“An Essential Question”
December 12, 2021
Luke 3:7–18
John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.”
As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.
Asking questions is one of the simplest and most important exercises we can do in life. Research has found that asking questions helps our brains. Asking questions develops new brain patterns so when facing new situations or obstacles we do not automatically revert to accustomed ways of thinking. The more we ask ourselves questions, the better the possibility of changing our lives for the better.
Think about it. We learn about life through questions. Children start learning about the world by observing, testing and then asking “why.” Through questions, children learn the cause-and-effect relationship and the meaning of words.
However, with age and responsibility, we tend to ask fewer questions and settle for familiar ways thinking and acting. At face value this does not seem negative. But the downside is the increased possibility of becoming stuck when obstacles or unfamiliar challenges come upon us and the familiar ways of thinking do not work.
This should not be a surprise. When we experience an obstacle, our brain quickly moves to the pattern it can find from our experiences similar to the current situation. However, this is precisely when we should be asking questions. When facing obstacles, asking questions gives the brain time to find a good, healthy solution.
The quality of our lives depends on the questions we ask according to “The Miniature Guide to The Art of Asking Essential Questions” by Linda Elder and Richard Paul. “The quality of our thinking, in turn, is determined by the quality of our questions, for questions are the engine, the driving force behind thinking.”
Questioning forms new patterns in the brain and the more patterns it forms, the more flexible it becomes. With flexibility, our brains can access more stored information instead of reverting to old patterns. With a flexible brain, one becomes more open, more perceptive of different perspectives and less biased.
The more we ask ourselves important questions, the easier it gets to accept ourselves and to take charge in changing our lives for the better.
Today’s Gospel has people asking a pressing question and a sharp-tongued prophet exclaiming they should change their lives for the better.
“What then should we do?” is the question the crowd asks John when they encounter him in the wilderness and hear his prophetic declarations. They were coming to hear John preach and hoping for a better life. He is harsh, calling them snakes. He commands them to change their ways saying: “You brood of vipers. Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance.”
Repentance, from the Greek word metanoia means to change one’s heart; to go in a new direction. This is a major theme in the Gospel of Luke. Repentance involves action which signals a new or renewed relationship with God.
John calls the crowd to bear fruits worthy of repentance. He will not listen to excuses. He wants action.
Imagine this crowd making their way to the wilderness filled with expectation. Imagine their hope that John might be One long promised Messiah. Perhaps this would be the one to free them from the oppressive ways of the Roman Empire.
But with a tone reminiscent of the old fire and brimstone preacher that people sometimes wanted me to be in my day, John calls them to change, go in a new direction. His words combine hope and judgement, fear and anticipation. And Luke tells us at the end of this passage, “with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people. (v 18). Good news.
So, the people ask, “What then should we do?” It is an honest question.
What then should we do? is the question we ask when life gets complicated or difficult, the world gets crazier and we wonder which direction to go.
The question seeks more than information. It reveals a sense of powerlessness. It means we have come up against something bigger than ourselves.
Think about all the decisions you have made already today. Each day we make hundreds of decisions, big and little, important and unimportant ones, life changing ones, some with lasting consequences, and others with temporary effect. We may not always get them right but we usually know what to do. But when our world gets turned upside down and life feels like more than we can manage, when we feel powerless, it is time to ask: “What then should we do?”
Powerlessness is the middle ground between fight and flight. This is where fear, anxiety, anger, and frustration exist. I wonder if the people John was addressing that day felt powerless at his charge.
“What then should we do?” the people asked. In times of powerlessness, do not quit asking questions! This is not a time without choices. But it is a time to make different ones. We cannot change others, but we can choose to change ourselves. We may be powerless to escape the chaos of the world, but we can choose to live a new way.
Isn’t that what John is telling those who come to him? “Bear fruits worthy of repentance.” Show your life to reflect the grace and mercy of God. Change your heart and your life to become more like God.
The question “What then should we do?” is asked three times. First by the crowd. Then the tax collectors. Finally, the soldiers. The response to all is unoriginal and ordinary. John does not tell them or us anything we have not already heard or did not already know. He tells them to share, be honest and fair, do not be a bully. It is what we were taught as children.
And that is the point. It seems as if John is saying that the tasks of ordinary “bearing fruit worthy of repentance” are spiritual practices. John does not ask anyone to change the world, but to change themselves. He does not tell them to quit their jobs, but to live a different life.
The crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” They may not be able to eliminate poverty, but they can share what they have with the cold and hungry. The tax collectors who came to John may not be able to overhaul the tax code, but they can be honest and fair. The soldiers who came to him may not be able to end the Roman occupation, but they can act with integrity and not abuse their power. In each situation John focuses on people and relationships. His answers are simple, concrete, practical.
So, what then for us in these challenge times? Is there still Good News in John’s proclamation?
For those who want the world fixed, John’s answers to “What then should we do?” are not very satisfactory. Poverty still remains, unjust economic systems still exist, and power is still abused. But let’s be honest, Jesus did not fix the world. He engaged and gave himself to the world. He loved the world to death and beyond. He showed a unique way of being, a different way of living together. He continually asked questions! He offered different priorities and values, and then invited us to participate and follow him. In doing all that he showed us what it means and looks like to be human and be the dwelling place of God.
What then should we do? I cannot answer that question for you. It is your question to ask and yours to answer.
However, let me ask you this: What then will you do?
