Deuteronomy 18:15-19/Philippians 4:4-7/St John 1:19-28
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
As Israel traversed the wilderness the peak became visible. It loomed on the horizon, drawing ever closer, until at last they stood at its base. Anyone who has lived or traveled in the mountains understands. And so they encamped at Mount Sinai as the Lord God called to Moses out of the mountain. On the third day there was thunder and lighting and a thick cloud surrounded the mountain as the Lord descended on it in fire. And a very loud trumpet blast. The whole mountain trembled. The very air trembled. And the people trembled.
What the people of Israel saw and heard that day was terrifying. The holy and mighty God appeared before them and spoke. The very sound of His voice shamed and horrified them. “No more!” they screamed together. “No more. We can’t take it. You go talk to Him, Moses, but don’t let us hear again that voice of the Lord our God our see this great fire any more - lest we die!”
And God told Moses that they had spoken wisely. So God gave Moses a promise. God would not fail to visit them and to speak to them, but this time it would be in a much less terrifying way. It would be through the mouth of a Prophet, one like Moses, raised up from among their brothers - bone of their bone and flesh of their flesh; of the house and line of David. The Lord God would put His Word into His mouth and He would deliver to all the people everything God had said. And they would listen to Him. Or else they would answer to God for it.
And many prophets came in the way of Moses, reiterating and expanding on the promise given. In many and various ways God spoke to His people by the prophets. But how were they to know when this Prophet showed up? The Lord descending on Sinai was unmistakable. But when the long-awaited, long-promised Prophet showed up? How would they know?
The final prophet actually said. You heard it last Sunday. Four hundred thirty years before the first Christmas, Malachi wrote, Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. That is St John. He is a messenger, a herald, a voice, trumpeting the arrival of the Prophet, the One who was now among them.
John is sent by God. But the Jews sent their own delegation, their apostles - priests and Levites - to him seeking answers. Who are you? He testified, speaking right up, confessing the truth. I am not the Christ. Now he only said this because they were ready to afford him this honor and accept him as the Christ. Not as their Savior, mind you, but as their puppet and political ally. But John would not accept their flattery. Remember that he called them a brood of vipers and warned them as he warned everyone, Repent, the kingdom of God is at hand.
And that is why they thought him to be Elijah; that fiery preacher of God’s wrath and judgment against sin and unbelief. But John says to them, “No, I’m not him either.” Now this is a bit odd, since John certainly saw himself as Elijah. Even Jesus says of him, If you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. And when He came down from the mount of the transfiguration, His disciples questioned Him concerning the prophecy of Elijah, again from Malachi. He told them Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him; meaning the Pharisees and scribes. But they knew He was referring to John.
Not the Christ. Not Elijah. Are you the Prophet? The one promised in Deuteronomy 18. “No, certainly not him.” John’s confession was especially curt. His testimony bordered on being downright rude. But his was a singular mission and he had little patience for those who sought to play games.
Now the delegation was growing impatient. “Come man, tell us. We’ve got to have something to report back to those who sent us. What do you say of yourself? Who are you?”
I imagine John was silent for a moment and having not glanced their way in his previously retorts, he now meets their eyes, saying, I am the voice in the wilderness, crying, Prepare the way for the Lord!, as Isaiah said. That is, “I am the trumpet that sounds to announce the arrival of the King. But unlike the terrifying arrival at Sinai when the trumpet sounded there, my trumpet announces the arrival of the King of grace. One you need not tremble before. One who comes to take your trembling away.”
Now they should have rejoiced at this great news, but instead those who had been sent from the Pharisees oppose him. If your not the Christ nor Elijah nor the Prophet then why are you baptizing? By whose authority are you doing this? By what right do you plunge people into the water and bring them up as a people prepared and ready for the Coming One?
And John answers, I baptize with water, but among you stands One you do not know, even He who comes after Me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie. And that is the answer for why he is baptizing. John stands in the wilderness calling men back to Mount Sinai, back to the Exodus and the Lamb, back to repentance and preparation. And his baptism is something because it was connected with the Word; the Word made flesh, the Coming One. It was not a baptism because of John’s status or honor. It was a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins in the name of the Coming One who is already here; the One who was made Sin in order to rescue you from sin.
He is a Voice. Luther called him a finger. [Some remarks about the Weimar Altar Piece by Lucas Cranach.] He points to Christ; literally calling Him out among the crowd, There, that Man. He’s the One. He’s the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. John was there to make the Unknown One known. He doesn’t laud himself, which is one reason he is so unpopular, both then and now. For we have preachers all around us who talk incessantly about themselves. Not John. His focus is Christ alone. He is the trumpet announces the arrival of the King. And make no mistake, it is the King who had come. John was not worthy to loose His sandal strap, but here, from among the brothers, from the children of Israel, stood One who was before John ever existed. Though according to the flesh John preceded his cousin by six-months.
