Leader: ‘You brood of vipers! You snakes!
Who warned you to slither away from the wroth to come?’
With an opening like that, you may be wondering if you want to be here!  You may be looking for a way to slither out of your pew!
Yet this is how, in so many words, John starts his sermon to Jerusalem’s religious elite. Not exactly words to draw in a crowd, I wouldn’t think. And, why is Matthew’s passage about John baptizing at the Jordan—soon to be baptizing adult Jesus in the next few verses—why is it included as an Advent reading anyway? Shouldn’t we be reading something more hopeful, leading up to our celebrations of the arrival of the Christ child?
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could ask John the Baptist: ‘Why the savage sermon? What message were you trying to convey?’

John the Baptist: Did I hear my name?

Leader: What? Who are you?

John the Baptist: I am John, son of Elizabeth and Zechariah, cousin to Jesus. I am better known as John the… (let the congregation answer) Baptist.  Ah, I see you know me. Did you have some questions for me?

Leader: As a matter of fact, we do have some questions.

John the Baptist: About what? Fire away.

Leader: Well, John, you preach this sermon to the crowd gathered at the River Jordan. Why do you address them so harshly? You call them ‘vipers.’

John the Baptist: Vipers, snakes, where do snakes first appear in the Bible? Anybody?

Leader: [Let congregation respond first.]  In the Garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve encounter the serpent.

John the Baptist: Exactly! And, what does the serpent tempt Eve and Adam to do? [disobey God]
Right, the serpent, the viper, tempts them away from God, tempts them to disobey God’s command. It is the same with the Sadducees and Pharisees, who, like the serpent in Eden, tempt people away from God’s word.

Leader: Really? How?

John the Baptist: The Sadducees and Pharisees lead people away from right relationship with God and with their neighbours. They claim that obedience to the letter of religious Law is all that is required to be righteous, that skirting the spirit of God’s law is enough.

Leader: Hmmm… I can see that. You also say those who do not bear good fruit will be chopped—axed– from the vine of Israel and thrown into the fire. Israel’s holy leaders will meet a flaming end?!?

John the Baptist: Perhaps, perhaps they will meet a flaming end, but not necessarily. Remember the words I spoke when I emerged from the wilderness?

Leader: Repent, and be … help me congregation… Repent and be…baptized.

John the Baptist: Ah, well remembered. But it is the first word that is most important. Let me be clear, my emphasis is on repent! I am not sure how you understand ‘repent,’ but in the Greek it means: turn around, go in a different direction. Repent: turn your backs on worldly ways, and do things according to God’s will.

Leader: As in the prayer Jesus taught: thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven?

John the Baptist: That is exactly what I mean. Align our will, human will, with God’s will.

Leader: Is that what you mean when you exclaim, ‘the kin-dom of heaven has come near?’ You seem quite passionate about God’s kin-dom, God’s realm and rule, coming to earth.

John the Baptist:: Oh, my goodness, indeed I am. And I like that word you use: ‘Kin-dom’, instead of ‘kingdom’ – focusing on being family together, God’s family, God’s kin. I think I’ll use it myself. Indeed, I am passionate about God’s kin-dom. Sometimes it feels as though I will lose my head with all my excitement that the kin-dom of God is near… The kin-dom is here!

Leader: Why so passionate, so ardent, so spirited, John?

John the Baptist: We say, I imagine you say, that the opposite of love is… (Let the congregation say ‘hate’)… Hate.  For me, a close second to the opposite of love being hate is apathy, not caring! If I do not care, I cannot love.  I am passionate because God cares so much. God cares so much, enough to shed heavenly power and be made known to us through…[Jesus]. [Whose arrival do we await? … Jesus.]  And then Jesus shares God’s intense care, and teaches how God cares for everyone, from poorest to richest, meekest to mightiest, lowliest to holiest, Sadducee and Pharisee, none shall be lost. All are saved through God’s love.

Leader: Sounds great! You say, repent–turn around, walk in God’s way—and we will bear fruit. What are these repentance fruits?

John the Baptist: There’s a clue in the Advent candles. What are the themes of the four Advent candles? Often it’s hope, peace, joy and love. These are all fruits of repentance.  Peace is one of those fruits. What are the things that make for Peace?

Leader:  We can surely come up with a few things that make for peace.  What things make for Peace, in our homes, our communities, our world? Call them out. [Caring, sharing, forgiveness, giving, loving, kindness, listening, understanding, tolerance, agreeing on rules, praying…]

John the Baptist:  Absolutely. Peace is a fruit of true repentence, of turning away from the warring madness of the world, turning to the way of kin-dom, God’s kin-dom. When we repent, the kin-dom of heaven comes near.  When we turn around, away from the selfish and uncaring ways of the world, not only is God’s kin-dom near, God’s kin-dom is here!

Leader: Wow! It sounds so easy, John. But out in the busy-ness of our days, it does not always feel so easy.

John the Baptist:  Part of the Good News is that we are not alone in trying to make peace, in trying to care and love. Thankfully, we have Jesus walking with us all the time. Remember, one of the names for Jesus is … Emmanuel, which means God with… (Let the congregation say ‘us’).

Leader: That is Good News! And a good reminder.

John the Baptist: Another thing to remember is that all the things that you do which produce the fruits of repentance, all the things you do that encourage peace, big or little, all those things make a difference.

Leader: Some of us, especially as we are older and retired, wonder if the little things that we can do, if they really count? We can berate ourselves for not doing more.

John the Baptist: What does Jesus say, ‘even those who give one cold cup of water… they will have their reward.’ In other words, even the little things you do make a difference, from your quiet daily devotions and prayers, your faithfulness in worship, the things you do that make for peace, small and large, they all make a difference. The kin-dom of heaven has come near.

Leader:  John, before you go, what would you have us remember?

John the Baptist: Remember, God cares. God cares about you, and God cares about everyone. And when you care, the things you do that make for peace, large and small, make a difference.

Leader: Pray with me. Gracious God, thank you for your word brought to life for us on this Second Sunday of Advent. In the darkness of our world, [and the darkness of this winter time of year,] we remember that lights shine in through the darkness. We remember that you care for each one of us, and all your children across the world. We remember that the things we do that make for peace, small and large, make a difference. Bless us this Advent Season with generous and joyous hearts, helping hands and hopeful Spirits. Emmanuel, you are with us. Amen.

What are the things that make for peace? 
Second Sunday of Advent, Year A
Matthew 3:1-12 

Drama participants:

• Leader;
• John the Baptist, wearing a kafia;

Image: Melbourne cast, by Ana Gobledale