Hearing the message
Commentary
There are many ways of sending messages these days: Western Union, singing telegrams, snail-mail, air mail, e-mail, telephone, fax. What a difference from drum rhythms, smoke signals, the Pony Express, and even the telegraph. Today we meet three messengers from God, who convey messages from God about what God is doing in the world. The world is desperately in need of a word from God to give understanding and direction, meaning and encouragement in the dizzying pace of daily life. As we listen to God's messengers Malachi, Paul, and John in days gone by, we will hear God's message that can give clarity to our day. It is a message that we not only can hear, but also can share.
Malachi 3:1-4
The post-exilic community was busy rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and the Temple, which had been destroyed in the Babylonian conquest at the beginning of the sixth century B.C. Although these were worthy and necessary feats to accomplish, there was not sufficient attention given to rebuilding the faith of the people. Their response to God's blessings and mercies was not being adequately expressed in their worship life and their daily life. Priests were offering blemished animals (blind, lame, sick) in sacrifice upon the altar. The people were faithless in their marriage relationships. Also, they were not bringing in the tithes and offerings expected of them.
The people had the audacity to question the love of God -- this, after they had been exonerated from exile and brought home. The prophet points to the fate of Edom to the south. God has shown his mercy to Jacob's heirs, but for the wickedness of Esau's heirs there has been unending punishment. This is something the people should remember, as their list of shortcomings are presented to them.
In this context, Malachi, "the messenger of the covenant," presents the Lord as faithful, even when the people are not. The Lord will come to his people and be present with them. He will be as refiner's fire and fuller's soap, however. This purifying and cleansing judgment will affect everyone, as Paul himself describes in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15. Though the images are strikingly different, the meaning is similar. A fire purifies by burning off the impurities; fuller's soap is like a bleach wash that cleanses a garment. The Gospel writer Mark astutely comments on Jesus' garments during the Transfiguration as being so "intensely white, as no fuller on earth could bleach them" (Mark 9:3). Here is a subtle visual clue to the identity of Jesus as the very "messenger of the covenant," who in his person will judge the sons and daughters of earth (as the Gospel writer John attests to up front in his account -- John 3:16-21).
One of Malachi's principle goals is to motivate the people to present the right offerings to the Lord, pure offerings (see 1:13-14). Fear of the Lord, of course, is the purity in heart necessary for the faithful to draw near to the God of greatness. In 1:5, Malachi lists what mitigates against pure offerings that the Lord requires. In the approaching season of gift-giving, all would do well to heed the advice of the gentle Christmas song, sung certainly by one of Malachi's children: "What shall I give him poor as I am? If I were a shepherd I would give a lamb. If I were a wise man I would do my part. What shall I give him? Give my heart!"
Philippians 1:3-11
In one of the nicest love letters ever composed, Paul wears his heart upon his sleeve for the Philippian Christians. Written from prison, probably shortly before his beheading, the letter is filled with thanksgivings and joys and confidences. The source of this exuberance is the Gospel of Jesus, for whom Paul is douloz, a slave.
Paul is thankful for the partnership in the gospel that the Philippians have demonstrated by standing with Paul in his imprisonment and by defending and confirming the gospel. He expresses confidence that God will surely complete in them their new life in Christ and that this will happen "at the day of Jesus Christ." Here is a people who embody the "already/not yet" character of Christian life. God is already powerfully present in their life, but there is yet more to experience. When Christ comes again, there will be a fullness wrought that will properly give glory and praise to God.
Toward this end, Paul exhorts the Philippians to "approve what is excellent." He describes this in some detail in 2:1-18. This is the life we are destined for in Christ. The "fruits of righteousness which come through Jesus Christ" are named in Galatians 5:22-23 as fruits of the Spirit. These are the fruits that the trees of our lives properly bear when we are rooted in Christ Jesus. There is no need to cut down such a fruit-bearing tree and throw it into the fire; such a tree is already partaking of the grace with which God gifts his people.
