For we who are in Christ, it is important that we are asking the right questions.  Last week, we lit the Advent Candle of Hope and asked, “What are we waiting for?” and “How do we wait well as people of Advent?”  People who live in confident expectation of the glorious hope that is ours.  People who live in confident expectation of the Christ who has come, who comes to us, and who is to come. We’re caught up.  We want to be people of Advent who continue to ask the right questions.  I’m glad we’re here to listen.  I heard from a friend of mine recently that her daughter asked for a new Bible for Christmas.  The reason?  My friend’s daughter had worn her Bible out.  Would God make us people who wear our Bibles out literally or figuratively if we read the Bible on our devices?  It has been said, “ Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”  Hebrews 4:12  I find this question piercing me to the very thoughts and intentions of my heart. I pray it may be the same for you.

Enough build-up.  Here’s the question.  The question is asked at the birth of Jesus’ cousin John (the Baptist).  We read the story of John’s birth in Luke 1.  His parents, Elizabeth and Zechariah.  A story in a long line of stories in which God brings life. Aren’t such stories happening today?

When John is born, everyone assumes he will be called Zechariah after his father.  Elizabeth says no, he is to be called John (which means “YHWH has been gracious”).  Zechariah affirms this, and he begins to speak (he couldn’t speak for a while) and praise God.  People throughout the Judean hill country get to talking about what had happened (because this is what people are like,) and then this: “All who heard them pondered them and said, “What then will this child become?” (Luke 1:66)

That was a long setup to get to the question, but I want us to grasp that question for ourselves and hold on to it every day.  What might I become?  What might God do in my life?  What kind of person might God make me?  What kind of man do I want to be or become?  Not based in my own striving or trying but because YHWH has been gracious, and I am living in the grace of God.  I am living in the grace of Christ, who is our peace.

The question is for all of us.  What will this man/woman/child become?  The question is for all stages of life – from the youngest among us to the oldest – because to be in Christ means we never come to the end of being refined or cleansed.  We are able to hear the stories and the call of the prophet Malachi and the call of John the Baptist newly because God is making us new!

Assuming that we want to be made new, of course.  I’m not one to make assumptions, and I know that being made new may not be something we want.  Status quo is fine!  I like the way I am (to which I might say, “Yeah, but how do those around you feel??”). We had our final revitalization meeting with Cid Latty from CBOQ this past week – the end of a three-year revitalization journey that I know will continue to bear fruit in days to come.  Cid wisely reminded us that revitalization or renewal or new life in a church is not based on renovation or a new sign or a new hire or new people (though there is nothing wrong with any of those things).  Revitalization or renewal must begin with each and every one of us – God making us new or giving us new life!  This sermon is called “Passion,” and may God give each and every one of us a passion for new life.  A passion for peace.  I’m not talking about passion simply as emotion runs wild without purpose or direction (or misdirected).  We’re talking of hearts that are directed or turned each and every day toward God, whose grace and mercy and justice and peace shape and direct our passion.  As the old Christmas ad said, “I want that!”

John the Baptist wanted that.  John the Baptist was a serious man.  Someone has said that every holiday event needs a John the Baptist.  Every church needs a John the Baptist or several John the Baptists – “someone who doesn’t hold back, someone who says what he thinks, someone who believes with every fibre of his being, someone who is so vitally present that everyone else is just drawn to them.”  Sure his style of dress was unusual and his diet unorthodox, though Luke doesn’t get into those details about John.  Truths of God may come to us from unexpected people.  We remember the words that John’s father spoke of the Lord, whose way John would prepare.  “By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in the shadow of darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Luke 1:78-79)  John had only one good sermon and that’s ok.  John’s sermon was repentance and forgiveness.  In another words, John’s sermon was the good news of Christ Jesus, and that’s the one good sermon any pastor should have.

He is our peace.  He himself is our peace, who made a way over the chasm that separated us from God.  He himself is our peace, who tears down dividing walls of hostility that would separate us one from another.  The Candle of Peace continues to burn brightly, defiantly. What then will this man become? (pointing to self)  What then will this little girl or boy become?  What then will this woman become?  What then will you become?  To put the question another way, “In what or in whom is your peace?”

