First World Preaching
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Introduction (the Lectionary)
Introduction (the Lectionary)
Good morning everyone!
It is really great to be here with you all this morning! Particularly, this week, the third Sunday of Advent is called “Gaudete Sunday” - the Sunday of Joy. Truly, for Mari and I, to be able to come out here, spend some time with people we love, and share the joy of Jesus Christ , is truly a blessing.
Last week, Pastor Ron, gave us an amazing message from Luke on surely one of the heros of this season - the Virgin Mary. My message today will be on another one — John the Baptist — but to be honest, this one’s a bit different - the passage is from the lectionary, and it happens much later than Christmas-time. It happens about 30 years later. We’re going to look at why it’s included, and how we can apply this to our lives today. In the words of one of my favorite YouTube personalities — LET’S DO THIS!
Lectionary
Lectionary
When I was teaching Sunday School here, just in the other building, I often talked about religious words — important and precise words, to be sure, but words that no normal human being uses outside a religious context — like redemption, propitiation, or even fellowship ! Seriously, when’s the last time you used that word outside of a church context?
The lectionary is one of those words. Without going into the weeds, the Revised Common Lectionary is an ecumenical document, meaning lots of different denominations use it. It’s tied to the liturgical calendar, and there are three separate years where a different gospel is emphasized. The liturgical year starts with Advent, so we are now in year A, and Matthew is the focus. The idea, is churches that use the Lectionary, will provide comprehensive coverage of the New Testament over the three-year cycle.
They also have special readings for some specific seasons - since we are in the season of Advent, that’s the focus right now.
Advent
Advent
But what is Advent? If you’ve been to a church for a day or two, or a few decades, you probably already know that Advent comes before Christmas, right? So first question I have for you — why is it a season?
We might be tempted to say we do it as a memorial to the birth of Christ. And certainly, there are passages in the Bible that occur before His birth, and they are included in the Advent readings. Last week, the Luke passage is one of those. Or today, for example, has the Magnificat, the Virgin Mary’s song which took place right after last week’s passage.
There certainly is goodness in remembering things that happened immediately preceding Christ’s birth, but is that the reason for the season? A history lesson? No? Maybe a religious word for the Christmas shopping season?
You’re probably already guessing, no :)
The Advent Context
The Advent Context
If you remember from last week, there is something we often take for granted, because we hear it a lot… Take a look...
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.
What are we taken for granted? The angel … spoke… Actually for the second time, but I’ll get into that in a second.
The last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, was written somewhere around 430BC, maybe a bit later. Jesus was born in the flesh ~4 BC. This period of time is called the intertestamental period and perhaps the biggest thing to note about it is - (silence)
There were no prophets. No new revelation. In a very real way, it was a fast of the Word of God - for four hundred years!
And then - in the fullness of time, without warning… A specific angel, Gabriel (they’re not normally named), appears to Mary and says: “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”
— Yes, clearly Mary has angels that talk to her every day! This is very normal!
The angel coming to Zechariah and Mary marked a turning point in history. It represented something new — and something that is still new. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what Advent is all about. Just as the world groaned for something new at Jesus’ first coming, so do we today for His second coming.
The Rev. Doctor Phillip Pfatteicher, a Lutheran, in his book, Journey into the Heart of God: Living the Liturgical Year, wisely commented that:
Adventus, “coming,” “approach,” suggests not only the coming of God into the world in Jesus but the approaching return of the risen Lord in all his heavenly splendor. Indeed, the Advent season and its hope should not be regarded purely or even primarily in terms of Christmas. It should not be seen as an introduction to the Incarnation but rather as the completion of the work of redemption. The spirit of the season is expressed in the impatient cry of a sometimes desperate people, “O that you would tear open the heavens and come down” (Isa. 64:1)
When we celebrate Advent, what we’re doing is recognizing God’s goodness. That every year, all the time, God goes ahead of us, and looks out for us, even in a crazy messed up world.
John the Baptist
John the Baptist
So we’ll go into today’s passage shortly, but before we do, I have a question I’d like you to think about:
Why is today’s passage in the Lectionary for Advent?
John the Baptist, of course, was the child in Elizabeth’s womb, when her cousin came to visit her. The story surrounding his birth is in the same chapter as last week, but the Reader’s Digest version is: Elizabeth was barren and both she and her husband Zechariah were old.
if your Spidey sense is already going off, yes, indeed this is the same story told a few times in the Old Testament. Zechariah was a priest, and when it was his time to burn incense God, and angel of the Lord came to him:
And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
And then Zechariah, the priest, well taught in scripture, who knew the stories of Isaac and Samuel - both children born miraculously to women too old to bear children, proudly declared his faith - like Mary later would, right?
No. He sure didn’t. And the angel made him mute until these things happened.
The Visit
The Visit
We now fast forward 30 years or so. John does exactly what was prophesied. He becomes a great prophet, attracting quite a following. He baptizes people, and calls people to repent - we’d today call it speaking the truth to power. Here’s what he had to say about his Cousin.
“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
Pretty intense, huh? Remember, John was filled with the Holy Spirit even from the womb. These words are the words God gave him.