Luke 3:1-6
If John's Gospel could be said to be rooted in the philosophical world of his day, Luke's Gospel could be said to be rooted in the political world of his day. Seven figures in power (government and religion) are mentioned in these few verses. Two are foreign representatives of a conquering culture; three are local Quisling puppets; and two are suspect religious leaders. In the midst of these questionable characters, a prophet emerges. Typical of the prophet, the word of God comes to him directly in the wilderness, quite apart from any cultic ritual or setting. (Samuel and Isaiah are two notable exceptions to this.) Even though John's father is a priest, it is interesting to note that he apparently finds his calling, his authenticating experience for ministry, while away from home and temple. His work kept him away from home and temple also. In fact, people left their homes and temple to go out to John at the Jordan River.
Although John was a descendent of the Aaronic priesthood through both his father and mother, his destiny was to be a prophet, not a priest. God was preparing the way for the coming of the Messiah in such subtle ways as 1) choosing an unborn son, not the proven father, for the important heralding task; 2) appointing the son as a prophet, rather than a priest, as to his office of service in the kingdom; and 3) giving him a name that was different than his father's, as a sign that a new day was dawning.
The message of the prophet was repentance for the forgiveness of sins. John's ministry is rooted in the words of Isaiah (40:3-5), which introduce a radical change in the fortunes of God's people. Then, it was release from Exile by God's anointed, Cyrus; now, it is release from the bondage to sin and death by God's anointed, Christ. The radical new thing that God is doing is poetically anticipated by the geographic transformations described: valleys filled, mountains leveled, crooked paths straightened, and rough roads smoothed.
The radical changes on the landscape are so, not necessarily because they are new, in the sense of original creation, but because they take what is and bring about the opposite. Just as a valley may be filled or a mountain leveled, God takes the reality of sin and transforms it into the opportunity for forgiveness, the reality of death and calls forth life, the reality of despair and re-shapes hope in the human heart.
The crowds are excited, as they often are over new personalities and ways of looking at things. They come out to John to be baptized. They listen to his advice about the repentant life: neighbors, tax collectors, soldiers. Herod hears too, but does not like what he hears; so, he imprisons John -- a foreshadowing of what would become of the one who came after him. But, to venture into this part of the story, might be to quash the happy mood of the pre-Christmas season that is so much a part of our culture in mid-December. After all, babies in arms are a far more pleasing picture of God in our midst than radicals in rivers or prisons and sons sacrificed on crosses.
Application
One of the hardest tasks for the church this time of year is to cut through the cultural layers of commercialism, consumerism, and sentimentality. There are so many activities vying for our time and energies. There are so many people for whom to buy presents. There are so many emotions from the past and the present that flood our hearts, often times creating conflicting feelings within us about the season. How will Christ be heard in the midst of all this? Will we keep straight "the reason for the season" and who will help us keep it straight? Will we be able to share the message of truth in such a way that it will cut through the cultural layers that bury us under over-crowded calendars, piles of credit card receipts, and entertaining alternatives to "the true meaning of Christmas." How can the preacher best prepare the congregation to remain Christian in these weeks of Advent? For if we cannot remain centered on Christ now, what will become of our Christmas season, but a relief that all the commotion is over and we can relax and reward ourselves in New Year's revelry? The words of Malachi call us today to present the pure offering of our hearts, dedicated solely to the Lord, unblemished (namely, distracted and tired out) with worldly care and use. If this were to be, then, perhaps our tithes and offerings would flow more readily and faithfully in all the seasons of our lives.
Preparation through our worship life is certainly an aspect of the Advent season. But, there is also a preparation that takes place through our fellowship and service together as Christians. Paul reminds us of our partnership in the gospel. This means we are part of one another: we pray for one another; we thank God for one another; we are bound to one another. Where in the church or the community do people feel apart from the gospel, instead a part of the gospel? When you have identified this, how do you address it faithfully? Living the fruits of righteousness so that others are blessed by them through you is perhaps the best gift you can give to the one who is coming to give himself for you. The growth of churches through small group ministry indicates how people are searching for community, fellowship, connectedness, and partnership in life. Here, "love may abound more and more," as we not only "approve what is excellent," but also discover a more excellent way to anticipate a still more excellent day, "the day of Christ." For while we prepare for the celebration of the first coming of Jesus, we must also be anticipating his second coming, when he will bring to completion all the good that has been begun in his name and to his glory.
