THE SEASON OF ADVENT HAS BEEN PART OF THE CHURcH YEAR SINCE-—

Ee

BUT IN ALL FAIRNZSS I THINK WE COULD PLACE THE FURST ADVENT OBSERVANCE IN
HTB YEAR 30 A.D. THE O2SERVER --JOHN THE BAPTIST.

VERY LITTLE FACTUAL MATERIAL IS KNOWN ABOUT JOHN THE BAPTIST. AFTER

OCCASION WHEN FROM PRISON HE SENT TWO MESSENGERS TO ASK JESUS IF HE REALLY
WAS THE MESSIAH,

WE CANNOT, HOWEVER, QUESTION HIS IMPORTANCE. TH NEW TES ANENT WRITERS
OHECY AND THE ROLE HE PLAYED IN THE RECOGNITION OF JESUS AS THE MHSSIAH.

IN THE GOSPEL OF LUKS Wii ARE TOLD OF JOHN THS BAPTIST'S ORIGINS, HLS
FATHER WAS A PRLIEST--ZECHARIAH, HIS MOTHER'S NAME WAS ELIZAB “TH: THEY HAD

LONG GIVEN UP HOPH FOR A CHILD. S5UT AN ANGEL APPSARHD TO ZSCHARTAH INFORMING

IN LUKE'S ACCOUNT ELIZABETH AND MARY TH& HUTHRR OF JHSUS AR’ APPRENTLY
FRIINDS, SOME HAVE SAID RELATIVES, MAKING JOHN & JESUS COUSINS. THIS 15

NOT OUR CONCERN HERE, BUT WHAT IS, IS THE NEW TESTAMENT WRIToR 13 INCLUSLON

OF THIS MAN IN THEIR STORY AND THE RELATIONSHIP HE HAS TO THE CHRISTIAN
A, eA

"2,
HIS PAR NTS HAVING BREN TOLD THAT HE WAS TO BE USED BY GOD, JOHN EECAMS

A LEVITE, THE NEW TESTAMENT TELLS US HB LIVSD IN TH& WILDMNESS, OF F THE

ee

WE MUST ASSUME, THAT JOHN, LIKE THE PROPHETS OF OLD, FELT HIMGSLF CALLED

TO BEA SERVANT OF THE LORD. LIKE THE OIDER PROPHETS JON WAS AWANE OF

ISRAEL'S UNFAITHFULNESS TO THEIR GOD, AS OF OLD, REPENTENCE AND RENEWAL Wonk

NECESSARY, HE BAPTIZED AND BNCOURAGED HIS LISTENERS TO LEAD A Niy LIES, THIS

WAS NOTHING NEW, MANY MBN HAD PREACHED RSPENTENCE BSPORE, JUST LIKE

CORTH(POARY AMMRICA, 1ST CENTURY PASLENTINE HAD AN ABUNDANCE OF TRAVMLING

EVANGELISTS, BUT JOHN'S MESSAGE HAD A NEw COLOR TO IT. THehi WAS A

NEw URGENCY ABOUT IT. HE DID NOT PREACH REPENTENCE MERELY BECAUSE HE
THOUGHT THE POPULACE NEEDED ETHICAL PRODDING, BUT BECAUSE HE WA. AWARN THAT
OMSTHING VaRY TMPORTANT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. HE KNifv THAT GOD WAS ADOUT

TO ACT AND HIS PHOPLE WERE NOT READY. WHEN QUESTIONES IF HE Wikk THE CHRIST,

JOHN MAKIG CLAAR THAT SOMEONE INFINIT ELY MORE IMPORTANT THAN HE IS COMING, -

THAT HE IS JUST TRYING TO LAY THE GROUND WORK FOR TH CO: ING MESSIAH.

FROM THE NEW THSTAMENT ACCOUNT WE CAN MAKE THE CONCLUSION THAT JOHN

THE BAPTIST HAD QUITE A LANG#® FOLLOWING. HE MUST AVE BakN A Vink Y BLOQUENT

ae R, MEN THOUGHTHE WAS THE CHRIST. THE SIZE OP HIS FOLLOWING AND THE
STIR HE CREATED IS BEST TN) WATED BY THE FACT THAT He WAS ARRESTED AND
PUT TO DEATH SY HEROD.

