"no Price Too High"

In Jesus Holy Name December 6, 2020

Text: Mark 1:1 Advent II Redeemer

“No Price Too High”

In a Charlie Brown cartoon, little brother Linus is looking very forlorn. He asks big sister Lucy, “Why are you always so anxious to criticize me?” Lucy, looking very self-righteous, replies, “I just think I have a knack for seeing other people’s faults.” Linus turns indignant. “What about your own faults?” he asks. “I have a knack for overlooking them,” says Lucy.

It is true that some people think they are Lucy. They overlook their faults. Most of us know that does not work. Broken values. Broken ethical values. Broken commandments can be buried for a time but they will always come back like Acid Reflex after a big meal…..it always leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

God can not over look our faults, our failure to keep His commandments. That is why Mark begins his gospel…. “The beginning of the good news about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” There is no story about the angel appearing to Mary and Joseph. There is no story of the birth of the Savior in Bethlehem.

Mark gets right to the point…. God’s grand design from the beginning of creation was to come Himself and break the power of Satan by providing His own blood (Acts 20:28) on the cross and His own resurrection from the grave. No price would be too high to bring about our forgiveness and redemption.

If you and I were God, and we had to decide if we wanted to save sinful, disobedient humankind, we probably would say: “No.” “Price too high.” God our creator knew our world was saturated by sin, disobedience, broken ethics, and broken commandments by His wandering, runaway children.

Moved by the depth of His character and love, moved by grace and mercy, rather than saying: “No” “Price too High”.. He fulfilled the promise to Adam and Eve and came to the universe He created. He chose to be born in a Bethlehem manger, and took upon Himself the name Jesus.

That plan said there is no price too high to grant forgiveness and eternal life for His

beloved creation. You and me.

Mark then quotes the prophet Isaiah, Behold, I send my messenger…who will prepare the way for the coming Messiah, a voice of one crying in the wilderness. John appeared, calling for people to repent and receive baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

John is a child of the desert. Leathery face. 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? Unfortunately not accepted by all. Herod rejected repentance and eventually John lost his head. (quote from Max Lucado)

John invited people to step into the water and be baptized. Baptism separates the tire kickers from the car buyers. Would feel comfortable marrying someone who wanted to keep the marriage a secret? Neither does God. It’s one thing to say in the privacy of your own heart that you are a sinner in need of a Savior. But it’s quite another to walk out of the shadow and stand before family, friends and colleagues to state publicly that Christ is your forgiver and Savior.

Baptism is like a precious jewel. By itself, it is nice and appealing but has nothing within it to compel…but place baptism against the backdrop of our broken commandments, our broken ethics and turn on the light of the cross,… then the jewel of baptism explodes with significance.

Baptism at once reveals the beauty of the cross and the cost of our sin. As a stone has many facets, baptism has many sides. ( Max Lucado) Cleansing. Renewal. Resurrection. The power of baptism rests not in the drops of water, but the water combined, infused with the promises of God. (Martin Luther) It is God’s mark of ownership. God’s promise of forgiveness. Because He said so.

This public step into the water raises the ante. Jesus commanded all his followers to prove it, to make the pledge, by public demonstration in baptism. Among his final words was the universal command to “go and make followers of all people in all the world, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Mt. 28:19).

It may seem odd to some that this untamed, locust eating figure of John the Baptist is one of the key figures in celebrating the Christmas season. His wild and probing message continues to cry in urgency. “Are you ready.” It is a cry to prepare for the “doctrine of the Incarnation.” God coming in flesh and bone. Are you ready to respond to the infant that came into the world through a virgin, found resting in a wooden manger. He is the great “I Am”.