An Uncluttered Christmas, Luke 3:1-6 (7-14)

A sermon preached on Sunday, December 20, 2009 at Hebron Baptist Church, Denham Springs, Louisiana by pastor Joe Alain.

Scripture Reading: Luke 3:1-6 (7-14)
Background Scripture: Isaiah 40:3-5

John the Baptist’s ministry was one of removing the clutter so that people could prepare for the coming of the Lord and in that respect his message has a lot to say to us about how we can experience an uncluttered Christmas.

John the Baptist certainly is one of the most colorful and unlikely characters in the story of Jesus. Apart from sermons that deal with Zechariah and Elizabeth, we don’t usually invite the adult John to our Christmas celebrations. He seems too serious, too rugged, to harsh, to forceful with his message of repentance. John was a man who wore a camel hair coat before camel hair coats were cool and he lived on a lean diet of locusts and wild honey (how’s that for your new year’s resolution diet!). John never took a class on how to win friends and influence people and his marketing techniques would be considered all wrong today, but the power of God was upon John and the Word of God was in him. And even though he went into the wilderness of obscurity, he attracted great crowds.

I. CLUTTER
Our lives and hearts are often cluttered.
We can learn a lot from John’s ministry of uncluttering the message of Christmas because the Christmas season is often a very cluttered time. Our calendars are jam packed, the stores are crowded, the traffic is worse than usual, we’re busy gathering up gifts to give and receiving gifts that often end up in our garages or closets. On top of all that, it sure is hard to be good with all of the holiday foods and goodies around. The waistline gets a little cluttered around this time of the year. The truth is, our lives are cluttered but so are our hearts. The heart clutter threatens to crowd Jesus out. What we need in these few days leading up to Christmas day is to see beyond the clutter of living to the hope that was born many years ago in Bethlehem.

The challenge in John’s word in the wilderness came from the prophet Isaiah spoken at the time Israel was in exile in Babylon. Separating God’s people from their home was a wilderness, a barrier that seemed impossible for them to overcome. In their mind, the path back home was just too cluttered, cluttered with broken promises and broken idols. The way back seemed so rough, so insurmountable. The people of God had lost all hope of scaling the spiritual mountains to come back to God. We too sense that hopelessness at times. We look across the spiritual wasteland of broken relationships, broken promises, unfulfilled dreams, and we wonder, “is there any way back? Is there hope for my marriage? Can the clutter be removed so that we can restore what we once had? Can my relationship with my child be restored?” It seems that there is just too much clutter in our hearts, it’s too hard, it’s a barrier that seems impassable.

The promise in Isaiah 40:3-5, where we find the words John quotes, is that comfort will come to God’s people, that in the wilderness a way will be prepared for the Lord, much like the way was prepared for ancient kings to visit the remote parts of their kingdoms. A king would send out a party to go before him. They would prepare the way, even repairing roads if necessary, for the king’s arrival. John is saying that the way to the King of Kings (the Messiah) is being cleared! The ditches are being filled in, the clutter is being removed, the crooked paths are being straightened, and the potholes are being patched. So John’s messages was a message of incredible hope. God would make a way where there seemed to be no way. That way, John came to announce not only to Israel, but to us too. We too who feel hopeless and who have lost courage, who cannot get beyond the brokenness, we too can find the way home.

As we begin to look at this passage, the context is seen in 3:1-2a.
II. CONTEXT (3:1-2a)
Luke, being a careful historian gives us a wealth of information in his Gospel that helps us set forth the historical setting and accuracy of the New Testament. Here, the information dates John’s ministry and gives us information about the time in which he ministered.

Luke first gives us the political situation of the day.
1. Political Context (3:1)
John’s ministry occurred during “The reign of Tiberius Caesar.” Tiberias was the successor of Augustus and the second of the Roman Emperors. As early as A.D. 11 or 12 Augustus had made him his colleague in the imperial power but he did not become sole emperor until A.D. 14. The fifteenth year of his reign would therefore be around A.D. 28-29.

The next three people mentioned along with dates are connected with the political organization of Palestine. The title tetrarch literally means governor of a fourth part, but later on came to mean governor of any part. When Herod the Great who ruled Palestine from 37-4 B.C. (1:5; see Matt. 2) died, his kingdom was divided between three of his sons. Herod was the ruler during the time of Zechariah and Elizabeth and the birth of John.

Luke dates John’s ministry during the time of “Herod tetrarch of Galilee.” Herod Antipas (son of Herod the Great) ruled Galilee and Perea from 4 B.C. to A.D. 39. Jesus’ life was lived in Herod’s reign and mostly in the areas that he controlled.

“His brother Philip” (another son of Herod the Great) was “tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis.” He ruled from 4 B.C. to A.D. 33. Philip built Caesarea Philippi which was named after him.

Luke also dates John’s ministry during the time of “Pontius Pilate . . . governor of Judea.” Herod Archelaus (another son of Herod the Great) ruled over Judea, Samaria, and Edom from 4 B.C. to A.D. 6 but he was such a bad king that the citizens petitioned Rome for his removal. Rome impatient with all of the trouble that was in the area installed Pontius Pilate who ruled from A.D. 25-37.
“Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene.” He ruled in the region northwest of Damascus. We know practically nothing about him.

2. The Religious Context (3:2a)
Next Luke provides the religious context. “During the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas.” Annas was the high priest from A.D. 7-14. The office had been hereditary and for life. When Rome came to power the office became political. From 37 B.C. to A.D. 26 there were no fewer than 28 high priests. Four sons succeeded Annas and Caiaphas (18-36 A.D.) was his son-in-law. Annas though was the power behind the throne (See John 18:13). For all practical purposes, the High Priest was the ruling power in Jerusalem. Along with the Sanhedrin, the Jewish Supreme Council, they controlled the daily life of the Jewish people.