Until that time, the way of repentance marks the character of the Christian life. The visual images in Luke 3:5 reflect the changes that the coming Messiah calls forth in us; for he too comes preaching the gospel of repentance (Mark 1:14-15). We really never get it quite right when it comes to our relationship with God. We are in constant need of being called back to God. Advent preaching can change the terrain of one's soul, so that when Jesus comes (in the manger of his birth and the preaching of his word), he will have a place to rest and give rest to all flesh who are eager to see the salvation of God.
FIRST LESSON FOCUS
By Elizabeth Achtemeier
Malachi 3:1-4
This second Sunday in the Advent season always has to do with the messenger that will precede the coming of the Messiah, and once again, that coming concerns both the past and the future. The Gospel reading from Luke concerns Jesus' first coming -- the beginning of his ministry -- and the messenger who precedes him is John the Baptist. But the Epistle Lesson from Philippians talks about Jesus' Second Coming, about "the day of Christ" (Philippians 1:10, 6), when he returns to earth to raise the dead, to issue his final judgment of all humanity, and to establish the Kingdom of God. In that Philippians passage, no messenger preceding Christ's Second Coming is mentioned. But our stated text from Malachi has a great deal to say about such a messenger.
Malachi is one of the latest prophetic books, written or assembled about 460 B.C. The Persian Empire rules the ancient Near East, and Judah is but a tiny subprovince of that empire. It is a quiet time for the Israelites, but it is also a desperate time. The Temple has been rebuilt some 45 years earlier, but it is an inglorious dwelling compared to its former grandeur (cf. Haggai 2:3). None of the wonderful messianic promises of earlier prophets have come true, and Judah struggles for existence in the face of poverty, crop failure, inflation, and moral and religious indifference. Indeed, the attitude of most of the inhabitants of Judah is summed up in Malachi 3:14, "It is vain to serve God," because no benefits seem to come to those who are faithful, and in fact, the wicked are those who prosper. Our text therefore concerns the coming of God on the Day of the Lord (or the day of Christ, as in Philippians) to set things right on his earth and to bring in his universal kingdom.
In our passage, the prophet Malachi speaks the words of God. "Behold, I send my messenger to prepare the way before me," God announces. Many scholars have thought that Malachi himself is the "messenger," because the name "Malachi" means "my messenger." But the prophet's name is taken from 2:7, and the messenger referred to in Malachi 3:1 is Elijah, as is clearly stated in Malachi 4:5. A new, a redivivus Elijah will precede the coming of God on the final day of judgment.
Then God himself will suddenly appear in the Temple (Malachi 3:1), and he is the "messenger of the covenant" in that verse. He comes on the Day of the Lord to destroy his enemies and to establish his kingdom over all.
Strangely, Israel for centuries looked forward to the coming of the Day of the Lord, because the Israelites thought that on that day, their enemies would all be destroyed and they would be exalted among the nations as God's chosen, favored people. We find that attitude already in Amos 5:18 in the eighth century B.C. and it persists still in the time of Malachi. So our text says that the coming of God will delight the Judeans (v. 1). But Malachi has a different view. "Who can endure the day of (God's) coming," he asks, "and who can stand when he appears?" (v. 2)
It is the same question asked of us when Christ returns, isn't it, for our Lord Christ also will come again in judgment of our lives on that final day of our history? As Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:10, "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or evil, according to what he has done in the body." And will you or I be able to stand in that judgment? Will our deeds and our thoughts stand up to the scrutiny of the Lord, so that we will be accounted "pure and blameless," as Paul says in our Epistle Lesson?
Malachi has a rather merciful message for us at this point, however, for he says that when God comes, he will appear suddenly as a refiner of human lives. He will be like one who sits by a cauldron of silver and who subjects it to fire until all of the dross and impurity is removed from it (Malachi 3:3). He will start first with the priests of Judah, because it is they who have led the people so far astray (cf. Malachi 2:1-9) -- and perhaps that is a cogent remark for all of the clergy in our time. But God will also refine us, removing from us the impurities of our lives, and I wonder if that is not what God is doing with us before our Lord Christ returns to earth -- refining, purifying, recreating our lives to be pleasing to him.
