Revelation 6:9-11/St Mark 6:14-29
Chapel at LHSI
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
You’re fascinated by St John the Baptist. And why not? He’s a fascinating guy, what with his odd clothing, strange diet, and erratic behavior. But you're also scarred to death of him and his preaching.
You may like his fiery preaching well enough, especially when he’s pointing the finger at others, giving them an earful. But you don’t like it at all when he really turns the Law on you and your sins. When he calls you to repent in heart and life, to set aside your vices and change your behavior.
The fact is that St John does call you to repent. And he’s deadly serious about it. Not only that, but your life depends on it. Because it is not lawful for you to think the things you think, to say the things you say, to do the things you do. Your sins and your sinfulness are not lawful.
It is not lawful for you to compete with your brothers and sisters in Christ or to take their stuff. It is not lawful for you to lust after your friend’s girlfriend, to crave her for yourself, or devise ways of enticing her away from him. It is not lawful for you to covet the bodies or affections of young dancing girls, or to behavior in such scandalous ways as young dancing girls. It is not lawful for you to covet any of the provocative allurements of this world that reign as idols in your heart and life.
It is not lawful for you to do any of these things nor a thousand other similar sins that you commit.
But you add sin upon sin. And you make things far worse when you shut up the preaching of the Law and try to keep it on a leash, at arm’s length. To keep the Law of God locked up in a cage, demanding it speak only when spoken to and only to the limit you permit. Meanwhile, you suppose yourself to be the master of your own domain, the king of your own castle. But you are not in control.
Repent! Or you will lose more than half your kingdom; more than you’re head or your body.
In your confrontation with St John the Baptist it’s kill or be killed; at least for now. There’s no two ways around it. Neither of you can live while the other one survives in this life.
But here is the profound paradox and divine mystery of the Cross: Those who save their life in this world will lose it forever in the dungeon prepared for the devil and his wicked angels, while those who lose their life for the sake of Christ and His Word of the Gospel will save it for eternal life.
To repent and be baptized is to put your own head on the chopping block. It is to bare your neck to the sword - the Sword of the Spirit - and, perhaps, as needs be, the temporal sword of the king. This isn’t fun and games. It is a fearful and deadly encounter. No one gets out alive. One way or the other you are called to die, whether for life in Christ or for the second death forever.
Therefore, hear not only St John’s fearful preaching of the Law which brings you to repentance. But in repentance, see him point and give way to Christ Jesus, the Lamb of God, who takes away your sins, who submits Himself to death and the grave on your behalf, and you raises you up with Himself in body and soul, unto newness of life.
The most fascinating thing about St John is that his entire life and ministry, his preaching of baptism and repentance, his suffering and death are a witness and proclamation of this one Lord Jesus Christ, of His Cross and Passion, of His Resurrection from the dead. Everything about St John is wrapped up in Jesus and points to Him. He is the Forerunner of the Christ, not only in life, but also in death. This is the way of the Cross.
This is the case for anyone who preaches and baptizes in the Name of the Lord Jesus. But it is also true for those who are baptized into Him, who are given the Cross to bear and are called to follow after Him, even to the point of death. The Lord’s people, His saints, are so wrapped up in Him, so identified with Him, and so named by Him as Christians that the world sees Christ Jesus in them In you.
So its not so strange that Herod though Jesus the Christ was St John the Baptist risen from the dead. In a way, he was right! But what does this mean?
It means that baptized into Christ, you have died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. Your identity is found not in your desires and wants, in your sexuality or interests, but your identity and namesake are found in Christ Jesus your Head, with whom you were buried, through baptism, into death, in order that as Christ was risen from the dead, never to die again, you too rise and live before Him in righteousness and purity forever.
It means that you are clothed, not with camels hair and leather belt, but with the robe of Christ’s righteousness which covers all your sins and presents you to Himself in glorious splendor.
It means that you are fed, not with locusts and wild honey, but with the holy Body and precious Blood of Jesus Christ, the true Lamb of God, who takes all the sins of the world away.
And it means that as you stand in the wilderness of this world, a stranger and outsider, you are not alone, but surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, martyrs and prophets, together with Jesus Christ who guides and leads you in the holy way of His blessed Law, and comforts you with the saving truth of His life-giving Gospel, in which He instructs you to rest and be at peace in Him, find your sanctuary and protection under the comfort of His holy Altar -there is the feast of kings, the Feast of the King, the true Body and Blood given and shed for you for the forgiveness of your sins. There you are given to live with Him and in Him and under Him in the totality of His kingdom which has no end.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Chapel at LHSI
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
You’re fascinated by St John the Baptist. And why not? He’s a fascinating guy, what with his odd clothing, strange diet, and erratic behavior. But you're also scarred to death of him and his preaching.
