12/25/11 - Christmas Day - Matthew 1:24

LISTEN CLOSELY

Not Much Known

            We don’t know a whole lot about Joseph.  What we’ve already read earlier in this worship service comprises the majority of what is written about him in all of Scripture.  Of course, other than what we’ve already reviewed, we also know that he and Mary went to the temple on the 8^th day after Jesus’ birth for the purification rite; and we know that he brought his family every year to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration, but that’s about it.  Most think he was a little older than Mary - partly because of the custom of that time and partly because he wasn’t around anymore by the time Jesus died on the cross.  But what we do know about this man named Joseph, descendant of David, husband of Mary, father of Jesus, is all good.  There’s not really one unflattering thing said about this man who played such a key role in Jesus’ young life.  He was a faithful Christian, an obedient citizen, a loving husband and, by all accounts, an exemplary father for Jesus to have while he was growing up.  But in all of the different parts of the Bible where Joseph is mentioned, it’s interesting to note that he never said a word.  You cannot find a single quotation of Joseph saying anything.  Such a main figure in the early life of Christ, such a key influence in a way on Jesus as a boy, and yet he is not given even a single line to say.  But he certainly listened.

He Listened to the Lord

            When the angel appeared to him in a dream and told him about the miraculous thing that had happened to Mary, Joseph didn’t question this impossible announcement, he simply listened.  And “When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.”  As simple as that.  It seems to be an ordinary thing to take a woman for a wife, but it was definitely an incredible act of faith considering the circumstances, don’t you think?  And after the wise men visited Joseph and his young family, an angel appeared to him again, sending him to the land of Egypt.  But Joseph didn’t complain about the long trip to a place with a different language, a different culture, and even farther from home than he was already.  He simply listened and left that very night.  When an angel came to him a third time and told him to go back to Israel, Joseph didn’t question the wisdom of such a plan; and when he was warned in a dream to go back up to Galilee that’s exactly what he did.  He listened.  He did not complain; he did not question; he did not offer up his own ideas or insights or suggestions.  He kept his mouth shut and kept his ears opened.  He respected who his God was and trusted that the Lord’s will was always best.

We Challenge the Lord

            I’m not so sure I would have just listened if I were placed in those same situations.  “So you’re telling me that Mary is pregnant for what reason, Lord?  It seems a little far-fetched to me.  And even if that is true, what are people going to say about Mary and what are they going to say about me if I do stay with her?...  You want us to go all the way down to Egypt?  It’s 300 miles away, I don’t speak the language, and how am I supposed to take care of my family?...  We’re supposed to go back to Israel now?  You do know that the son of the king who tried to kill Jesus is on the throne right now.  Are you sure this is a good idea?...  Nazareth is the new destination?  My hometown?  How am I supposed to explain everything that has happened after all this time?  Who’s going to believe me?  How are we going to avoid being ostracized by our family and friends because of this seemingly illegitimate child?  Wouldn’t it just be easier to start all over in a new place where no one knows us?”  I’m sure I would not have been as noble as Joseph was in the pages of Scripture.  I would have questioned the Lord’s plans; I would have hesitated in carrying out his decisions; I would have challenged the Lord’s will. 

            But that’s what I tend to do sometimes.  That’s what we all tend to do sometimes, isn’t it?  When life isn’t going as you had planned or things are a little tougher than you expected or something is not turning out no matter how hard you try, we can get a little discouraged with the Lord and challenge what he is doing.  “Why are you letting this happen, Lord?”  “What is taking so long, Lord?”  “Why can’t I have this, Lord?”  “How can this terrible thing possibly be according to your will, Lord?  I’m hurting!  I’m suffering!  I’m lonely!  I’m depressed!  I’m at my wit’s end!”  And we might not say those kinds of things out loud all the time, but I’m sure many of those same kinds of thoughts float through our minds.  They might even color our prayers to some extent.  But we do have to be careful.  We have to be careful not to challenge our God, not to question his wisdom, not to complain about the way he is doing things.  That is very disrespectful and borderline arrogant.  Just because we can’t understand it doesn’t mean that it needs to be changed.  Just because we don’t like it doesn’t mean that we don’t need it.  Just because we were thinking something different doesn’t mean that the Lord has to change his plans to pander to our opinions.  God knows what he is doing.  And he does it all for you.  He just wants you to listen to him.

Listen to What He Has Done

            And so listen to this: Listen to what Joseph listened to when the angel appeared to him for the first time.  “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.   She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”  Did you hear that?  Joseph certainly did.  God’s plan was to send his Son to this earth through the womb of a virgin girl by the power of the Holy Spirit.  It was an unconventional plan to say the least!  It was impossible as far as the laws of nature are concerned.  But that’s exactly what God had planned for the salvation of our souls.

            Listen to this: Listen to what Joseph listened to from the mouth of an old man named Simeon who was holding the baby Jesus in his arms at the temple: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace.  For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”  Did you hear that?  Joseph certainly did.  God had planned all along that Jesus would be revealed to all people and that he would be a light to bring people to faith.  It took 4000 years after the first promise of Jesus until he was born in Bethlehem, but Jesus came at just the right time in just the right place in just the right way.  Just as God had planned. 

