Malachi 3:1-4, Luke 3:1-6

Malachi 3:1-4

Luke 3:1-6

“Christmas Greetings!”

Advent  2

December 6, 2009

Christmas is coming!

The goose is getting fat – and for that matter — so am I!

We are all busy – we all have a lot to do and not much time to do it in.      Believe it or not – by this time in 3 weeks Christmas will have come and gone. This may sound like good news to some of you – but some of you may get a sense of panic over all the things you need to do in 3 weeks!

But — in the midst of all the busy-ness of the season — some folks have already taken the time to send Christmas cards.

Oops!

Did I just say a bad word – like adding one more thing to your “to do list”?

Sorry!

But I do love Christmas cards.

I love reading them – looking at them – remembering friends and times together.

Many have very good greetings – like:

Peace On Earth

or

Good Will

or

Rejoice

or even:

Jesus Is The Reason For The Season

or

Wise Men Still Seek Him

Some of the greetings on the cards are sentimental – others are as sugar coated as the cakes and sweets I tend to turn to this time of year –

but some are very thought provoking.

And what about the greetings we give – not on cards – but in person?

When we walk up to a friend this time of year or when we greet someone at a party we might say something like:

Merry Christmas!

It seems that’s the greeting that “greeters” at stores are giving us also.

But — I wonder – I wonder if the Prophet Malachi were alive today – and were the type of person who would send out Christmas cards – what greeting and sentiment would his cards express?

Well, probably not:

Peace On Earth

or

Good Will —

and probably not a serene manger scene with Mary, Joseph, the baby and maybe some animals or shepherds and a star.

And if you met him at a party he would probably not say:

Merry Christmas!

But his cards – and his greetings — would probably be more like

Who Can Stand His Coming?

or

Refiners Fire! Fullers Soap!

or

Present An Offering Of Righteousness!

Come to think of it, unless he made his cards himself — he may have a problem finding the right card to communicate his Christmas greeting – and his verbal greeting would definitely be different from most!

Or – what about John the Baptist?

No sweet Christmas cards or verbal greetings from him, either!

His would be more like:

Prepare The Way!

or

Fill The Valleys!

or

Level The Mountains!

or

Make The Crooked Straight!

Like Malachi – he may have problems finding just the right card to communicate his Christmas greeting – and his verbal greeting might be very different from most.

I’m not sure Hallmark or American Greetings make cards to communicate Malachi’s or John The Baptist’s Christmas greetings.

The greetings on the Christmas cards we send and receive are nice – and so are the words we use to greet each others – but – what difference do they really make?

What difference do the greetings

Peace On Earth

Good Will

Rejoice

or even

Jesus Is The Reason For The Season

or

Wise Men Still See Him

or Merry Christmas

really make?

Have the typical Christmas cards – even the most thought provoking and the least sentimental – gotten to where they don’t really make a difference?

Has the typical greeting:

Merry Christmas

become just a phrase that we throw out because we feel it’s what we should say?

Do the cards – and their messages — just become more trash for our trash cans or – if we are environmentally conscious – our recycle bends?

Are they – and their messages – just more stuff for the landfill – regardless of how they make it there – or the fireplace?

Is the expression:

Merry Christmas

a meaningful statement – or just is it just words for us?

What real differences do the Christmas greetings we send really make to others?

What differences do the Christmas greetings we receive really make to us?

I wonder.

Maybe we need to turn back to those greetings we will probably never find on Christmas cards or heard at Christmas gatherings — but that may have a greater impact upon us and make a bigger difference to us than the ones we are accustomed to.

Maybe the greetings of Malachi and John the Baptist just might make a real difference to us – and maybe to others – if we will just take the time to look at them and listen to them.

Take Malachi for example.

Malachi knew what it was like to see folks pre-occupied with outer appearance — but not caring about a life-changing faith in God.

He knew what it was like to see people rushing around acting  holy and pious – acting like they were busily preparing for the coming of God – but really not doing anything but acting.

He knew what would happen if God suddenly appeared to them.

Not a reward – but a cleansing of their sins that Malachi likened to a burning fire or scrubbing with the strongest of soap.

You see — the Jews in the community Malachi addressed were a proud bunch of people. They had returned from captivity in Babylon. They had re-built the temple. They had re-instituted worship. They were proud.

So – do you think Malachi’s words to them were very popular?

No – not popular at all – to say the least — but — Malachi knew that their worship was superficial.  He knew they didn’t let their faith make a difference in how they lived. He knew how they lived. He knew how they neglected and mistreated the poor and needy.  He knew how the things of God didn’t really mean anything to them. He knew how God’s will for justice and righteousness meant little to them. He knew that their pride was a very false pride.

And he knew God was going to change all that. God was going to take them and cleanse them — and the process would not be an easy one.

The people prayed for God to come into their midst – but Malachi warned:

Watch out what you pray for – you just might get it.

If God were to come into their midst – Malachi warned – they would not be able to stand the cleansing power of God!

When God came to set their hearts right — could they stand it? Malachi asked.

They needed to be prepared. They needed to be changed people before God came.

That is never an easy greeting to hear.

But — you know that’s John’s message — also.

John knew that the time Malachi spoke about had come — and John knew the people had to be prepared.

Not just outwardly — but in their hearts and in their minds. He knew the people had to repent. They did not just need to be sorry for not going in God’s ways — they did not just need to be sorry the world was not a place of God’s love and justice.  John knew that people had to repent. They had to change their ways.

Eugene Peterson in his translation The Message doesn’t translate the Greek to say that John’s baptism was one of repentance as do most translations — he translates it to read that

John’s baptism was a baptism of life-change.

A baptism of life-change.