And that brings us to today’s passage. John continued in prominence and was well respected by many people. Unfortunately, Israel didn’t have a free speech amendment, and when he spoke out against the current ruler marrying his brother’s wife, he ended up in prison.
Jesus, by this time had started His ministry in earnest. He preached the Sermon on the Mount, healed a bunch of people, instructed the 12, and he had just sent them out to teach and preach in the cities.
John, of course, heard about these things. But especially as time dragged on wondered — is this it? So he thought the direct approach works and asked (through his disciples) a simple question:
Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
Which - brings me back to the question I asked earlier:
Why is today’s passage in the Lectionary for Advent?
Some commentators are a little bit hard on John. Some call this the doubting passage. But is John doubting here? He had heard of the deeds. He knew they could only have come from God. What challenged him wasn’t doubt.
What challenged John was God was moving differently from what he expected.
There is a little gem of a word here - in the question. The word translated look for in the ESV, or expect in the NIV is often translated to wait for, and is used to indicate an eschatological hope.
When we hear wait for me we tend to think inactive - sit around, twiddle your thumbs, and at some point I’ll come back. This word is active. It is with the expectation that God will fulfill what He has promised.
To paraphrase, John from prison is saying — Look, I believe — you are the Christ, but you are supposed to come back and judge the wicked and free the captives, like me. Do I have this wrong somehow?
I think this feeling is something we can all relate to, isn’t it?
Jesus’ Response
Jesus’ Response
On the surface, Jesus’ response is very interesting, and to be honest, a bit confusing. Remember John had heard of Jesus’ deeds, right? Jesus’ response looks like He was telling John what He did...
Take a look at the words — John had heard of the deeds of Christ; but Jesus commanded John’s disciples to report on what they heard and saw. Jesus is using this as a subtle comforting and teaching moment. Hearing is first — because Jesus is emphasizing it. He then lists deeds that one can see, but then emphasizes what is truly important - the poor hear the good news.
Even the way He lists the deeds is a form of comfort. Remember the Old Testament passage today? It was pretty comforting, right?
Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert;
Do you see what Jesus did? He quoted Scripture that John knew to affirm to him his hope was put in the right place. But knowing, Jesus also taught him — that God will fulfill His promises, but there will be times it’s different from what we expect.
Jesus’ promise is we are blessed when we hope, despite our circumstances.
Jesus to the Crowd
Jesus to the Crowd
The final part of our reading today - our Lord never misses a teaching moment!
John’s question, and Jesus’ response might give people the wrong impression - we know that John was asking a heartfelt question, Jesus gave a comforting response, but rather than leave it at that, Jesus built John up, and taught the crowd another lesson — this about the Kingdom of God.
… What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
Of course not, say the people, John is more like an oak than a reed.
What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.
Of course not, John spoke out against the corrupt rulers!
What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
Quick question: Who was the last Old Testament prophet? — none of my Sunday School students get to answer...
Would you believe John the Baptist? But Dion, John is in the New Testament!
Yes, indeed. After 400 years of silence, God finished off the old, and began the new with the prophet John.
This is he of whom it is written, “ ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
The first quote comes from the book of Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament. Which if you think about it, really emphasizes how special John was. He was the fulfilment of prophecy. The expression “Truly I say to you” literally is “Amen I say to you” — it is absolutely the case that John was a great man, fulfilling his role of pointing to the Messiah. But even more than that, the new covenant — the kingdom of heaven - is so much greater than the old, so much so that there simply is no comparison.
And that is the hope we have in Jesus Christ.
Application
Application
So hopefully now, the question, why is today’s passage in the Lectionary for Advent? is obvious.
Because all sermons should have three of something — here are a few things to think about:
#1 - Rest yourselves - in Christ
This passage today shows even the very best of us get tired, and just want to see the day when there is no more injustice, no more sickness, where we live in peace with God every day unto eternity. And that day will come. Jesus promises that His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. Trust in him.
#2 - Remember - God’s promises
God’s word is powerful. Jesus reminded John that his hope was not misplaced, by quoting scripture. God uses His Word to be a comfort to you and me today.
Sometimes even when we know God’s will and it seems like He is silent. Where is God in the storm? Knowing God’s word is knowing God; He is love; He has a plan for us - to prosper us and not to harm. We can be sure that even when we face trouble, God is still working it for our good, as we look to Christ’s return.
#3 - Rejoice - Christ is our hope today, even though not everything is fullfilled yet!
Jesus will return. And lest we think that’s some distant day, remember the people of Israel probably felt the same way until an angel appeared - without warning - after 400 years of silence.
Brothers and sisters, the good news this advent season, is the same Jesus, whose birth we celebrate soon, who came and died for us that we may live, is the same Jesus that will come again to fulfill all things. Trust in Him, today, and every day. He will give you rest.
And may the grace and the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Our closing sermon prayer comes from the Book of Common Worship of the Church of Scotland. Let us pray:
God of eternity,
When the voice of the prophet was silent
and the faith of your people low;
when darkness had obscured light
and indifference displaced zeal;
you saw that the time was right,
and prepared to send your Son.
Set us free from fear and faithlessness
that we may be ready to welcome him
who comes as Saviour and Lord.
Amen.