This morning the story of John the Baptist continues. Last week we heard of him appearing out of the wilderness to proclaim a message of change, of repentance. We heard that his message was not enough, because there is only so far we can carry ourselves before things come crashing down. Today we hear from John the Baptist who is now in prison. John has been banished to prison by Herod for calling Herod's lifestyle into question.

In prison he has too much time on his hands to think and to worry and to wonder. It is those kind of times when the doubts creep in … John must have started wondering if he had been right about Jesus. He is hearing the reports of the work Jesus is doing, but it is not adding up to what he expected. John talked of a mighty ruler coming with flames and power; of how people will get what is coming to them when the Messiah arrives. Jesus doesn't seem to be doing any of that – instead John is hearing of people being healed and fed, of people being set free – but no destruction seems to be taking place, no toppling of the oppressive rulers. For that matter, if Jesus is the One, why isn't he rushing down to the prison to rescue him? He is family after all. And so John sends word through his followers to Jesus: "Are you the one, or should we still be waiting?"

Are you the one? It is a courageous question to ask. To be able to ask it means John was willing to face his fears and doubts. It might have been easier to swallow them back and put on a brave face as people came to visit and to hear him preach. And yes, they would have still been listening to him. Prisoners in his time were dependent on friends and family to provide food … a prisoner of his renown would probably have a steady stream of such provisions and so he could conceivably continue his message. What we have recorded in the midst of all he did in his prison time is his question. A short question that contains all of his fears and doubts. Jesus doesn't seem to be the kind of Messiah that the prophets talked about. The proud and mighty do not seem to be toppling. Indeed from John's prison cell, they seem to be winning. He has to be wondering if his years in the wilderness were worth it. Further, he had gotten so caught up in the message Jesus was bringing, that he had dared take on Herod and look what happened.

When Jesus hears of John's question he sends word back: "Go back and tell John what's going on: The blind see, The lame walk, Lepers are cleansed, The deaf hear, The dead are raised, The wretched of the earth learn that God is on their side. Is this what you were expecting? Then count yourselves most blessed!" Jesus is telling John that if he was expecting a knight-in-shining-armor kind of Messiah, that he would be disappointed. For that is not how it was going to be. It was going to be about making room; about those on the margins of life being heard … it was going to be about a new kind of life where people found healing and wholeness no matter who they were.

Are you the one or should we be looking elsewhere? Truth be told John's question is our question as well. Yet, dare we ask it in the midst of our preparations. Dare we ask it especially when everyone seems to be dashing about with excitement and the glitz of the season is all around us. Dare we give voice to our fears and doubts on this Sunday in Advent often designated for "joy." The secular celebration of Christmas gives no room for questions and doubts. It is an all-out feeding frenzy raging about us – the more you can decorate, buy and cook right now – well, the happier and more successful you will be. If you don't go all out right now, well, is it any wonder you aren't happy. While the details are different, the message is the same as in John's time – it is about power and money and strength. In that mindset there is no room for us – no room for fear and doubt and pain and grief.

And God knows right now we are bearing more than our share of "stuff." Many in our midst have the fresh wounds of grief that haunt our days. Families are walking through times of great disruptions and separation. We know a tiny little baby lies gravely ill in a hospital far from home. Does this all mean we cannot know the joy of Christmas? The secular message of Christmas is pretty much yes. At Christmas there is no room for fears and doubts. We, along with a lot of help from stores, can create a perfect day when nothing can go wrong. Macy's tells us they have the perfect gift, other stores will sell us the magic of the season. An episode of M.A.S.H. reminds me of the attempt to have nothing go wrong at Christmas. On Christmas Day, Hawkeye operated on a soldier but was unable to save him. He had the operating room nurse set the time of day ahead so that the soldier's family did not have to deal with Christmas being the day of their loved one's death. Given all the secular pressure we get the message that there is no room for Christmas if our lives are "wintry."

We find ourselves with John, wanting to know … wondering if Jesus is the one. For the words we hear from the world are so contrary to our experience. The message that Jesus was born to bring is this – that there is room. There is room for all of us – not just the perfect and the proud and the mighty; but for all – the grieving and the sick and the hungry. We find that Jesus is the one gives us a true place – a home in God's love. And there is the joy. We find that joy is not so much about responding to only the good things of life, of celebrating parties and presents … rather joy is a life style. A life style we live in response to God's gift of love to us. It is a life lived in such a way that we proclaim to the world what we know: "God is on your side … count yourself blessed."

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