Surely all of us have passed through some fires, have we not? Upsets in our marriages and difficulties with our children, unplanned losses and disappointments, illnesses and sufferings that have left us weak and dependent, deaths of loved ones or misunderstandings and desertions by those we held most dear, turmoils in our society and the world around us -- all have come to one or another of us like some sort of fiery trial, and we find ourselves in the midst of our pain and suffering, able to do nothing else but turn to God in prayer and to cry out to him for strength and for rescue. And somehow in the midst of all that weakness and helplessness we find that there is a strength and a Savior beyond us, and that when we are most vulnerable, then there is One who is most strong and able to save. And that refines us, doesn't it? God teaches us and purifies us and deepens our faith in those everlasting arms that are always underneath our lives to bear us and to carry us. Maybe that's what God is doing with us, good Christians, before Christ comes again in his final judgment on the day of Christ. And maybe the faith that we gain from God's purifying fires will help us to endure and to stand in that final day.
For you see, the Day of Christ comes. Now our lesson from Malachi tells us that before he comes, he will send his messenger Elijah before him to turn our hearts to the Lord. The question we have to ask therefore is: Has Elijah come? And so is the final climactic event in the plan of God for our lives the Day of Christ, the Second Coming of our Lord? Has the preceding messenger, the new Elijah, appeared?
Our Lord Jesus says he has. In Matthew 11:7-15 Jesus talks to the crowds around him about John the Baptist. And he says, "All the prophets and the law prophesied until John; and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear" (Matthew 11:13-14). John the Baptist, preaching there in our Gospel Lesson from Luke, is the new Elijah who prepared the way for Jesus, the Messiah. And now today, for us, he is the Elijah, promised by Malachi, whom the prophet said would appear before the Day of the Lord. So the Day of the Lord, the Day of Christ comes in our future -- perhaps our very near future, good Christians, perhaps even tomorrow -- none of us knows. But the advance notice has been given, and we can expect Christ's return. Can we endure that return and stand at its coming? Yes, if we trust the One who comes, if we trust our Lord Jesus Christ.
Malachi 3:1-4
The post-exilic community was busy rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and the Temple, which had been destroyed in the Babylonian conquest at the beginning of the sixth century B.C. Although these were worthy and necessary feats to accomplish, there was not sufficient attention given to rebuilding the faith of the people. Their response to God's blessings and mercies was not being adequately expressed in their worship life and their daily life. Priests were offering blemished animals (blind, lame, sick) in sacrifice upon the altar. The people were faithless in their marriage relationships. Also, they were not bringing in the tithes and offerings expected of them.
The people had the audacity to question the love of God -- this, after they had been exonerated from exile and brought home. The prophet points to the fate of Edom to the south. God has shown his mercy to Jacob's heirs, but for the wickedness of Esau's heirs there has been unending punishment. This is something the people should remember, as their list of shortcomings are presented to them.
In this context, Malachi, "the messenger of the covenant," presents the Lord as faithful, even when the people are not. The Lord will come to his people and be present with them. He will be as refiner's fire and fuller's soap, however. This purifying and cleansing judgment will affect everyone, as Paul himself describes in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15. Though the images are strikingly different, the meaning is similar. A fire purifies by burning off the impurities; fuller's soap is like a bleach wash that cleanses a garment. The Gospel writer Mark astutely comments on Jesus' garments during the Transfiguration as being so "intensely white, as no fuller on earth could bleach them" (Mark 9:3). Here is a subtle visual clue to the identity of Jesus as the very "messenger of the covenant," who in his person will judge the sons and daughters of earth (as the Gospel writer John attests to up front in his account -- John 3:16-21).