Yet here the Lord of Sinai, the all-consuming fire, born of a Virgin, stood in human flesh and blood. You could touch the hand of God and not be undone. You could, like the apostle John, lean on the chest of this Man and here with your own ear the heartbeat of God.
Who is worthy of such a visitation? To us rebels who always want everything to be about us and our narrow plans and our petty ambitions, to us who tremble at the sound of holiness because we have not kept the Ten Commandments, to is comes the King. John was unworthy to untie His shoe! Yet He comes to you not to destroy you, but to stoop down and serve you.
He stooped down, humbling Himself to be born of the Virgin. He stooped down into the water of the Jordan to be baptized by John, baptized into your sin and death. He stooped down as He allowed Himself to be nailed to the tree in order to serve you. He stoops down in Baptism. And as He came in the flesh, so now He comes in the flesh, in His Body and Blood, stooping down to serve you; to forgive your sins.
And John is still here as herald, preaching. He preaches in the vestments, which hide the man and extol Christ. He preaches in the liturgy, which is but one magnificent voice announcing Jesus. Even the organ echoes on his message. For as beautiful and lovely as it is, the music accompanies the Word, it decreases that Christ may increase. And even you take up the mantel of St John, for each Lord’s Day you sing his song: “O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world,” as you fall down before Him, trembling in joy at what you are about to receive: your God and Lord, come to you, for life and peace.
And John’s confession is your confession, just as it was for the 2nd century Deacon, Sanctus. At his martyrdom in Lyons he replied, to every question asked of him: “I am a Christian.” “Who are you?” “I am a Christian.” “What is your name?” “I am a Christian.” “Where are you from?” “I am a Christian.” This is your confession. You are called Christian for you were taken out of Christ. Your heart and mind belong to Him. Rejoice that He has has come. Rejoice that He has joined Himself to your suffering and need. Rejoice that He has made you His own.
Do not be anxious, dear friends, the Lord is at hand. He sends His heralds, His messengers, to go out with the trumpet voice, announcing His mercy and peace. Come to this mountain; Mount Zion. For here you encounter not Sinai’s demand of terrifying holiness, but the free gift of God’s own holiness shared with His unworthy creation.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
As Israel traversed the wilderness the peak became visible. It loomed on the horizon, drawing ever closer, until at last they stood at its base. Anyone who has lived or traveled in the mountains understands. And so they encamped at Mount Sinai as the Lord God called to Moses out of the mountain. On the third day there was thunder and lighting and a thick cloud surrounded the mountain as the Lord descended on it in fire. And a very loud trumpet blast. The whole mountain trembled. The very air trembled. And the people trembled.
What the people of Israel saw and heard that day was terrifying. The holy and mighty God appeared before them and spoke. The very sound of His voice shamed and horrified them. “No more!” they screamed together. “No more. We can’t take it. You go talk to Him, Moses, but don’t let us hear again that voice of the Lord our God our see this great fire any more - lest we die!”
And God told Moses that they had spoken wisely. So God gave Moses a promise. God would not fail to visit them and to speak to them, but this time it would be in a much less terrifying way. It would be through the mouth of a Prophet, one like Moses, raised up from among their brothers - bone of their bone and flesh of their flesh; of the house and line of David. The Lord God would put His Word into His mouth and He would deliver to all the people everything God had said. And they would listen to Him. Or else they would answer to God for it.
And many prophets came in the way of Moses, reiterating and expanding on the promise given. In many and various ways God spoke to His people by the prophets. But how were they to know when this Prophet showed up? The Lord descending on Sinai was unmistakable. But when the long-awaited, long-promised Prophet showed up? How would they know?
The final prophet actually said. You heard it last Sunday. Four hundred thirty years before the first Christmas, Malachi wrote, Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. That is St John. He is a messenger, a herald, a voice, trumpeting the arrival of the Prophet, the One who was now among them.
John is sent by God. But the Jews sent their own delegation, their apostles - priests and Levites - to him seeking answers. Who are you? He testified, speaking right up, confessing the truth. I am not the Christ. Now he only said this because they were ready to afford him this honor and accept him as the Christ. Not as their Savior, mind you, but as their puppet and political ally. But John would not accept their flattery. Remember that he called them a brood of vipers and warned them as he warned everyone, Repent, the kingdom of God is at hand.
