For the sermon which the process of Elder/Full connection status required submitted to the Board of Ordained Ministry of the New York Annual conference of the United Methodist Church

On the third Sunday of Advent, February in1985 at Coxsackie Parish, New York

Text: Luke 3:7-17

This sermon has three primary aims:

I. METHOD – A Call to Repentance

In today’s text, John the Baptist calls the people to repentance through the baptism of water, preparing their hearts for the baptism of the Holy Spirit that Christ Himself would bring. This is not about multiple baptisms or anabaptism, but about the one true baptism initiated by Christ—first by water, then by Spirit.

Purpose:
To re-create the urgency and atmosphere of John’s preaching, encouraging the congregation to be alert, to pray, to purify themselves, and to bear fruit in keeping with repentance. It is a call to readiness—a challenge to prove oneself faithful and worthy before God.

II. SOCIAL CONCERNS – The Coming Christ in Everyday Life

The coming of Christ is not limited to religious ritual or spiritual anticipation—it is also about real, tangible transformation in the world. Jesus, risen from the dead, is continually coming into our lives and communities, restoring what is broken.

Purpose:
To remind the congregation that acts of love, justice, and compassion are manifestations of Christ’s coming. These are not merely good deeds—they are signs of the Kingdom of God. The love we show to others is a participation in the healing of the physical, spiritual, and social body—in ourselves, in our history, and in society.

III. ESCHATOLOGICAL REALITY – The Kingdom at Hand

The message is urgent. Jesus is coming—not just in some distant future, but here and now. This is not only a personal issue, but also a social and historical one. The Kingdom of God is near.

Purpose:
To awaken a sense of existential and spiritual urgency. The coming of Jesus is not abstract—it demands a response today. Are we ready? Are we living in expectation and obedience? The call is clear: “Jesus is coming.”

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• PRAYER

When human beings carry the holy only in fragile jars, but you, O Holy Spirit, when you live in a man you live in what is infinitely inferior: You Spirit of Holiness, you live in our filth and impurity, You Spirit of Wisdom, you live in our foolishness, You Spirit of Truth, you live in our self-deception! O, stay here, and you who do not conveniently look for a desirable residence, which you would seek in vain, you, who creating and giving new birth, make your own dwelling place, O, stay here that it may at some time to be that you are delighted with the house you yourself prepared for yourself in my filthy and foolish and cheating heart. In the name of the Lord, Amen.

(From Soren Kierkegaard’s Journals and Papers. vol. 3, P. 572.

In the revolutionary insecurity of Asia…
And in the overwhelming mass culture of the West…
We ask:
What is God doing?
And more urgently—what is the Christian’s role?

Today, we hear the answer…
Not in theory, but in the voice of the wilderness—
The voice of John the Baptist, crying out:
Prepare the way of the Lord!
Make His paths straight!

Friends… Christ is coming!
Not just as a baby in Bethlehem long ago…
But now—today, into our world, into our lives.

I. The Mystery of Christ’s Coming

The coming of Christ… is the Good News.
Not just a story from the past—
But the very center of our faith.

The Perfect God…
Steps into our broken flesh.
This is a mystery beyond reason.

Why?
Because His love is greater than logic.
And His incarnation—His taking on of human life—
Is not just a Christmas story.
It is the beginning of the cross, the resurrection, and the ascension.

But we cannot understand this through reason alone.
Only through revelation—
When God Himself opens the door…
And shows us what love looks like.

II. A Parable That Lives in Us

Let me tell you a story Jesus told…
You know it.

There were two men.
One rich, clothed in fine linen, feasting every day.
The other… poor.
His name was Lazarus.
Covered in sores, longing for the scraps from the rich man’s table.

They both died.

Lazarus was carried by angels to Abraham’s side.
The rich man? He went to the place of torment.

He cried out:
“Father Abraham! Send Lazarus to cool my tongue with water!”

But Abraham said:
“Son, remember—you had good things in life.
Now he is comforted, and you are in anguish.”
And then these words:
“A great chasm has been fixed between us.”

That parable isn’t just about two people long ago.
It’s about us.
Every day, those two men live inside us.
One grasping, one longing.
One blind, one dependent on God.

So, I ask you today…
Which one are you feeding?

III. Christ’s Coming Is Urgent

We can’t afford to wait.
You may think you have 40, 50, even 60 more years…
But are you guaranteed even one more day?

A man once dreamed—
A friend, long dead, stood by his bed.
The room was full of light.

The friend said,
“I have come from God with a message.
You always said, ‘If someone rose from the dead, I would repent.’
Well, I have.
And I warn you—
You are walking toward death in your sin.
Unless you are born again…
You will die eternally.”

And then he vanished.
The room turned dark again.

Brothers and sisters,
Jesus is coming.
The Kingdom is at hand.
Repent, and believe the Gospel!

IV. What Then Shall We Do?

The crowd asked John:
“What then shall we do?”