You may like his fiery preaching well enough, especially when he’s pointing the finger at others, giving them an earful. But you don’t like it at all when he really turns the Law on you and your sins. When he calls you to repent in heart and life, to set aside your vices and change your behavior.
The fact is that St John does call you to repent. And he’s deadly serious about it. Not only that, but your life depends on it. Because it is not lawful for you to think the things you think, to say the things you say, to do the things you do. Your sins and your sinfulness are not lawful.
It is not lawful for you to compete with your brothers and sisters in Christ or to take their stuff. It is not lawful for you to lust after your friend’s girlfriend, to crave her for yourself, or devise ways of enticing her away from him. It is not lawful for you to covet the bodies or affections of young dancing girls, or to behavior in such scandalous ways as young dancing girls. It is not lawful for you to covet any of the provocative allurements of this world that reign as idols in your heart and life.
It is not lawful for you to do any of these things nor a thousand other similar sins that you commit.
But you add sin upon sin. And you make things far worse when you shut up the preaching of the Law and try to keep it on a leash, at arm’s length. To keep the Law of God locked up in a cage, demanding it speak only when spoken to and only to the limit you permit. Meanwhile, you suppose yourself to be the master of your own domain, the king of your own castle. But you are not in control.
Repent! Or you will lose more than half your kingdom; more than you’re head or your body.
In your confrontation with St John the Baptist it’s kill or be killed; at least for now. There’s no two ways around it. Neither of you can live while the other one survives in this life.
But here is the profound paradox and divine mystery of the Cross: Those who save their life in this world will lose it forever in the dungeon prepared for the devil and his wicked angels, while those who lose their life for the sake of Christ and His Word of the Gospel will save it for eternal life.
To repent and be baptized is to put your own head on the chopping block. It is to bare your neck to the sword - the Sword of the Spirit - and, perhaps, as needs be, the temporal sword of the king. This isn’t fun and games. It is a fearful and deadly encounter. No one gets out alive. One way or the other you are called to die, whether for life in Christ or for the second death forever.
Therefore, hear not only St John’s fearful preaching of the Law which brings you to repentance. But in repentance, see him point and give way to Christ Jesus, the Lamb of God, who takes away your sins, who submits Himself to death and the grave on your behalf, and you raises you up with Himself in body and soul, unto newness of life.
The most fascinating thing about St John is that his entire life and ministry, his preaching of baptism and repentance, his suffering and death are a witness and proclamation of this one Lord Jesus Christ, of His Cross and Passion, of His Resurrection from the dead. Everything about St John is wrapped up in Jesus and points to Him. He is the Forerunner of the Christ, not only in life, but also in death. This is the way of the Cross.
This is the case for anyone who preaches and baptizes in the Name of the Lord Jesus. But it is also true for those who are baptized into Him, who are given the Cross to bear and are called to follow after Him, even to the point of death. The Lord’s people, His saints, are so wrapped up in Him, so identified with Him, and so named by Him as Christians that the world sees Christ Jesus in them In you.
So its not so strange that Herod though Jesus the Christ was St John the Baptist risen from the dead. In a way, he was right! But what does this mean?
It means that baptized into Christ, you have died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. Your identity is found not in your desires and wants, in your sexuality or interests, but your identity and namesake are found in Christ Jesus your Head, with whom you were buried, through baptism, into death, in order that as Christ was risen from the dead, never to die again, you too rise and live before Him in righteousness and purity forever.
It means that you are clothed, not with camels hair and leather belt, but with the robe of Christ’s righteousness which covers all your sins and presents you to Himself in glorious splendor.
It means that you are fed, not with locusts and wild honey, but with the holy Body and precious Blood of Jesus Christ, the true Lamb of God, who takes all the sins of the world away.
And it means that as you stand in the wilderness of this world, a stranger and outsider, you are not alone, but surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, martyrs and prophets, together with Jesus Christ who guides and leads you in the holy way of His blessed Law, and comforts you with the saving truth of His life-giving Gospel, in which He instructs you to rest and be at peace in Him, find your sanctuary and protection under the comfort of His holy Altar -there is the feast of kings, the Feast of the King, the true Body and Blood given and shed for you for the forgiveness of your sins. There you are given to live with Him and in Him and under Him in the totality of His kingdom which has no end.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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