Advent III

Advent III (Matthew 11: 2-11) Rejoice!
Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.

All blessings come to earth from Jesus Christ.

This is a hard saying for most human beings most of the time. It was difficult for the people of First Century Israel to hear. It is no less difficult for the people of twenty first century to hear it and to accept it.

The Bible is a thousand year record of the observations of dozens of people who recorded their experiences under the supervision of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit brought order to these observation. From time to time Moses and the prophets offered a theory to explain why people acted the way they did. These theories are remarkably consistent.

The Bible describes, classifies and then offers an opinion about the human condition. Jesus invites us to test the conclusions Moses and the prophets offer.
The Bible observes the virtues and vices of individuals, tribes and nations. It presents the observations in history, metaphor, poetry, song and saga. Based on the analysis of a thousand years of observation, the Bible makes two fundamental assertions, theories, about humanity.

The first assertion is that human beings are lost. Not only are we lost we are willfully and spitefully lost. Since we are lost we exist in a state of terrible emotional, psychological and spiritual pain. By our own choice and contrary to all reason we recycle that pain into suffering.

The second assertion is that we are lost because we have chosen to separate from the pattern, plan and purpose for life. Dogs always act in accord with their canine nature. Cats always act in accord with their feline nature. Of all the life forms on earth only human beings act contrary to our own self interest and contrary to our human nature.

The third assertion is that God is real. God is the plan, the pattern and the purpose for creation and for human nature.

The fourth assertion is that human beings are lost in separation because we have rejected God. Religious people attempt to create a god in their own image. Secular people see no value in the very concept of God. Not only are we lost, we don’t want to be found. We value our independence. We resist any effort to limit our self will. We fear any intrusion into our world view.

So it was, that the students of John the Baptist were confused about Jesus. John had proclaimed Jesus the Messiah. But, John was arrested and Jesus did nothing. Surely the true Messiah would use his divine power to rescue his own cousin, whom Jesus very openly declared to be the last of the Prophets.

That is part of the Biblical observation of human nature. It forms the theory the Bible sets forth that not only is humanity lost it is willfully and spitefully lost. And, humanity suffers from self created and self inflicted separation.

John sent his students back to the one person who could answer their questions. John sent them back to the one person who not only had the answer but is the answer. This revelation that Jesus is the answer is not what any one expected.

People were looking for some one to state the answer. They were looking for some one with the knowledge and the power to solve their problems and to give them victory over their enemies. They missed the teaching of Moses, the Prophets, and John that the root problem that brings so much pain and suffering to human existence is our own choice to separate from the Pattern, Plan and Purpose of Creation.

Moses and the Prophets assert that God is that Pattern, Plan and Purpose. John, the last of the prophets, declares that Jesus is God reaching out to humanity. Jesus is not the way we find God. Jesus is the way God finds us.

The long history of human separation and rebellion recorded in the Bible leads to the inescapable conclusion that people are lost and don’t want to be found. When our Heavenly Father sent his son, his only Son, into the world to seek and to find the lost the result of his coming was entirely predictable based on past observation of human behavior.

The lost don’t want to be found and so the lost will react to the one who has come to seek and to find. That reaction will lead to willful misunderstanding, rejection, and murder.

That dynamic of willful reaction continues to this day. Amazingly, in our culture, we manically celebrate the generic holiday season even as we demand that all references to Jesus Christ and even the word “Christmas” be removed from the public arena.

The Bible predicts this. Jesus experienced it. He knew he was coming to a planet where the dominant species had chosen separation. He knew our species would not only reject his message, as we had previously rejected the message of Moses and the Prophets, but would reject him.

Jesus just doesn’t teach about God’s love. Jesus just doesn’t show us God’s love. Jesus is God’s love made flesh in a particular person at a particular place and time. Jesus is the reality of God with us. That is just too much God for a species that has chosen separation and seeks the knowledge and the power to define the universe according to our own needs, desires and insights.

Jesus said: blessed is those who take no offense at me. Blessed are the ones who are not ashamed to claim the name of Christ and to proclaim the Good News of God’s love in Jesus Christ.

The blessing is not in the religion we form to help us draw closer to Christ. The blessing is not in the commentaries or assertion of self will by which we declare what we have concluded and what we believe.

The blessing is in the personal relationship God offers us in his co-eternal Son, Jesus Christ.

Jesus came to earth to seek and to find the lost. People reacted to Jesus by attempting to redefine him, to mold him and to shape him according to their own needs and desires. Yet, Jesus continued to reach out to the lost.

Jesus continued to ask questions and to invite questions. Jesus continued to encourage people to listen to Moses and the Prophets. Jesus continued to heal the sick, to feed the hungry, to raise the dead, to be the friend of the friendless. And, he continues to do these things today.

The Blessing is in the relationship.

The relationship is a new life that produces a new way of living. That new life is based in reunification with the Father, through the Son. That new way of living is expressed in daily transformation through the indwelling Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit.

The blessing is unconditional love made real, made personal, made flesh in Jesus Christ.

Jesus asked the crowd- what are you looking for? What were you looking for in John? What are you looking for in me? Jesus continues to ask us the same question. He continues to invite us to test the observations and assertions recorded in the Bible. He continues to offer himself to us.

Jesus is the gift of God for all people. He is the unconditional love of God for all people. He never imposes himself. But, he continually offers himself. What are you looking for?

Moses, the prophets and the apostles offer us an answer to that question. Our heavenly Father sent Jesus Christ to be the answer to that question. It is as we make a real choice to allow ourselves to be found in Jesus Christ that we receive the blessing and in the blessing experience the joy.