John 1: 19-28
What would this season of Advent be without a story? I am not talking about the story of the birth of Jesus, but of another; A Christmas Carol in Prose, Being a Ghost Story of Christmas. That story, written by the British author, Charles Dickens, commonly known as A Christmas Carol, has become for many people as much about Advent and Christmas, possibly even more so, than say John the Baptist, himself.
Why has that British Victorian tale about social injustice and poverty become so much part of this season as we prepare for Christmas? Why did a story of a miserly old man, Ebenezer Scrooge, visited by three spirits, past, present and future, on the night before Christmas, who then changes his life, and reverts to the generous, kind-hearted soul of his youth, become so much part of this Advent season? Much has been written and discussed on that very question, but for me, the story brings to the forefront what many people associate with this time as we prepare for the arrival of Jesus, the sentiment of sharing and seasonal good will to all.
From a Christian point of view, the themes of injustice and economic hardship addressed in A Christmas Carol, are vital topics and worthy of remembrance every day, not just during the holiday season. However, although those issues are imperative, it is hardly the only ones surrounding the good news of the impending arrival of Jesus Christ. Instead, another of Charles Dickens books may bring us closer to some of the reality of this season. This other tale, also about poverty and wealth, if we think about it as Christians, has Advent and Christmas written all over it and can even been seen in its title, Great Expectations.
To review, this novel is about an orphan boy, Pip living in the humble dwelling of his kindly brother-in-law and cruel much older sister. He had no other expectations than to work in his brother-in-law’s blacksmith shop. Then suddenly Pip began to receive a substantial monthly income from an unknown source, administered by a famous London lawyer. This vaulted him into the upper class, which brought many changes … many subtle. First, Pip moved to London where he began a “proper” education to be a gentleman. As the income continued, this young man had increasing levels of expectation with this wealth including in the realm of romance. As this novel nears its end, however, there are several turns of events, including that the income stops. As a result, Pip’s expectations in wealth, relationships and romance though at one point lofty, were not fulfilled. Instead there came an outcome he had not expected.
That story, in my opinion, says more about the season leading up to Christmas than the themes of found in a Christmas Carol. The reason is that Great Expectations revolves around the difference between expectation and hope.
Let’s turn to our gospel. In our Gospel, we get a different portrayal of John the Baptist than we had last week in the gospel of Mark. Mark’s gospel begins at a near frantic pace, with John the Baptist. There are no introductions, but instead we are catapulted into preparation for the pending arrival of change. Today, however, in John, the pace is not frantic, but more measured in anticipating the “Christ” which is the Greek word for the Hebrew title of “Messiah.”
And when John the Baptist appears in the gospel of John it begins with probing questions of a few representatives sent to investigate this man. Voicing the questions of many, these representatives ask “‘Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?’”1 Why did these questions need to be asked? Because seemingly, people’s expectations were high that either John the Baptist was the Messiah, the Christ or was the promised messenger of the Day of the Lord that was to come with the Messiah.
John the Baptist answers “no” to the queries and in a similar way as he does in Mark, ends the first round of questions in part by using the words of the prophet Isaiah from hundreds of years before, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.' "
But it does not stop there. You will notice at this point in the Gospel, that John the Baptist is questioned by a new group, Pharisees who doubt John’s authority to baptize if he is not the Messiah, the Christ. John the Baptist answers their question by distinguishing baptism by water without Spirit, but then suddenly points out that the one who can, is present … now.
This exchange between John the Baptist and those around him leads me to wonder: What is the difference between expectation and hope? In our gospel we see how John the Baptist is confronted by the expectations of who he was by those around him. Instead, John answers with a word of hope, "I baptize with water," John replied, "but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie."2
There is a difference between expectation and hope. In my mind, expectation is what is considered the most likely to happen. An expectation is a belief that is centered on the future, and may or may not be realistic. John the Baptist was believed to come as the messiah because in some ways that fulfilled the expectation of what was to happen.
Hope, on the other hand, is a belief in a positive outcome related to events and circumstances in one's life. Hope implies a certain amount of perseverance, believing that a positive outcome is possible even when there is some evidence to the contrary. For example, there is a difference between, “I expect someone to come to a party” versus “I hope someone can come to a party.” In our lesson John the Baptist although denying people’s expectations, pronouncing that among you “one stands.”
I believe there is another important distinction between expectations and hope. Expectations are specific.? If you don’t get what you expect, you can be mad, disappointed, hurt, resentful, and so on.? Expectations are well defined.? Expectations involve maintaining control over your life, and often the lives around you. I also think that typically expectations are rarely communicated and thus are rarely met. In Charles Dickens novel, Great Expectations, the central character expected that wealth would result in a better life which included winning the love of a woman. Throughout the novel, these and other “expectations” are shown to be at times misguided or simply wrong.
Hope, on the other hand, is not specific. It is an outlook on life, looking forward, but not defining exactly how this future will come about.? Hope is choosing to believe that God is in control.? Hope is letting go.
For example, someone may hope to marry someday. ?The alternative is to expect a marriage and would be to specify to whom, when, how, and where this marriage would occur.? And if it doesn’t happen exactly how one planned, then one can be crushed and angry. Expectations don’t give much grace or wiggle room.? Hope does.
What does that distinction played out in our gospel with John the Baptist mean in our lives? In the movie Monty Python’s Life of Brian, we see that distinction between expectations and (I believe) hope played out to funny but ironic ends. In the movie, Brian of Nazareth is mistaken for a savior sometimes by accident and other times by innocent mistakes; he matches people expectations of what a savior is like. The directors of the movie even play with the expectations of the movie goers. The irony is that while this is happening, the real savior, Jesus lives and dies right beside him even on the cross.
Like John the Baptist I believe put so well, we are to decrease as God through Jesus Christ increases in our lives. We are to move away from our expectations of life, not only wealth but in all aspects including death and allow God’s vision to enter our lives. The question we need to ponder is not so much how not to be like Ebenezer Scrooge but rather, instead to learn like Pip, that life with hope begins after we let go of all our "great expectations." Amen.
1 Vs. 22
2 Vs. 26-27
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