Today’s message is that BIG THINGS are small things; and small things are BIG THINGS.

We begin with some BIG THINGS. Today’s gospel reading is actually the continuation of a story that began last week. And it began as a BIG THING. [Read in an exaggerated, stentorion voice:] “In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came--and then, suddenly, all of these BIG THINGS shift to a very small thing indeed--the word of God came ... to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.”

BIG THINGS are small things, but small things are BIG THINGS. In the ancient world, the Emperor Tiberius, Pontius Pilate, and the Jewish kings of Galilee and surrounding regions were BIG THINGS! As I’ve mentioned before, to the average person in the ancient world, the Emperor was called and considered both Lord and Savior. They are their underlings held life and death in their hands.

The Word of God, also--of course--was considered a BIG THING, at least to Jews. In fact, the common understanding was that God had caused a shortage--a drought--of his Word among the people for some time. So it was a BIG THING indeed to announce that, once again, the heavens had opened and God’s word had once again returned to earth.

But look where it came and to whom! Later generations would know that the John son of Zechariah in our text would become better known to us as John the Baptist. But, at that time, he was just another obscure and unknown wild-man in an obscure and unknown part of the world.

He was, in other words, a “small thing.” But, you see, in God’s eyes, BIG THINGS are small things and small things are BIG THINGS. “In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.”

It’s important that we recognize that this really is the way that God works in the world! BIG THINGS are small things; small things are BIG THINGS. When the Word of God comes to John in the wilderness he begins preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

This is a BIG THING! Listen to how BIG and powerful his words are: Crowds of people came out to John to be baptized by him. “You snakes!” he said to them. “Who told you that you could escape from the punishment God is about to send? Do those things that will show that you have turned from your sins. And don’t start saying among yourselves that Abraham is your ancestor. I tell you that God can take these rocks and make descendants for Abraham! The ax is ready to cut down the trees at the roots; every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown in the fire.”

The people rightly ask, “What are we to do, then?” But now, knowing that, for God, BIG THINGS are small things and small things are BIG THINGS, see if you can pick out how, in his response, John details how BIG THINGS are small things and small things are BIG THINGS.

John answered, “Whoever has two shirts must give one to the man who has none, and whoever has food must share it.” Some tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what are we to do?” “Don’t collect more than is legal,” he told them. Some soldiers also asked him, “What about us? What are we to do?” He said to them, “Don’t take money from anyone by force or accuse anyone falsely. Be content with your pay.”

It’s so hard to hear what the Bible is really saying! Did you get it? The Word of God has finally returned to earth and John the Baptist is calling people to reform and repentance. John is warning people in the direst possible language: The ax is ready to cut down the trees at the roots; every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown in the fire.

But, when they ask him what should they do, John’s BIG THINGS suddenly turn to very small things. To the people, John says, Share! To tax collectors--people who had volutarily turned their backs on God and on God’s people and who worked for God’s enemies, the Romans--tax collectors are simply told to be fair (“Don’t collect more than is legal”). While soldiers who, again, are believed to have turned their back on God and who work for the Romans are told not to bully people (“Don’t take money from anyone by force or accuse anyone falsely.”)

How can this be enough? How can such BIG THINGS be met by such seemingly small things? Yet, do you see--do you see in Scripture--that that’s how it is? BIG THINGS are small things and small things are BIG THINGS!

Faithfulness--and indeed, the whole measure of our life--is measured in such small things. Share! Be fair in your dealings with others! Don’t ever use who or what you are to bully others.

In the way that God measures life, BIG THINGS are made up of many small things and small things add up to BIG THINGS. And, on this third Sunday of Advent--twelve days before Christmas--that prompts me to share a video from a group called AdventConspiracy.org.

A couple of years ago a handful of churches did a few small things that, over time, have developed into some very BIG and important things. Others are invited to join them.

Let’s watch. [The 2009 promotional video from adventconpiracy.org is played].

John the Baptist spoke today about BIG THINGS. “Even now,” he said, “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!” But, surprisingly, when it came time to implement these BIG THINGS, John instead talked about small things. Small things like sharing, being fair, and not bullying others.

With God, you see, BIG THINGS are small things and small things are BIG THINGS. What small things can you do--can you conspire to do this Advent--that can and will add up to BIG THINGS? Faithfulness--and indeed, the whole measure of our life--is measured in such small things. In Jesus’ name. Amen!