"NO ORNAMENTAL FRUIT!"
Malachi 3:1-4 & Luke 3:1-6
Posted December 20, 2000
1. "Prepare ye the way of the Lord!" Who first said that? No. Not J. C. Penney! Or
Neiman Marcus, or Nordstrom, or Sears. These people all want us to prepare, but
their way of doing it is to remind us of how many shopping days we have left before
Christís coming. Give you a hint. This guy was a scruffy, hairy-looking fellow who
lived in a cave outside of town. No! Not the Grinch either! Though he did bear a
certain resemblance to that character, come to think of it. Like the Grinch, he
would swoop down out of the hills from time to time and pelt the townsfolk with
some rather stinging words "You sons oí snakes!" he would holler at them. "You
think that your refined ways and your proper pedigrees give you an advantage over
anyone else when it comes to getting your comeuppance? No more than this pile of
stones!" Then heíd retreat to the isolation of the hills again.
2. So if itís not J. C. Penney or the Grinch, who? J.B. ZechariahsonóJohn the
Baptist, son of Zechariah, the priest. Thatís right! John was a preacherís kid who,
like all PKs, rebelled, but he made a lifestyle out of it. Challenged authority at
every opportunity. Certainly challenged the comfortable. "You have two coats?
Thatís one coat too many. That 2nd coat belongs to someone else who has
noneósomeone who might need to use that coat to sleep in because they donít have a
nice house like you!"
3. This guy is supposed to get us ready for Christís coming? To get us in the mood
for Christmas? You know, maybe we spoke too soon. Maybe he IS the Grinch! What is
this guyís problem?
4. I need to keep this sermon short this morning because our children have a
wonderful Christmas story to share after weíre done here, and we need to get right
to it. So if I can, Iíd like to stay with this Grinch theme a bit, partly to keep
the children with us and partly also not to keep any of us too long. Besides that,
having read the book and seen the movie, I am now an authority on both Dr. Seuss &
the NT.
The Grinch and the Baptist in this are agreed:
Christís comingís no reason to celebrate greed.
Thereís nothing that fills them with anger infernal
More than preparation which is simply external.
The Grinch, of course, learned this through bitter experience
From stealing Whoís Christmas things out of their homes hence.
But when they held hands and sang carols that day,
His heart grew three sizes and still is that way.
You have to get ready, John knew from the start,
By clearing the clutter down deep in your heart
And make a straight pathway for Jesus to come
To rule with his love and set up his kingdom.
"Godís love in your heart will come out in your deeds
If your heartís not closed up to your neighborís needs.
But donít confuse love with whatís just sentimental.
Love thatís not genuineís just ornamental.
Wax fruit is not worthy to show your repentance.
The fire that burns it suggests whatís its sentence.
So fíyou think that youíre ready when your treeís all set up,
Iíll come down your chimney and stuff your tree up!"
It sounds like Iím mixing up John and the Grinch,
And maybe Iíll own up to fudging a pinch,
But hereís where Iím holding the line hard and fast:
Neitherís above letting go with a blast
Against all the show of the tinsel and wrappings
That hides the true meaning beneath the false trappings.
"All flesh must be able to see the new day!"
They say with one voice. "Prepare ye the way!"
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