Advent 2 C
Surprises in the Wilderness
Luke 3:1-14
6 December 2015 – Redeemer
John the Baptist is surprised that any one came to church in the wilderness. His pulpit is a rock. His font is a cesspool of a river. His robes are camel’s hair. And his diet is bugs and honey. Weird will sometimes attract people, but eventually weird wears off and people move on.
But the people didn’t move on. They stopped. They listened. They were baptized in the Jordan. And that should have surprised John, because his sermons were harsher than the wilderness in which he preached. I welcomed you to the Divine Service this morning. John didn’t welcome people, he called them names, “You brood of Vipers, you’re all children of your father the Devil.” I’m glad you’re here this morning. I’m assuming you need Jesus. Pastor John questioned the motives of those in attendance. “Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?” Do you really think there’s a chance that you could be saved?
Now you might think John has a really lousy congregation of folks if that’s the way he talks to them, but when you examine the text you realize his congregation is just like Redeemer. Saint Luke tells us there were rich people in his congregation (people with more than one coat and people with freezers and pantries full of more food than they needed). He had people who worked for the government (tax collectors), and he had veterans (soldiers).
So what would move the good folks of Judea, upright citizens, to not only hear John call them names, but to believe those names were true? What would move those upstanding people to tumble down the muddy banks of the Jordan and wash themselves in a stream of sewage? Why would they, still dripping with Jordan water, ask what they could now do for God?
Well, in Lutheranism, there’s usually one answer to questions like that – Jesus. John the Baptist is preparing the way for Jesus. God’s people had been waiting about 450 years for news from God – for a prophet to bring them a Word from the Lord. And then John appears in the wilderness – dressed like a prophet, weird like a prophet, and prophesying like a prophet – the Lord is about to speak His final Word to the world – and that final Word is Jesus – God’s Word made flesh. Everything written in God’s Word is wrapped up around Jesus – judgment and salvation happen in Jesus, life and death center on Jesus. “The Lord is coming Himself,” proclaimed John the Baptist, “and I’m here to prepare His way.”
So people were coming out to John, anticipating they would soon be meeting the Lord Himself. It was Advent season for them. If you’re about to meet the Lord what question would be on your mind? Am I ready? What will He think of me? If I am about to stand in the presence of the One who made heaven and earth, the Holy and Righteous God, will I remain standing or will I fall?
John the Baptist was there to prepare people for that meeting and he didn’t sweeten the sermon with sugar. He didn’t tell the folks, “Everything is going to be OK. Don’t worry. You’re nice people. And God is fine with nice.” No, John the Baptist proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. I don’t think it mattered who came into the wilderness – tax collectors, soldiers, prostitutes, teachers, doctors, soldiers, cops, Pharisees, rich people, poor people, I think John tore the cover of their lives and exposed their hearts. He called the crowd – a, “Brood of Vipers” – sons of that serpent the Devil. And they believed him, as you should believe him.
If you are preparing to meet the Lord you shouldn’t fool yourself. Take an honest look at your heart, your thoughts. Run through the commandments. What do I fear, love, and trust above all things? When is God’s name most on my lips – in prayer or in swearing? Am I eager and attentive to hear God’s Word or am I bored with it? How do I treat my parents? Do I love and honor my spouse alone? Do I stand for marriage between a man and a woman? Am I content that my neighbor is wealthier than me or do I covet what is his? Do I delight in the gossip and slander that ruins other people? Your answers to those questions reveal your lineage. God’s Word tells us we are all born the offspring of Satan, our nature is corrupted from conception with Satan’s seed. Sin comes easily and naturally to us. We are a brood of vipers.
If you don’t believe that, John the Baptist would probably tell you “move along. There’s nothing here in the wilderness for you. In fact, you’d better get out of here before Jesus comes.” On the other hand, if you do believe that you are a sinner who has no way to prepare to meet Jesus, John would tell you, “Repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins.”
God’s Word through John the Baptist, convicted the crowd. They were ready for God’s help. If you’ve ever sat across from the doctor and heard the diagnoses of cancer and believed the diagnoses you know what is it to be eager to hear the cure. You were glad to hear of surgery where the cancer might be cut out. You were willing to put radioactive poison in your body believing it would kill what was killing you.
John’s congregation, believing in their sinfulness, was eager to hear God’s cure – a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. God’s Word directed them to water – to washing. It made no earthly sense – no one swam in the Jordan, no one drank from the Jordan, it was filthy. But that is where God’s Word sent them. Confessing their sins as soldiers, rich people, fathers, mothers, and children, they were baptized for the forgiveness of sins. God’s Word put forgiveness in those waters.
And that prepared the crowd for Who was coming. Jesus was coming. He was coming for one reason – to forgive your sins. If you don’t need forgiveness, you might as well move along. There’s nothing to see in Jesus if you don’t need forgiveness. If you do believe you’re a sinner, then look to Him. Like the Jordan River Jesus doesn’t look like much. Especially as He is betrayed, arrested, abandoned, whipped, beaten, spit upon, and nailed to the cross. Jesus on the cross is the most disgusting sight you will ever see, but God’s own Word has revealed something your eyes will never see. Christ Jesus has taken your sin into Himself. At the cross He is taking your sin away. The cross of Christ is your judgment day – except God’s anger is being poured out on Jesus instead of you. You don’t die – He does. You’re not judged, He is. You’re not cast off from the Father as a sinner, Jesus is cast off as the Sinner. Instead of the ax of God’s judgment landing on you, it lands on Jesus.
Could you imagine any better news for John’s congregation? You are forgiven. Your sins have been washed away in the Jordan. You could never get yourselves ready for Jesus, but God Himself has made you ready – cleaned you up in the waters of baptism. Coming out of that water they were eager to do good – not to get ready for God, but because they were ready. Not to make up for their sins, but because they were forgiven. Good works follow faith – and so they asked, “What shall we do?” And what would God have you do? Do what you are supposed to do. If you’re rich, give one of your coats away and throw in some food as well. If you’re a tax collector, don’t cheat people. If you’re a cop, don’t abuse your power. If you’re a student do your homework. If you’re a son, obey your parents. If you’re a pastor be diligent in preaching the word and love your people. If you’re a Christian go to church, pray for your pastor, and be in the Word. Do whatever is good wherever God has placed you. Not to get ready for His coming, but because you are ready for His coming, because you are baptized, because you are forgiven, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Pr. Bruce Timm
5 December 2015