On the third Sunday in Advent, we focus on this passage which outlines John the Baptist’s ministry of proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God. The passage begins with John encouraging his listeners to “Bear fruits worthy of repentance” and not to rely on their Abrahamic heritage (Luke 3:8). John then issues a series of metaphors which emphasise the urgency of his message and in the action which his listeners need to take.

In response to the question from the crowd “What should we do?” (Luke 3:10) John offers practical advice for the crowd and specifically advises the tax collectors and soldiers who are asking him the same question. His advice is based around the sharing of clothing and food with those who have none (Luke 3:11) that tax collectors should only collect what is prescribed (Luke 3:13) and for soldiers not to extort money by threats or false accusations but to instead be satisfied with their wages (Luke 3:14).

John makes clear in his responses that an allegiance to God, and alignment with Kingdom values, involves practical steps in which our inward devotion to God is reflected in our outward practices in everyday life. John’s advice is based around ethical and moral action towards the poor and the vulnerable, which reflects the concerns of the Hebrew prophets who sought to emphasise this on God’s behalf. We can therefore see that the good news that John is sharing has particular relevance to these groups. His preaching in the desert is a reminder, to those willing to listen, of what God’s priorities are and how we should be aligned with them.

John makes it clear that repentance is not just about how we feel but how we behave and act. It involves making decisions that have practical and measurable outcomes which demonstrate that we are living faithful lives with changed priorities that align more closely with God concerns and purposes.

In the final section of the passage John makes it clear to his audience that he is not the coming messiah but that the one who baptises with “fire and the Holy Spirit” was on his way (Luke 3:16). Here John is referring to the coming of Christ Jesus, who in the next chapter will be publicly affirmed by God as his beloved Son at his baptism (Luke 3:21-22).

The whole urgency of John’s message is based around the imminent coming of the messiah. For early Christians this urgency was reflected in a similar outlook which sought to emphasise the imminent return of Christ. This urgency may seem somewhat alien to us today. However, the need for the world to be transformed by an outpouring of divine love in Christ, shown in changed priorities, is as relevant today as it was 2000 years ago.

In this Advent and Christmas season Northampton Methodist Church and Circuit has been offering a small group study based around the Holy Habits materials and specifically those on ‘making more disciples’. Holy Habits seeks to look at the early Church in Acts 2:42-47 and encourages us to develop the way of life formed by the first generations of Christian disciples. Just as John, and then Jesus, encouraged people to repent and change their priorities Holy Habits intends to help us to align our priorities with those of God’s Kingdom shown through the Word.

As we journey through Advent and into Christmas, I encourage you to consider how you might welcome the coming of Christ into your hearts and minds this festive season. In what ways could we change our priorities to reflect God’s concerns and how might we practically demonstrate the love of God in our everyday lives as we welcome him?