One of Malachi's principle goals is to motivate the people to present the right offerings to the Lord, pure offerings (see 1:13-14). Fear of the Lord, of course, is the purity in heart necessary for the faithful to draw near to the God of greatness. In 1:5, Malachi lists what mitigates against pure offerings that the Lord requires. In the approaching season of gift-giving, all would do well to heed the advice of the gentle Christmas song, sung certainly by one of Malachi's children: "What shall I give him poor as I am? If I were a shepherd I would give a lamb. If I were a wise man I would do my part. What shall I give him? Give my heart!"
Philippians 1:3-11
In one of the nicest love letters ever composed, Paul wears his heart upon his sleeve for the Philippian Christians. Written from prison, probably shortly before his beheading, the letter is filled with thanksgivings and joys and confidences. The source of this exuberance is the Gospel of Jesus, for whom Paul is douloz, a slave.
Paul is thankful for the partnership in the gospel that the Philippians have demonstrated by standing with Paul in his imprisonment and by defending and confirming the gospel. He expresses confidence that God will surely complete in them their new life in Christ and that this will happen "at the day of Jesus Christ." Here is a people who embody the "already/not yet" character of Christian life. God is already powerfully present in their life, but there is yet more to experience. When Christ comes again, there will be a fullness wrought that will properly give glory and praise to God.
Toward this end, Paul exhorts the Philippians to "approve what is excellent." He describes this in some detail in 2:1-18. This is the life we are destined for in Christ. The "fruits of righteousness which come through Jesus Christ" are named in Galatians 5:22-23 as fruits of the Spirit. These are the fruits that the trees of our lives properly bear when we are rooted in Christ Jesus. There is no need to cut down such a fruit-bearing tree and throw it into the fire; such a tree is already partaking of the grace with which God gifts his people.
Luke 3:1-6
If John's Gospel could be said to be rooted in the philosophical world of his day, Luke's Gospel could be said to be rooted in the political world of his day. Seven figures in power (government and religion) are mentioned in these few verses. Two are foreign representatives of a conquering culture; three are local Quisling puppets; and two are suspect religious leaders. In the midst of these questionable characters, a prophet emerges. Typical of the prophet, the word of God comes to him directly in the wilderness, quite apart from any cultic ritual or setting. (Samuel and Isaiah are two notable exceptions to this.) Even though John's father is a priest, it is interesting to note that he apparently finds his calling, his authenticating experience for ministry, while away from home and temple. His work kept him away from home and temple also. In fact, people left their homes and temple to go out to John at the Jordan River.
Although John was a descendent of the Aaronic priesthood through both his father and mother, his destiny was to be a prophet, not a priest. God was preparing the way for the coming of the Messiah in such subtle ways as 1) choosing an unborn son, not the proven father, for the important heralding task; 2) appointing the son as a prophet, rather than a priest, as to his office of service in the kingdom; and 3) giving him a name that was different than his father's, as a sign that a new day was dawning.
The message of the prophet was repentance for the forgiveness of sins. John's ministry is rooted in the words of Isaiah (40:3-5), which introduce a radical change in the fortunes of God's people. Then, it was release from Exile by God's anointed, Cyrus; now, it is release from the bondage to sin and death by God's anointed, Christ. The radical new thing that God is doing is poetically anticipated by the geographic transformations described: valleys filled, mountains leveled, crooked paths straightened, and rough roads smoothed.
The radical changes on the landscape are so, not necessarily because they are new, in the sense of original creation, but because they take what is and bring about the opposite. Just as a valley may be filled or a mountain leveled, God takes the reality of sin and transforms it into the opportunity for forgiveness, the reality of death and calls forth life, the reality of despair and re-shapes hope in the human heart.
The crowds are excited, as they often are over new personalities and ways of looking at things. They come out to John to be baptized. They listen to his advice about the repentant life: neighbors, tax collectors, soldiers. Herod hears too, but does not like what he hears; so, he imprisons John -- a foreshadowing of what would become of the one who came after him. But, to venture into this part of the story, might be to quash the happy mood of the pre-Christmas season that is so much a part of our culture in mid-December. After all, babies in arms are a far more pleasing picture of God in our midst than radicals in rivers or prisons and sons sacrificed on crosses.
