Readings:
Zephaniah 3:14-20
Psalm 146
Philippians 4:4-7
Luke 3:7-18

Collect:
God of mercy and power, whose Son rules over all,
grant us so to live in obedience to your holy will,
that at his appearing we may be raised to eternal life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Reflection

Talk about strong language. If your disposition is gentle, and you’d rather stay away from strong words, even when upon reflection such strong words may be justified, then don’t read the psalm today. And if you’re persuaded that religion and politics don’t mix, stay away from Zephaniah’s song of joy (which is the sub-heading given in the Good News Bible). This song, like Psalm 146 today, for all its praise, contains some of the strongest condemnation of the way people live and of their king. Even in this otherwise joyful song we hear judgement against oppression and against neglecting those who are lame. No one, especially their king, is exempt from following the commands of God.

We might stop for a moment at Zephaniah 3:19. Good News Bible has a very sharp “bring the exiles home”. Other translations say “gather the outcast” or perhaps “the dispersed”. Today we consider those who are refugees, exiles and cast out. After they have fled death and disaster, they are abandoned to people-traffickers, and this only because they are seeking respite from war or famine. The prophet speaks as much to those fleeing as to those who neglect the suffering imposed on others. The desire of God, says the prophet, is to protect, to gather in, and it is God who will turn their shame to honour. Those who bring shame on the innocent suddenly find themselves opposing God. A very uncomfortable place, indeed. Destructive and negligent ways of living, says the prophet, oppose the very ways of God.

Funny that. Just what John the baptizer says in the gospel for today. Last week we had a foretaste of this message. Then we heard the general call to “turn from your sins” (Lk 3:3) and people responded. Today’s reading, no nice guy. Today they (actually, we) are being called snakes, and that if they (actually, we) do not produce good fruit, the axe will cut the tree down to its root and all will be put to the fire (Lk 3:9). Strong stuff. What looked like being offered the cooling waters of baptism last week, looks much more like hell-fire and brimstone this week.

Luke then tells of the people sensibly asking, perhaps imploring: “What are we to do?” And that is the right question. All the way through the biblical story it is what we do, how we live, that is so important. And the instructions John gives are about just this; live simply, deal with each other honestly and treat each other with respect in order to express our love for God. Tax collectors and even soldiers come for advice, those least likely to recognize their destructive ways of life. And the way the story is told, those who listen are challenged and changed. Luke says that “people’s hopes began to rise”. Hopes don’t rise in response to fear. Turns out that John is not threatening them with hell-fire and brimstone at all. Here is a promise of a different world being inaugurated by God, the one who rules differently. At this time of the year, we remember as much as proclaim that just this is the Christmas story – one who is born in quiet humility, but noticed by those who have eyes to see, and who are willing to be challenged and be changed.

Barry Lotz