The Wild Man at the River

Second Sunday of Advent (A) | December 7, 2025 Matthew 3:1-12 Preached at Peace Lutheran Church, Saint Charles, Maryland

The Rev. Eric Randolph

John the Baptist is certainly one of the more interesting characters in scripture. He lives a very ascetic lifestyle in the wilderness and he’d be hard to miss in a crowd—wild hair, camel’s hair coat, and a diet that would make even the most adventurist foodie hesitate.

Yet, for all his eccentricities, John is not just a footnote in our faith story. He’s the opening act. He steps onto the scene with a thunderous shout, not a timid whisper: “Repent! For the kingdom of heaven has come near!”

“Repent” isn’t a word that usually comes up in casual conversation. It’s a stern, maybe even scary word that invokes some sort of spiritual audit you didn’t sign up for. John’s message, however, isn’t just for the wayward or the cartoonish villains lurking in the background. It’s a message for everyone. Yes, even the religious folks—maybe especially the religious folks!

Consider how John greets the religious authorities—the Pharisees and Sadducees: “You brood of vipers!” That isn’t the warmest welcome to the river, but he got their attention.

To understand what John’s trying to say, we must first recognize repentance isn’t just about feeling bad for what you’ve done. Repentance is about turning around and making a new beginning. It’s getting ready for something—or rather, someone—entirely new. That’s the whole point of Advent—the call to repentance and making way for Jesus Christ—not just decorating our homes and shopping for Christmas presents. It’s about opening ourselves to God’s new reality.

With the days getting shorter and the nights stretching out, Advent provides a time for honest reflection about the darkness in the world and in our hearts. John’s cry in the wilderness echoes loudly in our own wilderness places—those corners of our lives where hope feels thin, where God seems far off, or where we’re just trying to make it through.

But as the darkness deepens, we turn toward the coming light. The prophet Isaiah, whom John quotes, speaks of the root of Jesse—the righteous judge, the one who welcomes all, especially the poor and meek. 

See, the one who is coming isn’t just for the squeaky-clean or the well-connected. Christ comes for the outsiders. He comes for the wounded and the ones who’ve been told they don’t belong. And with Christ comes a promise. A promise that says there will be a day when the wolf will dwell with the lamb, when there’s no more hurt or destruction, when peace is not just a wish but an ever-present reality. 

The kingdom of God really is near, friends. It’s among us. It’s here. You belong, not just because you checked every box or avoided every pitfall, but because Jesus has welcomed you into God’s family.

So, when you come to table this morning, we’re not just getting a snack before hospitality hour. We’re being welcomed, forgiven, fed, and sent out. Sent out, like John the Baptist, to point to the one who is coming. To proclaim with our words, our lives, and actions that in Christ, the kingdom of God is breaking in.

As the body of Christ, we get to live out that unity and that bold welcome. We’re called to encourage one another, not because we’re perfect, but because Christ has welcomed us. 

We hold the door open for each other. We remind each other that the light is coming, and it’s coming for all people.

Friends, as we make our way through the remaining weeks of Advent—with its wild prophet, its honest darkness, and its stubborn hope—hear John’s call as a word of grace.

Turn around and make a new beginning, because God is doing something new. In Christ, our Savior, the kingdom has come near! The table is set. There’s a place for you. And maybe—even if you’re not ready for locusts—you’ll find yourself drawn to the wild grace that prepares the way for the Lord.

Amen.

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