This is an important question.  We know what’s going on in the world.  The Word of Life comes at a particular time.  “In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas…” (Luke 3:1-2a)  Luke is talking about the seats of political power, economic power, religious power.  Political rulers known for peace under the heel of the Roman boot and nest feathering.  Religious rulers known for corruption and exploitation of the poor.  Rulers for whom Jesus would weep when he weeps over Jerusalem as he approaches the city and says, “If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace!” (Luke 19:42)

In what or in whom is our peace?  The word of the Lord doesn’t come to the “centres of power.”  Do we look to political leaders or political movements or political parties for peace?  Do we believe promises of “peace in our time”?  If so, I would ask, “Peace for whom and at what cost?”  Do we look to economic leaders for peace and prosperity?  Do we look to religious leaders?  Thank God that God’s Word comes to us at a specific time and at a specific place.  “In the soon to be 5^th year of President Trump, at the time of Prime Minister Trudeau, when Putin ruled the Russian Federation and Xi Jinping led the People’s Republic of China when Tiff Macklem was Governor of the Bank of Canada”

The word of the Lord came to the people of Blythwood Road Baptist Church.  He is our peace.

The word of the Lord came to John the Baptist in the wilderness.  The wilderness is a place of transformation.  The wilderness is a place where people are made ready.  The way of peace has been made, is being made, and will be made.  The promise is that the crooked shall be made straight and the rough places made smooth.  This promise is for our hearts.  The crooked in our hearts being made straight.  The rough ways in our hearts being made smooth.  God making us people of Advent.  People of peace.  We know about wars and rumours of wars.  We also hear stories of assault charges at Santa Claus parades and fights in mall parking lots over parking spaces.  We know the need in our workplaces and schools for the peace of Christ. We also know the need in our homes for the peace of Christ. We know the need in our hearts for the peace of Christ.

May this be the longing of our hearts, people of God, people of Advent.  People of hope and peace.  “Lord, make me a person of your peace.”  The Word is for each and every one of us.  Renewal starts with each and every one of us.  “Peace on Earth” is not simply a wish or unimagined dream or wish or a cheesy beauty pageant answer to “If you had one wish, what would you wish for?”  Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.  Truly Lord.

Do we long for renewal?  Last week, we talked about the promises of God and asked which promises.  Listen to the word of the Lord that Malachi brings to a post-exile people at a time when renewal is needed, and peace is needed in the middle of corruption and exploitation.  Really though, isn’t renewal always needed?  Hear the promise once again:

“For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi (1 Peter 1:9) and refine them like gold and silver until they present offerings to the LORD in righteousness.” (Malachi 3:2-3)  We have two images here for what God does in us.  Fullers were launderers.  They would take laundry outside the city (because of the strong smell of the soap, which was alkaline and odorous) to cleanse and whiten garments.  Refiner’s fire we get from metalwork.  We are reminded of John’s words, “I baptize you with water… He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Luke 3:16). This is the promise.

Before this, there is a rhetorical question that seems rather ominous.  “But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?” (Malachi 3:2a)  I’ve become more familiar than I was with Handel’s “Messiah” and would like to become more familiar still.  We hear these words from Malachi in Part 1, Sections 5 and 6.  It’s a bass part singing, “Thus saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts: Yet once, a little while and I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land” (from Haggai).  Then, “But who may abide the day of his coming? And who shall stand when he appeareth?  For he is like a refiner’s fire.”  One version I heard was a bass and then a contralto singer.  Powerful!  (play this on YouTube in service)

1. Who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?

Dear people of God, dear people who are in Christ.  We can.  We can endure, and we can stand up and lift our heads.  Do you know why?  Emmanuel.  God is with us.  The one who calls us; the one who changes us; the one who brings the soap and the fire is with us.  God is with us.  Because here’s the thing about ancient fillers, and here’s the thing about silversmiths.  You don’t leave what you’re washing or refining unattended.  It’s not like throwing your laundry in the machine and walking away.  You are with it, stepping on it and cleansing it.  The refiner of silver needs to watch over the refining process.  Silversmiths were known for carrying the scars that came as a result of impurities being spit out from the smelter.  Our Silversmith still bears the scars that resulted in our forgiveness and our being given new life in him.

How might we know that we’re being refined?  This is the other thing about silver.  When it’s finished, the silversmith can see their face in it.  It’s not that we’re finished so much, but we’ll know we are being refined when the ways of God are being made known in our lives; when the ways of peace are being made known in our lives.

I wonder what this man will become.  I invite you to ask the same question of yourself this day, knowing that we are in the hands of the master fuller, the master silversmith.  The one who is our peace.  Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift.

Amen