Matthew 11.2-11

how shall we know?

If anyone needed another reason why Advent is such an odd counter-cultural season this text would be one. When everyone is dazzled and frazzled by Christmas coming, the gospel in the middle of Advent gives us John the Baptist asking a question no one dares to ask. Are you the One who is to come or shall I wait for another? Wow. That will stop you in your tracks; not exactly the question one expects in a season when we are cooing over a manger scene. As hard as it is – I’m told most clergy skip this passage - I think this stopping to confront any doubts and ask hard questions is a good thing along the road to Christmas.

This text reminds us that it is precisely because we have a world full of death, of sickness, of sadness that Christ made his advent into this world to begin with. This is the core of the gospel we dare not forget at Christmas.

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I understand John the Baptist’s doubt; after all, he is sitting in a prison cell; his voice rendered voiceless by Herod, the tyrant who will serve up John's head on a platter as a present for his niece on her birthday.

The world looks entirely different from the confines of a prison cell.

Did I make a dreadful mistake? The worm of doubt slithers into the soul consuming faith slowly. Wars and rumors of more wars abound. One ruthless dictator is taken down and another lurches out the shadows. The just and the innocent are beheaded at the brutal whimsy of their captors. The world goes on its damnable way.

Is he really the promised One? Faced with the evidence of brokenness, doubt burrows even deeper. John only wants to know if his hope is justified or if all is in vain. I can sympathize with John’s questions. Will the Herod’s of this world always get their way or will they get their just recompense now that the Promised One has arrived?

On December 15, 1943, Dietrich Bonhoeffer sat in a Nazi prison cell and wrote a letter to his best friend: "In spite of everything I've written so far, things here are revolting, my grim experiences pursue me into the night and I can shake them off only by reciting one hymn after another, ... I'm apt to wake up with a sigh rather than with a hymn of praise to God. I often wonder who I really am.” He concluded, “I know not who I am, God, but I know that I am yours.”

If you have felt doubt wrestle your faith to the mat for the final count, you understand Bonhoeffer’s prayer and John the Baptist’s searching question.

But, listen carefully. As understandable as it is, John the Baptists’ doubt is of his own making. He expects a Messianic whirlwind filled with holy fire and sharp axes; a time when God will come and clean up the earth once and for all; wipe out every vestige of evil so the righteous can finally live in peace.

John expected one kind of Messiah and got One entirely different; one that he was not sure he recognized.

II

But he did the best thing when under the cloud of doubt. He asked questions.

And Jesus answered John’s questions with concrete evidence of his ministry.

The signs that God has invaded our world are found not in theories about the end time, but in deeds of compassion. “Look around. Listen”, said Jesus, “do you see and hear what is happening?”

Was it a fiery judgment on the wicked and a evil world? No, something even more astounding.

The lame are walking and the blind are seeing

the deaf are hearing and the dead are being raised –

the lepers are being cleansed, the poor are hearing

Good News preached to them.

Jesus proves his authority not with holy fire to burn up bad people, or winnowing forks to sift out the deserving from the undeserving, or by toppling evil regimes but with deeds of compassion, healing and consolation. And by so doing gave notice to the Herod’s of this world that their time was up; it’s only a matter of time.

Already the light of the world has pierced the darkness; but the not yet is so apparent and at times so overwhelming that the already is easily forgotten -- the "not yet" as in Iraq, Sudan, South East DC; in our own hollow hearts; you name the place of your unfulfilled hopes.

III

The deeds of the kingdom of God are often small and unnoticed, but to those who have ears to hear and eyes to see, they are the signs that God has already invaded our world.

For instance, I heard the other day about one of the first graduates of the Crossway community program that we support. Her name is Sandi Butler. She arrived at Cross way, a newly recovering addict with a 3 year old son. Under the tender care of Sister Grace she received job training, completed a GED and went on to college and joined the work force completely independent. Today, years later, she operates a ministry supporting two half way houses for recovering women – an accomplishment she considers an answer to prayer and the guidance she received at Crossway.

Is giving real hope to recovering addicts a sign of the Kingdom of God among us?

Maybe.

All I know is that Jesus gives clues where to go looking for Him when we start asking about the presence of God in world.

Some years ago, I participated in program sponsored by group of artists time spending two days with disabled young people. It was a grand mixture of art and music designed to bring skill and joy to those who so frequently are left on the sidelines confined to their disabilities. Something I hope we might do in the marvelous space of MacDonell Hall. Before I fully knew what was happening I was holding hands with a young man who has Downs syndrome. The guitarist was giving a loud and exuberant intro to Twist and Shout--suddenly we were dancing – yes, slowly, awkwardly in hurky-jurkey motion, we would never win a prize but we were dancing. I watched my dancing partners face slowly transform from fright into a soft broad smile; his eyes grew huge and finally our frozen hips actually moved together. We were twisting and shouting. Then the song was over. It was a small thing, a brief moment of authentic joy, being caught up in good news; the lame were dancing.

A sign of the Kingdom among us? Maybe.

All I know is that Jesus placed himself with the poor, the lame, the blind, the deaf and the diseased. From his life and ministry we take our clues about to the presence of the kingdom of God.

John the Baptist discovered that the Christ came in a way utterly different from his expectations.

When asked if he was the one to come, Jesus replied "Go and tell what you see and hear."

What about you? What are you looking for? What are you listening for?

I’m listening for laughter rising from a once sorrowful, sad heart.

I’m looking for the chains of addiction giving way to recovery.

I’m searching for where the wounds of the broken are tended, and the Good news is proclaimed.

In truth, I’m looking for Jesus among us.

This is why the best Advent prayer I know is the one that asks for ears to hear and eyes to see.

Let us pray.