December 14, 2003

Mindekirken Dec 14, 2003
Pastor Jens Arne Dale

Luke 3.7-18

When the big wildfires ravaged California this fall, thousands of small and big animals fled the flames. Some of them came creeping. "You are like snakes who are fleeing the wildfire!" Such were the words of John the Baptist to his listeners. He accused them of trying to escape the judgment of God, but they wouldn’t be successful unless they quit committing sin and immorality, John said. John criticized the religious and political leaders heavily. At one place in the NT we get to hear that this caused his death.

But the great theme in today’s text is: "How do I avoid judgment?" It’s almost like the metaphor; the picture that John uses becomes something we might understand literally. Just as water puts an end to a wildfire, the river Jordan rescues young and old sinners. They were baptized by John for the forgiveness of sins in order to avoid the coming judgment. But John doesn’t stop his severe preaching even though people are baptized.

"Live a life worthy of conversion!" With words like this he went on.

And the people wanted him to clarify: What more are we expected to do? they asked. John didn’t hesitate. "Don’t say: We have Abraham as our ancestor…" There were a lot of people who were confident that everything was all right only because they were able to claim that Abraham was their ancestor. For us, in 2003, this would have been something like: "Don’t come here and say that you are safe because you belong to a Christian culture. Membership at a church is not the same as being saved. Where is your faith? Where is your hope? Where is your love?"

John wouldn’t let people go only because they had the formal things right. He shows that what counts is the attitude of the heart. How do you really live? Repentance means to live differently. It’s about a radical change and improvement. I don’t know if you’ve ever grasped yourself in the neck and said that from now on, everything will be different. Now I’ll stop getting envious, now I’ll quit my bad habits. From now on I won’t curse any more or treat my people in unfriendly ways. In some areas we might succeed, but to live 100% with the love of God as our standard would be out of our reach. But is conversion and improvement the same?

Let me answer by telling a story about Stabbur-Nilsen, one of the richest men of my home county, Østfold. He was once asked how he had become so rich. "Yes, he said, I found a seigmann worth 10 cents in the street. Then I stretcehed it in all directions until it became twice the size it had been. Then I divided it into two and sold one part for 10 cents. Then I stretched the other part in all directions until it became twice as big as it had been then. Then I divided it again and sold one part for 10 cents. The part I had left, I stretched in all directions, then my ant died, and I inherited $ 10 million."

Our conversion may at the best be to stretch ourselves a bit in the right direction. Our closest ones would apreciate that. The world needs us not to become indifferent. But after all, there is little we can do to be really perfect according to God’s standard. "Then my aunt died, and I inherited $ 10 million," Stabbur-Nilsen said. What has made us rich? It’s somebody else’s death.

The death and resurrection of Jesus are not a matter of millions, but of being rich in God. To repent looks like an improvement project where we stretch ourselves as far as we can towards good. But salvation is God’s sake alone. It’s never our effort that makes us deserve the kingdom of God. Hardly anything demonstrates this better than baptism. We’re marked with the sign of the holy cross, as a testimony that we shall belong to the crucified and ressurected Jesus Christ and believe in him. Then God gives us all his grace as a free gift, we receive a share in the kingdom of God.

It’s like going from death to life. None of us did anything ourselves to be born. Life is a gift. In the same way, life in God is a gift we receive without having deserved it. You may sit where you are in the pew just saying to God: Thanks that I’m your child! You’re free. You’re forgiven, you are holy and pure in the eyes of God; everything is thanks to the death and resurrection of Jesus for your sake.

John baptised people for the forgivness of sins. But when they started questioning him about being the Messiah, he hesitated. John was only supposed to be a forerunner for the Messiah. Bur we have met Jesus, the Messiah. Jesus is the one who baptizes with The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the pledge that we’re the children of God, Paul states in Ephes 1.13-14. The Holy Spirit is the gift we receive through baptism.

That is more than we’re able to understand. But it’s The Holy Spirit who works when we believe in Jesus, when we pray and when we seek forgivness for our sins.

John pointed out the way of repentance, and a new way of living. Improvements are not something we have to do in order to be saved. The salvation is pure grace. But because we are saved, because we have got a new life, we’re supposed to live according to it.

Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise. Conversion means to love one’s neighbor in a practical way. To share is according to the will of God. This is something for us as individuals and also for us as a society. In Advent we’ve got a special challenge to support Marie Sandvik Senter and the Community Emergency Services, both of which are in the church’s neighborhood. Use your democratic rights to work politically for a just sharing of the goods of the society. The Bible teaches us to take care of the weakest among us. Caring for the ones who lack food and clothing is part of the life of faith.

John was adressed by tax collectors and soldiers who would like to know what they were expected to do. It’s interesting to note that the soldiers were not recommended to quit. One might be a soldier and a believer. Both groups got an answer about social justice: Collect no more than the amount subcribed to you. Do not extort money from anyone by threats and false accusations, and be satisfied with your wages.

To live as a believer doesn’t mean that one has to change one’s occupation. The point is to execute the occupation with integrety. Be honest. Be just. Don’t use force. It’s quite strange to read these almost 2000 year-old words and think about how pertinent they are even today. Consider your own working life: Are you trustworthy? Do you pay the taxes your’re supposed to pay? Be reliable in matters of money. Don’t be greedy, but satisfied with what you have.

Salvation is a gift of God. Our answer to him is a life where we love our neighbors and the fruit of faith grows. Christian life means to be reliable in all respects of life.

Glory be to God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, one true God, now and forever. Amen.

The Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church ·  924 E. 21st St, Minneapolis, MN 55404-2952 ·  (612)874-0716