ALTHOUGH JOHN THe PAPTIST 1S INTERESTING AS A PERSON WE MUST LEAVE HIM
TO PURSUS THE MANING OF WHAT HE DID, WHY HE IS SPECIALLY DMPORTANT DURING
ADVNT.

N INTRODUCING JOHN THE PAPTIST, LUKE QUOTES THE 40th CHA PTER OF ISAIAH Baer
INFERRING THAT JOHN IS THE OW: CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, Hi IS THE ONE
WHO ACCORDING TO ISATAH WILL cry PREPARE THE WAY OF TH LORD: HE IS THE
ONS WHO WELL PRECEDE A WONDROUS ACT OF GOD.

LAST SUNDAY WE THOUGHT AOUT THIS SAME SECTION OF THE BOOK OF ISATAH,

» Vropese 4. c-

ABOUT THE SUPP RING SERVANT. IT IS SEGNIEITCANT INDERD THAT LUKE SHOULD

SEE IN THIS VERY SAKE NARRA’LVE A PROPHECY FOR JOHN THE DAPTIST.

THE OCCASION OF TSATAH'S WRITING WAS THE EXILE OF THE JEWS IN BABYLON, HIS

SUSJECT WAS AN SAPLANATION OF WHY ISRAEL MUST SUPPER BUT A’ THE SAME TING

HE WAS PROMISING THAT GOD HAD NOT FORGOTTEN, THE EXLTLE WELL SOON BE OVMR.

he
His advice to his readers WAS PART OF SCRIPTUTE TITS MORNING "PRiPAn THE WAY OF THE
LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT, EVRY VALLEY SHALL EE FLLLED, AND ZVERY MOUNTAIN
AND HILL SHALL ®S BROUGHT LOW, AND THE CROOKS) SHALL Bi MADE STRAIGHT, AND
THE ROUGH WAYS SHALL 22 MAD SMOOTH: AND ALL FLESH SHALL S&H THE SALVATION
OF Gad ."
WHETHER ISAIAH HERS WAS R@PSRRING TO AN AC (UAL ROAD THROUGH THE NEAR BasTHiN
TOPOGRAPHY WE CANNOT BE SURE. WE CAN BE SURB, HOWEVIR, OF LUK&S ADOPTION OF
THIS PASSAGE. THORS MUST ©S SOMB PREPARATION DONS SUPORE THe CHRIST WOULD

HAVE ANY MEANING, M&N MUST RECOGNIZE HOW BADLY THEY Ne DeD A SAVIOR, HOW

PAR THEY HAD STRAYED FROM THE PaTH OF THE LORD.

IT IS CONVENIENT THAT ISATAH (AND LUKE) USED TH® ANALOGY OF A HOAD

———

THAT MUST 3H BUILT FOR THE LORD. ROADS WERE IMPORTANT IN ANCIENT TIS, BUT

NOW ROADS ARE TH VaRY¥ LIS LINE OF OUR CIVILIZATION, DID YOU EVER CONSIDM

HOW LONG THE CITY OF CHICAGO COULD SURVIVE IF SU ODENLY ALL ROADS LEADING IN

AND OUT OF IT WERS CLOSE). ROADS NOT ONLY TIE OUR CIVILIZATION TOGE'H Sk

THEY AARE IMPERATIVE TO THE XL STENCH OF MODERN LIF,

THIS IS A BAD S3CTION OF THE COUNTRY IN WHICH TO ILLUSTRATE SOME OF

THE DIFFICULTIES INVOLVED IN TUILDING A ROAD. GRADING AND LAYING THE PED
al —

ARS TH& HARDEST THINGS THAT MUST PE DONE IN INDIANA. | BUT IN OTHER STATES
PENNSYLVANIA CR COLORADO AND IN THE PALESTINS LUKE EAD IN MIND, THE
NM ILDING OF A ROAD BROUGHT A PICTURE TO MIND OF DIGGING, MOVING EARTH AND
3OULD RS, A VR Y DIFFICULT TASK. TO BUILD THE PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE WHICH
NOW HAS MOR® HILLS AND CU VES THAN ANY ROAD I'V# TRAVELED IN THIS VINCI?TY
ENTATLLED MOVING MILLIONS OF TONS OF EARTH AND ROCK, OHV aN TUNNELS VARYING
IN LENGTH ¥ROM 3/4 TO THREE MILES HAD TO BE BUG TROUGH THE MOUNTAINS. THIS
IS THE KIND OF ROD PREPARING LUKE HAD IN MIND.