Application
One of the hardest tasks for the church this time of year is to cut through the cultural layers of commercialism, consumerism, and sentimentality. There are so many activities vying for our time and energies. There are so many people for whom to buy presents. There are so many emotions from the past and the present that flood our hearts, often times creating conflicting feelings within us about the season. How will Christ be heard in the midst of all this? Will we keep straight "the reason for the season" and who will help us keep it straight? Will we be able to share the message of truth in such a way that it will cut through the cultural layers that bury us under over-crowded calendars, piles of credit card receipts, and entertaining alternatives to "the true meaning of Christmas." How can the preacher best prepare the congregation to remain Christian in these weeks of Advent? For if we cannot remain centered on Christ now, what will become of our Christmas season, but a relief that all the commotion is over and we can relax and reward ourselves in New Year's revelry? The words of Malachi call us today to present the pure offering of our hearts, dedicated solely to the Lord, unblemished (namely, distracted and tired out) with worldly care and use. If this were to be, then, perhaps our tithes and offerings would flow more readily and faithfully in all the seasons of our lives.
Preparation through our worship life is certainly an aspect of the Advent season. But, there is also a preparation that takes place through our fellowship and service together as Christians. Paul reminds us of our partnership in the gospel. This means we are part of one another: we pray for one another; we thank God for one another; we are bound to one another. Where in the church or the community do people feel apart from the gospel, instead a part of the gospel? When you have identified this, how do you address it faithfully? Living the fruits of righteousness so that others are blessed by them through you is perhaps the best gift you can give to the one who is coming to give himself for you. The growth of churches through small group ministry indicates how people are searching for community, fellowship, connectedness, and partnership in life. Here, "love may abound more and more," as we not only "approve what is excellent," but also discover a more excellent way to anticipate a still more excellent day, "the day of Christ." For while we prepare for the celebration of the first coming of Jesus, we must also be anticipating his second coming, when he will bring to completion all the good that has been begun in his name and to his glory.
Until that time, the way of repentance marks the character of the Christian life. The visual images in Luke 3:5 reflect the changes that the coming Messiah calls forth in us; for he too comes preaching the gospel of repentance (Mark 1:14-15). We really never get it quite right when it comes to our relationship with God. We are in constant need of being called back to God. Advent preaching can change the terrain of one's soul, so that when Jesus comes (in the manger of his birth and the preaching of his word), he will have a place to rest and give rest to all flesh who are eager to see the salvation of God.
FIRST LESSON FOCUS
By Elizabeth Achtemeier
Malachi 3:1-4
This second Sunday in the Advent season always has to do with the messenger that will precede the coming of the Messiah, and once again, that coming concerns both the past and the future. The Gospel reading from Luke concerns Jesus' first coming -- the beginning of his ministry -- and the messenger who precedes him is John the Baptist. But the Epistle Lesson from Philippians talks about Jesus' Second Coming, about "the day of Christ" (Philippians 1:10, 6), when he returns to earth to raise the dead, to issue his final judgment of all humanity, and to establish the Kingdom of God. In that Philippians passage, no messenger preceding Christ's Second Coming is mentioned. But our stated text from Malachi has a great deal to say about such a messenger.
Malachi is one of the latest prophetic books, written or assembled about 460 B.C. The Persian Empire rules the ancient Near East, and Judah is but a tiny subprovince of that empire. It is a quiet time for the Israelites, but it is also a desperate time. The Temple has been rebuilt some 45 years earlier, but it is an inglorious dwelling compared to its former grandeur (cf. Haggai 2:3). None of the wonderful messianic promises of earlier prophets have come true, and Judah struggles for existence in the face of poverty, crop failure, inflation, and moral and religious indifference. Indeed, the attitude of most of the inhabitants of Judah is summed up in Malachi 3:14, "It is vain to serve God," because no benefits seem to come to those who are faithful, and in fact, the wicked are those who prosper. Our text therefore concerns the coming of God on the Day of the Lord (or the day of Christ, as in Philippians) to set things right on his earth and to bring in his universal kingdom.
