San Juan Bautista
Saint John the Baptist by El Greco, circa 1600 to 1605. (Wikimedia Commons Photo)
Leer en español después de inglés
Dec. 5, 2021 – 2nd Sunday of Advent
Luke 3:1-6
Upon read the Biblical text I recalled my call to ministry as a vulnerable woman, an immigrant, a single mother, a Latina, one who couldn’t speak English, etc. God called me to a great mission, and I went to preach His Word, “God definitely chooses people who are disapproved of in society, but chosen by Him.” Someone once said, “How strange it is that God should choose the Jews!” It was strange that God would choose David, a young man whose father didn’t even include him among the sons that were presented to Samuel for his consideration! How strange that God should choose Mary, a young woman who wasn’t even married! How strange that God should choose John! We who are in the ministry wonder about our vocation. It also amazes us how ordinary lay people accomplish the majority of the work in our churches. Certainly, God has “exalted the humble.”
“. . . during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness” (vs. 2). These words recall when God call the prophets of the Old Testament. The mention of Zachariah reminds us of the miracle of John’s birth to older parents (1:5-25; 57-80) and of the announcement by the angel Gabriel that John “will be great in the sight of the Lord” (1:15). John will be a great prophet, but only because God gave him the power. The word of God did not get to the Emperor Tiberius. Neither did it arrive to Caiphas the only priest who was privileged to enter the Holy of Holies. The word of God did arrive to John, a man who had been chosen by God for this great mission – not in the Temple but in the wilderness, being an unpopulated place, arid, etc. The people had to go to the desert to hear John preaching about repentance and the forgiveness of sins. Throughout the history of Israel the desert has been a place where God has formed God’s people. It is the place where the nation of Israel was forged. Prophets performed many of God’s works in the wilderness. Soon, Jesus will be tested in the wilderness. In other words, the desert is a special place chosen by God for the people of God.
God continues working today in the desert of our lives. We find ourselves readier to hear the word of God when life seems more arid and we have to straighten our way with Christ, when we are in trouble, when we have received an unfavorable medical diagnosis, when there is a separation or divorce, when the children are getting into trouble, etc. In the desert we can have encounters with God, or we encounter the solution to our problems by means of Jesus Christ, and we can see the glory of God.
Luke 3:3 The Baptism of Repentance
“He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins . . .” The baptism of John was for the repentance of sins, so that they could have a personal encounter with Jesus. Likewise, nowadays we seek out people that want to have an encounter with the Master and they look for the forgiveness of their sins, giving themselves the opportunity to have a new life in Christ Jesus.
We are beginning Advent, it is a time of preparation, of meditation, of purification, to await the birth of the Lord, so that “all flesh shall see the salvation of God” (vv. 4-6). We find here the way to prepare ourselves, producing fruits worthy of repentance, sharing with those in need, treating people honestly, using power with justice, and above all show the love of Christ.
Luke 3:4-6 All Flesh Shall See The Salvation Of God
“As it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, ‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”
The invitation and the message are the same in the time of John as they are in our day. People need to be forgiven, and God still forgives. We, also, need to prepare our hearts to receive the Lord and we need to examine our way with Christ, change our life radically if it is not good before God, help our families and friends so that they can prepare their hearts for the coming of the Lord. Besides, God continues choosing men and women ready to work in his kingdom. So, just like John who had no fear of the power nor of the politicians and religious authorities of his time, but was able to fulfill the mission that was given to him to proclaim the good news and attend to the spiritual needs of all races without excluding anyone, because God call all to repentance and forgiveness of sins – no matter the color, gender, race, religion, etc. All are welcome to see the salvation of God. Amen.
Rosa María Rodríguez is a Licensed Local Pastor. She serves at El Pueblo de Dios United Methodist Church in Osceola, Iowa.
"Dios exalta a los humildes"
Memorándum para los que predican
Diciembre 05, 2021 -- Segundo domingo de Advient
Lucas 3:1-6
Al leer este texto biblico me hizo recordar mi llamado al ministerio, siendo una mujer vulnerable, inmigrante, madre soltera, latina, sin hablar inglés, etc. Dios me llamó a una gran misión y fue a predicar su Palabra, "Definitivamente Dios escoge a personas desaprobada por la sociedad pero escogida por el. Alguien ha dicho, “¡Qué extraño que Dios escoja a los judíos!” Fue extraño que Dios escogiera a David, ¡un joven cuyo padre ni lo incluyó entre los hijos que presentó a Samuel para su consideración! ¡Qué extraño que Dios escogiera a María, una joven sin estar casada ! ¡Qué extraño que Dios escogiera a Juan! Nosotros en el ministerio nos preguntamos acerca de nuestra vocación. También nos maravilla lo ordinario de la gente laica que cumple la mayor parte del trabajo en nuestras iglesias. Ciertamente, Dios ha “exaltado a los humildes.”
2 y siendo sumos sacerdotes Anás y Caifás vino palabra de Dios a Juan, hijo de Zacarías, en el desierto” (v. 2). Estas palabras recuerda cuando Dios llamaba a los profetas del Antiguo Testamento. La mención de Zacarías nos recuerda al milagro del nacimiento de Juan a padres mayores (1:5-25; 57-80) y al anuncio del ángel Gabriel que Juan “será grande delante de Dios” (1:15) Juan será un gran profeta, pero solo porque Dios le dio el poder. La palabra de Dios, no le llegó al Emperador Tiberio. Ni le llegó, a Caifás, el único sacerdote privilegiado para entrar en el Sagrado de los Sagrados. La palabra de Dios le llegó a Juan, un hombre que había sido escogido por Dios, para esta gran misión, no en el templo de Jerusalén sino en el desierto, siendo un lugar despoblado, arido, etc. Las personas tenían que ir hasta el desierto para escuchar la predicación de Juan que les anunciaba acerca de arrepentimiento y del perdón de sus pecados. A través de la historia de Israel, el desierto ha sido un lugar donde Dios ha formado a su gente. Es el lugar donde se forjó la nación de Israel. Profetas cumplieron muchas de sus obras en el desierto. Pronto, Jesús será probado en el desierto, en otras palabras el desierto es un lugar especial escogido por Dios, para el pueblo de Dios.
Dios sigue obrando hoy en el desierto de nuestras vidas. Nos encontramos más dispuestos a oír la palabra de Dios cuando la vida parece más árida y tenemos que enderezar nuestro caminar con Cristo, cuando estamos en problemas o dificultades, cuando te han dado un diagnóstico medico no favorable, cuando hay una separación o divorcio, cuando los hijos andan en problemas, etc. En el desierto, podemos tener encontrarnos con el Señor o encontramos la solución a nuestros problemas por medio de Jesucristo, y podemos ver la gloria de Dios.
Rosa María Rodríguez es una pastora local licenciada. Ella sirve en la Iglesia Metodista Unida El Pueblo de Dios en Osceola, Iowa.