He is almost here!

Homily for the Third Sunday of Advent, Year A
Isaiah 61.1-2a, 10-11 Luke 1 I Thess. 5.16-24 John 1.6-8, 19-28

I hate it when people get confused. Everything thinks that I’m the one – but they couldn’t be more wrong. He’s very close – getting closer by the day. But it’s not me. I am not the Christ. I am not the Prophet. And I am certainly not Elijah. My name is John. And I am just a voice, a voice crying out in the desert, a voice calling for people to get ready for him – my cousin – the man they call Jesus.

Maybe they’re confused because I’m baptizing people. It’s definitely a powerful thing to do, to plunge a believer into the waters for the forgiveness of sins. But just because I’m the one calling these people to the water, that doesn’t mean that I’m the one forgiving sins. Only God can do that – I certainly can’t. I am not God. But he is here, and he’s not too far away.

Or maybe they’re confused because I quote from the Scriptures a lot. It’s true, I know the Scriptures well. I know that Isaiah’s prophecies are ready to be fulfilled. But I didn’t write the Scriptures. Those holy writers weren’t inspired by me – they were inspired by God himself, by the Spirit of the Lord. I am not the Spirit, but he, too, is not far away.

Or maybe they’re just confused because they’re impatient – and I can certainly sympathize with that. We want to know everything right now – we want God to show himself to us right now. It’s so hard to wait. But it’s almost here – the root of Jesse has sprung forth and is ready to blossom, the day of the Lord is dawning even as we speak. Our patience will not be in vain – the Christ will come, without a doubt. Even I can hardly take the excitement and joy of the anticipation!

And so, in the meantime, what do we do? Do we just sit around and wait? Well, we could – but there is so much work to be done. We have to get ready for this great day that is coming. We have to pray without ceasing, giving thanks and praise to God in all things. We have to listen to and obey the Spirit of the Lord, the one who will give us the wisdom we need to recognize him when he comes. We have to read the prophets and spread the good news – that the day is almost here! Our salvation is at hand! The long-awaiting Messiah is in our midst, the mighty Lord who does great things for us! When the time comes, I am ready to step aside and let him take control of the world; I am ready for the attention to turn away from me and onto him. Because he is the light, he is our Lord, he is the Christ. And even though I am nothing in his presence, I know that his coming among us will make us all holy and blessed. No, I am not the Christ – but he is almost here!