Where's My Christmas? ~ Matthew 11:2-15 ~ Third Sunday of Advent

This Thanksgiving day at Mom & Dad’s house, my mother comes downstairs carrying a box labeled ‘childhood memories.’ The box is packed full of photographs, finger-paintings, and various other relics from my childhood. 

One such picture was of me sitting on Santa’s lap at the mall.  Mom proceeded to tell her that when Santa asked me what I wanted, and I paused, thought for a moment, and then told him: “I haven’t really decided yet!”

I thought about this last Sunday afternoon as I ate lunch at the Happy Day Café—because Mr. and Mrs. Claus were walking through the restaurant, asking people what they wanted. 

Immediately I got “Santa stage fright” all over again—because Legos and Power Wheels don’t interest me like they used to. 

So when he finally gets to our table, he asks me: “have you been a good boy this year?”  I’m actually relieved! 

Now sure, there’s a lot of high-tech gadgets and shiny things I’d love to have…

What I’d really love for Christmas is some answered prayers…  Wouldn’t you?  A little peace, a little rest; perhaps a miracle or two in the season of miracles…

Because, quite frankly, it’s difficult to rejoice at the birth of Christ when life is so full of sorrow, pain, and anxiety.  The gift of Christ can come as quite a letdown—especially while seemingly everyone else is enjoying storybook family gatherings of peace, health, and happiness, with all the high-tech gadgets and shiny things wrapped with fancy paper and ribbons, waiting under the tree. 

Sometimes, you just can’t help but ask, “where’s my Christmas?”

If anyone in the New Testament ever knew what it was like to be let down by Jesus, John the Baptist would be it…

Here was a man who faithfully lived out God’s purpose for his life.  He was “the voice crying out in the desert, ‘prepare the way of the Lord; make his pathways straight.’”  He prepared the way for the coming of Christ into the world.  People repented of their sin and were baptized.  John was fully worthy to be the one to baptize Jesus, and to witness the Holy Spirit coming upon him as a dove. 

His faithfulness to God eventually led him to be thrown into prison for his public decrial of “King” Herod Antipas’ sinful exploits with his brother’s wife.

Now knowing Jesus to be the Messiah (beyond the shadow of a doubt, based upon what he’d witnessed personally), John was expecting Jesus to overthrow the corrupt rulers who held God’s people captive, and establish the Kingdom of God on earth.  When that happened, he’d be free.  But that doesn’t happen—and the doubts and the questioning begin.  Finally, John sends his disciples to Jesus, to ask him plainly, “are you the one?  Or should we expect someone else?”

Jesus’ reply is to tell John what John already knows—the blind see; the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed; the deaf hear; the dead are raised; and the poor hear the good news of God’s reign.   Jesus doesn’t even tell John in person—John’s disciples deliver the message. 

How is this good news for John in his present circumstances?  What hope is there for him as he remains in prison?  And what hope is there for us who just keep waiting? 

Every day it’s winter—but when will it be Christmas?

This Advent, we light out candles because Christ is in the world—and today, he affirms that he is doing something about human suffering.  He’s in the hospitals, the nursing homes, and the hospices; the prisons and the halfway houses; the shelters and soup kitchens; the disaster and war zones; in broken homes with broken families and broken people.  In other words, he’s with people like us and our neighbors. 

And he’s there when the bad news comes—as bodies weaken and minds fade away; when the boss calls you in and says, “I’m sorry;” when the money runs out; and when life slips away.

Therefore, we can do as John does: we name our disappointments to Jesus—along with our doubts and our questions.  And then we light our lamps to wait in hopeful expectation that Jesus will bring our deliverance.

Sadly, we don’t know what deliverance God brought to John—just as we don’t know what deliverance  Jesus will bring to us—or when, or how.  But Jesus didn’t forget John—and he won’t forget you.  Wait in trust and hope, and he will come.  Faith means keeping the light on, trusting that Jesus will come—and that you will have your Christmas.

Let’s not forget that your Christmas may be where your neighbors wait for God in their time of need.  Remember, Jesus is always with those who need him most—and when you go and serve them, you bring Jesus with you.  You bring the gift of Christ and Christmas with your acts of compassion and mercy; forgiveness and patience; prayer and encouragement.  It doesn’t matter who you are; where you’ve been, or how broken you may be—as a child of God, the power do the work of God’s deliverance is in you.  The healing you give may very well be the healing you receive from Christ.

Just nine days remain in our Advent season until Christmas—but Christ’s Advent may indeed last beyond December 25th.  But Christ will come.  The dark and cold of winter will give way to Christmas.  So lift up your heads, light your lamps—your long-expected Jesus comes.