Advent 4 - Rorate Coeli - 12-21-08

Advent 4
One Year Series
Rorate Coeli

Our Savior Lutheran Church, Midland, MI (December 21, 2008)

“The Witness”

Readings:
Psalm 111
Dt. 18:15-19
Philippians 4:4-7
John 1:19-28

Sermon Form: Deductive

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Grace, mercy and peace be to you
from God the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen

The text for today is as recorded in the Gospel Lesson from the 1st chapter of St. John, especially the following verses.

John 1:19-28 (ESV)

19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” 24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) 25 They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

The trial had begun, the testimony of John the Baptist was now being taken by the priests and Levites. As a good witness John knows that he has sworn to confess the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. And in this case, John, “came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe.”(Jn. 1:7) So they asked John, “Who are you?”(v.19) John told the truth, “He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, ‘I am not the Christ.’”(v. 20) That was not good enough, so more questions followed. John told them he was not Elijah, and that he was not a prophet. So they cut to the chase and they asked him, “Who are you?”(v. 22) And John said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”(v. 23) So they continued by asking him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” [and] John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know”(v. 25-26)

“The Jews had a certain attachment to John. They deemed it unfitting that he be held as [lowly] less as Christ, because of the many proofs of John’s excellence, chief of which was his illustrious origin, for [John the Baptist] he was a son of a Prince of the priests….[and] In Christ was seen the opposite: His lowly birth, with which they reproached Him, saying, “Is this not the son of the carpenter?”(Chrysostom)

Yet John remained a good witness. He refused to point to himself, instead he pointed to the one to come. For John the Baptist did cry in the wilderness, but the water in his tears was just plain water. John admits it for he knows that he does not have the authority of the one to come. But Christ had “all authority in heaven and on earth.”(Mt. 28:18) and so the water which flowed from His side on the cross was water combined with God’s Word.

The interrogating priests and the Levites see John baptizing and they expect the Christ. But, this witness John says he is not the Christ and he says so. Instead John points them to another, one who is far greater than he. So what is the greatness of the one to come?

For over fifteen centuries the church has the witness of “The Great “O” Antiphons” which are prayers which are traditionally spoken in the seven days prior to Christmas. Each of these prayers witness to the one who far greater than us, to what God has done for us. Like the witness of John the Baptist these prayers point us to the preparation for the one to come, and they lead us from this time of expectations to the time of the incarnation. Many of you may be familiar with them as they are reflected in the verses of the hymn, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”(LSB #357) but I will share them with you now as well...

O Wisdom, proceeding from the mouth of the Most High, pervading and permeating all creation, mightily ordering all things: Come and teach us the way of prudence.

We witness the Wisdom of God in all that He has created, ordered, and prepared. God sent His Son and His way of prudence is the cross, for there in His death and resurrection He prepares for His path to eternal life.

O Adonai and ruler of the house of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the burning bush and gave him the Law on Sinai; Come with outstretched arm and redeem us.

We witness God speaking His Law to man and man but we would not hear it. God’s Son prepares the way as stretches out His arms and He redeems us.

O Root of Jesse, standing as an ensign before the people, before whom all kings are mute, to whom the nations will do homage: Come quickly to deliver us.

We witness the King of kings, the Lord of lords, in our baptism He has prepared us for His return.

O Key of David and scepter of the house of Israel, You open and no one can close, You close and no one can open: Come and rescue the prisoners who are in darkness and the shadow of death.

We witness the Son who holds the key to heaven, He prepares us so that we no longer fear the shadow of death.

O Dayspring, splendor of light everlasting: Come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.

We witness Christ who is the way and the truth and the life. His sacrifice prepares us to leave the shadows of this world and to come into His everlasting light.

O King of the nations, the ruler they long for, the cornerstone uniting all people: Come and save us all, who You formed out of clay.

We witness the Christ who unites His people, He prepares us by saving us all from our sins.

O Emmanuel, our king and our Lord, the anointed for the nations and their Savior: Come and save us, O Lord our God.

We witness the anointed One who comes as Savior of the Nations. He prepares as He is our Lord who is seated at the right hand of God the Father.

Isaiah prophesied and witnessed to the coming glory of God’s Messiah, and that the same Messiah would come again in glory to save His people. But Isaiah was not the Messiah. John the Baptist cried in the wilderness, and prepared the way of the Lord. But, did not claim to be the Messiah. Christ came into the world and was made man. Christ was, Christ is, Christ will ever be the Messiah, Emmanuel, God with us. For many came before Him to give witness to all that He would do. And Christ has ascended into heaven and He will come again for you.

This final day of Advent we stand in preparation for Christ to return. And as we wait we sing together the refrain, “O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel, That mourns in lonely exile here, Until the Son of God appear.”(LSB 357) These next few days in the season of Christmas ahead we will witness the celebration of the birth of Christ, Emmanuel, God with us. That Christ child has come, and that savior will return for us, so you may eternally, "Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel! " Amen.

The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

AMEN
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