            Listen to this: Listen to what Joseph had to listen to from Jesus himself when he had found his 12-year-old son in the temple of Jerusalem after three days of searching for him: “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”  Did you hear that?  Even Joseph didn’t understand the Lord’s plans sometimes!  Even Joseph didn’t foresee what had to happen and why it needed to be done in every situation!  But Jesus did; God the Father did; the Holy Spirit did.  And together as one God they have continually planned and carried out the exact blueprint of our salvation from beginning to end for the last 6000+ years.  In fact, they had it all figured out before time began.  Every detail.  Every supposed setback.  Every moment in your life - good or bad - they have planned for.  Nothing escapes the notice of your Lord.  Nothing takes him by surprise.  Nothing is out of his control.  From the very moment he thought about creating you, he thought about saving you.  And with the birth of Jesus into this world, that forgiveness and salvation that you and I so desperately needed was well under way.

            And the reason why we’re looking at the things that Joseph listened to - and hopefully listening to those same words ourselves - is to help us understand why there’s no reason to question the Lord’s plans now.  There’s no reason to complain about his timing or get frustrated about the decisions he makes.  He planned your salvation, after all!  He orchestrated the impossible rescue mission that won for you eternal life!  He can handle things just fine.  He’s always been able to handle things just fine.  And he knows exactly what needs to be done.

            And so just listen.  Listen to what he says in the pages of the Bible.  Listen to what he has done about your sins.  Listen to what he has done for your salvation.  Listen to what he has done concerning your future.  And listen closely.  Because when you listen closely you’ll notice that everything he has done, he has done for you.  And everything that he will do will be with you on his mind.

            Amen.

12/24/11 - Christmas Eve - Gen. 49:10

IT'S HIS

Christmas Passages

            We’ve already looked at eight different lessons from the Bible tonight - all pointing towards or explaining the details of the birth of Jesus.  Both from the Old Testament and the New Testament, prophecies as well as recorded accounts of the actual events in and around Bethlehem.  And we could have looked at even more!  There are a number of portions of Scripture that talk about the birth of Christ that we haven’t even mentioned.  For example that wonderful prophecy in Isaiah 7 wasn’t on the list: “The virgin will be with child and give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel.”  We didn’t refer to Galatians 4 where Paul looks back at the birth of the Savior and says, “When the time and fully come, God sent his son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.”  We didn’t even spend any time on the ninth chapter of Isaiah that contains one of the most famous prophecies of Christ’s birth: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”  There is just not enough time in one worship service to cover all of the different passages in the Bible that refer to Christ and his first coming.  But out of all these great Christmastime sections of Scripture, out of all the passages we have to choose from, did you notice on p.10 of your bulletin what part of the Bible our devotion is based on this evening?  It’s not a familiar verse from the prophet Isaiah.  And it’s not a selection from Luke or Matthew that describes the actual birth of the Savior either.  The basis for our devotion tonight is taken from the book of Genesis 49:10: “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his.”

An Ancient Prediction

            Now why would we go back to the very first book of the Bible and spend time on this little known passage of Scripture during the great and grand event of Christmas Eve?  Why not a more familiar verse?  What not a part of the Bible that lays out for us the cute manger scene of Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus that we are all so used to?  We are focusing our attention on Genesis 49:10 this evening because it not only predicts this coming of our Lord, it also points to what would rightfully be his when he got here.  “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his.”  Jesus was the one who was to come.  And because he would come from the family of Judah, everything that belonged to Judah would be his.

            The people of Israel were divided up into 12 different tribes or families.  And that was because of the 12 original sons of Israel from which the rest of the Israelites came.  One of these 12 sons was named Judah and the Lord had made it clear that Jesus would one day come from his family.  And so here at the end of the book of Genesis, the promise is given that the scepter would not depart from his family “until he comes to whom it belongs.”  Jesus was coming.  Not for many, many years after this prophecy of course, the people would have to wait for about 1700 years after these words were spoken, but Jesus was coming nonetheless.  And when he arrived the scepter would be his; the ruler’s staff would be his; the obedience of the nations would be his; and there would be no doubt that he was the King they had all been waiting for, he was the Messiah that would rule on his throne forever.  That’s why we’re going back to Genesis 49:10 this evening.  It shows us who this baby in the manger really is: the King to whom everything belongs.

Opening What is His

            Over the past few weeks we’ve been getting packages in the mail from parents and brothers and sisters that contained Christmas presents for our kids.  And whenever a package has come, we have taken out the wrapped gifts and have put them under the tree.  Each one has a nametag on it of course and we tell the kids that, although they are chomping at the bit to rip them open, they cannot open them until Christmas morning.  In fact, they aren’t even supposed to touch them.  They are just to leave them there undisturbed.  But a couple weeks ago I walked into the room where our Christmas tree stands and I saw our two-year-old, Seth, opening one of the presents.  And if that wasn’t bad enough, the present he was opening wasn’t his, it was his older brother Elijah’s.  And so of course I immediately stopped him, taped up the present, and told him, “You can’t open this.  It isn’t yours.  It’s Elijah’s.  Don’t even touch it.  It’s his.”  He hasn’t tried to open any other presents since then, but I’m sure as a two-year-old he has a hard time holding himself back sometimes.  Because a two-year-old doesn’t usually care if it’s rightfully his or not, he just wants it regardless of whose name is on the nametag.