LUKE DID NOT MEAN THIS LITERALLY, BUT WAS TALKING ABOUT THE TOPOGRAPHY
OF TH& HUMAN SOUL WHEY HS SAT) MOUNTAINS AND HILLS MUST SBE LEVELED AND VALLEYS
FILLED. IN THIS ANALOGY H® WAS VOICING A cRUTH AHO UT HUMAN NATUR. THAT IS
SO VERY THUS. THEE ARS BaRSlL RS TO THE TRUTH OF CR IST IN BACH OF US: THERE

ARS HILLS THAT MUST Bit LEVELE) AND GAPING HOLES TO BS FILLED. JUST AS HILLS

AND VALLETS ARH PART OF NATURAL TOPOGRAPHY SO THESE BARRENS IN US Al PART

6.
OF OUR NATUM.

AKD JUST AS MAN MUST STRUGGL is TO BUILD A ROAO THROUGH THE BARRIERS OF .
NATURE WE TCO MUST OVERCOMS NATURAL HINQiANCES TO PREPARE A WAY FOR THis
LORD. WE ARE THE SAME AS THS MEN WHO SP LOD ON TH PANAS OF THE JORDAN AN)
HHARD JOHN THE BAPTIST PREACH,

JOHN THE PAPTLST'S SOLE TASK WAS PREPARLNG THE WAY FOR TH ONS THAT
WAS TO COMES AFTER HIM. ALL HLS PREAC ING WAS DIRSCTHD aT STRIKING THE HEART
OF EVRY MAN WITH THs N iw THAT BACH AND EVAR YOMS NE BDED A SAVIOR: AT

POUN TING 4oMe THE TRUTH THAT THE MOUNTAINS OF PRIDE AND SELF SUFFICIENCY.

THE VaL LEYS OF IGNORANCE AND LAZINESS WHE BARRIZAS TO AWARIN «SS OF THE SON

OF GOD. THE CHRIST WAS IN THEIR MIDST RUT UNLESS THEY R&PENTED, UNLESS

THEY ACKMOWLEDGS) THE FACT OF THSLR DIRE MED OF A SAVIOR, THEY WOULD

NEVER RECGNIE HIM. HIS TASK WAS TO PREPARE HS LISTENERS FOR THS COMING OF CHRIST
HE WAS THE FIRST TO OBSSRVE ADVINT.

AS YOU RscALL THAT 15 HXACTLY THE PURPOSE OF TH ADVENT S#ASON, THRae
Wek S FROM TODAY WE WILL CELESRATY THE BIRTH OF OUR LORD--WE WILL SING THE

TRADI TL ONAL CAROL4) WITH JOY AND WARMTH, WE ILL REENACT THS MIRACULOUS sVENT

IN ADORNING OUR CHURCH AND HOMES WITH NATIVITY SCENES. BUT FIST WH MUST

Te

NOUN TAL NS AND TH# SWAMPY VALLEYS THAT ANE PRESENT IN EACH ONE OF US.

THE GREATEST BANRLER FOR LVRY GiRTSTIAN IN AM#RICA WHO IS TRYING TO
PREPARE HIMSELF FOR CHRISTMAS TS OBVIOUSLY A CULTURAL ONE. WHAT WH AUBRICANS
HAVE DONG THE CELE GRATION OF THE EIRTH OF THE CMIST CHILD IS A SUBJECT
TO WHICH I WILL D-VOTH AN ENTING nee IN TWO WHIKS. LET IT SUriTCi HERE
MERELY To STATE THE PROELEM AND ASSUMING ITS PRESENCE GO ON TO AN =XANTNA ‘TL ON
OF THE DARRLERS THAT EXIST IN US BERSONALLY.

