John the Baptist is a whistleblower. You know what that means, don't you? A whistleblower is somebody who sees wrongdoing and reports it to the authorities. Sometimes, it is the authorities who are the ones a whistleblower is reporting. Think of Erin Brockovich, sounding the alarm about contaminated water in a small desert community. Or Mark Felt - the Deep Throat of Watergate fame. His whistleblowing brought down a president. A secretary at Enron brought the smartest guys in the room to their knees, and eventually to prison cells.

Many whistleblowers remain anonymous, because it's a dangerous business to upend the high and the mighty. As somebody once said, sometimes reform begins "with one or two persons who like mighty oaks - were no more than nuts who stood their ground."

This morning we again encounter John the Baptist. Or better, we are encountered by John the Baptist - blowing the whistle on the likes of the high and the mighty and the lowly as well - urging repentance and reform. He put his own life on hold as he left home and family as he traveled traveled to the Jordan to try to change the world - one baptism at a time.

John is the person Isaiah is talking about in our first reading this morning, as God promises six hundred years earlier to send a messenger to prepare the way for Jesus. This morning, Mark's Gospel echoes Isaiah: "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.'"

That messenger is John the Baptist - with his camel's hair cloak and his South Beach diet of locusts and wild honey. People from all over Judea made the rugged trip to the Jordan to see John - to listen to the voice crying out, like a street corner preacher in the wilderness. And the genius of John is that he pointed to Jesus. People in search of God sought John. God in search of people sent Jesus.

John is God's whistleblower - pointing out what is wrong in our lives - even when we don't want to admit it to ourselves. And John is not willing to let us wallow in wrongdoing: "Repent! Turn your life around! Get into a right relationship with God. Not only because God desires it - but because you need it." Sin is separation. Separation from a loving God - separation from one another.

But, the sad tale of God's people is that we so seldom listen. Mark tells us that "the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to" hear John preach. But they'd go back to their countryside homes and their Jerusalem townhouses and in a few days it would be business as usual. The preacher was powerful in his preaching, but it would take more than just an honest desire to "change and get right with God;" sin is stronger than the desire to overcome it. If we could save us from ourselves ... there would have been no need for a Savior!

John knows his place and recognizes his limitations, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me.... I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." The cleansing that John offered went only skin deep. Thus people would find a need to take that journey to the Jordan more-than-once. They listen to the Baptist, they get the dunking, and they feel somehow clean on the inside even as the clear water of the Jordan cleanses merely their skin. They feel good ... at least for a while. And they feel God ... at least for a while. And with all good intentions, the people would leave the font called the Jordan and return to the work-a-day world. Just as you and I often leave this place of worship ... with all good intentions to get it right. To be the people God calls us to be. To be nicer to one another. Less impatient with our loved ones. More loving toward those impatient with us. And most of us get it right - for awhile.

A Presbyterian pastor from Iowa writes, "Several years ago I visited Washington to see the sights. As I toured, I noticed all the people who were begging for handouts and those who were talking with imaginary friends. Of course, you learn to blind yourself to their presence, and so I did.

As I walked, I used a map and was certain that I was headed for a particular museum, I began to stride boldly in the wrong direction. I became aware of a rather seedy man beside me, jabbering to me. In the midst of the big city noise, I couldn't hear what he was saying, but I decided it was not something that I wanted to hear, so I picked up my pace. Soon, however, I reached a busy street corner and had to stop. At that moment, the man stepped in front of me and put his hand on my arm. Now I had no choice; I had to hear what he had to say and attempt to protect my wallet at the same time. He said, "I don't know where you are going, but I can assure you that this is the wrong way. You are headed into the wrong part of town. It's dangerous. Turn around now and go back to where you came from."

Friends, this is what John is saying as he preaches down by the Jordan. Repent. The Greek word is metanoia. It means, "turn around." Turn back to God where you came from! Your life is heading to the wrong part of town. Turn around." At times we don't want to listen. At times we resist the call to repent. But when we make the attempt - and make any progress, at such times we feel as - well, as clean as a whistle!