            Sometimes we can act like two-year-olds with the things that rightfully belong to our Lord.  Remember that the scepter is his, the ruler’s staff is his, and the obedience of the nation is his.  And so that means all power and authority, all control and supervision belong to our Lord Jesus and no one else.  He gets to call the shots; he gets his way; he gets to make the final decisions.  But we try to rip open that present and keep it for ourselves anyway, don’t we?  Because sometimes we aren’t too thrilled about the decisions he makes.  Sometimes we aren’t too happy about “his way.”  Sometimes we get so frustrated that we try to take things into our own hands and sort things out by ourselves. 

            But that box is not yours to open.  Your name is not on that nametag.  And neither is mine.  I’m not even allowed to touch what has been reserved for my Lord even though I like to grab that scepter from time to time; I like to tear off the wrapping paper and hold that staff in my hand and put that crown on my head and attempt to control things in my life - regardless of my limited knowledge and my inadequate abilities.  As if I could do a better job!  As if I actually knew what was going on in this world and had the power to do something about it if I did!

            Of course, whenever I or anyone else attempts to open up what rightfully belongs to our Lord, that demonstrates a serious lack of trust in what he has promised.  It shows how thin our confidence in him actually is and how judgmental we are of what our God does and how he does it.  And the Lord knows!  It’s not as if we are sneaking around behind his back!  He is aware of every time we try to take what is his. 

Gifts for Us

            But whenever our Lord walks in on us - once again opening up what belongs to him alone - he doesn’t yell at us.  He doesn’t lash out in anger or even punish us like we deserve for trying to take the scepter away from the King.  Instead, he gently instructs us to put back what is his and points us to another box under the tree, to another package that has his name on it.  “Look,” he says.  “This is the one that should catch your attention.  Because not only does this one also belong to me; this one is from you.”  And sure enough, there’s your name written on the “From:” line.  But it’s not your handwriting - it’s far too neat - it’s wrapped in black paper and you don’t even remember giving anything to the Lord in the first place.  “It’s because I took it,” Jesus says.  “I took it.  I wrapped it.  I signed your name.  I addressed it to myself.  Because it wasn’t something that you could give to me on your own even if you wanted to.  It’s filled with your sins.  All of them.  The big ones, the little ones.  The blatant ones, the secret ones.  And every consequence that your sins have earned.  They are mine now; you do not have to be burdened by them any longer.  In fact, you don’t ever have to mess with them again.”

            And then he leads you around to the front of the tree and shows you three others presents, gifts with your name on them this time: the first wrapped in straw-colored wrapping paper, the second wrapped in a dark red - almost the color of blood, the third wrapped in paper so white it hurts your eyes.  And you know what they are before you open them: the first is the manger where Jesus was born, the second is the cross where Jesus was sacrificed, the third is the empty tomb where Jesus used to lay.  “I know,” the Lord says, “I know that I gave you the same things last year - and the year before that and the year before that.  But there’s nothing better.  And there’s nothing else you need.  Those boxes over there filled with power and authority, glory and honor, praise and respect - those are mine.  And I forgive you for trying to take them for yourself.  But that’s why these gifts of my manger and my cross and my tomb are yours to keep.  And with these gifs in hand I will allow you into my heaven that they have earned for you.”

            My fellow Christians immersed in the sights and sounds of this Christmas Eve night, keep in mind that your God has created everything.  He owns everything.  He claims everything.  All things are his.  But the best of what is his, that which he has emptied himself for, that which he has sacrificed himself for, that which he has proven himself victorious for, those are the very gifts he has given to you.  The gifts of salvation and forgiveness and eternal life.  What an interesting gift exchange, isn’t it?  The worst of you he has taken for his own.  The best of what is his has been given to you.  And you will be able to enjoy these gifts for the rest of eternity.

            Amen.

“The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his.” - Gen. 49:10

12/18/11 - Advent 4 - Romans 16:25-27

AN UNSOLVED MYSTERY REVEALED

“Unsolved Mysteries”

            For 15 years, from 1987-2002, a popular tv show ran called “Unsolved Mysteries.”  Many of you are probably at least familiar with the show: it focused on unexplained deaths or missing persons who had never been found or a discovered treasure of some kind that no one knew anything about or long-lost loves who had been separated from each other years ago but people who had never been able to find each other again…  The show would review the facts about the case, hint at some possibilities, investigate possible leads, but in the end, the episode would inevitably leave the viewer hanging because it was an unsolved mystery, after all.  No one knew what had happened or why it had happened or sometimes even who it had been.  And unless there was a later “update” at the end of an episode that showed how a previously unsolved mystery was solved, no one ever found out the what or the why or the who.  But that was the appeal of the show: they were real-life mysteries. 

