A very Prodigal Christmas, Dec 2020

Have you ever seen one of those crazy dudes standing beside the road with a sign that says Repent? What was your first thought when you saw that guy? Maybe like me at times you have thought “should someone call the mental hospital as this guy may need some help?” Or Maybe you think telling people to repent seems very judgmental and unchristian and shouldn’t we just be telling people God loves them and leave it at that.

I wonder however, did you ever stop and ponder the fact that in the Christmas story in the bible that we love to tell about the baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the Angels singing, the Shepherds, the Wise men, the Star, the Manger, etc. that we lost a character in this story? Have you ever reflected that there was another baby born just 6 months prior that God sent into this world ahead of Jesus who would grow up to live in the desert, eat bugs, have long hair and a long beard and wear camel skin?

Talk about a crazy looking guy, if this guy approached you on the street you would likely cross to the other side. A guy whose calling from God was to basically stand up on a soap box and yell at people they needed to repent from their sins. This guy is associated with Christmas? Well, the truth is yes, there is a person exactly like that associated with the Christmas story in the bible, who was called John the Baptist.

As we wind down the year of 2020 and approach Christmas, I have been reflecting on a part of the Christmas story in the bible that is not often mentioned, the birth of John the Baptist that proceeded the birth of Jesus by 6 months. In Luke 1:5 to 25 we read about the announcement of John the Baptist coming birth.

In verse 16 and 17 we read: Verse 16: And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. Verse 17: It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

In Mathew 3:1-6 we read this about the adult John the Baptist:

1) In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’”

4 Now John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

So, God sent the baby John the Baptist into the world ahead of the baby Jesus to point people to their sins and then point them to Jesus. Why? Because if God was to send a savior from our sin and the destruction and death it leads to in Jesus, people first needed to understand they needed saving.

People love Christmas stories about Gods unconditional love, peace on earth and good will to men, etc. Those are indeed wonderful parts of the Christmas story. I suspect the reason John the Baptist birth is not emphasized in many Christmas stories is it is a bit of a downer. Why would God want to distract from the focus of His Love and compassion for all the people of this world by dropping a crazy guy like John the Baptist into the middle of the story.

Well, I think the reason many do not like to discuss John the Baptist at Christmas, or even at Easter, is because we do not like the word repent. Some people have an understandably negative connection with it.

The Pharisees of Jesus day used the Old Testament as a weapon to promote their self-righteousness and to look down their nose with contempt at others for their sin. (We see Christians fall into this same trap at times today.) They added to Gods requirements in the Old Testament and promoted Legalism where they could earn their place in Heaven. They were very arrogant and prideful. They would have been the first to cheer on the need for others to repent, without ever understanding the wicked state of their own hearts and without seeing their pride and hypocrisy.

Other times, I reflect on how heartless and unkind people professing to be Christians can be at times (Including sadly myself at times over my life). I have seen far too many Facebook comments from Christians who gleefully at times resort to “Well, you will know the truth when you are burning in Hell!”. What a sad comment for someone who says they follow Jesus, whose love for his enemies was clearly displayed on the cross when he said, “Father forgive them, they know not what they do.” This same Jesus who died on the cross to save people from Hell because it is Gods desire that none should perish.

I also think about classic literature like the Scarlet Letter where the woman had to wear a Scarlett Letter A for adulterer, with no forgiveness and compassion in sight, while the Pastor that got her pregnant refused to speak up and admit his guilt. When people have been deeply wounded by “righteous” people, it is no wonder the word repent carries a negative connotation.

I would submit however these examples are not the kind of repentance that John the Baptist was calling people to. If you had a friend who was an alcoholic, and you loved them and saw him or her destroying their relationship with their kids and spouse, and the pain this was unleashing in their life, would it not be loving and compassionate to speak up and tell them their actions are leading to death and destruction and they need to repent (Change their mind) and see how destructive this addiction is and seek help?

If this was done out of love and humility, rather than out of condescending pride, then I hope we can agree an alcoholic getting help and treatment would be a benefit to a family. In the same way, our sins of lying, slander, gossip, pride, addictions, sexual immorality, hatred, envy, strife, unforgiveness, greed, laziness, violence, rage, selfishness, failing to love our enemies, failing to help those around us, etc. leads to our destruction.

The biblical goal of our repentance is not to wear a Scarlett Letter A the rest of our lives (that is Satan the accuser’s goal), the goal from God is to turn us from things that lead to pain and destruction in our lives and in the lives of those around us. This is because God loves us so much, He hates to watch any of us suffer. God also wants us to then experience the joy of God’s forgiveness.

When I think of this, I always think of the story of the Prodigal Son Jesus told in Luke 15:11-24:

11) Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. 12) “And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So, he divided to them his livelihood. 13) “And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. 14) “But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. 15) “Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16) “And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. 17) “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18) ‘I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19) “and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’

20) “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. 21)“And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22“But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. 23)‘And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; 24) ‘for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.”

So, the Prodigal sons’ drinking, sexual carousing, etc. led to his ruin, and he ended up in a painful situation, eating with the pigs. This was a situation that broke his Fathers heart even as our sin at times breaks Gods heart as He hates to see us suffer.

Up until that point of the story, there was not much hope in his life. However, when He repented, when He changed his mind about His Father, and acknowledged that his own sin, his selfishness, his path had led to destruction, and He desired forgiveness from His Father, then before He could even plead with His Father, His Father ran to him with Open arms ready to embrace him. God is the good Father in this parable who also stands ready, eagerly watching and waiting for us to return to Him, who roots for us and encourages us.

I think as we reflect on Christmas in 2020, we could all use a dose of repentance, in changing our minds to see things from God’s perspective and to be like the prodigal and acknowledge our sin is destructive. We would do well to also understand how utterly dependent we are on God to clean us up and experience the joy of God’s forgiveness and grace in our lives. Only then can we understand we do not have to be content to eat the pig slop of our sin, but we can run back to our Heavenly Father who is waiting with his arms open wide to forgive us and welcome us back, ready to throw us a feast and give us a better life.

Philippians 2:5 to 11: 5) Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6) who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7) but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8) Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.9) For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10) so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11) and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

May the humble example of Jesus be a guide to us. Jesus, who left the glory of Heaven to take on the form of a baby, to limit himself in human form, to live among us, and who humbly, obediently and willingly suffered and died at sinful human hands in order to free us from our slavery to sin and our fear of death.

As we head into 2021, May we also seek that humble obedience to Our Heavenly Father who loves us all beyond measure and who wants only good for us.

May this Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus as the savior of the world, by first acknowledging we are broken selfish sinners, and we desperately need saving. Only then can we truly rejoice in the full Joy that is Christmas and can we truly understand the depth of the Love our Heavenly Father has for us. This is the precious gift that repentance leads us to and this is also why John the Baptist is part of the Christmas story.

Best wishes to you and your family this Christmas. May the Hope and Peace of Jesus rest on you and your family no matter what circumstances you find yourself in during the coming year.