Second Sunday in Advent, Cycle A

MATTHEW 3:1-12
JOHN THE BAPTIST TELLS THE PEOPLE WHO ARE FOLLOWING HIM TO REPENT. TO MANY OF US, REPENTANCE MEANS THAT WE SHOULD BE SORRY FOR OUR SINS AND RESOLVE TO DO BETTER. OF COURSE WE SHOULD DO THAT, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT JOHN HAD IN MIND. JOHN SPOKE IN ARAMAIC, BUT THE EARLIEST COPIES OF THE GOSPELS WERE IN GREEK, AND THE WORD USED HERE IS “METANOIA”. METANOIA MORE OR LESS MEANS “ABOVE OR BEYOND ONE'S MIND.” THE GREEKS USED THE WORD TO DESCRIBE THE PROCESS OF THINKING A NEW WAY OR ADOPTING A DIFFERENT WAY OF LOOKING AT THINGS.
SO IT'S NOT BEING SORRY FOR YOUR SINS THAT JOHN WANTS, IT'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT. HE CALLS US TO CHANGE OUR POINT OF VIEW. BUT TO WHAT? ONCE I HEARD A TALK IN WHICH THE PREACHER SAID THAT WE HAD TO ALWAYS REPENT, REPENTANCE WAS A LIFELONG PROJECT. BUT HE NEVER ANSWERED THE QUESTION – WHAT IS THE GOAL OF REPENTANCE, OF METANOIA? HOW CAN WE DO THIS IF WE DON'T KNOW WHERE WE ARE SUPPOSED TO END UP?
OFF THE COAST OF MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA ARE TWO BARRIER ISLANDS. EVER SINCE THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY THERE HAVE BEEN HORSES ON THESE ISLANDS. THEY THINK THEY MAY HAVE GOTTEN THERE FROM A SPANISH GALLEON THAT SANK NEARBY. OVER THE YEARS, THESE WILD HORSES HAVE GOTTEN SMALLER AND STOCKIER. THEY CAN'T GET OFF THE ISLANDS, AND THEY LIVE ON THE LOCAL VEGETATION, WHICH IS NOT A VERY GOOD FOOD FOR HORSES; SEA GRASSES AND VARIOUS WEEDS LACK SOME OF THE NUTRIENTS THAT HORSES NEED, SO THE WILD HORSES DEVELOP SOFT BONES AND ARTHRITIS. SANDSTORMS ARE FREQUENT, AND BECAUSE SAND DUST IS EVERYWHERE, THEY WEAR THEIR TEETH DOWN FASTER THAN HORSES ON THE MAINLAND WOULD. THEY ALSO GET DENTAL PROBLEMS. AND FLIES AND FLEAS AND VARIOUS OTHER PESTS ARE ALWAYS BITING. HORSES THAT ARE PLAGUED BY PESTS WILL SOMETIMES DIVE INTO WATER TO DROWN THE BITING INSECTS. THESE HORSES CAN ONLY IMMERSE THEMSELVES IN SALT WATER, AND WHEN THAT DRIES, IT IRRITATES THEIR SKIN EVEN MORE. IN OTHER WORDS, THESE WILD HORSES HAVE KIND OF A LOUSY LIFE.
EVERY SUMMER SINCE 1925, THE HERD OF HORSES ARE CHASED ACROSS A SHALLOW BODY OF WATER ONTO THE ISLAND OF CHINCATEAGUE, WHERE SEVERAL OF THE FOALS AND YEARLINGS ARE AUCTIONED OFF USUALLY TO BECOME PETS. IN THEIR NEW LIVES, THEY GET FED REGULARLY AND ARE GIVEN THE RIGHT KIND OF DIET; THEIR NEW OWNERS GROOM THEM AND KEEP THEIR COATS CLEAN; AND THEY HAVE SHELTER FROM THE WIND AND THE RAIN, AND ACCESS TO FRESH WATER. AND THEY ARE “BROKEN”, A SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT PROCESS IN WHICH THEY LEARN TO OBEY COMMANDS AND CARRY A RIDER, OR PULL A CARRIAGE.
IN SUMMARY, THE HORSE ON THE ISLAND LIVES FOR ITSELF, BUT THE HORSE THAT BECOMES DOMESTICATED LIVES FOR SOMEONE ELSE.
I KNOW THAT'S A SILLY EXAMPLE, BUT THAT IS WHAT JOHN, AND LATER, JESUS, MEANS BY REPENTANCE. WE STOP LIVING FOR OURSELVES, AND WE LIVE FOR SOMEONE ELSE. WE QUIT TRYING TO GUIDE OUR OWN LIVES AND WE LET GOD GUIDE US. AND THAT IS A LIFETIME'S WORTH OF WORK, BUT AT LEAST WE NOW KNOW WHERE WE ARE SUPPOSED TO GO, WHAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO DO WHEN WE GO THROUGH “METANOIA” WHEN WE CHANGE OUR POINT OF VIEW.