The Gospel is an Unsolved Mystery Revealed

            Throughout the New Testament the gospel about Jesus is referred to as a “mystery.”  And it’s called a mystery because it could not be understood or figured out by anyone unless it was revealed to them.  And so that’s why the apostle Paul speaks the way he does at the very end of the book of Romans: This “mystery hidden for long ages past [is] now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings.”  For 4000 years leading up to the birth of Jesus on this earth, the life and work of our Savior and exactly what he would do was kind of an “unsolved mystery” in a way: there were certain facts that could be gathered from Old Testament prophecies, there were bits and pieces that could be put together to form a few possibilities, but the entire story was still not perfectly clear.  It was similar to a movie trailer that you might see.  There will be clips of scenes and some one-liners and a cast of characters, but you will never know the full story or how all of those pieces fit together until you see the actual movie itself.  The Old Testament believers only had the movie trailer - the 30 second commercial.

            For example, those believers in Old Testament times knew from the very first prophecy about Christ to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden that a descendant of Eve would crush Satan’s head.  But they didn’t know exactly how that would happen and they didn’t know when.  Many of them had heard Moses say that one day the Lord would raise up a prophet just like him for God’s people.  But they didn’t know exactly what this later greater Prophet would do.  Many more of them marveled at what we read in our Old Testament reading today: that God would give David a son to sit on the throne, but not just his son Solomon, a Son that would reign forever.  But the people who heard it didn’t know how that could possibly be.  Many of them were told by the prophet Jeremiah that he would be “Branch;” many of them were told by the prophet Micah that he would be born in Bethlehem; many of them were told by the prophet Isaiah that he would be born of a virgin girl, that he would suffer incredible pains at the hands of his enemies; that he would be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.  And so there were hints and highlights, there were scattered facts that could be collected, but all of the details about who Jesus would be and what Jesus would do and how Jesus would do it was still largely an unsolved mystery.

            Until Jesus came.  Until Jesus was officially born to Mary in Bethlehem.  Until he lived for 33 years on this earth and performed miracles and preached sermons.  Until he made that cross famous.  Until he left that caved tomb just as empty as it had been three days before he was laid in it.  Until he left this earth and went back to heaven.  Until all of it was written down.  Then all of those predictions that the prophets had made for thousands of years before Jesus came made sense!  All of the facts matched up.  All of the varied evidence fit together.  The gaps were filled in and the missing information that had been brought to light suddenly made everything clear.  The “mystery” about who this Messiah would be and what this Messiah would do and how this Messiah would do it was no longer a “mystery” at all.  The mystery had become the “Message.”  The Gospel.  The Truth that Jesus lived, died, and rose for the sins of all people - no exceptions, no strings attached.  The story of salvation had been fulfilled and it is forever in writing for anyone to see and believe still today.  And here is the greatest part about this Unsolved Mystery Now Revealed: it is able to cement you in the foundation of your Savior.

This Story Strengthens

            Here’s how Paul puts it: “Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel, that is, the proclamation of Jesus Christ…”  The gospel about Jesus Christ that Paul preached has the power to “establish” us.  Different translations use the word “strengthen” here, which may be a little better: the gospel strengthens us.  I might even prefer the word “solidify” in this verse: the gospel solidifies or maybe reinforces us.  Because the picture that Scripture is conveying with this word is to fix or support something so that it is upright and immoveable.  The gospel establishes or strengthens or solidifies or reinforces a believer through faith Christ.  When we are surrounded by the gospel of our Savior we are upright and immovable.  When we are immersed in the Message of our salvation we are fixed and stable.  When we are constantly going back to the foundation of our faith we are that much more invulnerable to Satan’s attacks.  This Unsolved Mystery Now Revealed is the single most important factor to your joy, your peace, your comfort, and your strength in this life.  In fact, we would fall apart without it.

Reruns

            And sometimes we do, don’t we?  Sometimes we start to fall apart when we do not take advantage of that solidifying Word like we should.  We might start getting a little depressed at times; we worry more; we get frustrated easier; we can’t control our anger; we are overcome with sadness; we feel empty inside; we have a haze hanging over our heads; we can’t seem to be at peace with anything or anyone… and when those things start to happen, chances are we are not surrounding ourselves with the Word of God about our Savior as often as we should.  Maybe that’s not the case, but usually, when we’re not in the right state of mind and our attitude is not where it should be, the Word of our God is sadly absent.  Our daily reading of the Bible might have fallen down the priority list.  Family devotions might be iffy at best.  Worship itself might be just a habit and nothing more.  Bible study might not seem all that important…  At those times we are not fully immersing ourselves in the living and active Word of God and we wonder why we are feeling down!  It’s like we are treating the story about the Savior like a rerun at times.  We’ve heard it before, we’ve read it before, we’ve studied it before and there’s not really anything new.  It’s not all that exciting or special or groundbreaking.  It’s the same message week in and week out.  It’s not a big deal if we skip it every now and then.