In our passage, the prophet Malachi speaks the words of God. "Behold, I send my messenger to prepare the way before me," God announces. Many scholars have thought that Malachi himself is the "messenger," because the name "Malachi" means "my messenger." But the prophet's name is taken from 2:7, and the messenger referred to in Malachi 3:1 is Elijah, as is clearly stated in Malachi 4:5. A new, a redivivus Elijah will precede the coming of God on the final day of judgment.
Then God himself will suddenly appear in the Temple (Malachi 3:1), and he is the "messenger of the covenant" in that verse. He comes on the Day of the Lord to destroy his enemies and to establish his kingdom over all.
Strangely, Israel for centuries looked forward to the coming of the Day of the Lord, because the Israelites thought that on that day, their enemies would all be destroyed and they would be exalted among the nations as God's chosen, favored people. We find that attitude already in Amos 5:18 in the eighth century B.C. and it persists still in the time of Malachi. So our text says that the coming of God will delight the Judeans (v. 1). But Malachi has a different view. "Who can endure the day of (God's) coming," he asks, "and who can stand when he appears?" (v. 2)
It is the same question asked of us when Christ returns, isn't it, for our Lord Christ also will come again in judgment of our lives on that final day of our history? As Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:10, "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or evil, according to what he has done in the body." And will you or I be able to stand in that judgment? Will our deeds and our thoughts stand up to the scrutiny of the Lord, so that we will be accounted "pure and blameless," as Paul says in our Epistle Lesson?
Malachi has a rather merciful message for us at this point, however, for he says that when God comes, he will appear suddenly as a refiner of human lives. He will be like one who sits by a cauldron of silver and who subjects it to fire until all of the dross and impurity is removed from it (Malachi 3:3). He will start first with the priests of Judah, because it is they who have led the people so far astray (cf. Malachi 2:1-9) -- and perhaps that is a cogent remark for all of the clergy in our time. But God will also refine us, removing from us the impurities of our lives, and I wonder if that is not what God is doing with us before our Lord Christ returns to earth -- refining, purifying, recreating our lives to be pleasing to him.
Surely all of us have passed through some fires, have we not? Upsets in our marriages and difficulties with our children, unplanned losses and disappointments, illnesses and sufferings that have left us weak and dependent, deaths of loved ones or misunderstandings and desertions by those we held most dear, turmoils in our society and the world around us -- all have come to one or another of us like some sort of fiery trial, and we find ourselves in the midst of our pain and suffering, able to do nothing else but turn to God in prayer and to cry out to him for strength and for rescue. And somehow in the midst of all that weakness and helplessness we find that there is a strength and a Savior beyond us, and that when we are most vulnerable, then there is One who is most strong and able to save. And that refines us, doesn't it? God teaches us and purifies us and deepens our faith in those everlasting arms that are always underneath our lives to bear us and to carry us. Maybe that's what God is doing with us, good Christians, before Christ comes again in his final judgment on the day of Christ. And maybe the faith that we gain from God's purifying fires will help us to endure and to stand in that final day.
For you see, the Day of Christ comes. Now our lesson from Malachi tells us that before he comes, he will send his messenger Elijah before him to turn our hearts to the Lord. The question we have to ask therefore is: Has Elijah come? And so is the final climactic event in the plan of God for our lives the Day of Christ, the Second Coming of our Lord? Has the preceding messenger, the new Elijah, appeared?
Our Lord Jesus says he has. In Matthew 11:7-15 Jesus talks to the crowds around him about John the Baptist. And he says, "All the prophets and the law prophesied until John; and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear" (Matthew 11:13-14). John the Baptist, preaching there in our Gospel Lesson from Luke, is the new Elijah who prepared the way for Jesus, the Messiah. And now today, for us, he is the Elijah, promised by Malachi, whom the prophet said would appear before the Day of the Lord. So the Day of the Lord, the Day of Christ comes in our future -- perhaps our very near future, good Christians, perhaps even tomorrow -- none of us knows. But the advance notice has been given, and we can expect Christ's return. Can we endure that return and stand at its coming? Yes, if we trust the One who comes, if we trust our Lord Jesus Christ.