JOHN'S CALL IS NOT A NEW ONE. THE CALL TO REPENTANCE IS AS OLD AS MANKIND. ADAM AND EVE WERE CALLED, BUT CHOSE TO LIVE FOR THEMSELVES. ABRAHAM WAS CALLED, AND CHOSE TO LIVE FOR GOD, TO LET GOD LEAD HIS LIFE FOR HIM. AND THE CALL CONTINUES DOWN THROUGH THE PRESENT DAY; EVERY PERSON IS CALLED, AND EVERY PERSON CAN MAKE THE CHOICE – TO CONTINUE TO LIVE FOR HIMSELF, OR TO ALLOW GOD TO TAKE OVER HIS LIFE.
THINK BACK TO THOSE HORSES FOR A MINUTE. WE HUMAN BEINGS STILL FEEL A LITTLE UNEASY ABOUT THOSE HORSES WHO GET DOMESTICATED. AFTER ALL, THEY SEEM TO BE GIVING UP THEIR FREEDOM. PROBABLY THIS DOESN'T BOTHER THE HORSE, BUT WE HUMAN BEINGS TREASURE OUR INDEPENDENCE, AND IT SEEMS AS THOUGH IF WE GIVE OUR LIVES TO GOD, WE GIVE SOMETHING UP. BUT THAT'S AN ILLUSION. IN SOME MYSTERIOUS WAY THAT IS ONLY APPARENT TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH THIS PROCESS, LETTING GOD LEAD YOUR LIFE IS REAL FREEDOM; JUST ASK A SAINT. WE LIKE FREEDOM BECAUSE IT ALLOWS US TO CHOOSE WHAT WE SEE AS GOOD. BUT IF GOD IS LEADING OUR LIFE, WE ALREADY HAVE THE GREATEST GOOD. LIKE THE HORSE THAT NEEDS TO BE BROKEN, TO LET GOD LIVE OUR LIVES IS GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE PAIN AND READJUSTMENT, AND THE MORE WE OPEN UP TO GOD, THE MORE WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS BREAKING IN PROCESS.
TO A DOMESTICATED HORSE, NOT ONLY IS THERE A GREAT IMPROVEMENT IN HEALTH, BUT POSSIBILITIES ARE OPENED UP WHICH WOULD NEVER OCCUR TO THE WILD HORSE. AND THE DOMESTICATED HORSE WILL LIVE ABOUT TWICE AS LONG AS HE WOULD HAVE IN THE WILD, ON THE BARRIER ISLAND OFF THE COAST OF VIRGINIA.
REPENTANCE, METANOIA, CHANGING OUR POINT OF VIEW; IF WE STOP LIVING FOR OURSELVES AND BEGIN LETTING GOD LIVE IN US, LIVING FOR GOD, OUR LIVES WILL CHANGE FOR THE BETTER; WE WILL FIND OURSELVES CAUGHT UP IN A CAUSE GREATER THAN ANYTHING WE CAN IMAGINE; WE WILL BECOME POWERFUL AND ABLE TO DO WHAT WE COULD NEVER DO BY OURSELVES; AND WE WILL HAVE ABUNDANT LIFE. IT'S ALL THERE IN THE WORDS OF JESUS.
JOHN CALLED ON HIS FOLLOWERS TO REPENT. HE WAS A GOOD PSYCHOLOGIST. HE KNEW THAT MANY WHO HEARD HIM WOULD DESIRE TO REPENT, TO ENTER INTO THIS WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP SO FAR BETTER THAN ANYTHING THEY COULD ACHIEVE ON THEIR OWN. BUT DESIRE IS NEVER ENOUGH, DESIRE DOESN'T MAKE A CHANGE. IT'S NECESSARY TO DO MORE, TO PRODUCE GOOD FRUIT. IF YOU REALLY WANT TO LET GOD TAKE OVER YOUR LIFE, IF YOU WANT TO ACCEPT THE WONDERFUL INVITATION GOD HOLDS OUT TO YOU, YOU HAVE TO LIVE AS THOUGH YOU ARE ALREADY THERE. ONE OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF LIVING FOR GOD IS THAT GOD BEGINS TO USE YOU TO BRING ABOUT WHAT GOD WANTS TO HAPPEN. THAT MEANS GOOD WORKS. SO JOHN TELLS HIS FOLLOWERS, “PRODUCE GOOD FRUIT AS EVIDENCE OF YOUR REPENTANCE.” WE WILL NEVER GET TO HEAVEN BY DOING GOOD THINGS. BUT IF WE BEGIN TO ACT AS JESUS ACTED, WE WILL BEGIN TO CHANGE, TO GIVE OUR LIVES TO GOD.
SO ACCEPT JOHN'S CHALLENGE. CHANGE YOUR LIFE, TURN AROUND. STOP LIVING FOR YOUR SELF, AND GIVE YOUR WHOLE SELF TO GOD. AND DO GOOD WORKS AS EVIDENCE. AND YOUR LIFE WILL BE BETTER THAN ANYTHING YOU HAVE EVER IMAGINED.