The Revised Common Lectionary passages for the Lord’s Day are:

First Reading: Isaiah 11:1-10
Psalm: 72:1-7, 18-19
Second Reading: Romans 15:4-13
Gospel Reading: Matthew 3:1-12

The liturgical color for the day is: Purple or Blue

Wilderness John—out there on the edge.

This is our task—to keep moving out to the edge and asking, “What’s going on here?”  “Is God up to something?”  In our Presbytery Ministry Plan we call that being missional.

Yes!!  God is up to something.  Yes!!  God is always in-breaking into our old patterns to bring about a new reality.  That is the cross.  In Jesus Christ, God broke into the order of the ages and brought about a new reality where death was not final.  God broke into the old order and said “no” to separation and “yes” to love.

In the cross, we are assigned the role of being the ones who live in this world, scratching our heads that this tiny sprig of life is growing.  This tiny sprig of life is Christ born and growing out of our old lifeless reality.  That is the cross. 

So, church, be out there on the edge.  Go out there with John.  Bear fruit worthy of repentance.  Make a difference.  Do justice. 

It is prophetic.  Out of the stump comes a green sprig.  Out of something finished and lifeless comes the sign of new life.  The movement of God is that we stop being the stump and start being the sprig of life.

—

Rev. Dr. Daris Bultena
Chief Imagination Officer
General Presbyter and Stated Clerk