Where is the Good news?

“With many other encouraging words, he told the Good News to the people.” Luke 3: 18

The good news?

being called a snake,
threatened with unquenchable fire
judgement

Where is the good news in this?

When people were coming to John, to listen, to be baptised, the country was close to a crisis situation.

The people of Israel had been in slavery to Rome for many years. They remembered the stories of the exodus, the liberation from slavery to Egypt. But this time there was not to be an exodus, they were slaves in their own land.

The people were looking for one who would lead them to freedom, freedom to worship God, freedom from oppression and poverty.

When we look at what is happening in many places around the world at the moment, including on Australia, there is still poverty, oppression and fear. With the advances in communication and social media, we know a lot more about what is happening in other parts of the world.

While statistics reported on websites vary, and the number varies each year, something like 50 - 80 woman are killed in Australia each year by a current or former partner.

At a meeting on Friday we heard about some of the consequences for people who had been victims of sexual abuse while attending church schools. Another session we heard about some of the consequences for indigenous people who were in children’s homes. They were not pretty stories.   

Where is the Good news?
Where is good news in times of violence, war and addiction?
Where is good news for the lonely, the grieving and those living with chronic pain?
What is the good news we are looking for?

I doubt it is being called a snake!

John is reminding people that you can’t just say that you worship God, belong to God or believe in God – whichever way you want to express being in relationship with God. Faith isn’t just about words, faith is about action.

The good news is that the judgement separates the chaff from the grain – both from the one stalk. Judgement in this sense is not that a person is good or bad – both reside within each of us. The grain, the fruit is kept, the chaff, the refuse is destroyed.

The judgement here isn’t about your status as baptised or member or born again. The judgement is how you live.

“Do those things that prove that you have turned to God and have changed the way you think and act.” [Luke 3:8 GNB]

And of course the crowd asked: how do we do that?

Basically share what you have. If you have more than you need, share.

Tax collectors and soldiers are two groups who were outcasts in Jewish society. They were collaborators with Rome, and so despised. Tax collectors and soldiers also had the opportunity to charge extra, to ask for bribes or favours.

John doesn’t tell them to quit their jobs, but tax collectors should only take collect is required; and soldiers be content with their wages, which meant no more extortion.

I can remember when I was much younger, and very new Christian, it seemed that all that mattered was saying the ‘right’ prayer to commit my life to Jesus, and then getting other people to pray that prayer. If I could manage that, everything would be great.

The gospel however tells us that being a follower of Jesus is more than saying the ‘right’ prayer. Being true to our name of Christian is about living in a way that shows the fruit of the spirit in our lives.

I came across this quote this week:

“Religion says God will love us if we change
The Gospel says: God’s love changes us”

Are you trying to change so that you will be acceptable to God? That is a waste of time and energy. Allow God’s love to seep into your life, to wash through you, to shine in your life. Then your life will change.

Still looking for the good news in this passage?

If you have no coat and someone gives you one; that might be good news. Remembering that in this time this was written, a coat meant warmth at night as well as protection during the day.

If you have no food and someone shares their food with you; that would be good news. And there were no freezers for long term storage.

This part of the reading, about sharing our excess, reminds me of the judgement at the end of Matthews’s gospel, the story of the sheep and the goats. Jesus comes to us in other people. Would you give Jesus your spare coat if he was cold?
Give it to someone without a coat.

Just as in the time when John was preaching and Baptising, our world needs to be turned right-side-up.

Advent, the time of anticipation and expectation, a time of waiting, is also a time of renewal. A time to reconsider what is important in our lives. A time to think about where peace and joy and hope come from in our lives.

The third Sunday of advent we think about joy. Joy is no happiness quick fix; joy comes from deep within us. Paul is writing from prison when he tells the people of Philippi to rejoice.

In the midst of a world that seems bent on destruction,
where people vie for power,
where violence is the first response to every problem
where home is not a safe place for many people
where life is devalued
we have a different story to tell.

We have a story about God who decided to come in human form
to usher in a new kingdom:
where life is valued
where everyone can feel safe
where power is shared
where peace reigns

During Advent we re-hear the stories of John the Baptist,
the speech of Zechariah,
the song of Mary,
the words of the prophets.
We re-imagine a world turned right-side-up
where no-one is hungry
or cold
or living in fear.

REFLECTION:

Where do you find joy in life?

What is the good news you are longing to hear?