Worship - 8 December 2024

Summary of this week's theme

In marketing, ‘bait and switch’ refers to offering one thing but delivering another. This term might apply to John the Baptist if we were first-century Palestinians. John, the eccentric son of Zechariah, drew crowds to the wilderness with his fiery preaching, call for repentance, and baptism in the Jordan River. His message, drawn from Isaiah, proclaimed, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’ promising the imminent fulfilment of God’s salvation. This hope would have been particularly compelling for the oppressed Jewish community under Roman rule, who longed for the glory of the Lord to be revealed.

John’s baptism symbolised repentance, a humbling admission that the people had lost their way as God’s chosen. For Jews, baptism was traditionally for converts, making John’s call a jarring reminder of their need to recommit to God’s mercy and mission. Yet, his baptism also symbolised immersion in God’s grace, pointing forward to the ultimate revelation of that mercy in Jesus Christ. However, Jesus did not meet the people’s expectations for a political saviour; instead, he brought a greater and more transformative salvation, requiring them to relinquish assumptions and embrace a new understanding of God’s kingdom.

John himself exemplified this surrender. He gave up the comforts and status of his priestly lineage for a life of austerity, living in the wilderness and preaching a challenging truth that eventually cost him his life. His ministry was a metaphor for his message: to follow God’s will, one must let go of pride, preconceptions, and self-interest.

In Advent, John’s call resonates as a reminder to let go of individualism in faith. While personal relationship with Jesus is vital, focusing solely on individual salvation risks fostering self-centredness. Baptism illustrates our interdependence as members of the body of Christ; it requires at least one other person, symbolising collective faith and shared reliance on God’s grace.

As Christmas approaches, it can be easy to focus inwardly on personal and familial concerns. Yet John calls us to humility, repentance, and mutual dependence. Are we willing to examine our assumptions, recognise our shared humanity, and embrace the collective salvation offered in the vulnerable Christ born in Bethlehem? By taking the ‘bait’ of hope and embracing the ‘switch’ of interdependence, we can align ourselves with the true spirit of God’s kingdom.