CHALLENGE OF ADVENT

For many Christians this season of the year is celebrated as Advent, a word that simply means “The Coming”. It refers, of course, to the coming of Jesus, both his first coming to share our humanity and his second coming to gather those who have given themselves to him and have walked with him. The great prophet of his first coming was John the Baptist. John is a major Advent figure, but in these days a sadly neglected figure. I use the word “sadly” because what he had to say is so utterly pertinent to the needs of our generation.

His prime calling was to announce to his own generation that Jesus, the “Word of God” was actually among them offering people the grace of eternal life. We desperately need that message. Alongside that announcement, however, was a very strong call to a radical change of lifestyle, a call to renounce selfishness and greed, a call to embrace generous giving and contentment. John was not a politician with a political agenda. He was prophet with a message for everyone; his call was to people as people, from the highest to the lowest. He was out for a change in the moral climate, a climate made up of the values of every individual person. If people did not have a heart for truth, integrity and justice then there would be no way in which they would be able to recognize “The Word” much less receive him.

He was not, however, simply placing a “choice” of lifestyle before people as though their behaviour was something for them to make their own decision about and was their own “private” decision. He was making absolute moral demands in the name of God. Furthermore he was emphasizing the fact that unless there was such a change for the better there would be national disaster. He graphically described the situation in the words, “The axe is laid to the tree”; the tree was the nation, and it was on the very point of being cut down on account of the rottenness of its corrupt and self-centred fruit. Like every prophet before him, he had words to say about judgement.

The call he was making was actually very plain and simple; they were to “stop getting and start giving”, they were renounce violence and threats and learn contentment, they were to avoid corruption, and they were to live within the time-honoured restraints on sexual behaviour. In other words, they were individually to get back to simple decent standards of behaviour. He was addressing, not political or economic issues (which are secondary) but moral issues (which are always primary).

This is the biggest need of our generation; it is obsessed with the economic and political and has marginalized the moral. That is to build on sand. It is also to become increasingly blind to God and his offer of life. A nation sold out to materialism will need to see materialism evaporate before it will once again seek its Creator God.



Bob

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