The Lord is coming — he said.

The Lord is here — he said.

Change your life – he said.

John knew that the coming of Christ had to change people’s lives!

Malachi and John.

Folks with Christmas greetings that were unusual to say the least – but Christmas Greetings that may make a greater difference than any other we may send.

Christmas greetings that make a difference.

Christmas greetings that make a difference a real difference.

Greetings of cleansing.

Greetings of repentance.

Greetings of righteousness.

Greetings of change.

Greetings of God.

You see — their greetings were – and still are – God’s greetings.

On this Second Sunday in Advent, 2009 – the greetings of Malachi and John are God’s greetings to us.

Greetings of cleansing.

Greetings of repentance.

Greetings of righteousness.

Greeting of change.

Greetings of God.

No — not the sweet or sentimental type of Christmas greetings we might send in cards or say in words — but greetings that can really change our lives – and the lives of others.

Not the sweet or sentimental type of Christmas greetings you might send in cards or say in words — but greetings that can really change your life – and the lives of those around you.

Advent is the time in the Christian year for us to take a closer look at our lives and see what we must do to be truly ready to welcome Christ into our lives –­  and look at the whole idea of a real change in our lives – a cleansing – a change of attitudes – a change of actions – a change of heart – that whole attitude of repentance and turning back to God.

This is so vital – so important.

Friends – the greetings Malachi and John – greetings of cleansing —  repentance – righteousness – and change are truly the Christmas greetings that can make a difference in our lives and our community.

The greetings Malachi and John – greetings of cleansing — repentance – righteousness – and change are truly the Christmas greetings that can make a difference in your life and the lives of others around you.

So – the question is – how do you respond to the Christmas greetings of Malachi and John?

Do they make a difference in your life?

Do you let the greetings of greetings of cleansing — repentance – righteousness – and change sink in?

Do you let your life be cleansed by God?

Have you really listened to these greetings God is giving you?

If you have, and let them make a difference in your life, then your life will be changed. You will be a different person. You will be God’s person. If you haven’t, then – like Malachi warned – you will not be able to stand it when God comes!

Have you really listened to these greeting God is giving you?

Have you let these greetings of cleansing — repentance – righteousness – and change make a difference in your life?

What would your life look like if you let these greetings make a difference – and let them change you?

If you remember a few weeks ago when we were looking at how you might live if you truly made Christ the King of your life, I said that a look at Matthew 5 – 7 – what we call The Sermon On The Mount – as a short “primer” on how to live the Christian life.  Looking at The Sermon On The Mount can give you an idea of what your life might look like if were to really listen to God’s greetings of cleansing — repentance – righteousness – and change – and let these greeting change your life.

If you respond to God’s greeting of cleansing – - repentance – righteousness and change — your sexual behavior will be in control — you will be honest in your business dealings and all your dealings with others — you will go above and beyond the call of duty in response to appeals for help — you will care for the welfare of, not only your neighbor, but your enemy as well – you will be religious, but not showy about it – possessions will have their rightful place in your life and will not the be-all and end-all of existence — you will not be judgmental but will use good judgment — you will trust God to meet your needs.

If you respond to God’s greeting of cleansing – - repentance – righteousness and change then the way you live will change – and even the way you celebrate the season of Christmas will change. Instead of trying to do “as little as possible” or “take the easy way out” when it comes to getting involved in the community and the Church, you will look for ways to truly get involved and truly celebrate what Christ means to you. Instead of looking for ways to “cut back your involvement” you will look for more ways to get involved and celebrate the joy of serving Christ!

You truly will not want to be like the folks Malachi gave God’s greetings to – folks who acted pious and religious but were really self centered – and who Malachi warned would not be able to stand the coming of God!

Have you really listened to these greeting God is giving you?

Have you let these greetings of cleansing — repentance – righteousness – and change make a difference in your life?

If so, you will be the person God is calling you to be – celebrating His coming in all you say and do.  If not, as Malachi warns – you will not be able to stand the day of the coming of the Lord – it will be unbearable for you.
The Christmas greetings of Malachi and John are indeed the greetings that will make a real difference.

But – if you really listen to these greetings of cleansing — repentance – righteousness – and change – and let them make a difference in your life – you’ll want to take the next step and share the greetings of Malachi and John with others. Instead of just greeting folks with a half hearted “Merry Christmas” you might want to tell them what Christmas is all about for you – and what it can be for them. Instead of making “small talk” at parties and gatherings and at work, you might want to make “big talk” – talking to folks about how Christ has changed your life – and can change theirs.

Sally’s sister Sydney is a member of Chapin United Methodist in Columbia.  She shared with Sally the other day that her minster – Jody Flowers – told in his sermon last Sunday about how he missed opportunities at his family’s Thanksgiving gathering this year to share the news of salvation with members of his extended family he felt needed to hear it. He said that his family’s Thanksgiving celebration was a wonderful time with a lot of family and relatives around – and like most families do they talked about what had happened in their lives since they had seen each other the last times or shared fond memories – but Jody said he kicked himself later for not sharing his faith in Christ. He then shared with the congregation that he was going to write some of the ones he wished he had shared his faith with.

The point is – how many times are we around others who need to hear the greetings of cleansing — repentance – righteousness – and change – and we just engage in “small talk” instead of the “big talk” they need to hear?

Let’s be people who – like Malachi and John – let the greetings of cleansing — repentance – righteousness – and change – really impact our lives – then share it with others.

Instead of the “same old” sentimental Christmas greetings – let’s hear – take to heart – and spread God’s greeting of cleansing — repentance – righteousness – and change.

Let’s let this be the Christmas greeting we share with others in what we say and in what we do.

Amen

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