December 8, 2002 Mark 1:1-8
The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way”- “a voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’” And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And this was his message: “After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Advent comes from the words “ad venire” - to come. We use this season to prepare for the coming of Christ - his birth. Whenever you prepare for someone to come, it takes work - sometimes more - or less - depending on WHO is coming. When we prepared for the birth of our daughter, we didn’t need to do too much - shuffle the other kids around, get a stroller, buy a few clothes and some diapers, and we were good to go. But preparing for the birth of Jesus is different. The life and mission and message of John shows us how, as we consider how we can -
Prepare for the Powerful One
I. Through the baptism of repentance
Jesus had one destination from his birth in Bethlehem - and that was to go to Jerusalem to die for the sins of the world. When entered Jerusalem on that fatal yet glorious week, the people threw palm branches and coats in front of him. John didn’t use any cloaks or palm branches to prepare for Jesus’ coming. Luke says, It is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way”— “a voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’” And so John came, baptizing in the desert region. Instead of going into Jerusalem, John went out into the desert. And Mark tells us today that John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. So let’s see - Jesus was going to Jerusalem, and John went to the desert. Jesus has coming to visit the people, and John went and lived away from people. That’s strange.
It probably seems more than strange to God to see the way that we prepare for Jesus to come. Madonna once sang that we are “living in a material world.” I am not a material girl, but I would agree with her statement about the world - especially in the way we prepare for Christmas. We put up Christmas trees, mistletoe, stockings and lights around our houses. We make cookies and candy and buy presents for each other. Some talk about a guy name Chris Cringle and Santa Claus. This has nothing to do with the birth of Christ, yet we do some of these things every year.
There were reasons why God told John to go out to the desert and for him to wear camel’s hair and eat locusts. The camel’s hair would be itchy - and the food was very rudimentary - it exuded a message of discomfort. This was symbolic of John’s message which was one of repentance - he wanted people to be uncomfortable with who they were and what they’d done. That word in the Greek is metanoia - which means - “change of mind.” Paul explains that this change of mind - this repentance is a - godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret. It produces an eagerness to clear yourselves, indignation and alarm over sin, and longing, concern, and readiness to see justice done. (2 Corinthians 7:10)
What was interesting for me in this text was the second part of what John did. Mark says that he was preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The specific purpose of his preaching of repentance was not just to lay the hammer down on people and then wait for Jesus to come and preach about his love. John preached a baptism of repentance FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. So John says that - The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. They didn’t come out to the desert to get yelled at or to just say they were sorry. They came to be washed with this special baptism for the forgiveness of sins. They left John feeling fresh, renewed, and forgiven. That’s why they came.
In this way John fulfilled the prophecy which said he would make straight paths for him. His preaching of the law knocked the proud down to size, and his baptism of forgiveness was able to lift people up from the depths of despair. This prepared people for the Savior on whom this baptism of forgiveness was based. Luke 7:29-31 even says that - All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John. 30 But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John. Here Luke specifically points back to this moment as the reason why the tax collectors believed Jesus’ words while the Pharisees didn’t - because the tax collectors were baptized while the Pharisees and experts in the law WEREN’T. John had done his job then, in a very strange way. He went out to the middle of the desert and preached and baptized people.
We have a saying in this church that sometimes goes, “it’s time for plan B.” If that doesn’t work, “then we go to plan C.” We sometimes have to do that quite often, because things don’t always go according to plan. It brings me great comfort, both as a pastor and as a Christian to see God’s plan work for John. For he used nothing but the water and the Word in the middle of the desert and God created results. There was no need for plan B. Human logic would never have guessed it. Today we’re so worried about demographics, planning a church where the people are. We talk about developing mission strategies and having ministry plans that can “be effectual.” Although these plans are important, this text takes the burden off my back. I still have the Word. I still preach the Word every Sunday. We still baptize. If God could grant repentance to hundreds of people through a preacher in the middle of a desert, he can do it here. It takes the pressure off of me, and puts it squarely on God. What a relief that is. There is no need for plan B.
What a relief it is to us as Christians as well. For we know that plan A still works with us as well. When we see new “movements” occur within the guise of Christianity - such as the Pentecostal movement or holy laughter - we don’t need to panic and wonder if we really have the right stuff. All we have to do is stick with what is tried and true - the Gospel in Word and sacrament. The same baptism that John used to prepare the people for Christ’s first coming does the same for us. You don’t need to be re-baptized. The Holy Spirit gave you faith. You still have the Word which you listen to every Sunday and which you read - sometimes every day - to keep you in the faith. The same Jesus who died for you 2,000 years ago and made you holy, is still making you holy through faith in him yet today. Don’t jump ship. Don’t panic. There is no plan B, and you don’t need one. You are on the right path with baptism and the Word.
