“Welcome to history class!” With those words out on the page I am sure that I have completely engaged you. Perhaps not. If you are anything like me your body is now thinking, “Welcome to my nap.” But, this will not be a long history lesson. Luke wants you to understand something about history and how Jesus fits into it but the lesson is very simple and direct.
John the Baptist came to prepare the way of Christ during the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius; who is now dead. That is right, this emperor is now gone and is not worshipped at all today. In a similar way, this nobody John came when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea; who incidentally is also now dead. No one worships or follows the philosophy of the powerful Pilate today either. No one even remembers when and how he died. And, of course John came to proclaim Christ during the rule of Herod, ruler of Galilee; and his brother Philip, ruler of some linguistically unpronounceable regions; and Lysanias, who was the ruler yet another unpronounceable region. Though each of these rulers is remembered in history for their power, might, and political craftiness, guess what? All three are history, literally. Oh yeah, and do not forget the high priests who put Jesus to death, Annas and Caiaphas. Guess what? Yep, they are dead also.
Alright, now for the history test. Are these people alive or dead?
Emperor Timberius?
Pontius Pilate?
Herod?
Philip?
Lysanias?
Annas?
Caiaphas?
John the Baptist?
Christ?
What a great class! Of course, I am assuming that you are extremely intelligent and have shown everyone to be dead with the exception of Christ.
Though the powers of the world try to control by force, corrupt ways, sly dealings, political calculations, selfish motivations, cruelty, false kindness, and suave tongues, all of these powers will be upturned and plowed under as the preparations for Christ’s word of repentance and forgiveness levels mountains, fills valleys, bends roads, and straightens paths. The foundations of the world will be grasped like a child grasps a handheld sandbox and shaken until all of the sand settles into a peaceful, smooth plain, where no one is higher or lower, and repentance and forgiveness brings us all onto the same level.
Recently, my foundations were shaken a little bit and my sands were leveled to some degree. Quite recently, the big news story was not the troop surge in Afghanistan, nor the health care debate, but was all about: Tiger Woods.
I had Tiger set up high on a mountain in my mind. You have to understand, he is the first of my generation. He is the first golf genius of my generation. He is the first of my generation to make it big. And, he was all class. He was what was right with the world. He and his character is what set us apart from the previous generation of drug induced hippies and corrupt politicians. And, as we found out this week, he was no better than any of them. With the exposure of his marital infidelities, the mountain was shaken, and a flat plain was created.
I am not trying to get down on the guy. In fact, it is quite the opposite. I had high hopes for my generation. I had created a mountain upon which we could stand proudly, and that mountain was shaken this week by the inherent need for repentance and forgiveness.
No one is immune to sin and the pain it causes those around you. No one. This should not have been such a big story. This should not have been such a big surprise. When Christ comes into the world, all the foundations are shaken and all the high are brought low and all the low are brought high until we all stand on the same plain facing the same God who has the same piercing gaze of truth and forgiveness for all flesh.
But, do not fear that piercing gaze. Allow your mountains to be made low. Do not fear. Allow your valleys to be filled in. Do not fear. Allow your crooked roads to be straightened. It may be painful and scary, but do not fear, in the end you find yourself standing next to Christ on a flat plain of grace.
Nowhere to hide.
No need to hide.
Nowhere to go in fear.
No need to fear.
All will be gathering on the same flat plain of grace and peace. Do not fear, Christ is coming.
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