In our gospel reading for today, John the baptist is hard at work with the mission God has given him – prepare the people for the arrival of Jesus. So John gives the people a sense of expectation that God is preparing to act in a dramatic fashion...John lets the people know of the importance of the one who is coming. And...John instills in us what we need most to truly receive Jesus...a sense of fear.
When was the last time you heard a good fire and brimstone sermon? John the Baptist delivers a great one today in our gospel lesson. “The ax is lying at the root of the trees,” he says, “judgment is near. When Jesus comes, he will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire.” The consequences of continuing in sin are DEADLY serious. And John isn't accepting any fake conversions either...he won't tolerate shows of repentance that are just for the show. “You brood of vipers!” he says to the people who are coming for baptism, “bear fruits worthy of repentance. It's about much more than just this bath in the Jordan River.” And in reply to the people's questions, “what then should we do?”, John sets a difficult path. His answer is NOT, “spend more time in worship, prayer, and bible study,” something warm and comfortable and safe. His answer IS “get involved with the people around you! Stop exploiting them, and find out who needs a coat or food. These are the true indicators of repentance. If these are not present in your life, how do you know you're not chaff, bound for the unquenchable fire?” John's words bring to the people, a healthy sense of fear.
Here in North America especially, some of us preachers have drifted away from fire and brimstone. We try hard not to call people “vipers” anymore, even when they show up for baptism with ZERO intention of letting God change anything else in their lives – you know it's just a show for the grandparents. We tend to present baptism as a form of fire insurance – a one-time deal that makes you a lifetime member of the Jesus club – and gives you the membership privileges to make claims with the name of Jesus. But as John says in the lesson today, “God is able from these STONES to raise up children to Abraham. 'Membership' doesn't count for much.” We also don't talk much about the fruits that can be expected with true repentance anymore. John keeps it simple. Towards self, there is justice: “do not extort money from anyone, collect no more than the amount prescribed, be satisfied with your wages.” Towards others, there is mercy: “share with anyone who has none.” These fruits are more than just a quota of scheduled good deeds – these ATTITUDES are the signs of a heart being changed by God, of a life being turned away from sin and toward service. How much of this fruit do we see in our lives? And how much are we relying on “membership” to save us from the wrath to come? Do we have the fear we need – not a fear that paralyzes us or causes us to despair, but a fear that motivates us to allow Jesus to change us?
This is why God sent John – to give his people this kind of fear, the kind that prompts the question, “what then should we do?” God continues to send fire and brimstone preachers for the same reason – because if you haven't been reminded about the wrath to come, you might forget that you need a saviour to change you.
And ultimately, God sends his son Jesus, who baptizes us with fire and the Holy Spirit, so that we are ready to receive him. It's the Holy Spirit within us who guides us constantly to fear the consequences of sin. And this fear enables us to grasp and hold what Jesus brings for us through his sacrifice on the cross – God's forgiveness. Think about it – if you have been rude to someone like say a store clerk or a waitress in the city, how motivated are you to go back and seek forgiveness? You will likely never see this person again, and they have no influence over you – there are zero consequences. Chances are, you won't make a trip back to the city just to apologize. But if you have been rude to your employer or your commanding officer or even your children, the consequences could be severe, and so you will actively seek forgiveness. The wrath to come are the consequences that prepare us to cling to the forgiveness that Jesus promises.
And it is that forgiveness that gives us the impulse to truly repent. It is the undeserved forgiveness of God that changes our hearts. It is the undeserved forgiveness that enables us to follow Jesus and become his disciple. And as Jesus changes us, we go from being chaff to being wheat. We become people of justice and mercy, and our fruits of repentance become visible. It all stems from God's forgiveness, which Jesus made possible for us through his sacrifice on the cross.
There are some people who have a problem with a God who shows wrath. But the sacrifice of Jesus shows us that God's wrath is not what they think, the wrath of a tyrant or a slave-driver. Instead, God's wrath is that of a loving parent, who's teenager has just crashed the family car with reckless driving. Sure, God's upset that other people were hurt. Sure, God's upset that the car was totalled. But at the root of God's wrath is this, “You could've gotten yourself killed.” At the root of wrath, is a love deeper than we can possibly comprehend.
Gracious God, we cling to your son Jesus, who saves us from your wrath by changing us as his disciples. Help us to always fear the consequences of sin, and to feel your love behind the wrath, in Jesus' name, amen.