Monday, December 14, 2009

Advent 3 - Gaudete - 12-13-09

Advent 3 - Gaudete Sunday
One Year Lectionary,
Our Savior Lutheran Church, Midland, MI (December 12, 2009)

“Are You the One?”

Readings:
Is. 40:1–11
Psalm 85
1 Cor. 4:1-5
Matthew 11:2-11

Sermon Form: Deductive
+INI+

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

The text for today is as recorded in the Gospel reading of St. Matthew the 11th chapter, especially the following verses.

Matthew 11:2-11 (English Standard Version)
2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3and said to him, "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?" 4And Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 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. 6And blessed is the one who is not offended by me." 7As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. 9What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10This is he of whom it is written, "'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.' 11Truly, 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.


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

John the Baptist asked, “shall we look for another?”(v. 3) That’s kind of an odd question to ask isn’t it? This scripture made more sense if I thought it was John’s disciples asking the question. Because if John’s disciples were asking the question, I could understand why they would ask, “Are you the one?”(v. 3) John the Baptists’ disciples were mere men, it would be easy to accept the fact that they might falter and doubt who Jesus was. But, the question posed was from John’s lips and sent by him to ask Jesus the question. Makes you wonder doesn’t it? Doesn’t it send your mind wandering with lots of extra questions? Think of the history between these two men. For example, how in the world could John be asking this question of Jesus given that “John leapt in His mothers womb.”(Luke 1:44) Yes it was the same John the Baptist who knew Jesus was near. And remember that first meeting took place when both John and Jesus were in their mother’s wombs. So how could John now wonder if Jesus was the one, the Messiah, when he had already sensed Christ’s presence without the aid of his sight?

In fact the pre-born John saw Him only by faith through the work of the Holy Spirit. How could John wonder or doubt who Jesus was when John had already baptized Jesus? You remember John the Baptist who said, “he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”(Jn 1:27) The John that had said, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”(Jn 1:29) But now the question comes from John to Jesus at a much greater distance and with no means of contact except by Word of mouth. John the Baptist was in prison. This mighty preacher of repentance, this prophet who prepared the way of the Lord, was in custody in King Herod's dungeons. And so John sends word to the Incarnate Word;

“Are You the One?”

Just a short time before John was in the wilderness, wearing a camel skin pelt and with the smell of locusts and wild honey on his breath. Just a short time before, John had proclaimed by the banks of the Jordan, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"(Matthew. 3:2) John had preached repentance and that's how he prepared the way of the Lord Jesus. John preached by telling the people the truth about their sin and calling them to turn from it. The same thing is true for us today. We constantly hear the message of John, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"(Matthew 3:2) Turn away from your sin, stop justifying it and stop making excuses for it. Whether it was John who was in doubt about Jesus or whether it was John’s disciples who were in doubt, the question was still asked, “Are you the one?”(v.3) It is a question steeped in doubt. Did Jesus really do all those things? Did Jesus really heal all those people? Was Jesus the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world? And was Jesus that Lamb of God, for me? Is it you Jesus, are you the one, for me?

In this season of Advent we join John the Baptist, looking forward to the one and only Lamb of God who would take away all our sin and doubt. And these are all attacks by the evil one, meant to shatter our faith, and bring us to doubt who Jesus was. Our doubt is a result of sin committed from within, sin to those around us, we deny we sin, we deny the truth, we do sin daily.

But, Jesus says, "Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."(v.5) And Jesus says to you, blessed are you who are not scandalized by My suffering on the cross. Blessed are you who are not offended by your need to repent and to trust in Jesus alone to save you. Blessed are you who, just like John the Baptist, who are not caused to fall from faith by the difficulties and the crosses you must yet suffer but who continue to cling to and place your hope in Jesus Christ.

Dear friends, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. It is at hand because we are in the Church season called Advent anticipating the second coming of Christ. The kingdom of heaven is at hand because the Christmas season of Christ’s birth is near. But even more importantly, the kingdom draws near, because the King Himself is at hand. Jesus Christ has given His body and blood for you for the forgiveness of sins. Christ has done and will do all these things, He is our only comfort in our times of sorrow or need. Soon He will come and "the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken." (Is 40:5)

We may wonder why John would do such a thing, meaning to either doubt or dare to ask Christ. Why would he or others bend to the pressure of the winds of hot air from the people around him? Yet we, at this very moment ask this same question as we sit here impatiently on earth. Are you really the Christ who is going to save me or should I look for another. Our post-modern world offers us many suggestions which follow the earthly winds of false comfort, blowing us in many directions yet offer no lasting comfort. It may be in ten easy steps to more riches, or how to win friends and influence people. Or it may be the fool hearty theory that there are many religions and many ways to a god. When we succumb to those thoughts we are not only shaken like a reed in the wind we gladly travel the twisted winding breezes which flow through this world. A world which seeks not the truth, but rather only defines truth by whatever you say it might be and that is not truth. But if you say to someone that their god is untruth, you will offend them. If you say to someone they can not defend their position from scripture, you offend them. If you are offended by being called to repent, then you deny scripture. Sin is manifested in our doubt, doubt is manifested in raising our opinion above God’s Holy Word.

But, Jesus says, "Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."(v.5) And Jesus says to you, blessed are you who are not scandalized by My suffering on the cross. If we are offended when asked to repent then our indignity has convicted us, we are guilty as charged. The worldly winds have not only blown a sinful breeze to bend the reeds, those same winds bend and break our faith. We have the audacity to deny our sin, and then compound it by daring someone to say what we have done wrong, and whether we say it or think it, it is then that we have deceived ourselves and the truth is not in us.

But blessed are you who are not offended by your need to repent and to trust in Jesus alone to save you. Blessed are you, who are just like John the Baptist or his disciples who have been swayed by sin, yet still ultimately cling to and place your hope in Jesus Christ.

We wait here in this place wondering if Christ is the one who will save us. The things of this world will blow us about and we will be the ones shaken by the winds of our sin, But, Christ is not shaken, He is the one. Christ is the one who has defeated death on the cross for you. Christ is the one who comes to you today giving you His true Body and Blood for the forgiveness of sins. In the Holy Supper of our Lord, Jesus will comfort you in your times of sorrow, loneliness, or need. Is Jesus the one? Hear now, "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.”(v.5) Not only is Jesus the one who gives you faith to see, faith to walk, and faith upon hearing His Word. Jesus is the one who has raised you from the dead in your baptism. And now you the poor in spirit have just had the good news preached to you in hearing God’s word, by hearing John the Baptist, and by hearing Jesus Himself. Lest there be any doubt, yes indeed, Jesus is the one. He is the one who came, for you. He is the one who gives you eternal life. Amen.

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

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