WE AR’ TO PREPARE THE WAY @ THE LOR. TO BULL TA ROAD SO THAT ALL
AREAS OF LI#i i IGHT Ba OPEN 10 HIS COMING, BUT TO BUILD THIS ROAD WE MUST
OV RCOME THE MX ISTING NATURAL PARKED RS. LET US CALL THE MOUNT ALNS wh MUST
REMOVG-SELF PRIDE: AND THE V ALLEYS TO BH FLLLED"S ELF pee FFICGLINCY.

SEL? PRIDE, OR SELF CENTEREDNaSS IS THE VeRY PASTS FOR THE CHRISTIAN
DOCIRING OF ORIGINAL SIN. CHURCHMUN THROUGHOUT THE CENTURIES HAVE REALIZ uD
THAT SOMETHING IS RADICALLY WRONG WITH MAN AND THAT quererNs HAS TRADITL ONALLY

DEEN EQUATED WITH SELF CENTRED PRIDE. THE STORY OF He FALL OF ADAM

POINTS TO THE THU TH THAT MAN IN GENERAL IS SIIPLY TO PROUD T] ACCEPT HIS

8.

STATUS AS CREATURE AND GOD'S AS CREATOR, MAN WANTS MORE, HE MUST Be TE

BOSS. THESE ARS THHOLOGICA. ARGUMENTS BUT I ANOw OF NO BHETTwA WAY TO SAY IT.

PERHAPS TH# CHRIST AN DOCTRINE OF PRIDE, OR SELF CENT MR BDNESS IS MORK

MEA ITNGFUL LF WE LOOK FOR A MOMENT TO THES RS&LATLVELY Naw FIGLD OF PSYCHIA TRY AND

PSYCHO TURAPY. ALMOST UNANI ‘OUSLY PSYCHIATRISTS POINT TO MAN'S INADILITY
TO SEE “BEYOND HIMSELF/AS THE ROOT OF ALL ESOTIOUAL ULB TURBANCES, A PSY*

CHIATRISTS JOD, FOR THE MOST PART, IS TO MAK# HIS PATIENT Siu PAST HIS

ALT SRNATI Wits,

PUTTING IT AS SIMPLY AS POSSIBLE, EVERY MAN, YOU AND I, FY OUR NATURE
ARE AFFLICTED WITH SELF CANTSREDNSSS OR PRIDE, AND TRIS IS The EVIL WE CALL
CRIGINAL SIN.

IN MAGNITVDS IT IS INDESD A MOUNTAIN. AND AS .@ PARTICIPATS IN
ADVENT, AS ’% STRUGGLE TO SUILD A ROAD FOR THE LORD, WE MUST RE AWARE OF

ITS PRESENCE, WE MUST DO ALL WE CAN TO LEVEL IT, S80 THAT TH GOD NEWS OP

Di THLEHGM CAN Get THROUGH.

Je
THE SECOND NATURAL PANRIER I SOPKE OF WAS SWAMPY VALLEYS, I HAVE COMPARED
TH TO SéLF SUSPICTENCY,

IT IS USUALLY HaLD THAT PORTS AND AUTHORS ARs PROPHETS OF ® CULTURE.

THAY AR THE SENSITIV’ EARS THT PICK OUT TH# UNDERLYING STRAINS IN OUR DAY

O DAY LIFE, FROM OUT OF THE NOISES OF EXISTENCE THEY HEAR THE STRANDS OF

ie

A PEOPLE'S TRUE ID#AS AND ASSUMPTIONS. AND OBGINN ING NSARLY ON# HUNDRED
YZARS AGO IN THH VOICE OF FREIDERICH NIETZSCHE AND STEMMING DOW TO OUR
OWN TIME IN FRANZ KAFKA AND J@AN-PAUL SARTRE POETS, WRITSAS AND AUTHORS
HAVE HEEN PROCLAIMING Tit ‘lGop Is DEADS) MAN HAS ADVANCSD TO A STAGE WHiiia
BALLER iv A GOD IS ad LONGEE NECESSARY, TH OLD MYTH) MAY 3H CAST OFF.

