Advent Devotional | 3rd Sunday in Advent | Year C | December 13th, 2015

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Luke 3:7-18

 John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.’

 And the crowds asked him, ‘What then should we do?’ In reply he said to them, ‘Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.’ Even tax-collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, ‘Teacher, what should we do?’ He said to them, ‘Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.’ Soldiers also asked him, ‘And we, what should we do?’ He said to them, ‘Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.’

 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, ‘I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’

 So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.

Sometimes, even the best of us walk around with chips on our shoulders.  For some, they thought that having Abraham as their ancestor meant that this repentance business that John the Baptist was preaching didn't apply to them.  Not so, our wild and hairy prophet insisted!  All are in equal need of repentance, no matter where you come from or what your circumstances are!

John the Baptist called people to repentance to prepare for the coming of Jesus Christ.  Now, when we think about the word “repentance,” we often think primarily of a philosophical, mental exercise in saying or praying “I’m sorry.”  However, anyone can say “I’m sorry;” to do that is a rather empty exercise that requires no real sacrifice or change.  True “repentance,” in the way preached by John the Baptist, is a literal “redirection” or “turning” in which we change our perspective and see things in a different way or, specifically, the way God would have us gaze.  Another way of putting it is that true repentance is admitting the places in our lives in which we are looking in the wrong direction, away from the path to which God calls us.

What are the places in your life that could use some repentance, some re-direction?  We are preparing to welcome the Christ-child with open arms.  Therefore, what are the things that we need to let go in order that we might do so with reckless abandon?

Perhaps for this day, consider not so much where you are looking but focus on what you might be overlooking.  Perhaps an "repentant redirection" might not be such a bad thing after all...

Prayer of the Day:
Merciful God,
help me to turn to you this day.
Free my perspective so that I might be aware
of the ways you are calling me to be your servant in a weary world.
Forgive me of the ways I have been stubborn and stiff-necked.
Help me heed the prophet's call to accept your will in my life.  Amen.

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Stephen Fearing

Stephen was born in 1988 in Cookeville, TN, where his parents met whilst attending Tennessee Tech. Shortly after, they moved to Dalton, Georgia where they put down roots and joined First Presbyterian Church, the faith family that taught Stephen that he was first and foremost a beloved child of God. It was this community that taught Stephen that it was OK to have questions and doubts and that nothing he could do could every possibly separate him from the love of God. In 1995, his sister, Sarah Kate, joined the family and Stephen began his journey as a life-long musician. Since then, he has found a love of music and has found this gift particularly fitting for his call to ministry. Among the instruments that he enjoys are piano, trumpet, guitar, and handbells. Stephen has always had a love of singing and congregation song. An avid member of the marching band, Stephen was the drum major of his high school's marching band. In 2006, Stephen began his tenure at Presbyterian College in Clinton, SC where he majored in Religion and minored in History. While attending PC, Stephen continued to explore his love of music by participating in the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, Jazz Combo, Jazz Trio, as well as playing in the PC Handbell ensemble and playing mandolin and banjo PC's very own bluegrass/rock group, Hosegrass, of which Stephen was a founding member (Hosegrass even released their own CD!). In 2010, Stephen moved from Clinton to Atlanta to attend Columbia Theological Seminary to pursue God's call on his life to be a pastor in the PC(USA). During this time, Stephen worked at Trinity Presbyterian Church, Silver Creek Presbyterian Church, Central Presbyterian Church, and Westminster Presbyterian Church. For three years, Stephen served as the Choir Director of Columbia Theological Seminary's choir and also served as the Interim Music Director at Westminster Presbyterian Church. In 2014, Stephen graduated from Columbia with a Masters of Divinity and a Masters of Arts in Practical Theology with an emphasis in liturgy, music, and worship. In July of 2014, Stephen was installed an ordained as Teaching Elder at Shelter Island Presbyterian Church in Shelter Island, NY. Later that year, Stephen married the love of his life, Tricia, and they share their home on Shelter Island with their Golden Doodle, Elsie, and their calico cat, Audrey. In addition to his work with the people who are Shelter Island Presbyterian Church, Stephen currently serves as a commission from Long Island Presbytery to the Synod of the Northeast and, beginning in January of 2016, will moderate the Synod's missions team.