Luke 3:1-14
Bad News, Good News
I don’t like being the bearer of bad news. It’s one of the hardest things I ever do. I don’t think I’m all that different from anyone else either. Who wants to go and tell people that they’ve lost a loved one? Who wants to tell someone that they can’t graduate? Who wants to tell someone that they’re not good enough and possibly never will be? If we always had a choice, I doubt anyone would choose to share bad news over good news. This is why we always try to soften the blow... “I have good news, and I have bad news.” We try to make the bad news not sound so bad because we can share something better also. But what if there’s no good news to share? What if the only reason you have to talk to someone is to be the bearer of bad news? Don’t think that being in the church makes this any easier. Yes, I’m often the one that has to share bad news with people. “No, you can’t commune today. Yes, your family member just died. No, you’re not a part of the church anymore.” I’ll admit, many of these scenarios are the extreme. I’m thankful that this isn’t a daily occurrence. However, that doesn’t make it any easier. Having to tell people the very things they don’t want to hear is never fun, nor easy. And that’s half my job. Consider my common message. I must always start with the bad news. I can’t avoid it. It’s just part of what God has called me to preach. I have to tell you how horrible and wretched you truly are lest we all come to have a false view of ourselves.
Consider now our Gospel lesson. Do you think John the Baptist is really all that different from the rest of us? Maybe... but the harsh language we hear today isn’t because he wants to be the bearer of bad news. It’s because he has to be. John must prepare the people by waking them up to all that is wrong in their life. For so, let us learn the core of John’s proclamation:
GOD CALLS US TO REPENTANCE AND SALVATION!
I.
John is a preparer. He was called to prepare the people. They needed to be made ready to greet their coming king. For an improper greeting might mean disaster for the people. And the people were in a sorry estate. Many had become overconfident in their standing before God, when they shouldn’t have been. The Pharisees often taught that as long as you say the right thing, follow all their rules and laws, participate in their sacrifices and festivals that you would be right with God. Yet, John has a wake up call for them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” Luke 3:8. I don’t think John took joy in saying this. Quite the opposite. It brings a lot of pain to tell someone that their lifestyle, their actions, their heart isn’t right with God, even if they think it is. And John warned the people that they don’t have as much time as they think they do, for God would come soon. When our lives are full of sin and wretchedness, we’re in grave danger of falling into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:31). No day is guaranteed to us. Thus, we must be ready and prepared for every day in case God calls us home or Jesus comes again.
This is why we preach first and foremost repentance. It’s no coincidence that the first words we hear from both John and Jesus are “Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand!”. And I know what you’re going to say… we don’t just share bad news; we have good news too! But it doesn’t quite work that way. Consider what John says, “Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire,” Luke 3:9. Before faith can come, we must first fear God as our creator and judge. There’s meant to be a healthy level of fear and respect for God’s authority over our lives. This comes first from knowledge of our sins through the law. We must first see ourselves rightly, not as picture perfect individuals, but tainted sinners. We don’t fear God rightly if we believe some delusion about our human capabilities to love and trust in God, our innocence, or our ranking within the economy of God. Yes, repentance is to admit first that “I’m wrong. I’m a sinner. I can’t do everything myself and I need help!”
II.
But I want you to consider for a moment, why do we share bad news? Why do we warn others? We don’t do it out of some self-gratification, usually. It often does us little good to warn someone else. The intention, normally, is to help. We warn people so they can change and improve. Such is the purpose of John the Baptist… and God. So, the people ask John¸ “What then shall we do?” Luke 3:10. Repentance is this change. To repent means a turning or changing of our mind. We turn away from sin and towards God. But this isn’t actually our doing. It’s God’s doing. God comes to us and speaks his word so that He may turn our minds towards him. God enacts the very change he desires in us. For we’re incapable of ever coming to God on our own, so instead, God comes to us. He sends messengers to prepare his way, to bring his word to you, that we may greet him aright.
This is why John is so important. God doesn’t desire to harm you and me. He doesn’t want his coming to be to our detriment. Rather, he desires it for our good. For I want you to consider these words from Malachi, “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord,” Malachi 3:3. God desires not to consume us in his wrath, but to purify. He desires to refine us by removing the dross of our sins to show our true value. For God’s wrath doesn’t come for you. Rather, it comes for Jesus. The axe is laid to the tree that there may be the cross. God pours out the burning heat of his wrath that he may consume all your sins by Jesus’s death upon the cross. John prepares us so we can see Jesus’ death rightly. Now, when we look at the cross, we see not death and defeat, but salvation! For this is why we must preach the bad news. This is why we must first preach repentance… so that there may also be salvation!
No, I don’t like being a bearer of bad news. It’s not my favorite part… but I know it’s necessary. We must know it’s necessary. For from the bad news of our sins comes knowledge of Jesus as our savior. So may God prepare us through his word, by his messengers, that we may greet him aright as our coming king and savior. In Jesus’ name! Amen!