MAK IS ALONE, RAGING FACED WITH THE CHRLLINGH OF BEING MASTER OF ALL HE
SURVEYS, PROUD AN DEFIANT MAN) IS THE SOLH RULMR OF ALL NAT RE—GOD IS DEAD.
T DOUPT WHETHER ANY OF YOU--OR VERY MANY INDIVIDUALS ANYWBHRE WOULD
JOIN IN WHLR CRY. BUT IDO THINK HAT THESE MEN HAVE GRASPED A TREND, 1H EY

HAVE SENSED A DIRECTLON IN WHICH WE ARS TRAVELING.

AT NO TIME IN HIS DRY HAS MAN SEEN SO POWERFUL; THROUGH SCIENCE NA ‘TU RE

IS BEING CONQUERED, SKY SCRAPERS BUILT, WARS FOUGHT, DISZASE WIPED our

LO.

AND SO ON. AND ABOVE IT ALLIS TH) PSELING THAT WE CAN MASTaR JUST ALOUT ANY

OONCETVASLE SITUATION. THE SSLF SUFFICIENCY OF OUR CIVILIZATION IS WoRDsD
VAY NICELY IN TH# FOOTBALL CHEER "IF WH CAN'T DO IT+-NOBODY CAN ti"

AS KARTS OF OUR CULTURE WE CANNOT EL P BUT BE TNF Ei CED BY THS FHRELTIG.
YOUNG PEOPLE ARS TOLD OVER AND OVUR THAT THEY CAN ACHI ave ANYT GING THEY S&T THEIR
SIGHTS ON IF THEY WILL TRY HARD ENOUGH, NOTHING IS QUT OF THE REALM OF
POSSIBILITY FOR ALM.GHTY WAN. OUR CULTU, IS NOT ONE THAT PUTS MUCH
STOCK IN HUMILITY.

AND AS PART OF THIS CULTURE A BABY BORN iN BETHLEHEM TO care DGiS NOP HAVE
MUCH MSANING. "SAVE US FROM WHAT?" IF THERE IS ANY SAVING TO DO WE CAN DO
IT OURSELVES,"

— IS A GREAT BARRIGR FOR EACH GONE OF US. IT IS GREAT SU BY OUR CULTURE
AND NURTURED BY OUR SELF PRIDE. BUT IN PREPARING A WAY FOR THE LOR Dy, IN

———"

BUILDING OUR ADVENT ROAD WE MUST SIRMOUNT IT. ITIS A VALLEY THAT MUST BE
n ¢ ani yorrod - owes us Whew. . a
FILLED. ~ ay. ness oF We s@ies Canal \ \

FILLED WITH THE FACT THAT WE ARE NOT SUF FICIENT, THAT WH DIRILY NED

HELP. ALL OUR THCHNILOGICAL ACHIEVEMENTS AR NOTHING BECAUSE INUL VL DUALLY,

: ll.
SPIRI'U ALLY WE NEED HEL?. IF WE ARE WILLING TO ADMIT THIS, THE BIRTH OF
THE CHAT Sf CHILD WILL THU LY BB AN OCCASION OF JOY. IF WE ARE RADY TO ADHIT
PERSONALLY THAT LIFE IS RATHER MaaANINGLESS THEN THE ME ANDNG OF BETHLEHEM
WLLL 52 AN OCCASION FOR GRiAT REJOICING.

TWENTY CENTURLES AFTER JOHN THE BAPTIST STOOD ON THE BANKS OF THE JORDAN

IMPLORING HIS LISTENERS TO BUILD A ROAD, WE FIND THAT THE SAMB ROAD STILL

NESDS CONSTRUCT ON. THE SAME MOUNTAINS AND BOULDERS MUST BE CLEARED. IN ADV aNT

MORE THAN ANY OTHSR TIM’ OF THs YAR WE MUST GIVE SERIOUS CONSID ERATION

—_—+--

TO THS TASK. ONLY IF WE SWCEED IN EUILDING THE ROAD WIL. OUR LIVES

——— a

BE ACCESSIBLE TO THE CHRIST.