Advent 2: Wolves, Bears and Vipers...Oh My!

Isaiah 11:1-10
Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19
Romans 15:4-13
Matthew 3:1-12

First Lesson: Isaiah 11:1-10

Challenges:

So who are we talking about here?  Who is the "shoot that will come out from the stump of Jesse"? Is this poem from the 700s, or Josiah's time, or even later in the exilic period?  Who knows?  Christians have seen this poem pointing to Jesus Christ.  I'm sure that whoever the original author had in mind as the "shoot" and "branch" on whom rests the spirit of the Lord, they did not have Jesus of Nazareth in mind.  This, of course, in no way negates the fact that Jesus fulfills these words, but it does make things somewhat complicated.

Let's face it:  while this wonderful imagery of 'wolf and lamb' and 'cow and bear' lying down or grazing together, gets the point across, it might bring up distracting thoughts into the heads of your hearers.  As a kid I always wondered, what will the wolves eat?  Will the bear enjoy grazing?  How about the lion eating straw, will that be fun for him? Of course, such musing totally miss the point, but that doesn't mean they won't be there in your congregation's minds.  Images are wonderful things, but even the best ones fall short when it comes to describing God and what God is up to.

Opportunities:

Another lesson from Isaiah, more great imagery.  It seems that the Season of Advent is all about vivid imagery...and that's certainly not a bad thing. What are some contemporary images that relate to what Isaiah is speaking of here? For instance, I once saw a commercial (I can't remember what the product was) where they would show random groups of people finally getting along. There was a wolf and a lamb lying together, followed by a picture of Coach Bobby Knight arm-in-arm with a referee.

"Updating" this imagery could be very useful: Michigan and Ohio State Fans perhaps?  And if people have a problem with an image like that, it might be a good time to talk about the need for healthy rivalries that don't involve actual "hatred."

The Good News:

I've said it before and I'll say it again: HOLD ON, GOOD TIMES WILL COME, GOD IS STILL WORKING: HOLD ON! HAVE HOPE!

Psalm: Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19

Challenges:

Americans have a very interesting relationship with the concept of royalty.  We are very proud that we declared our independence from 'that tyrant George III," (even though American Revolution was infinitely more complex).  At the same time we are fascinated by the British Royal family today, especially its most recent George.  We love fantasy stories with kings, castles, queens and especially princesses (just look at the marketing directed at young girls and you'll see what I mean).  At the same time we become very nervous with the idea of absolute power (and its corrupting influence). Kingship is a strange concept that has many layers in our cultural pysche.

Also, note how we leave out verses like 9: "may his foes bow down before him and his enemies lick the dust."  Lovely huh? We like to leave out the unappetizing bits when we can, don't we? Also, this is a very "us vs. them" sort of psalm.  It's talking about "OUR" king who will look after US and trounce everyone else.  If you lived in the ancient world, you'd probably want the same thing (it wasn't an easy place to live) but still, this is a bit problematic.

Opportunities:

What makes a king a good king?  What kind of things should you expect from a king?  Various cultures and ideologies will tell you, but here we have a biblical image of kingship: justice and righteousness, prosperity for the people, defending the cause of the poor, etc., etc.  Of course, read the rest of the bible  and you can realize that the kings of Israel and Judah had a very...well, let's say..."mixed" record on all of these counts.  Okay, that was being generous: most of the time they failed miserably.  But this desire for something greater and better is still present.  The bible doesn't just shrug and say, "Oh well, that's how the world works: "Might Makes Right.'" Instead there is the possibility, the hope, of something more.

The Good News:

Kings and rulers should be there for the benefit of their people.  There should be righteousness, justice and prosperity.  For God, these things aren't aberrations: they are the norm.  If they seem like aberrations to us, it's because our world is not yet what it will someday be.  

Second Lesson: Romans 15:4-13

Challenges:

Here's the greatest challenge for this text on this particular week: it's going to be overshadowed by the Gospel of Matthew and Isaiah (both books have a way of doing this don't they?).  What Paul has to say here is really insightful and important, but when you have John the Baptist with his camel's hair, locusts and wild honey on the same Sunday, gosh, that doesn't leave much space for Paul's words about the Gentiles and the words of the Old Testament.  At best Romans will get an "assist" for mentioning the "root of Jesse" from Isaiah 11.10.  This is a shame because verse seven ("welcome one another...") should be driven into our brains on a regular basis.

Opportunities:

I really like how Paul argues here: he makes a statement and then backs it up with the example of Christ and Scripture.  Verse Seven says, "Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God." Verse 8 then gives an example of what Christ did and verse 9 follows with the purpose of Christ's actions as well as a quote from Scripture.  Something similar happens at the beginning of Chapter 15, it's just that our lesson starts in the middle of the argument.  If you are leading a Bible Study or small group you can use Paul's method of reasoning as a good example of making an argument.

The Good News:

If there is any point in scripture that speaks of the Gentile's inclusion into the covenant that God has with God's people, I need to remember to rejoice enthusiastically.  As my father, a very wise and witty pastor, has said, "At this point in human history [i.e. the time of Jesus] my ancestors were worshipping trees in a German forest."  God loves "those people" and that's good news because I am "those people."  Realizing this changes a person's perspective.

Gospel: Matthew 3:1-12

Challenges:

Along with all of the academic hullaballoo and "goings-on"that comes with the "Quest for the Historical Jesus," there is a great deal of question, at least in some circles, as to the "Historical John the Baptist."  Who was he? A prophet?  An Essene? A "PK" (Priest's Kid) like Luke says?  Who knows?  How much does it matter for your sermon?

There is also the challenge of John's, shall we say, directness.  "YOU BROOD OF VIPERS!!!"  You never find yourself wanting to say, "So John, tell me how you really feel."  There is some end-times, apocalyptic imagery going on here what with axes lying at tree roots (v.10) and there certainly is an emphasis on works...or in this case "fruit." It'd be tempting to say, "Well John was concerned with works and Jesus was concerned with faith." This would help us all breath a sigh of relief, but I do not believe that such a statement stays true to the Gospel of Matthew.  Jesus can be just as, shall we say, "direct" as John.  Ask the "foolish bridesmaids" (25.1-3) about Jesus' "directness." How do we deal with this without whitewashing or watering-down the text just so we can sleep better at night?

Opportunities:

John is all about "image." I can't imagine that his wardrobe and diet were accidents: he knew what he was doing.  Since strong images are there, this is a great opportunity to take them out for a spin and see what they can do.  For myself, it is very hard for me to not think of John as some sort of Revivalist Preacher from the American South. I think "Cotton Patch Gospel" (Book and Musical) have become ensconced in my mind.  Wouldn't "YOU BROOD OF VIPERS" or "YOU SONS OF SNAKES" come across much more effectively and colorfully with a southern accent?

There are extravagant and almost outrageous images here: have some fun with them.

The Good News:

Okay, finding some "good news" here can be a bit tough.  I think the closest you can come, without whitewashing or watering-down what Matthew is saying throughout the Gospel, is to say that there is an opportunity to REPENT, or as the CEB translation puts it, "Change your hearts and minds."  The Kingdom of Heaven has come near: God is active.  That might not be exactly "pleasant" news (considering our track record of following God's ways), but it is "good" news. If having God and God's  reality near to us isn't good news, well, we might as well do something else.