And that is why they thought him to be Elijah; that fiery preacher of God’s wrath and judgment against sin and unbelief. But John says to them, “No, I’m not him either.” Now this is a bit odd, since John certainly saw himself as Elijah. Even Jesus says of him, If you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. And when He came down from the mount of the transfiguration, His disciples questioned Him concerning the prophecy of Elijah, again from Malachi. He told them Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him; meaning the Pharisees and scribes. But they knew He was referring to John.
Not the Christ. Not Elijah. Are you the Prophet? The one promised in Deuteronomy 18. “No, certainly not him.” John’s confession was especially curt. His testimony bordered on being downright rude. But his was a singular mission and he had little patience for those who sought to play games.
Now the delegation was growing impatient. “Come man, tell us. We’ve got to have something to report back to those who sent us. What do you say of yourself? Who are you?”
I imagine John was silent for a moment and having not glanced their way in his previously retorts, he now meets their eyes, saying, I am the voice in the wilderness, crying, Prepare the way for the Lord!, as Isaiah said. That is, “I am the trumpet that sounds to announce the arrival of the King. But unlike the terrifying arrival at Sinai when the trumpet sounded there, my trumpet announces the arrival of the King of grace. One you need not tremble before. One who comes to take your trembling away.”
Now they should have rejoiced at this great news, but instead those who had been sent from the Pharisees oppose him. If your not the Christ nor Elijah nor the Prophet then why are you baptizing? By whose authority are you doing this? By what right do you plunge people into the water and bring them up as a people prepared and ready for the Coming One?
And John answers, I baptize with water, but among you stands One you do not know, even He who comes after Me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie. And that is the answer for why he is baptizing. John stands in the wilderness calling men back to Mount Sinai, back to the Exodus and the Lamb, back to repentance and preparation. And his baptism is something because it was connected with the Word; the Word made flesh, the Coming One. It was not a baptism because of John’s status or honor. It was a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins in the name of the Coming One who is already here; the One who was made Sin in order to rescue you from sin.
He is a Voice. Luther called him a finger. [Some remarks about the Weimar Altar Piece by Lucas Cranach.] He points to Christ; literally calling Him out among the crowd, There, that Man. He’s the One. He’s the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. John was there to make the Unknown One known. He doesn’t laud himself, which is one reason he is so unpopular, both then and now. For we have preachers all around us who talk incessantly about themselves. Not John. His focus is Christ alone. He is the trumpet announces the arrival of the King. And make no mistake, it is the King who had come. John was not worthy to loose His sandal strap, but here, from among the brothers, from the children of Israel, stood One who was before John ever existed. Though according to the flesh John preceded his cousin by six-months.
Yet here the Lord of Sinai, the all-consuming fire, born of a Virgin, stood in human flesh and blood. You could touch the hand of God and not be undone. You could, like the apostle John, lean on the chest of this Man and here with your own ear the heartbeat of God.
Who is worthy of such a visitation? To us rebels who always want everything to be about us and our narrow plans and our petty ambitions, to us who tremble at the sound of holiness because we have not kept the Ten Commandments, to is comes the King. John was unworthy to untie His shoe! Yet He comes to you not to destroy you, but to stoop down and serve you.
He stooped down, humbling Himself to be born of the Virgin. He stooped down into the water of the Jordan to be baptized by John, baptized into your sin and death. He stooped down as He allowed Himself to be nailed to the tree in order to serve you. He stoops down in Baptism. And as He came in the flesh, so now He comes in the flesh, in His Body and Blood, stooping down to serve you; to forgive your sins.
And John is still here as herald, preaching. He preaches in the vestments, which hide the man and extol Christ. He preaches in the liturgy, which is but one magnificent voice announcing Jesus. Even the organ echoes on his message. For as beautiful and lovely as it is, the music accompanies the Word, it decreases that Christ may increase. And even you take up the mantel of St John, for each Lord’s Day you sing his song: “O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world,” as you fall down before Him, trembling in joy at what you are about to receive: your God and Lord, come to you, for life and peace.
And John’s confession is your confession, just as it was for the 2nd century Deacon, Sanctus. At his martyrdom in Lyons he replied, to every question asked of him: “I am a Christian.” “Who are you?” “I am a Christian.” “What is your name?” “I am a Christian.” “Where are you from?” “I am a Christian.” This is your confession. You are called Christian for you were taken out of Christ. Your heart and mind belong to Him. Rejoice that He has has come. Rejoice that He has joined Himself to your suffering and need. Rejoice that He has made you His own.
Do not be anxious, dear friends, the Lord is at hand. He sends His heralds, His messengers, to go out with the trumpet voice, announcing His mercy and peace. Come to this mountain; Mount Zion. For here you encounter not Sinai’s demand of terrifying holiness, but the free gift of God’s own holiness shared with His unworthy creation.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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