            But it is a big deal.  It’s a waste!  It’s a waste when that the Unsolved Mystery that the Lord has now revealed in the pages of Scripture, the Truth that he has had written down for us in our own language, the gospel that he has given us the ability to read and multiple opportunities to study it and a group of Christians who believe it just like we do, it’s a waste when we don’t read it or hear it or delve into it when we have the chance.  We put it off for tomorrow or we don’t treat it all that seriously or we find something else to occupy our time.  And, believe it or not, I do that too.  Even though I deal with the Word of God on a daily basis, my own personal time with the Word for the good of my faith and the strengthening of my heart lacks sometimes.  I push it out of my schedule or I just never get around to it or I simply “get it done” to get it done.  And so why should I be confused when I struggle mentally and emotionally and psychologically and spiritually at times like those?  The solidifying Word of God about my Savior is not as prominent in my everyday life as it needs to be in those cases.  And so where do we need to go when we realize what has been happening?  We need to go back to the Word.  In fact, we can go right back to the very end of the book of Romans: “Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him — to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.”  This beautiful gospel is the only thing that will pick us up.  It is the only thing that will fix what is wrong.

Closure

            On the old tv show “Unsolved Mysteries,” the updates of previous episodes that explained how a mystery had been solved were really interesting.  It was neat to see the new information that had come up or another lead that came out of the woodwork or a person that had been found who tied together facts that were previously irreconcilable.  Those updates were nice because there was finally “closure” to the story.  There was a final chapter that rounded out all of the events and left nothing hanging in the balance. 

            The Bible itself provides “closure” to its story as well.  And not just about the prophecies of Jesus in Old Testament times, but about what will happen to us in the future.  The Lord clearly lays out for us in the verses and chapters and books of the Bible that no matter what are faults have been, we are still forgiven.  And no matter what our sins may look like, they have already been taken away by Christ and his cross.  And no matter how often we don’t take advantage of that solidifying Word of God, that same Word of God guarantees us eternal life.  And yes, it is a rerun!  But it has to be a rerun.  It must be!  And that’s what so great about it!  We know what Jesus has done for us and we know how it is all going to end.  We don’t have to worry about what will happen to us when we die.  We don’t have to wonder about what God’s decision will be on Judgment Day.  We don’t have to lose sleep over what may or may not occur in the years to come.  Because it’s not a mystery anymore.  And it’s not “unsolved” either.  Our future is secure in Christ.  Our home is prepared for us in heaven.  And until we get there we have the wonderful words of Scripture to guide us and guard us, to teach us and feed us, to establish and strengthen and solidify us through faith in our Savior.  Realize what a blessing it is to have those reruns of that Word in your hands and those penetrating truths about your Savior deep within your heart.  There is nothing more important to you in this life than that gospel.  I know you’ve seen this Unsolved Mystery Now Revealed any number of times before.  You’ve read it before, you’ve studies it before, you’ve worshiped it before, you’ve heard it before.  Hear it again.  Hear it again.

            Amen.

“To the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.” - Romans 16:27

12/11/11 - Advent 3 - John 3:27-30

IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU

John the Baptist: A Character Sketch

            There are few characters in the Bible as intriguing as John the Baptist.  He was the only cousin of Jesus that we know of.  His life and work were predicted by the prophet Isaiah 700 years before he was ever born and then again by the prophet Malachi over 400 years before his birth.  An angel of God named Gabriel physically appeared to John’s father, Zechariah, and told him that his wife was about to have a son.  When he a baby in the womb of his mother, Elizabeth, she described him as “jumping” with joy when the voice of Mary the mother of Jesus reached her ears.  When he was a young man he lived in the desert, eating honey and locusts, dressed in camel skin.  He was the first one we know of who baptized people for the forgiveness of their sins.  Jesus calls him the second Elijah; he describes John as a prophet who was “more” than just a regular prophet; Jesus even said, “Among those born of women there is no one greater than John” (Luke 7:28).  John had crowds and crowds of people flock to him every day; he had his own group of loyal followers; we even read in the book of Acts that over 25 years after John’s death people still were referring to themselves as his “disciples.”  John was the official preparer of the Messiah coming into this world - appointed by God himself.  And after all of these things had been accomplished, when John was finally beheaded by King Herod, he was only about 31 years old.  John is one of the most intriguing people in the pages of Scripture.  We might even say that he was one of the greatest by God’s own standards.

Willing to Step Back

            And so here we have this great New Testament prophet, a man who had specific passages of Old Testament prophecies referring to him, a man who had built up a large and passionate following through his preaching and teaching and baptizing, a modern-day celebrity of sorts that says something like this: “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.  You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.’  The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.  He must become greater; I must become less.”

            “He must become greater; I must become less.”  There was no evidence of an ego in this famous prophet.  There was no noticeable selfish ambition for praise and glory and fame in his words or actions.  Instead, the great John the Baptist was willing to give it all up.  He was willing to give up the throngs of passionate disciples that claimed him as their leader.  He was willing to give up the crowds of people that lined the banks of his outdoor congregation every day.  He was willing to give up everything he had become rightfully known for in an instant.  Because it wasn’t about him.  It was about Christ.