II. Because he is coming
When you get into marriage, you may think that you’re prepared, but your mind never conceives of difficulties and obstacles that marriage will bring about. Often times it happens that the person you THINK you’re marrying turns out quite different in the end - sometimes for better - sometimes for worse. The same goes with children, a job, and whatever else might come about. Sometimes there’s more to it than meets the eye. You might think getting a promotion is all great because of the extra money it brings, but the new job also carries more responsibility with it.
There’s such a gentle message in Christmas - a story about a baby boy being born in a manger. This story is so near and dear to us because it’s in such a simple and humble package. We love to prepare for Christmas because it’s like preparing for a baby to be born. Babies are soft and cuddly, cute and huggable. But babies change. Cute little babies learn how to stomp their feet and run to their rooms and slam their doors. Cute babies grow to say, “mine” and “I want. . .” Cute babies wake up five times in a night, can be fed and rocked, and never once stop to even smile at you. They become teenagers. Their voices start to lower. The cute little babies change into grown adults.
Jesus changed from the cute little baby. He didn’t have temper tantrums and stomp to his room. But he grew in different ways. When John was given his commission, Isaiah 40 said that - Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. Anyone who would have read this in the Old Testament would have recognized that this wasn’t the preparation for just anyone - but for a king. When an oriental king would come into a country - they would make sure there weren’t any ruts or hills for him to come over - making it as smooth of a ride as possible. John the Baptist even said that he - the one whom Jesus said was “greatest among those born of women” - was unworthy to even untie his sandals and wash his feet - which was the most lowly job a slave could have! He said that he would be able to baptize directly with the Holy Spirit - a reference to Pentecost. In other words, this King would have direct communication with the Holy Spirit and the ability to send Him where and when and how He pleased, whereas John only was able to convey the Holy Spirit through baptism! So we realize that John was saying that Jesus was more than a baby - more than John the Baptist - He was a powerful King - God Almighty!
In Acts 1, the angel told the disciples that - This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven. Revelation 1:7 says, Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen. The stakes are much higher! For John said, His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. (Luke 3:17)
What does this mean? He’s not a baby anymore. We can’t wrap him in swaddling clothes and lay him in a manger. We can’t think he’ll be satisfied with a “hoochie hoochie coo” and butterfly kisses. Imagine if someone came up to you today and said, “oh, how are you! Coochie coo!” You’d look at them like they were wacko! This little baby is now a KING who is USING His power! Yet there are still people today that treat Jesus like a baby. They think he’ll be satisfied if they sing Silent Night to him on Christmas Eve. They think if they throw him a little rattle of an offering, that he will be happy and satisfied. They’re wrong. Or some just think they can ignore this Jesus - they treat him like an insignificant little baby that can be tossed in the trash or thrown over a cliff- a powerless little infant or man.
John was telling the people, “you need to be prepared, because someone more powerful is coming! He is NOT someone to be ignored! Repent of your sins and be baptized - so that your hearts will be cleansed and you will be ready when He comes!” Some were prepared. Others tried to throw him off a cliff. His own countrymen crucified him. When Jesus comes again, no one will be able to throw him from a cliff or crucify Him, for Jesus rose from the dead. When Jesus comes, HE will do the throwing!
If you are not prepared for the powerful one, you will experience his power in a bad way! If you have not been baptized and do not believe in Jesus - if you think that Jesus is just a little powerless baby and treat him that way, He will say, “depart from me into the eternal fire!” But if you were baptized, have repented of your sins and believe in Jesus - you are prepared. That’s why we can thank God again that plan A works. When we were baptized with the baptism of John - a miracle took place! The powerful Holy Spirit plowed through our sinful souls and cleansed us of our sins. This Holy Spirit brought us to repentance and faith in Jesus. When you were confirmed you grew in that faith. Every time that you come to Bible Class, church, or read your Bible at home, the Holy Spirit is helping you to grow in faith - through the Gospel. When this King comes - He will only have gracious words to say to us - things like, “come, you who are blessed by my father, take your inheritance!”
While on one of his expeditions to the Antarctic, Sir Ernest Shackleton was once compelled to leave some of his men on Elephant Island, with the intention of returning for them and carrying them back to England. But he was unavoidably delayed, and by the time he could go for them he found to his dismay that the sea had frozen over and his men were cut off. Three times he tried to reach them, but his efforts ended in failure. Finally, in his last effort, he found a narrow channel through the ice.
Guiding his small ship back to the island, he was delighted to find his men not only alive and well, but all prepared to get aboard. They were soon on their way to safety and home. After the excitement ended, Sir Ernest inquired how it was that they were ready to get aboard so promptly. They told him that every morning their leader rolled up his sleeping bag, saying, “Get your things ready, boys, the boss may come today.”
The return of the Lord Jesus to this earth is much more certain than Sir Shackleton’s return to Elephant Island. Nothing will be able to hold him back - for He is the most Powerful One of them all. Stay in the Word. Remember your baptism. Continue to trust in Jesus for your salvation. In this way you will be prepared for the Powerful One to come, whenever that may be. Amen.
