Reflection: Shall We Look for Another? (December 16, 2012)

The 3rd Sunday in Advent
Malachi 3:1-7; Philippians 1:2-11; Luke 3:1-14


Sometimes Jesus simply doesn't live up to our expectations. It’s not that He’s done anything wrong, it’s just that He hasn't done what we thought He would do. He’s quiet when we want Him to speak. He’s active in our lives when we’d rather take things easy. He moves us when we’d rather stay still. He tells us to be still when we want to take action. It doesn't make sense to us. It’s confusing. We’re certainly not the first people to experience this. When John the Baptist was in prison he struggled with this very thing. He had heard about what Jesus was doing and it didn't line up with his expectations of the Messiah. Concerned about this, John sent two of his disciples to Jesus with an important question, “Shall we look for another?”.

When Jesus’ work in our lives doesn't line up with our expectations (or desires) we may be tempted to “look for another.” Certainly, the world offers plenty of alternatives to Jesus — many of which are very appealing. Numerous influential people, even many who promote themselves as faithful Christians, propose lifestyles and life choices that sound a lot better to us than Jesus’ call to deny ourselves and take up our crosses daily in order to follow Him. But before we consider looking for another, we should remember the first part of John’s question to Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come?”.

Jesus’ answer to the first part of John’s question resolved the second part. The divine works that He performed were proof that He was the one to come, the one promised by God through the prophets for the redemption of mankind. We need only look to the work that He has done in our lives to realize that there is no one to whom we can look for peace, joy, hope, or purpose. In the divine work of Baptism He has joined us into His salvation. In the divine work of His presence under bread and wine He renews and refreshes us. In the divine work of forgiveness He assures us that we always have a place in His family. We may be confused at times by how Jesus is working in our lives, but we can be confident that in whatever ways that He is working that He has our good in mind. Knowing that He is the one whom the Father sent into our world for our redemption and that He continues to work for our good, we can turn aside all temptation to look for another because there is no one who loves us as He does.

Audio file of the sermon "Shall We Look for Another?"