            Notice how John compared himself with his Lord: “I am not the groom; Jesus is.  I am simply his friend and I rejoice that he has come.  My joy is completed.  And I am more than willing to fade into the background as Jesus takes center stage.”  John said similar things to the crowds earlier in our gospel reading: “Among you stands one you do not know.  He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie” (John 1:26-27).  John, no matter how great he may have been in the eyes of the people that surrounded him and no matter how important his work truly was for the kingdom of God, did not even consider himself worthy enough to untie the sandal of his Savior.  John knew that what he had done didn’t really matter all that much; what mattered is what Christ would do.

Egocentric

            A couple weeks ago was “Black Friday” - the day after Thanksgiving that has taken on the infamous reputation of being the most frenzied shopping event of the entire year.  This year on Black Friday a man was shot in a parking lot in an attempted robbery.  A woman used pepper spray on her fellow shoppers to prevent them from getting to the item that she wanted.  Multiple fist fights broke out between both men and women in electronic departments and at jewelry counters.  A teenage girl was knocked down and stepped on multiple times resulting in minor injuries.  And all of these incidents happened only at Wal-Marts across the nation - not to mention anything about what happened at other stores in other places. 

            These examples, although extreme and a little out of the ordinary, are vivid indications of how egocentric people can be.  “Egocentric” means that people are centered on themselves.  What they want, what they like, and what they think they need takes precedence over almost anyone and anything else.  And although you and I don’t usually take it as far as some of those shoppers did on Black Friday, we are still very egocentric in our own right, aren’t we?

            “This is something I want and so I’m going to figure out a way to get it.  This is something I like and so I’m going to do whatever I can to enjoy it.  This is something I think I need and so I’m going to see to it that it works out my way.”  A large portion of our lives are used to make ourselves happy and to make ourselves comfortable, to make ourselves satisfied and to make ourselves feel fulfilled.  And sometimes we are so focused on our own wants and likes and needs that we don’t see or care about anyone or anything else.

            But this life isn’t about us.  It’s not about you.  It’s not about what you want.  It’s not about what you like.  It’s not about what you need or what you can get or what will make you happy or comfortable or satisfied or fulfilled.  Your goal in life shouldn’t be to have a good life because this life isn’t about you.  It’s about Christ.  But our egocentric nature asserts itself strongly, doesn’t it!  “I want what I want and I like what I like and I really need what I think I really need.  What about me?  Don’t I deserve nice things?  Don’t I get a few of the things that will make me happy?  Other people are doing it, why can’t I?  It’s the American way, after all.  If you want it; go get it.  You can do anything if you put your mind to it.  You can have anything if you want it badly enough.  I have to make myself happy before I can make others happy!”

            But that wasn’t the attitude of John the Baptist, was it?  He wasn’t interested in what he could gain or achieve or keep.  He was only interested in one thing: Christ.  And that’s the difference between egocentric and Christocentric.

Christocentric

            If “egocentric” means that people focus on themselves, what do you think “Christocentric” means?  It means, of course, that the focus is on Christ, on what he wants, on what he likes, on what he says.  A person who is Christocentric no longer concerns himself with himself, but with his Savior.  And so when the Christocentric John the Baptist was told that people were following this man named Jesus on the other side of the Jordan River, John said, “That’s OK.  He must become greater; I must become less.”  And when John’s disciples saw Jesus walking by, John cried out: “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”  And when the priests and Levites were trying to credit John himself as a prophet or Elijah or some other great man, John patiently explained, “No, I am nothing compared to Christ.  In fact, I’m not even important enough to touch his feet.”  John was not concerned about what he wanted or liked or needed.  Because it wasn’t about him.  The only thing he was concerned about was Christ and what his Savior was about to do.

            It’s not about you either.  If Jesus had not decided to come to this earth as a human being, anything that you wanted in this life wouldn’t matter.  It’s not about you.  If Jesus had not undergone every temptation known to man and every suffering brought on him by sin, whatever you like in this world would mean nothing.  If Jesus had not bled to death on that cross, remained in a grave for three days, and rose from the dead as he promised, whatever you needed here wouldn’t make a difference because the only thing you truly would need would be out of reach.  Who Jesus is and what Jesus has done defines you as a Christian.  He is the very reason you exist and the only reason why you have a sure hope for an existence that will last forever.  Jesus is your everything in this life.  It’s not about you.  It’s about him.

     
It’s All about Christ

            And that’s a good thing!  It’s a good thing that it’s not about you because if it were, this life would be hopeless!  If all there was to this world was getting what you want and enjoying what you like and somehow surviving on what you need, what a miserable life that would be!  What a horrible way to live and what a depressing way to die!  If it’s all about you and what you can do, then good luck.  If it’s all about me and what I can do, then I’m out of luck.  Because I can’t ever seem to be satisfied with what I have.  I can’t ever seem to remain happy all the time.  I can’t ever seem to comfort myself and be at peace with myself at every moment.  It’s a good thing it’s not about me!  I want it to be all about Christ!  I need it to be all about Christ or I’m lost!

