For those preparing worship for the third Sunday of Advent I have a meditation taken from my 2009 book A Most Amazing Man (Year C), also found in the non-Lectionary version of the same book A Man Like No Other 1. It explores the ministry of John the Baptist, and his constant desire to point away from himself to the one whose way he had come to prepare. That too should be the over-riding goal of us all.
Reading
As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, ‘I baptise you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Luke 3:15, 16
Meditation of John the Baptist
It wasn’t just annoying, that talk of me as the Messiah,
it was embarrassing,
ridiculous,
even, to my mind, blasphemy.
You think I’m exaggerating?
Then think again,
for we couldn’t have been more different, Jesus and I,
the two of us chalk and cheese,
a gaping chasm dividing us.
Yes, I immersed in water,
but he baptised with the Spirit,
and do you understand the distinction,
the importance of what that means?
While I offered a symbol,
a sign of repentance and desire to change,
he brought the real thing:
forgiveness,
new life,
the chance to be born again.
In a ministry I could only dream of,
he made the Word flesh,
bestowing God’s power and imparting his love in human hearts,
transforming from within.
So don’t compare us,
still less confuse me with him,
for I’m unworthy even to tie his shoes.
I may have preached the kingdom of God,
even in some small way contributed towards it,
but he brought it among us
and will bring it to fulfilment –
so, you see, there’s literally all the difference in the world!
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ,
we have no claim on your goodness,
no right to expect your blessing,
for, compared to you, we are nothing –
weak,
stubborn,
foolish.
Yet you invite us not just to know you
but to make you known,
not just to love you
but to be loved in turn,
not just to enter your kingdom
but to help build it now.
Thank you for that awesome grace,
so undeserved
yet so freely given.
Amen.