St John 1:19-28/Philippians 4:4-7/Deuteronomy 18:15-19
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.
Upon the birth of his son, Zechariah the priest, that aged father of St John the Baptist, was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, “You, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare His way, to give knowledge of salvation to His people, in the forgiveness of their sins” (Lk 1:67, 76-77). That is John’s purpose, his office: to give knowledge of salvation; to prepare the way of the Lord.
John is a preacher of repentance. In this he is a preacher for all times and places. For when our Lord Jesus Christ came preaching, Repent, He willed that our entire life be one of repentance.
Advent is John’s season. Christmas is not come. Yet. We are still preparing. Advent is the season to learn about the coming of the Christ. It is also the season to learn what it means not to be the Christ. And this is what John the Baptizer teaches us in today’s Gospel.
John is not the Christ. He is a witness to the Light of the world that gives life to the world. He is a witness to the One who is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He is the witness of Him who would baptize with the Holy Spirit. John is not that One. He is simply the one who bears witness to that One. He is the friend of the Bridegroom who stands and hears Him and rejoices greatly at the Bridegroom’s voice.
John is more emphatic about who he is not than who he is. He is not the Christ. John confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, that he is not the Christ. In fact, John must decrease so that the Christ will increase. John must recede into the background, he must get out of the way, so that the Light that has come into the world, the Light that shines in the darkness, can shine its light to give life to those who are perishing.
John is not the Christ. He only bears witness to the Christ. But that means, in the end, that there is a Christ. There is One who comes to shine His light into the darkness so that all will have life. That means that there is a Lamb of God who comes to take away the sin of the world. That means that there is One who will baptize not just with water, but also with the Holy Spirit.
John is not the Christ. I am not the Christ. You are not the Christ. We cannot save the world. We cannot even save ourselves! We cannot answer life’s deepest questions. Why did my husband have to die so young? Why did my wife leave me? Why is my mom so sick?
We are not the Christ. We cannot offer perfect solutions to the world’s greatest and most perplexing problems. Why did that mad man murder those children in Connecticut? Why are Christians in Egypt and China and Sudan and Morocco being persecuted and killed?
We are not the Christ. We have not leaders or political agendas that will create the ideal society, the ideal church, the ideal family. We are not the Christ.
And yet we are not paralyzed. We are not numb. We are not silent, without anything to say. For while we are not the Christ, there is a Christ, our Lord Jesus. He stands among us. He is one of us. He shares in our flesh and blood. He bears our grief and carries our sorrows. As surely as God is faithful, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is not Yes and No, but in Him it is always Yes. For all the promises of God find their Yes in Him. Through Him we utter our Amen to God for His glory. And it is God who establishes us in Christ (2 Cor 1:18-21).
Therefore we have something to say. Or rather, something to hear and learn and believe. There is a Christ. Who is He? He is the eternal Word, by whom and through whom all things were made in the beginning. He is the God who speaks and breaks the silence with His almighty Word.
He is Emmanuel, who ransoms the Israel of His Church by His own precious blood.
He is Wisdom from on high, who orders all things in heaven and on earth according to the good purposes of His will for those that love Him.
He is the Lord of might, who gave us His holy Law that we may know His will and delight in His Word.
He is the Branch of Jesse’s tree who frees from Satan’s tyranny, grants victory over death and the grave, and brings the fruit of Life once more.
He is the Key of David who opens wide the gate of heaven, closes the path to misery, and prepares a place for you that He may take you to Himself.
He is the Dayspring from on high who cheers with His presence in and through His preached Word and blessed Eucharist, which disperse the clouds of sin and cause death’s dark shadow to flee.
He is the Desire of nations, the King of Peace, who unites us in Himself, who is our peace and rest.
He is the Prophet in whose mouth is the Word of the Lord, who speaks to you comfort and peace and joy and forgiveness and life and mercy. Who is He? He is the Light of the world, the Light that shines in the darkness, the light that gives life. He is the One who dies – the Lamb of God who takes away sin. He is the One who is the Resurrection and the Life. He is the Bread of Life come down to feed and nourish us. He is the Way and the Truth. He is the One who baptizes with water and the Spirit, the One who leaves us not alone but gives the Comforter. He is our Advocate, who pleads our cause and sends the devil and all his minions away.
He is the One who heals the sick, makes whole the broken, feeds the hungry, fills the empty, finds and saves the lost. Jesus is the Christ.
Let us then confess, and not deny, but confess, that we are not the Christ. But there is a Christ: Jesus the crucified but risen. And though He be hidden, though He is not seen, though we are not worthy to untie His sandals, He is the One who is among us, under bread and wine, to bring us Light and Life, to make us decrease so that He will increase, to make us living witnesses, proclaiming His death that gives life until He comes again.
We are not the Christ. But there is a Christ. And He is come.