            And it’s something I need to work on too.  Being egocentric is so natural, so instinctual.  Being Christocentric on the other hand is so abnormal, so difficult to do.  To always focus on Christ and what he wants and likes and says, while ignoring what I want and like and need isn’t easy!  But the more I read about his cross and the more I am reminded about his empty tomb and the more I study his Word and the more I am filled with his love, the more the Holy Spirit through that powerful Word reminds me that it’s not about me; it’s about Christ.  It’s not all about me.  It’s all about my Savior.  It’s not all about me.  It’s all about the One who did it all for me.

            Concentrate on that this week.  Better yet: concentrate on that this entire Advent season.  Better yet: concentrate on this the rest of your life.  Make that your motto.  Keep telling yourself over and over again, “It’s not about me; it’s about Christ.”  When you are upset at something a person does or says to you, tell yourself, “It’s not about me; it’s about Christ.”  When you are feeling a little down in the dumps for one reason or another, remind yourself, “It’s not about me; it’s about Christ.”  When life gets hard and stressful and overbearing, remember, “Life is not about me; it’s about Christ.  He has saved my life, renewed my life, strengthened my life, and guaranteed my life in heaven.  He has done it all.  There is nothing left that I could ever want; there is nothing left I could ever like; there is nothing left I could ever need that he hasn’t already given me.  And I don’t know what else to do but give back to him.”  It’s not about you.  And it’s not about me.  It’s about Christ.  And what a great life that is!  What a great life that will be!

            Amen.

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”  - Rev. 5:12

12/4/11 - Advent 2 - Isaiah 40:1-11

WE NEED THIS

The Weight of Sin

            Does the gravity of your sins ever weigh you down?  Does your inability to do what God says or your complete ineptness to avoid committing that same sin time and time again ever get at you?  It gets at me.  There are days when I just can’t seem to act how I know the Lord wants me to act.  There are times when I just can’t seem get myself to do those simple things that the Lord wants me to do.  There are moments when I just can’t seem to hold myself back from saying those things that I know I’m not supposed to say.  And it can get a little frustrating.  It can be disheartening to look back on the day gone by or the week or the month and all I can do is shake my head in disgust.  How worthless I have been!  What an utter failure I have been in my Christian life!  I should have been better than that!  I should have known better than that!  What was I thinking?  Why can’t I get better?  Why do I sometimes seem to be getting even worse?

            I’m sure some of the conscientious Christians in the Old Testament were thinking the same thing during the time of their exile in Babylon.  They must have looked back at everything that had happened and kicked themselves: “What were we thinking?  How could we have possibly ignored and rejected and turned away from the Lord’s Word for so long?  Now we have been torn away from our homes and kicked out of our country; our temple has been burned to the ground and the walls of our capital city have been destroyed.  If only we had listened!  If only we had believed!  Then we wouldn’t be stuck here in this horrible country for the last 70 years!” 

            It was their fault, after all.  They had no one to blame but themselves.  Prophet after prophet had been sent to them to warn them about what was going to happen, including the prophet Isaiah.  Isaiah lived before the exile into Babylon but a good portion of the book that is named after him deals with the punishment they were about to experience there.  And it’s interesting, because as Isaiah writes his prophecy from the Lord he talks as if they were already there.  He speaks as if he were there with them, elaborating on their stubbornness and their refusal to take the Lord’s Word to heart.  And Isaiah’s words must have struck a chord with some of them - especially after they did end up in Babylon!  Because the effects of their sins were right in front of them!  The consequences of their disobedience were something they had to deal with every day.  But if they did remember Isaiah’s words to them about their sin, then I would hope that they also remembered Isaiah’s words to them about their comfort.  Because by the time they were in Babylon, comfort is exactly what they needed.

 The Comfort of Christ

            Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.  Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins… See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and his arm rules for him…  He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.

            The Israelites needed this.  They needed to hear God’s comfort; they needed to be reminded about his love; they needed to believe in their Savior.  And so do I.  So do we.  We need this comfort when we are weighed down by our sins.  We need this comfort when we are disturbed by our actions.  We need this comfort when we can’t stand to look in the mirror and face the fact that we just don’t measure up.  We need to hear the soothing sounds of our Savior’s salvation flowing over our hearts.  We need to hear the massaging Message of the Messiah as it works out all of the kinks and the knots.  We need to hear the relieving voice of our Redeemer assuring us: “I’ve taken care of everything.  You don’t have to worry about a thing.  It’s going to be OK…  Comfort, comfort my people… your hard service has been completed, your sin has been paid for, and you have received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.”  We don’t just need any kind of comfort.  We need this kind of comfort.  Because this kind of comfort is based on fact.  This kind of comfort from our Lord is founded in his love.

            Normally, when a person tries to comfort another person in this world, it is nothing more than a faint hope and a feeble attempt to make that person feel better, isn’t it?  A child might fall off of his bike and the mother will “comfort” that child by rubbing his leg and saying, “It’s going to be OK.”  An elderly woman might lose her husband and her friend will “comfort” her by placing an arm around her shoulder and saying, “It’s going to be OK.”  A man might receive the news that he has been diagnosed with a life-altering illness and the doctor will try to offer some sort of “comfort” by saying, “It’s going to be OK.”  But this kind of comfort isn’t really comforting at all, is it?  Because this kind of comfort is just another way of saying: “Hold your chin up high; things can’t get any worse!”  Or “Time will hopefully heal those wounds if nothing else does.”  Or “I feel really bad for you; I’m sure things will get better for you some day!”

