December 16, 2018
The words of Jesus are words of love!
About a month ago, a friend gifted me a t-shirt. No particular reason. Just thought I’d appreciate the graphics. The graphics and, of course, the message. On the front of the shirt was a stencil of Jesus’ face. Underneath image were just four words. I. Never. Said. That. Just so there was no mistake as to who said it, below that was the name Jesus.
“I never said that.” The only thing missing was an exclamation mark, instead of a period!
We live in world that believes by the letter. Heartbeats come in dotted i’s and crossed t’s. Breaths in chapters and verses. And if you cut us, well, we bleed red ink. And it’s amazing what kind of things we come up with – whether Jesus, actually, said them or not! For instance, “God helps those who help themselves.” Jesus says, “I never said that!” Or “God won’t give you more than you can handle.” Jesus says, “I never said that!” “Hate the sin, love the sinner.” “God works in mysterious ways.” “The devil made me do it.” Jesus hears them all and each time he says, “I didn’t say that! I didn’t say any of that!”
But it’s a little more difficult when we hear something that, really, does come from the bible. That sounds a little like something he might say. Like in the passage we heard, just a few moments ago. Luke, chapter three, verses seven and following…
“You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” There’s more, of course. As if that’s not enough. Over the years, I don’t know how many sermons I’ve heard based on these words. All spoken with such confidence. With such conviction. All the while, Jesus standing there. Arms crossed. Head shaking back and forth. Muttering under his breath. “But I never said that! I never said that!”
This morning, contrary to popular opinion, we weren’t listening to Jesus. We were listening to John! Wrath and retribution! Fire and brimstone! Hell and damnation! It was one threat, one ultimatum, after another! And it had no redeeming value! The words changed nothing! Changed no one! And Jesus never said it!
For two chapters, now, Luke’s been comparing Jesus and John. Comparing and contrasting. First, their conception. Then, their birth. Each time, John is great, but Jesus is greater! Four chapters from now, John – the baptizer – is in prison. And he sends a couple of his disciples to Jesus with a question. “Are you the one?” Are you the one we were waiting for or do we keep on waiting? Even after all the preaching, all the baptizing, John, still, doesn’t know. He, still, isn’t sure. They went. They asked their question. And Jesus told them to go back and tell John what they saw. The blind see! The lame walk! The deaf hear! The dead live, again! The poor have good news brought to them!
Grace and mercy! Forgiveness and love! That’s what Jesus brings! He unveils life! From beginning to end! From start to finish! Life and love! Shaken together! Pressed down! Overflowing! Generous! Abundant! Jesus’ message is different from the message John proclaimed! Feeding the hungry! Giving the thirsty something to drink! Clothing the naked! Making a place for the immigrant, for the refugee, for the exile! Caring for the sick! Visiting the homebound, the imprisoned! These are the things Jesus, actually, said! Forgiving! Not just one time or two! But always and forever! And not one wisp of smoke! Not one whiff of sulfur!
“There is none greater than John,” Jesus says. “None greater!” But even the lest in the kingdom is greater than him. Because, you see, John didn’t get it. John didn’t understand. And John was wrong. So Jesus stands, and Jesus stares, and Jesus whispers to himself, “But I never said that. I never said any of it.” John terrorized people. He frightened them. Scared them. He gave them hell. He held their feet to the fire. Fear and trembling. That’s what John brought. Anxiety and dread. And if we were honest with ourselves, we’d admit we’re drawn to the words. He tells it the way we like it! Tells it the way it is! We may not cross-stitch the lines and hang them on the wall, but we love them, just the same. John, we get! John, we appreciate! John, we understand! Straighten up! Fly right! Or else!
But Jesus? With his love, with his forgiveness? He’s different. He makes us uneasy, uncomfortable. With all the talk of turning the other. Of going the extra. Doing unto. Picking up a cross and following after. No, we’d much rather be sinners in the hand of an angry god. An angry god who has to be placated. An angry god who needs to be pacified. An angry god who has to be bought off and bribed by good thoughts and better prayers and best of intentions. A god… well, a god who is a lot more like us! And the whole time, Jesus says, “But that’s not what I said! That’s not what I ever said!”
We talk about believing. But it’s on John we stake our lives. We believe in axes and winnowing forks. Axes, winnowing forks, and, of course, on the fires that never go out. And we wonder why nothing ever changes. Why everything, always, stays the same. At least, there is one “gospel” John proclaims! The good news that he isn’t the one! That his message isn’t THE message! “I’m not the one,” he says, “There’s someone else! Someone more! Someone who won’t reek of fire and smoke! Who, one day, will gather up the grain! Who, one night, will sleep on the chaff!
“Even now,” says the baptizer, “the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree that does not bear good fruit [will be] cut down and thrown into the fire.” Jesus hears what is spoken and Jesus replies, “I didn’t say that! I didn’t say ANY of that!” Because you see, my friends, the words of Jesus are words of faith and hope and love! The words of Jesus are, especially, words of love!