In the Name of the Father + and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.
Upon the birth of his son, Zechariah the priest, that aged father of St John the Baptist, was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, “You, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare His way, to give knowledge of salvation to His people, in the forgiveness of their sins” (Lk 1:67, 76-77). That is John’s purpose, his office: to give knowledge of salvation; to prepare the way of the Lord.
John is a preacher of repentance. In this he is a preacher for all times and places. For when our Lord Jesus Christ came preaching, Repent, He willed that our entire life be one of repentance.
Advent is John’s season. Christmas is not come. Yet. We are still preparing. Advent is the season to learn about the coming of the Christ. It is also the season to learn what it means not to be the Christ. And this is what John the Baptizer teaches us in today’s Gospel.
John is not the Christ. He is a witness to the Light of the world that gives life to the world. He is a witness to the One who is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He is the witness of Him who would baptize with the Holy Spirit. John is not that One. He is simply the one who bears witness to that One. He is the friend of the Bridegroom who stands and hears Him and rejoices greatly at the Bridegroom’s voice.
John is more emphatic about who he is not than who he is. He is not the Christ. John confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, that he is not the Christ. In fact, John must decrease so that the Christ will increase. John must recede into the background, he must get out of the way, so that the Light that has come into the world, the Light that shines in the darkness, can shine its light to give life to those who are perishing.
John is not the Christ. He only bears witness to the Christ. But that means, in the end, that there is a Christ. There is One who comes to shine His light into the darkness so that all will have life. That means that there is a Lamb of God who comes to take away the sin of the world. That means that there is One who will baptize not just with water, but also with the Holy Spirit.
John is not the Christ. I am not the Christ. You are not the Christ. We cannot save the world. We cannot even save ourselves! We cannot answer life’s deepest questions. Why did my husband have to die so young? Why did my wife leave me? Why is my mom so sick?
We are not the Christ. We cannot offer perfect solutions to the world’s greatest and most perplexing problems. Why did that mad man murder those children in Connecticut? Why are Christians in Egypt and China and Sudan and Morocco being persecuted and killed?
We are not the Christ. We have not leaders or political agendas that will create the ideal society, the ideal church, the ideal family. We are not the Christ.
And yet we are not paralyzed. We are not numb. We are not silent, without anything to say. For while we are not the Christ, there is a Christ, our Lord Jesus. He stands among us. He is one of us. He shares in our flesh and blood. He bears our grief and carries our sorrows. As surely as God is faithful, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is not Yes and No, but in Him it is always Yes. For all the promises of God find their Yes in Him. Through Him we utter our Amen to God for His glory. And it is God who establishes us in Christ (2 Cor 1:18-21).
Therefore we have something to say. Or rather, something to hear and learn and believe. There is a Christ. Who is He? He is the eternal Word, by whom and through whom all things were made in the beginning. He is the God who speaks and breaks the silence with His almighty Word.
He is Emmanuel, who ransoms the Israel of His Church by His own precious blood.
He is Wisdom from on high, who orders all things in heaven and on earth according to the good purposes of His will for those that love Him.
He is the Lord of might, who gave us His holy Law that we may know His will and delight in His Word.
He is the Branch of Jesse’s tree who frees from Satan’s tyranny, grants victory over death and the grave, and brings the fruit of Life once more.
He is the Key of David who opens wide the gate of heaven, closes the path to misery, and prepares a place for you that He may take you to Himself.
He is the Dayspring from on high who cheers with His presence in and through His preached Word and blessed Eucharist, which disperse the clouds of sin and cause death’s dark shadow to flee.
He is the Desire of nations, the King of Peace, who unites us in Himself, who is our peace and rest.
He is the Prophet in whose mouth is the Word of the Lord, who speaks to you comfort and peace and joy and forgiveness and life and mercy. Who is He? He is the Light of the world, the Light that shines in the darkness, the light that gives life. He is the One who dies – the Lamb of God who takes away sin. He is the One who is the Resurrection and the Life. He is the Bread of Life come down to feed and nourish us. He is the Way and the Truth. He is the One who baptizes with water and the Spirit, the One who leaves us not alone but gives the Comforter. He is our Advocate, who pleads our cause and sends the devil and all his minions away.
He is the One who heals the sick, makes whole the broken, feeds the hungry, fills the empty, finds and saves the lost. Jesus is the Christ.
Let us then confess, and not deny, but confess, that we are not the Christ. But there is a Christ: Jesus the crucified but risen. And though He be hidden, though He is not seen, though we are not worthy to untie His sandals, He is the One who is among us, under bread and wine, to bring us Light and Life, to make us decrease so that He will increase, to make us living witnesses, proclaiming His death that gives life until He comes again.
We are not the Christ. But there is a Christ. And He is come.
In the Name of the Father + and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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