And he said:
“Whoever has two shirts—share one with the person who has none.
Whoever has food—share it.
Don’t cheat in your business.
Don’t use your power to harm.
Be content with your pay.”

Such simple words…
Yet they pierce our modern lives.

We live in a world driven by economics.
Where power follows money.
Where peace is traded for profit.
Where even the poor are expected to have, not give.

But John’s message—and Christ’s—is clear:
The Christian’s role is not to receive, but to give.

When we give—peace begins.
When we share—hope is born.
And when we love—Jesus comes.

V. Faith Means Doing… and Suffering

Faith is not passive.
It means doing—and sometimes suffering.

Faith prays.
Faith listens.
Faith gives thanks.
Faith serves the poor.
Faith walks with the suffering.

And yes—faith sometimes suffers.

But let me tell you—
The sorrow of the Christian is sweeter than joy.

Henri Nouwen once wrote:
A Christian community is a healing community…
Not because wounds are gone…
But because pain becomes an opportunity for hope.

VI. Christ Among the Poor

Jesus came not as a king in luxury—
But as one of the poor.

In Him, every person’s dignity is restored.
He came to bring good news to the poor…
To set captives free…
To lift the oppressed. (Luke 4:18–19)

He is the man for others—the victim, not the oppressor.

And today, He stands among the broken:
The farmers in debt,
The sick,
The addicted,
The abused,
The lonely.

In them… Jesus is coming again.

VII. The Final Judgment

And Jesus says,
“I was hungry, and you fed me…
I was a stranger, and you welcomed me…
I was sick and in prison, and you visited me.”

And the righteous will ask,
“Lord, when?”
And He will say,
“What you did for the least of these… you did for me.”

But to those who turned away, He says,
“You refused to help Me.”

The axe is already laid at the root.
Every tree that does not bear good fruit…
Will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

Conclusion: Jesus Is Coming!

So what does it mean to say,
“Jesus is coming”?

It means He is born again—
Not just in Bethlehem, but in your heart.
It means you and I must be born again,
In justice, in mercy, in love.

And when that happens—
Then the joy of Christmas becomes real.
Then the shout of “Merry Christmas!”
Becomes a cry of justice, a cry of hope.

So say it with me:
“Jesus is coming in my heart—Merry Christmas!”

• Closing Prayer

Go now, in the name of the Lord—
the One who has called you,
the One you have chosen to follow.

Go in the strength of His mighty power.
Even when opposition comes—
from your own weakness, from the world around you,
or from the forces of darkness—
keep fighting the good fight of faith.

Take hold of eternal life—
the promise set before you.

And when the journey is finished,
there is laid up for you a crown—
which the Lord, the righteous Judge,
will place on your head on that great day.

Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God the Father,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with you all,
now and forevermore.
Amen.

[Sermon Handout]

Sermon Handout: Jesus Is Coming!

Text: Luke 3:7–17
Advent Season, 1985

1. Introduction: A Question for Our Time

In the insecurity of revolutionary Asia and the mass culture of the West, we ask:
What is God doing?
What is the Christian’s role?

Advent reminds us:
Christ is coming—not only then, but now.

2. The Mystery of Christ’s Coming

• Christ’s incarnation is the foundation of our faith.
• It is not understood through reason but through revelation.
• God steps into human history to reveal His love beyond logic.
• This love leads to the cross, resurrection, and ascension.

“God crossed the deep pit that separates us from Him. Through this, we know love.”

3. A Story That Lives in Us (Luke 16:19–31)

• Two men: a rich man and Lazarus.
• In death, their roles are reversed.
• A great chasm separates comfort from torment.
• The warning: We cannot wait for miracles to repent—we must respond now.

“If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.”

4. Christ’s Coming Requires Urgency

• Life is uncertain.
• You may expect 60 more years—but you are not promised one more day.
• The call is clear:
  • Repent.
  • Believe the Gospel.
  • Be born again.

“I baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

5. What Then Shall We Do? (Luke 3:11–14)

John gives practical commands:

• Share your clothing and food.
• Be honest in business.
• Don’t exploit others.
• Be content with what you have.

The Christian’s role is not receiving—but giving.
In giving, hope is born.

6. Faith Is Both Doing and Suffering

• Faith leads us to:
  • Pray and seek God.
  • Serve others in mercy.
  • Endure trials with hope.
• True Christian sorrow is not defeat—it is sweeter than joy.

“Wounds become places of healing and vision.”
(Henri Nouwen, The Wounded Healer)

7. Christ Among the Poor

• Jesus came as one of the poor (2 Cor. 8:9).
• He proclaims:
  • Good news to the poor.
  • Freedom to captives.
  • Healing to the oppressed.

“What you did for the least of these, you did for me.”
(Matthew 25:35–40)

8. The Final Judgment

• Jesus will separate the righteous from the unfaithful.
• Those who served others will inherit the Kingdom.
• Those who refused will face judgment.

