In Jesus Holy Name December 13, 2020
Redeemer Text John 1:14
“The Man of Mystery”
The title “man of mystery” belongs to John the Baptist. He was an unusual prophet shrouded in mystery. A child of the desert. His face, weathered by the wind and desert sun. Untrimmed beard. Tanned skin. Clothing of animal skins. What he owned fit in a pouch. His walls were mountains and his ceiling the stars. His was a courageous voice of repentance.
What did Jesus say about His cousin? “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. (Matthew 11:7-11)
This is what the prophet Isaiah said: ‘I will send My messenger. He will prepare Your way.’ John had three responsibilities; “to clear the way for the Lord’ arrival, to prepare the way, calling for repentance and then to get out of the way of the Lord.”
Zechariah, the father of John had a predictable life. He did the same tasks, ate the same food, kissed the same woman, probably lived in a quiet house. Maybe a long time ago, against the reality of age he had given up the desperate prayer for a child, wondering if God was ever going to answer. Until He did. And angel bursts into the life of Zechariah and Elizabeth. Nothing would ever be the same. Life was about to be totally rearranged. His son’s birth would be a miracle, a reminder of Abraham and Sarah and the birth of Isaac.
John had a Unique Ministry. “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough places smooth; (Isa. 40:3-5)
John invited people to step into the water and be baptized then change their behavior. That is what it means to “make the crooked places straight, rough places smooth.” When I repent it allows God to make the crooked places in my heart and
your heart straight. He straightens out the crookedness that I have left behind. The straight ‘place’ is a heart of honesty, humility, goodness. It is a heart that loves God (Mark 12: 29 – 31) and loves others before itself. It is a heart that surrenders to worship, praise, and obedience to words of Jesus.
John preached against the legalism of the Pharisees and their 600 plus religious rules, that they thought obtained righteousness before God. He preached against the liberal Sadducee’s, who didn’t believe in eternity, nor the resurrection. He looked them in the eye and called them “snakes.” John was hardly a people pleaser.
Down at the river , there were Jews from Jerusalem, a group of priests and religious officials who asked John several questions. Are you the Messiah? Are you the 2nd coming of Elijah? “No” He said. They pressed him. “Are you the Prophet? “No” Exasperated, they said, “Who then? We need an answer for those who sent us.” John responded: “I’m doing what the prophet Isaiah preached. “I’m the one calling in the desert…make the road straight for God!” He is coming.
John was preparing the way… announcing that the Messiah would soon be arriving. Prepare your hearts. Change your behavior. Do good deeds in keeping with repentance. Thus, John’s question to us this morning….How are you preparing for the celebration of the Savior’s arrival? Sending out Christmas cards? Decorating your home and tree. Reading the Gospel of Luke? Of course you and I are doing these “Christmas Prep things.”
Cleaning the house? Of course. But are you cleaning up your bad habits? Wrapping gifts? Of course; or are you trying to hide past mistakes? Pretty paper and bows may hide our broken commandments from our neighbor, but not from God. You cannot quench your guilt, not with a bottle of whiskey, nor perfect Sunday School attendance. Christmas prep calls for repentance, allowing God to make our path straight, so that our heart is no longer crooked.
John stood on the banks of the Jordan River. He was not the light. He
pointed to the true light, Jesus. “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” Broken commandments and broken ethics always bring guilt. We don’t deal with guilt very well and neither did Adam. “When Adam was created, he was created without the ability to cope with guilt. He was not made to make mistakes. When he did, he had no way to deal with his guilt. When God pursued him… he ran away and hid.” That is why he needed a savior. Adam could not see the Bethlehem star but it was on the horizon of eternity. A plan was in place.
Those who listened to John were baptized. Their lives were transformed when they attached themselves to Jesus. There are those around us who do not know the real reason for Christmas. We, like John, are to point them to the real reason why they light their Christmas tree.
In 2006 the distinguished American conductor, John Nelson, the Director of Music of the Ensemble of Paris directed Handel’s Messiah in Shanghai, China. Although neither the English words nor a translation had been in their programs…..during the Hallelujah Chorus….”the audience rose to their feet and stomped and clapped and even screamed.”
“The government officials that were sitting with the Shanghai opera music director did not stand up.” They knew what the music meant. While driving to the airport, the Shanghai music director told John Nelson of an even more surprising response to the performance. “My wife was sitting next to me”, and she said, “I think I saw God when I listened to this music.”
The government of China decided that sacred music should disappear. Quietly, without publicity Chinese authorities have let it be known that Western religious music should no longer be performed in concert halls. (Christianity Today Dec 2008) Why?....because the words and music of the Messiah point to the real reason for Christmas.
I always know the holy day is near when I see the Salvation Army bell ringers, wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. The bell ringers are always friendly. Saying things like: “Merry Christmas, young lady.” Someone once asked a bell
ringer: “Aren’t you afraid of negative fall out when you wish people a Merry Christmas? Aren’t you afraid of offending someone?” He laughed. “You’re asking if I should keep Christ in Christmas. Sir, Christ is Christmas; I couldn’t take Jesus out of Christmas if I wanted.”
If Jesus had not been born we would never know a God of grace, only God’s law. If Jesus had not come, no sinner would ever find peace for their soul . The Apostle Paul wrote: “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
Eugene Peterson in his translation John 1:14 writes: “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.” For 33 years God moved into our neighborhood. He made His dwelling among us. Some translations say that He “pitched His tent among us.” It is the same word used for the Tabernacle in the Old Testament, the tent where the glory of God dwelt in the days of Moses.
Jesus was born, lived a perfect life without a single broken commandment, in order to be God’s rescue mission to save the human race. Jesus was born so that He might die and thus save us from never ending death. If you separate the message of His birth in the manger from His death on the wood a cross then the only thing that remains is a baby in a bed of straw.
From the moment of His birth, God’s eternal plan was for Jesus to take upon His shoulders the punishment for our sins and remove our guilt. The Holy Spirit raised Jesus from death, and thus He shattered the power of Satan. The cross did what sacrificed lambs could not do. It erased our broken commandments, not for a year, but for eternity.
Look again at the Christmas cradle, and see the Good Friday cross. Look at the baby, and see not just helpless baby hands, see the nails yet to come. Look at the beautiful infant face and realize that someday it would be beaten and bloodied. This infant would shoulder the wrath of God against our sin and set us free from the behaviors that destroy our lives. Christmas is more than a celebration of the birth of God’s incarnation… it is a celebration of eternal life, a crooked life made straight.
Close with prayer.
