:09:54.480 today. 00:09:55.879 --> 00:09:56.600 And maybe even 00:09:56.600 --> 00:09:57.440 still proclaimed 00:09:57.440 --> 00:09:59.399 by me and you. 00:10:02.560 --> 00:10:03.399 It's heavy, 00:10:03.899 --> 00:10:04.980 but it's freeing. 00:10:04.980 --> 00:10:06.779 The burden 00:10:06.779 --> 00:10:07.360 is light. 00:10:09.360 --> 00:10:10.519 So let me finish. 00:10:11.659 --> 00:10:12.659 I have a question. 00:10:12.659 --> 00:10:14.139 This Advent season, 00:10:14.940 --> 00:10:16.480 as we symbolically prepare, 00:10:18.180 --> 00:10:19.420 being filled again 00:10:19.420 --> 00:10:20.659 with the expectation 00:10:20.659 --> 00:10:22.920 that like those followers 00:10:22.920 --> 00:10:23.720 of John had, 00:10:24.500 --> 00:10:26.039 that like millions of people 00:10:26.039 --> 00:10:26.500 have had 00:10:26.500 --> 00:10:27.720 since the incarnation, 00:10:27.720 --> 00:10:30.460 for the coming Messiah. 00:10:30.460 --> 00:10:32.460 Will you keep this season 00:10:33.100 --> 00:10:34.779 to mince pies 00:10:34.779 --> 00:10:35.460 and carol services, 00:10:36.399 --> 00:10:38.040 amazing and great as they are, 00:10:38.139 --> 00:10:38.639 come tonight, 00:10:38.800 --> 00:10:39.399 it's going to be awesome. 00:10:41.399 --> 00:10:42.899 Or will you heed 00:10:42.899 --> 00:10:44.460 John's message? 00:10:45.740 --> 00:10:46.920 Will you heed the message 00:10:46.920 --> 00:10:47.620 of truly, 00:10:47.840 --> 00:10:48.100 fully, 00:10:48.259 --> 00:10:49.460 good news? 00:10:51.040 --> 00:10:52.500 And search your heart 00:10:52.500 --> 00:10:54.759 and choose again, 00:10:56.179 --> 00:10:58.320 or maybe for the first time, 00:10:58.879 --> 00:11:01.639 to turn towards Jesus 00:11:01.639 --> 00:11:03.519 and accept his love, 00:11:04.120 --> 00:11:05.840 to repent 00:11:05.840 --> 00:11:07.679 and welcome the power 00:11:07.679 --> 00:11:08.679 of his refining, 00:11:08.940 --> 00:11:10.139 transforming spirit 00:11:10.139 --> 00:11:11.360 into your life. 00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:15.560 because it is for the latter 00:11:15.560 --> 00:11:17.840 that the Messiah came. 00:11:19.220 --> 00:11:20.340 So let me ask you 00:11:20.340 --> 00:11:21.019 one more time. 00:11:21.960 --> 00:11:22.500 Today, 00:11:23.259 --> 00:11:25.060 as you embrace 00:11:25.060 --> 00:11:26.220 this season of Advent, 00:11:27.240 --> 00:11:28.580 will you choose afresh, 00:11:29.000 --> 00:11:30.539 or maybe for the first time, 00:11:31.300 --> 00:11:33.100 to accept the love of Jesus 00:11:33.100 --> 00:11:35.519 and welcome in 00:11:35.519 --> 00:11:36.940 his transforming spirit 00:11:36.940 --> 00:11:39.019 into your life? 00:11:41.360 --> 00:11:42.639 Amen.