“The axe is laid at the root… every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down.”
(Luke 3:9)

9. Conclusion: Born Again in Christ

• Christ is not only born in Bethlehem—He is born in our hearts.
• We must be born again in justice, mercy, and love.
• Then our Christmas cry becomes more than tradition:

“Jesus is coming in my heart. Merry Christmas!”

Reflection Questions:

• What part of your life is resisting Christ’s coming?
• Who in your community needs you to give, serve, or forgive?
• Are you preparing your heart as John the Baptist urged?

[Original]

Introduction: A Question for Our Time

In the midst of Asia’s revolutionary insecurity and the West’s overwhelming mass culture, we must ask: What is God doing? And what is the Christian’s role?

Today’s passage from Luke 3:7–17 offers us both challenge and hope. As we journey through this Advent season, we declare: Christ is coming! This is not merely a seasonal greeting—it is the heart of our faith. The coming of Christ is the Good News, not just of the past, but of this very moment.

I. The Mystery of Christ’s Coming

Christ’s coming is not a concept we grasp through intellect alone. The incarnation—God made flesh—is a mystery that transcends reason. It is rooted in revelation, not deduction. Why did God come in human form? Because His love is beyond our logic. This love made possible His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension.

God has crossed the “deep pit” that separates us from Him. Only by this revelation—this divine initiative—can we understand and experience His love. Jesus’ birth is not an isolated event in time but an ongoing expression of God’s love, unfolding in history and in us.

II. The Rich Man and Lazarus: A Story Within Us

In Luke 16, we meet two men: a wealthy man clothed in luxury, and Lazarus, a poor man covered in sores, longing for scraps. When both die, their fates are reversed—the rich man in torment, Lazarus in comfort with Abraham.

This parable is not only about two men in history—it is also about two forces within each of us, battling daily. Will we live like the rich man, blind to the suffering at our doorstep? Or like Lazarus, longing in humility and trusting God?

The rich man begs for a warning to his brothers, but the reply is clear: “They have Moses and the prophets… If they won’t listen to them, they won’t be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.”

Jesus has risen. Will we listen?

III. Revelation and Urgency

We cannot delay. The call to repentance is urgent. You may expect to live 40, 50, even 60 more years—but are you guaranteed one more day?

One man dreamt of a friend risen from the dead, who warned him:
“You are seeking death in the error of your life. If you die in your current state, you will die eternally. Unless you are born again, you cannot be holy—and without holiness, there is no heaven.”

He asked, “What shall I do?”
And the answer came:
“I baptize you with water, but one is coming who is mightier than I. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

This is your invitation. Repent and believe the Gospel! Not only in word, but in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with full conviction.

IV. What Then Shall We Do? (Luke 3:11–14)

When the crowd heard John’s message, they asked, “What then shall we do?”

His answers are profoundly simple:

1. “Whoever has two shirts must give one to the one who has none.”
2. “Don’t collect more than what is legal.”
3. “Don’t use force or lie; be content with your pay.”

This is how Jesus comes among us—through acts of justice, sharing, and contentment.

In a world dominated by economics, where even political power is purchased with money, these teachings are revolutionary. The role of the Christian is not to receive more, but to give more. When people live only to possess, they destroy the very peace they seek. But when they live to give, hope begins to rise.

V. Faith Means Doing and Suffering

True faith involves both doing and suffering.
Faith leads us to prayer, to communion with God, to thanksgiving, to acts of mercy—feeding the hungry, visiting the sick, clothing the naked, loving the outcast.

But faith also calls us to suffer—not in despair, but with purpose. As St. John Chrysostom said, “The Christian has his sorrows as well as his joys—but his sorrow is sweeter than joy.”

Henri Nouwen echoes this:
A healing community is not one where pain disappears, but one where wounds become openings for hope. Sharing weakness becomes the source of strength.

VI. The Poor and the Presence of Christ

Jesus comes as one of the poor (2 Cor. 8:9). In Him, the dignity of every human being is affirmed. He teaches us to see the poor not as burdens, but as the extension of His own presence among us.

In His suffering, Jesus becomes the victim for others. He shows us that redemption comes not through strength, but through weakness.

And in that weakness, the oppressed of every age—from debt-ridden farmers to cancer patients, from the lonely to the addicted—can hear His voice and find hope.

VII. The Final Judgment

Jesus says,
“Come, you who are blessed. I was hungry, and you fed me… Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me.”
But He also says, “When you refused to help them, you refused to help me.”

The axe is already laid at the root of the trees. Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire (Luke 3:9). This is the urgency of “Jesus is coming.”

Conclusion: Christ Born Again in Us

Christ is coming—again and again, not just in Bethlehem, but in our hearts, in our actions, and in our communities.

We also must be born again—in mercy, in justice, in hope. Only then does “Merry Christmas!” become more than a phrase; it becomes a cry of redemption, a declaration of God’s presence, and a promise of the Kingdom.

So let the cry rise up:
“Jesus is coming in my heart. Merry Christmas!”