First off, just a comment on all those strange names to pronounce… They represent one emperor, one governor, three tetrarchs and two religious high priests – they are a listing of who is important and who is prestigious in the eyes of the world.
We think (we think) Luke included them just to show “how far” Israel had fallen. How far away from God they were.
Politically, the Jews were ruled by foreigners and religiously, Annas and Caiaphas and Annas’ five sons had been illegally put into their positions by the Roman authorities.
It was said that the “High Priest” used his power constantly to line his own pockets and to increase his own authority.
Annas was even sometimes referred to as being “a viper” who hissed and whispered into the ears of judges and politicians in order to influence their decisions. Men of God, indeed!
But enough about them and their kind.
That’s one of the reasons that John was so vital and oh, so necessary. He was like one of the prophets of old. He was righteous. He called a spade a spade. He was afraid of no man.
So, John came a-preaching a much needed and necessary message of repentance…a baptism of repentance, he called it.
He was telling folks about the coming of a king…a messianic someone, who would bring God’s salvation to his people.
Everyone of high and low estate needed to ready themselves for his coming. So therefore, his was a message of judgment.
It was a message of “turn or burn.” Clean up your lives. And do it NOW!.
You folks need to change your minds, NOW. You need to turn from your lives of sinfulness. You can do better. You can be better. You need to turn back to God.
Remember him?
Some of you may have forgotten about him.
You need to turn to God…and to his righteousness. You need to start heading in a different direction. You need to walk with God on a daily basis.
Turning from sin is only a part of repentance. The other part is turning toward God.
Turn from sin and fill the void – with the things that are of God.
Look at what we have become. Do you see who it is that rules over you?
It is not God.
It is the Romans.
The Romans and all their cohorts…
They are present for a reason.
Remember when the priesthood was considered Godly and Holy. It is no more. Why?
Because they like us, have turned from God…
The prophets of old were right. We are like sheep. We are scattering. Look around yourselves. Everybody is going their own way. Everyone is doing their own thing.
There is no mention of God. No consideration of God.
Repentance I tell you, is more than sorrow for “getting caught” or for “doing something wrong.”
Repentance, if it is real repentance always involves a change of heart, a change of mind. It is an action. It is a change.
It is stepping away from a sinful pattern or habit or act. God’s call has always been about change. It is not about guilt or sorrow. It is about “change.”
Change begins with us. Don’t look at the other guy. Don’t point any fingers beyond yourself. Change, repentance begins with you, with me, with us.
All those people in high places, in high positions, with all that power…they need forgiveness. But so do we.
You want to be released from moral and religious impurity. Then be baptized. You are in need of a ritual bath. A cleansing of your soul.
The message of Advent II comes from the wilderness, it comes from the hinterlands…it comes from the uncharted areas of the desert and beyond.
A lone voice can be heard there. A lone voice that begs, calls, beseeches, implores, pleads, shouts, cries, yells out, bellows and hollers until he is “Blue in the face.” Repent!
Return to the Lord!
Return to Him!
Do it, NOW!