Why does Luke spend so much time giving us these historical details? All of Luke’s careful historical analysis points out that The story of Jesus is firmly rooted in history. When some knew theory arises that challenges the historical accuracy of the story of Jesus, and they will continue to do so, always know that you have a reliable text in the Bible that you have. Peter writes in 2 Peter 1:16, NIV, “We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” See also vv.20-21.

Paul warns believers to not be caught up in what he calls “myths” that “promote controversies rather than God’s work – which is by faith” (1 Tim. 1:4). Instead of following “godless myths,” “train yourself to be godly” (1 Tim. 4:7). There’s another new year resolution. Train yourself to be godly.

III. COMFORT (3:2b)
It is in this context that the Word of God comes to John.
1. The Person: “to John the son of Zechariah”
Luke tells us that the “word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert.” John lived an uncluttered life – a life of focus. Luke seems to contrast the powerful political and religious rulers over against the humble man who is the “son of Zechariah.” The word of God comes not to the worldly and powerful, but to the lowly and humble, like John.

2. The Place: “in the desert”
John has been in the wilderness for many years. The last time you see John is in Luke 1:80. Several reasons have been suggested why John was in the desert. (1) Some of suggested that John’s parents, being old, died while he was young. It’s possible the Essenes, a Jewish group living by the Dead Sea, may have taken him in. (2) As a son of a priest, he would have taken up training for the priesthood. Perhaps he left to prepare for His priestly work. It’s obvious that John’s desert experiences are tied with his training. He was there to prepare for his mission. A great work is always preceded by grave (serious) preparation. The desert is symbolic of testing and preparation. All great men and women have been to the school of the desert. God has been preparing John for his ministry.
Before God can use you, He wants to know if you’re willing to serve in obscurity.

3. The Proclamation: “the word of God”
The word used here for “word” is not the “logos” but it is the “Rhema.” This word denotes a particular word or message that is spoken or proclaimed. This speaks to the fact that John’s message was sharply focused, clear, uncluttered. John had a focused message. Point 1 – Repent! Point 2 – Repent! Point 3 – Repent! Each of us seeks meaning in life. Each of us want direction, focus, a word from God for the particular situations that we face in life. That word of God that speaks to the particulars of our lives is what we receive from Him, when we listen and hear. The Word of God speaks to the particulars of our lives.

The word “came to John.” The force of the (language) preposition is that of pressure from above. It came upon John. It inspired him, burdened him, spoke clearly to him, effected him. The “rhema” will do the same for us.

There is much that John has to say concerning how we can experience an uncluttered life and an uncluttered Christmas. So what does it mean to have an uncluttered heart?
The Uncluttered Heart . . .
1. Hears God’s Word
John was able to hear God’s Word. God’s word comes to the uncluttered heart. Is our life cluttered? Do we try to focus on too many things? Do we make wise choices so we are able to focus? Clutter in our lives and hearts keeps us from hearing God’s Word. Determine that in the new year you are going to make a conscious effort to spend some quiet time with God so that you can hear His Word and His voice.

2. Receives God’s Forgiveness
After the Word of God pressed upon John, he went to the area surrounding the Jordan and he preached “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” The NKJV has “remission” which means “forgiveness.” The NLT says it best when it reads that John preached “that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven.” John was saying, “get ready, and to show that you are ready, change the direction of your life. Show that you’re making a break with your past and you are going in God’s direction.” John made it clear that the day of obstacles was over. No more excuses could be made. Every obstacle had been demolished between sinful man and a holy God. The highway to heaven had been cleared, John says – get ready!

Forgiveness by its nature is the divine action that unclutters our lives and opens the way for a new kind of life. Forgiveness opens the way to God. Forgiveness is the act of removing the sin, taking it away never to return. Forgiveness is a new start. Repentance, turning to God, prepares our heart for the Lord to come and bring his forgiveness. Daily, we need the clutter removed from our lives.
The uncluttered heart hears God’s word, receives God’s forgiveness, and . . .
3. Embraces God’s Mission
John’s life was changed by the Word of God and in response to that change and in obedience to the Lord, he embraced his task of sharing the “Good News.” Repentance means that we now have a new purpose and a new power to break down the barriers that keep others from coming to the Lord. We too are able to help others see God’s salvation. But to embrace God’s mission is costly for it requires that we be . . .
– Undivided in our loyalty to Christ. John’s loyalty was undivided – it was uncluttered. What about my loyalty to Jesus? If we are to embrace God’s mission, we must live uncluttered lives before God, we must be loyal to Him.

– To embrace God’s mission is costly because it requires that we be undivided in our commitment to breaking down every barrier, every hindrance to the Gospel. Embracing God’s mission means living a changed life. Every response that John gave to the people he shared with who wanted to know, “how shall we live?” was centered on living a new ethical life (see vv.7-14). John was saying, “live a life that shows you have turned to God.” And so as I embrace God’s mission, I commit to embrace a new kind of life. My pride, my prejudices, my unforgiveness, my unloving and hurtful words, all of the clutter must be removed from my heart and life. We must seek to live uncluttered lives so that we can unclutter the pathway for others to journey on. We must in the language of the Msg paraphrase spiritually,
“Make the road smooth and straight!
Every ditch will be filled in,
Every bump smoothed out,
The detours straightened out,
All the ruts paved over.”
Why do all this? We must prepare the way of the Lord. The king is coming, He’s on His way. Are you ready? The clutter has been removed – it’s time to trust Him and for us to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

For His Glory!
Pastor Joe