            We don’t need that kind of comfort, do we?  Because that kind of comfort is simply a wish or a heartfelt desire that things in this life will turn out all right.  We need the Lord’s comfort, the comfort that he’s actually done something about it.  “Comfort, comfort my people… your hard service has been completed, your sin has been paid for, and you have received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.”  “You can be comforted,” the Lord says, “because your sins have been paid for by my blood.  No matter how many sins you have committed, I have taken them away through my death on the cross.  No matter how much guilt you have been carrying around with you over the years, I have lifted it off your shoulders through my resurrection from the grave.  No matter how ugly your past has been, I have made your future beautiful through the promise of heaven.”  That is what we need, don’t we?  And we need this desperately.  Especially right now.

Craziness vs. Comfort

            Because this time of the year can get a little bit hectic, can’t it?  It can get a little bit crazy.  Have you been overwhelmed by the craziness of the pre-Christmas season yet?  Have you pulled the decorations out of the garage?  Have you popped in a few Christmas cd’s?  Have you done some shopping, made travel arrangements to visit family, planned for those big meals, written Christmas cards, maybe even received a few of them already?  It’s only 20 days until Christmas Eve after all and so if your life wasn’t busy before, it’s about to get busy whether you’re ready for it or not.  This time of year is filled with so many extra activities and so many extra obligations and so many extra purchases that we need this.  We need this comfort.  And we need this season of Advent that brings it to us.

            The word “Advent” means “coming.”  Specifically, the coming of Christ at Christmas.  And so this season is naturally a season of longing, a season of anticipation, a season of excitement as we look forward to the Savior of all comfort coming into this world as a human being for the very first time.  This is a great time of year.  And not because of family and presents and music and whatever else you like about the month of December, but because of the comfort.  After all, the comfort of Advent is going to be something that you will need not just to get you through these next few weeks, but all year long - not to mention all life long. 

Life-Long Comfort

            Don’t just revel in this Advent comfort during Advent!  That would be a mistake!  That would be detrimental to your faith to only bring this kind of comfort to mind during this time of the year!  Because there may be days when things are going well for you in the years to come; there may be times when things are relatively easy and life is generally enjoyable outside of these next few weeks.  But then you’ll get sick.  And you’ll be in bed for an extended period of time or you’ll be in pain most hours of the day or maybe you’ll even be in the hospital for tests and procedures and other things that aren’t quite so pleasant.  And your body won’t function like it’s supposed to; you’ll feel completely lousy and unbearably cranky; your life that was once so sweet will have taken on a sour flavor.  And then what?  Then where will your comfort be?  When your body hurts so bad that you want to cry; when you are in the hospital more than in your own house; when you are lying in your bed without being able to do anything you used to do… where is your comfort?  Where will you need to turn?  You will need to turn to Advent, to the coming of your Savior into this world and the comfort that his sacrifice accomplishes.  You will need this.  At that moment the only thing you will need is what you are hearing right now.

            There may be moments in this life when the relationships you have with those around you are all in alignment.  There may be times when things are going well with all of the people you love or at least they are in a state of toleration.  But then someone will die.  Someone you love will pass away.  And then what?  When your heart breaks, when every pore of your body misses that person so badly that you ache, when every holiday and birthday and special event reminds you of that person now gone whether you want it to or not, where will your comfort be?  Where will you need to turn?  You will need to turn to Advent, to the coming of your Savior into this world and the comfort that his sacrifice accomplishes.  You will need this.  At that moment the only thing you will need is what you are hearing right now.

            There may be days when you are happy and at peace and content.  But then there will be those days when something happens and your entire attitude changes.  And maybe it’s just a little thing: a bounced check, a problem with one of your children, a problem with one of your parents, car trouble, an argument with your spouse… And then what?  When your head wants to explode and your mind can’t focus on anything else and your mood is in a dark, dark place, where will your comfort be?  Where will you need to turn?  Advent.  The coming of your Savior into this world and the comfort that his sacrifice accomplishes.  You will need this.  You will need this comfort.  At that moment the only thing you will need is what you are hearing right now.

 
Take This Comfort with You

            Because this worship service can’t last forever, can it?  We will eventually wrap things up, sing the last hymn, stick around for Bible study, and be out those doors.  We will go back to our own homes and get on with our own lives and jump right back into our daily routines.  But don’t leave that comfort in here!  Your sins have been paid for!  You are guilt free and worry free and stress free right now.  And so take that with you!  Take this comfort back with you and carry it with you wherever you go!  It’s yours to keep.  It’s your to enjoy.  And so don’t go anywhere or do anything in this life without it.  Because you’re going to need it.  Believe me: You’re going to need this comfort in the years to come.  And what a blessing it is to know that what you are going to need you will already have.  Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

            Amen.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”  - 2 Cor. 1:3-4